撒迦利亞書9:1-8

9:1 耶和華的默示應驗在哈得拉地大馬士革─世人和以色列各支派的眼目都仰望耶和華─

9:2 和靠近的哈馬，並泰爾、西頓；因為這二城的人大有智慧。

9:3 泰爾為自己修築保障，積蓄銀子如塵沙，堆起精金如街上的泥土。

9:4 主必趕出她，打敗她海上的權利；她必被火燒滅。

9:5 亞實基倫看見必懼怕；迦薩看見甚痛苦；以革倫因失了盼望蒙羞。迦薩必不再有君王；亞實基倫也不再有居民。

9:6 私生子（或譯：外族人）必住在亞實突；我必除滅非利士人的驕傲。

9:7 我必除去他口中帶血之肉和牙齒內可憎之物。他必作為餘剩的人歸與我們的上帝，必在猶大像族長；以革倫人必如耶布斯人。

9:8 我必在我家的四圍安營，使敵軍不得任意往來，暴虐的人也不再經過，因為我親眼看顧我的家。

The oracle of the word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach

and Damascus is its resting place.

For the Lord has an eye on mankind

and on all the tribes of Israel,

and on Hamath also, which borders on it,

 Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.

Tyre has built herself a rampart

and heaped up silver like dust,

and fine gold like the mud of the streets.

But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions

and strike down her power on the sea,

and she shall be devoured by fire.

Ashkelon shall see it, and be afraid;

Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish;

Ekron also, because its hopes are confounded.

The king shall perish from Gaza;

Ashkelon shall be uninhabited;

a mixed people shall dwell in Ashdod,

and I will cut off the pride of Philistia.

I will take away its blood from its mouth,

and its abominations from between its teeth;

 it too shall be a remnant for our God;

it shall be like a clan in Judah,

and Ekron shall be like the Jebusites.

Then I will encamp at my house as a guard,

 so that none shall march to and fro;

 no oppressor shall again march over them,

 for now I see with my own eyes.

***********

    上帝要親自看顧回歸的猶太人的安全，外邦的軍事行動都無法傷害他們，沒有外患可以侵略他們。

    這樣的應許是以色列人可以安心重建聖殿，和重建家園。這也讓我們看見上帝在掌權成就祂的大事。

    祂必保守祂的子民，所以透過耶穌基督成為上帝家中的子民，是多麼有福啊！

撒迦利亞書8:18-23

8:18 萬軍之耶和華的話臨到我說：

8:19 「萬軍之耶和華如此說：四月、五月禁食的日子，七月、十月禁食的日子，必變為猶大家歡喜快樂的日子和歡樂的節期；所以你們要喜愛誠實與和平。」

8:20 萬軍之耶和華如此說：「將來必有列國的人和多城的居民來到。

8:21 這城的居民必到那城，說：『我們要快去懇求耶和華的恩，尋求萬軍之耶和華；我也要去。』

8:22 必有列邦的人和強國的民來到耶路撒冷尋求萬軍之耶和華，懇求耶和華的恩。

8:23 萬軍之耶和華如此說：在那些日子，必有十個人從列國諸族（原文是方言）中出來，拉住一個猶大人的衣襟，說：『我們要與你們同去，因為我們聽見上帝與你們同在了。』」

And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying,  “Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.

  “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities.  The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts; I myself am going.’  Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord.  Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”

***********

    上帝要將恩典放在猶大國的人身上，而這樣的預言真得透過耶穌基督實現了，真的上帝透過耶路撒冷施恩給萬民，大家透過福音都蒙福了！而這福音就是耶穌基督本身，我們因耶穌基督蒙恩了！

撒迦利亞書8:9-17

8:9 萬軍之耶和華如此說：「當建造萬軍之耶和華的殿，立根基之日的先知所說的話，現在你們聽見，應當手裡強壯。

8:10 那日以先，人得不著雇價，牲畜也是如此；且因敵人的緣故，出入之人不得平安，乃因我使眾人互相攻擊。

8:11 但如今，我待這餘剩的民必不像從前。這是萬軍之耶和華說的。

8:12 因為他們必平安撒種，葡萄樹必結果子，地土必有出產，天也必降甘露。我要使這餘剩的民享受這一切的福。

8:13 猶大家和以色列家啊，你們從前在列國中怎樣成為可咒詛的；照樣，我要拯救你們，使人稱你們為有福的（或譯：使你們叫人得福）。你們不要懼怕，手要強壯。

8:14 萬軍之耶和華如此說：「你們列祖惹我發怒的時候，我怎樣定意降禍，並不後悔。

8:15 現在我照樣定意施恩與耶路撒冷和猶大家，你們不要懼怕。

8:16 你們所當行的是這樣：各人與鄰舍說話誠實，在城門口按至理判斷，使人和睦。

8:17 誰都不可心裡謀害鄰舍，也不可喜愛起假誓，因為這些事都為我所恨惡。這是耶和華說的。」

Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets who were present on the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.  For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for beast, neither was there any safety from the foe for him who went out or came in, for I set every man against his neighbor.  But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the Lord of hosts.  For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.  And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong.”

  For thus says the Lord of hosts: “As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the Lord of hosts,  so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not.  These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace;  do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the Lord.”

**************

    在這裡我們看見禍福是從上帝來的，祂要施恩就施恩，要降禍就降禍！人是沒有反抗的能力，人只能順應上帝的作為。

    然而上帝不是永遠降禍，祂真正的心意是要賜福於人。因為，人是祂愛的對象，是祂用自己形象造的！更何況，祂是要透過亞伯拉罕來完成祂的救恩。而這樣的救恩，就是人因著信透過耶穌基督，與上帝有和好的關係，人與人和好，人與大自然和諧！

    這就是真正的平安！

撒迦利亞書8章

         撒迦利亞書8:1-8     ,

        撒迦利亞書8:9-17    ,  撒迦利亞書8章9-13節 ,

       撒迦利亞書8:18-23   ,

撒迦利亞書8:1-8

8:1 萬軍之耶和華的話臨到我說：

8:2 「萬軍之耶和華如此說：我為錫安心裡極其火熱，我為她火熱，向她的仇敵發烈怒。

8:3 耶和華如此說：我現在回到錫安，要住在耶路撒冷中。耶路撒冷必稱為誠實的城，萬軍之耶和華的山必稱為聖山。

8:4 萬軍之耶和華如此說：將來必有年老的男女坐在耶路撒冷街上，因為年紀老邁就手拿柺杖。

8:5 城中街上必滿有男孩女孩玩耍。

8:6 萬軍之耶和華如此說：到那日，這事在餘剩的民眼中看為希奇，在我眼中也看為希奇嗎？這是萬軍之耶和華說的。

8:7 萬軍之耶和華如此說：我要從東方從西方救回我的民。

8:8 我要領他們來，使他們住在耶路撒冷中。他們要作我的子民，我要作他們的上帝，都憑誠實和公義。」

And the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying,  “Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.  Thus says the Lord: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain.  Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age.  And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.  Thus says the Lord of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the Lord of hosts?  Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country,  and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.”

*****************

    上帝要重建耶路撒冷，特別是錫安的聖殿，使以色列人重新回到耶和華的信仰與敬拜！不僅如此，在生活中要充滿誠實和公義。

    「因為上帝的國不在乎吃喝，只在乎公義、和平，並聖靈中的喜樂。」（羅馬書14:17）

    也因此「誠實和公義」是信仰重要的指標，若敬畏上帝，自然就充滿「誠實和公義」，社會國家如此，教會更是如此！