Made to be a Blessing (Zechariah 8:1-17) (October 21, 2025)

Made to be a Blessing (Zechariah 8:1-17) Living Life 10/21/2025 Daily Devotional BIble Study

 

 

Made to be a Blessing (Zechariah 8:1-17) Living Life 10/21/2025 Daily Devotional BIble Study

 

 

Introduction: Context of Zechariah’s Ministry

Welcome to living life

As you might have noticed today's passage is from the book of Ezekara.

Sakariah whose name means Yawe has remembered was both a priest and prophet active during Judah's restoration period around 52 to 470 BC when the exiles returned from Babylon to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.

Identified as the son of Burka and grandson of Ido he ministered alongside Zerobabelle and Hegai calling the return exiles to repentance and spiritual renewal amid discouragement and apathy.

Though his recorded prophecies cover only about two years Ckaria likely continued his ministry until the temple's completion encouraging the people to remain faithful to God's promises.

Today's passage symbolically describes the temple that allows God's people to enter into his presence being rebuilt as God decides to stop their suffering and to bless and restore them.

So let's turn to the passage for the Day

 

 

Made to be a Blessing

 

 

Scripture Reading: Zechariah 8:1–17

Zkariah Chapter eight verses one to seventeen

The word of the Lord Almighty came to me.
This is what the Lord Almighty says.
I am very jealous for Zion I am burning with jealousy for her.
This is what the Lord says.
I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem then Jerusalem will be called the faithful city and the mountain of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.
This is what the Lord Almighty says.

Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem each of them with cane in hand.
Because of their age the city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.
This is what the Lord Almighty says.
It may seem marvellous to the remnant of this people at that time but will it seem marvellous to me declares the Lord Almighty.

This is what the Lord Almighty says.
I will save my people from the countries of the East and the West.
I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem.
They will be my people and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.
This is what the Lord Almighty says.
Now hear these words Let your hands be strong so that the temple may be built.

This is also what the prophets said who were present then the foundation was laid for the house of the Lord Almighty.
Before that time there were no wages for people or higher animals.
No one could go about their business safely because of their enemies since I had turned everyone against their neighbor.
But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as I did in the past declares the Lord Almighty.

The seed will grow will the vine will yield its fruit The ground will produce its crops and the heavens will drop their due.
I will give all these things as an inheritance to the remnant.
Foe this people just as you Judah and Israel have been a curse among the nations So I will save you and you will be a blessing.
Do not be afraid but let your hands be strong.
This is what the Lord Almighty says

Just as I had determined to bring disaster on you and showed no pity when your ancestors angered me says the Lord Almighty So now I have determined to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah.
Do not be afraid these are the things you are to do.
Speak the truth to each other and render true and sound judgment in your courts.
Do not plot evil against each other and do not love to swear falsely.
I hate all this declares the Lord.

 

 

Historical Background: Destruction and Return

The temple in Jerusalem originally built by Solomon was destroyed in 5877 BCE when the Babylonians captured the city, burned its buildings and exiled Judah's leaders to Babylon.
This devastation ended Judah's independence and began the exilic period which lasted until King Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylon in 539 BC and allowed the Judeans to return and rebuild the temple.

The second temple built on the site of the destroyed First temple became the center of the Jewish community in the Persian period.
In the Bible the temple symbolizes number one God's dwelling number two it is a reminder of the covenant relationship between God and his people.
Number three so replica of worshiping God in heaven and as we remember number 4 Jesus referred to himself as the temple.

The Foundation Analogy: Building a Lasting Faith

The temple was destroyed when the Israelites rebelled against God and turned to idols.
The temple was rebuilt when people turned back to him with all their hearts.
I'm pretty sure that the that most of you have seen some kind of construction site before there's a process of building.
The ground has to be dug and the higher the building is the deeper we need to dig

then you have to lay a foundation.
The firmer the foundation is the longer the building will last.
What you use as a foundation is very important.
If it is something durable stable even if it takes time the building will last longer.
Conversely if you lay a weak and unstable foundation though the building might look exactly the same as the one that has former foundation and the former took shorter time to build and it gave easier job the whole building will not stand.

