Zechariah 14:6-11: a reflection

6It will happen in that day that there will not be light, cold, or frost. 7It will be a unique day which is known to the LORD—not day, and not night; but it will come to pass that at evening time there will be light. 8It will happen in that day that living waters will go out from Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea, and half of them toward the western sea. It will be so in summer and in winter. 9The LORD will be King over all the earth. In that day the LORD will be one, and his name one. 10All the land will be made like the Arabah, from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; and she will be lifted up and will dwell in her place, from Benjamin’s gate to the place of the first gate, to the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananel to the king’s wine presses. 11Men will dwell therein, and there will be no more curse; but Jerusalem will dwell safely.

In a vision of the great day to come, the prophet foretells a time when God will reign over all, living waters will flow out from Jerusalem, and, most strikingly, the curse that has burdened the world will be no more. There will be no more curse, the prophet says; but Jerusalem will dwell safely. From the fall onward, the world has lain under a curse, marred by sin and its consequences, subject to death and decay and sorrow; but the prophet foretells a day when that curse will be lifted, removed entirely, and God's people will dwell in safety, with the Lord reigning as King over all the earth. The curse that has weighed on the world will one day be no more; God's people will dwell safe and unburdened in his presence. This is the hope held out: not merely relief from present troubles, but the final removal of the curse itself, and a secure dwelling with God who reigns over all. The day comes when there will be no more curse, and God's people will dwell safely.

Notice the hope the prophet holds out: a day with no more curse, when God's people dwell safely. The world we know lies under a curse, marked by sin, death, decay, and sorrow; but the prophet foretells a day when that curse will be lifted entirely, no more curse, and God's people will dwell in safety, with the Lord reigning over all the earth and living waters flowing out. This is a hope that reaches beyond present relief to the final removal of the curse itself. The brokenness of the present world, its sorrows and death, is not its permanent state; a day comes when the curse will be no more, and God's people will dwell secure and unburdened in his presence. This is the great hope of God's people: not merely better circumstances now, but the final undoing of the curse, and a safe dwelling with God forever. The last book of Scripture takes up the same promise: no more curse. The day is coming when the burden of the curse is lifted, and God's people dwell safe. The curse will be no more.

That is worth resting in, for a day is coming when the curse will be no more, and God's people will dwell safely with God who reigns. We live in a world under a curse, marked by sin, death, decay, and sorrow, and can feel this is simply how things must always be; but the prophet foretells a day when there will be no more curse, when God's people dwell in safety with the Lord reigning over all. The brokenness of the present is not the final state; the curse will be lifted. When the burden of the present world weighs on you, rest in the hope of the day with no more curse, when God's people dwell safely. Rest in the hope of the day when there will be no more curse and God's people will dwell safely with the Lord reigning over all, as the prophet foretold living waters flowing out from Jerusalem and no more curse; for the world we know lies under a curse of sin and death and sorrow, but this is not its permanent state, and a day comes when the curse will be removed entirely and God's people will dwell secure and unburdened in his presence, so that the brokenness of the present is not the last word but gives way to a day with no more curse.

Lord, in a vision of the great day to come, the prophet foretells a time when you will reign over all, living waters will flow out from Jerusalem, and, most strikingly, the curse that has burdened the world will be no more. There will be no more curse, the prophet says; but Jerusalem will dwell safely. From the fall onward, the world has lain under a curse, marred by sin and its consequences, subject to death and decay and sorrow; but the prophet foretells a day when that curse will be lifted, removed entirely, and your people will dwell in safety, with you reigning as King over all the earth. Show me the hope the prophet holds out: a day with no more curse, when your people dwell safely. The world I know lies under a curse, marked by sin, death, decay, and sorrow; but the prophet foretells a day when that curse will be lifted entirely, and your people will dwell in safety, with you reigning over all and living waters flowing out. This is a hope that reaches beyond present relief to the final removal of the curse itself. The brokenness of the present world is not its permanent state; a day comes when the curse will be no more. Let me rest in that, for a day is coming when the curse will be no more, and your people will dwell safely with you who reign. I live in a world under a curse, and can feel this is simply how things must always be; but the prophet foretells a day when there will be no more curse. The brokenness of the present is not the final state. When the burden of the present world weighs on me, help me rest in the hope of the day with no more curse, Lord, when your people dwell safely with you reigning over all, as the prophet foretold living waters flowing out and no more curse.