Zechariah 2:6 says, Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD. God had once more given the people of Israel and Judah their land back, but not all were eager to return. Some were more content to stay where they were than to face the possible struggles of returning, and there are people today who would rather continue to live where they are, which is under the bondage of sin no matter how successful they may be, than to claim the promised land of God because doing so might cost them something in the world. God said He had scattered them to the four winds, and now He was calling them to return. God still calls people from all over the world today. Verse seven declares, Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. God called on those living in Babylon to deliver themselves by returning to Him and the land that He had given them. Each individual must make the decision today to deliver themselves from the bandage of sin by putting their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. We cannot save ourselves, but we must deliver ourselves to Jesus Christ to be saved.. Verse eight adds, For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. God said that He was going to deliver His people, and that He would punish anyone who harmed them. They were reluctant to return to God because of the struggles that those who had already returned to the promised land were having, but God said that He was with them. We need never be afraid to follow God's call to salvation, because once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, then God will protect us spiritually forever. Verse nine continues, For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me. Though spoken to the people of that time, this refers to the ultimate victory made possible by Jesus Christ. He was, is, and always will be the only way to salvation and victory over the sins of this world. Verse ten states, Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst. of thee, saith the LORD. The people of Israel and Judah in that day were called on to rejoice in the LORD, not when everything was perfect, but always. We today need to rejoice in the Lord always. Our wordly condition should not determine whether we rejoice in the Lord or not. Verse eleven adds, And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee. Many of God's chosen people might refuse to come back to Him, but God was going to call people from all nations to come and be a part of His people. This is where we as Gentiles come into the family of God. Those of God's chosen people who refuse to come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ are still outside of His kingdom. Verse twelve declares, And they shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again. God said that He was going to reclaim Judah and Jerusalem as His own. This is all God's world, and one day Jesus Christ is going to return and reclaim it all. Those who have put their faith in Him will be a part of that reclamation. Verse thirteen says, Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation. The whole world will one day stand silent before the Lord. We will have nothing that we can say to make us worthy of the salvation of Christ.
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