We watched the news just a few months ago that certain buildings in China collapsed soon after being built.
It turned out to be that they did not have the depth and stability of the foundation that it takes for a high rise building to stand and last.
All the materials and labor that went into building them were all wasted and I wonder what happened to the people inside

Spiritual Application: Foundation of Worship and Relationship

because we God's children are so dependent on him when our life of worship our covenant relationship with him is shaky our lives fall apart there's no peace and even our identity is lost.
If we are fine without intimate relationship with God then there's something seriously wrong with the picture.
We might have to double check if we are indeed in the path of salvation.
If um we are God's children if God seems to leave us alone when we're so far away from him then um

we might have to really seriously check on ourselves.
According to today's scripture God says it's time his time to restore his people to invite them back to the intimate covenant relationship to lay the foundation again.
Verse fourteen says this is what the Lord Almighty says Just as I had determined to bring disaster on you and showed no pity when your ancestors angered me says the Lord Almighty verse fifteen.
So now I have determined to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah.
Do not be afraid

God’s Compassionate Restoration

it's not that the Israelites earned the credit and finally got decided to restore them.
It's not that they finally passed the cutline and he is satisfied to bless them.
Now rather as God the father was watching his children suffer even as consequences of their own sin he could not bear with the pain anymore.
His compassion was stirred up and he had to come up with a solution for them to put an end to their suffering.
God couldn't wait for this moment

the most important glorious moment.
He had been jealously waiting for his bride to return to him so he decides to reach out to her.
He says he will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem which makes the city holy.
Again the builder will return to the site of devastation to clean up the mess and to teach his people how to lay a new foundation and to rebuild.
Verse three says this is what the Lord says I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem then Jerusalem will be called the faithful city

and the mountain of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.
It is our holy God returning to Jerusalem that makes the Israelites holy instead of the Israelites behaving and becoming holy that allows God to return.
Yet he uses his prophets and priests like Zakaria to intercede in their behalf and few people who repent and pray to invite his presence and glory to return.
And when he returns today's passage says that our life will be rebuilt.

The Promise of Renewal and Blessing

God's people who were in Babylonian exile will return and the land that had been completely devastated where a few people lived will be filled with boys and girls.
The land where people died tragically young will see people enjoying a long blast life.
The land that had been previously so dry and barren will now suddenly yield abundant harvests.
And with all these blessings God intends to encourage his people to remain strong and steadfast in order to rebuild the temple.

It's because when the life of worship is restored finally he can be our God and we live like his people.

 

 

How might your life decisions be different if you shifted your perspective to view heaven as your permanent home?

 

 

Living as God’s People in Restoration

What is our part in this process of restoration when it still feels so dry and barren when it seems that the seeds that we sow do not yield any crops

and God seems to hide his face we need to continue to seek him and his will.
We need to remember that God loves us no matter what and nothing can separate us from the love of God.

We need to remind ourselves that God is not a tyrant He doesn't falsely accuse us

He is not judgmental toward us but he's good and he understands us.
This will help us to trust and follow him and this will help us hear him louder and clearer

and God will surely bless us and restore us to live as his own people.

So let us pray 

 

Prayer

Lord You've been waiting for us so patiently and so earnestly.
We do not deserve your love and forgiveness but you decided to do so.
Regardless we don't know the depth of your love yet and sometimes the people or certain experiences are not helpful.

Please correct the distorted image of God that we have so we may draw closer to you help us seek you in spite of the pain and sorrow even when it feels like we're in the dry and scorched land holding onto the truth that you are good and your love enjours forever.
May the temple in our lives be rebuilt and may our eyes see your promises coming true and the abundance that you bring in the name of our God whose name is faithful We pray Amen.

 

 

"In God's providence, as believers, we will have many opportunities to love, do good, bless, and pray for those who hate us. And as God enlarges our hearts by his Spirit, we will not fail to do so." ... ~Rosaira Butterfield