Zechariah Calls Out To The People To Return To G-d

Jerusalem may sound more like a place of conflict and chaos, than being the holiest city on earth.

But towards the end, Jerusalem will find favor in G-d’s eyes with His people.

G-d will have mercy on Zion, and will choose Jerusalem still.

Those evil men and empire that G-d used to chastise His people, will have its own consequences of having augmented evil against His people.

“Return To G-d”

“Strange Vision”

“Plea For Jerusalem”

In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of Hashem came to Zechariah son of Berechaiah son of Iddo, the prophet, saying: Hashem became wrathful with your forefathers, wrath.
1:1-2
Say to [the people]: Thus said Hashem, Master of Legions: Return unto Me — the word of Hashem, Master of Legions — and I will return unto you, said Hashem, Master of Legions.
1:3
Do not be like your fathers, to whom the prophets of old called out, saying, ‘Thus said Hashem, Master of Legions:L Return, now, from your evil ways and from your evil deeds,’ but they did not listen nor pay attention to Me — the word of Hashem.
:4
I saw [a vision in] the night. There was a man riding upon a red horse, and he was standing among myrtle bushes that were in a pool of water; behind him were horses; red, sorrel and white.
:8
And the man who was standing among the myrtles spoke up and said, “These are the ones whom Hashem has sent to travel about the earth.”
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and I am wrathful, a great wrath against the complacent nations, who, when I became slightly wrathful, augmented the evil.
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Therefore, thus said Hashem: I have returned to Jerusalem in mercy; My temple will be rebuilt in it — the word of Hashem, Master of Legions — and a plumb line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.’
:16
… Hashem will have mercy on Zion once again and He will choose Jerusalem once again.’
:17

1 In the eighth month in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah son of Berechiah, son of Iddo the prophet, saying:
2 The Lord was wroth with your fathers, for they provoked Him.
3 And you shall say to them: So said the Lord of Hosts, Return to Me, said the Lord of Hosts, and I will return to you, said the Lord of Hosts.
4 Be not like your fathers, to whom the early prophets called, saying: So said the Lord of Hosts: Return now from your evil ways and your evil deeds. But they neither obeyed nor hearkened to Me, said the Lord.
5 [As for] your fathers-where are they? But the prophets-do they live forever?
6 But My words and My decrees that I commanded My servants, the prophets-did they not overtake your fathers? And they returned and said: “As the Lord of Hosts planned to do to us, according to our ways and according to our deeds, so He did to us.”
7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month-that is, the month of Shevat-in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying:
8 I saw tonight, and behold! A man was riding on a red horse, and he was standing among the myrtles that were in the pool, and after him were red, black, and white horses.
9 And I said, “What are these, my lord?” and the angel who was speaking to me said to me, “I will show you what these are.”
10 And the man standing among the myrtles replied and said, “These are the ones whom the Lord has sent to walk to and fro on the earth.”
11 And they answered the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtles, and they said, “We have walked to and fro on the earth, and behold! All the earth sits still and is at rest.”
12 And the angel of the Lord replied and said, “O Lord of Hosts! How long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and upon the cities of Judah, upon whom You are wroth for seventy years already?”
13 And the Lord answered the angel who was speaking to me, good words-yea, consoling words.
14 And the angel who was speaking to me said to me, “Proclaim, saying: ‘So said the Lord of Hosts, I am jealous for Jerusalem, and for Zion-great jealousy.
15 And I am very angry with the nations that are at ease, for I was wroth a little, and they helped to do harm.’
16 Therefore, so said the Lord: ‘I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; My house shall be built there,’ says the Lord of Hosts. ‘And a plumb line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.’
17 Further, proclaim, saying: so said the Lord of Hosts, ‘My cities shall yet spread out with prosperity, and the Lord shall yet console Zion and shall yet choose Jerusalem.’ “