Zechariah 2 reminds me of the emotional walls we create. During my high school years my home was a weird place. My mother battled alcohol on and off, and during those years things were bad. I never knew what I would find when I came home, so I built barriers to keep everyone away. Those walls hid my fears and vulnerabilities. To others, things appeared strong and stable, but as walls meant for protection grow, they can easily lead to isolation. In today’s chapter, the prophet sees yet another vision in which he is able to listen in on conversations between the Lord and His heavenly host. The chapter begins, “before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand“. We read that he was going “To measure Jerusalem“. Next the Angel of the Lord commands another angel to “tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls’“. In ancient times, gated communities provided safety from unwanted intruders. Generally, the greater the city, the grander were the walls surrounding it.
This Angel of the Lord adds two reasons why walls were not needed. First He says “because of the great number of people and animals in it“. In other words, walls would limit the maximum capacity. This city will have no limit. Second, He adds, “I Myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will be its glory within“. Who is this Angel of the Lord that speaks as God? I believe it is the Messiah Himself, the Second person of the Trinity. It is the Christ. Yes, Jesus is God, He was there at Creation, but He humbled Himself to be born in the flesh. He had to be fully God and Fully man in order to pay the debt of sin. Only God could be sinless, and only a man could remove the stain of Adam. He appears many times throughout the history of Israel and He will rule over the New Jerusalem in the age to come.
The chapter ends with a poem written by Zechariah calling all the Jews in exile to return. “Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north“. Multiple times the nation was dispersed, “for I have scattered you to the four winds“; yet amazingly they remained separate. He calls those that have been in captivity, “Come, Zion! Escape, you who live in Daughter Babylon!” And He includes a promise, “whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye I will surely raise My hand against them“. The twelve tribes of Jacob and all their decedents are a special class. Remember the promise made to Abraham still holds true today, “I will bless those who bless you,and whoever curses you I will curse;and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3). He continues, “I am coming, and I will live among you… Many nations will be joined with the LORD in that day and will become My people“. All the nations will be blessed through “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Ephesians chapter 2 explains that both Jew and Gentile are saved by faith in Christ, “For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2:14). Have you isolated yourself by your own walls of protection? Alone is a bad place, but Christ calls us to gather together with believers. Friend, is it time to put your faith in the protection and peace of Christ?