Zechariah 8:6-13: a reflection

6The LORD of Armies says: “If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my eyes?” says the LORD of Armies. 7The LORD of Armies says: “Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country. 8I will bring them, and they will dwell within Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.” 9The LORD of Armies says: “Let your hands be strong, you who hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets who were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of Armies was laid, even the temple, that it might be built. 10For before those days there was no wages for man nor any wages for an animal, neither was there any peace to him who went out or came in, because of the adversary. For I set all men everyone against his neighbor. 11But now I will not be to the remnant of this people as in the former days,” says the LORD of Armies. 12“For the seed of peace and the vine will yield its fruit, and the ground will give its increase, and the heavens will give their dew. I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things. 13It shall come to pass that, as you were a curse among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Don’t be afraid. Let your hands be strong.”

God speaks words of encouragement to his discouraged people, rebuilding after exile. He promises to save them, to bring them home, to be their God in truth and righteousness, to give them peace and fruitfulness where before there was hardship and strife. And he makes a striking promise about their reputation: As you were a curse among the nations, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Do not fear; let your hands be strong. The people who had been a byword of misfortune would become a channel of blessing.

Notice the reversal God promises: from curse to blessing. The people had been a curse among the nations, a byword of misfortune and judgment; and God promises to turn that completely around, so that they would become a blessing. What had been a story of judgment and shame would become a story of salvation and blessing, by God's doing. And on the strength of this promise, God twice urges them: do not fear; let your hands be strong. The promised reversal was ground for courage.

That promise of reversal, from curse to blessing, is a ground of hope. Where our story has been one of failure, judgment, or shame, God is able to turn it around, to make of it something that blesses, by his grace. We are not locked forever into the story of our past failures; God can reverse it, making what was a curse into a blessing. If your story so far has been one of failure or shame, do not despair as though it could never be otherwise. God turned his people from a curse into a blessing; he is able to do the same with your story, redeeming what has been, and making of it something that blesses. Take heart from his promise: do not fear; let your hands be strong. The God who turns curses into blessings can redeem your story too; hope in him, and let your hands be strong.

Lord, you spoke encouragement to your discouraged people: as you were a curse among the nations, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing; do not fear, let your hands be strong. Give me hope from that promise of reversal, from curse to blessing. Where my story has been one of failure, judgment, or shame, you are able to turn it around, to make of it something that blesses, by your grace. I am not locked forever into the story of my past failures; you can reverse it, making what was a curse into a blessing. If my story so far has been one of failure or shame, keep me from despairing as though it could never be otherwise. You turned your people from a curse into a blessing; you are able to do the same with my story, redeeming what has been, and making of it something that blesses. Help me take heart from your promise: do not fear; let your hands be strong. You, who turn curses into blessings, can redeem my story too; help me hope in you, Lord, and let my hands be strong.