By: Dr. Jürgen Bühler, ICEJ President 

This year’s Feast theme came from Zechariah 8:23, that “ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man…” 

It is the last, climactic verse of this chapter, in which God makes ten declarations about Israel’s future restoration, each starting: “Thus says the Lord”. During this year’s Feast, the Gaza war halted and the last living hostages came home. In parallel, US President Donald Trump released a 20-point plan for Gaza’s future. Yet God’s ten decrees over Israel are a timely, heavenly reminder that He is King of all the earth. Men have their plans, but God’s divine imperatives for Israel and the nations will prevail. 

1) God is emotionally involved in Israel’s restoration: “Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy… with great wrath.” (Zechariah 8:2 – ESV passim) God wants us to know He is emotionally attached to Israel’s restoration with great jealousy and anger. The Oxford Dictionary defines jealousy as “fiercely protective of one’s rights or possessions”. Often, God declares the Land of Israel is His possession (e.g., Leviticus 25:23). As owner, He gave it to the Jewish people as an eternal inheritance (Genesis 17:8; Joshua 14:9; Ezekiel 37:25).  

Today, God watches jealously when nations like Iran call for Israel’s destruction. He also watches jealously at the nations coming against Israel in the United Nations or European Union, trying to dictate Israel’s sovereign borders. Our world is strangely obsessed with solving the ‘Israel Question,’ while far greater conflicts and humanitarian crises are ignored. Israel is a vibrant democracy, yet it is condemned far more than any other country. The past ten years alone, 173 UN resolutions condemned Israel, compared to just ten resolutions against rogue nations like Iran and North Korea. 

God says He is jealous for Zion with hot anger. This is a call to pray for your nation! It also raises the question: If God’s heart is so deeply involved with Israel, how am I doing? Do I feel the same passion and zeal for Zion? If not, ask God to show you His heart for Israel. 

2) The Lord will set up His habitation in Zion: “Thus says the Lord: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem…” (Zechariah 8:3) This declaration further explains why God is jealous for Zion – it will again be His dwelling place.” He has returned (past tense) like a landlord who comes to a place He owns. He oversees the daily work of the architects, contractors and interior designers, until the day He will finally move in. Zechariah recalls how God’s holy presence left Jerusalem during the time of Ezekiel. It was a phased departure from the Holy of Holies, then the outer courts, and finally the city. But God declares He is now returning to once again make Jerusalem His dwelling place. 

The Lord indeed has returned to Jerusalem. His attention is on it, as He prepares the city to be His resting place on earth. This work can be seen everywhere, and God invites us to be part of it. 

3) It is multi-generational: “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.’” (Zechariah 8:4) The restoration of Israel will impact all segments of the Jewish people, both young and old, men and women. I will never forget my first visit to Israel 34 years ago. We visited the 19^th century Rothschild House in the Old City, which today houses a yeshiva. On the sidewalk was inscribed the above passage from Zechariah 8:4. As I watched, young kids ran excitedly across the square and old men sat on chairs talking, I was thrilled to see prophecy being fulfilled. 

4) It is Miraculous: “This is what the Lord Almighty says: “It may seem marvelous to this people…” (Zechariah 8:6 – NIV) The restoration of Israel is a miracle; in fact a collection of miracles. Consider just one example. Israel is the only country whose borders can be seen from space – not due to geographic features like rivers or mountains, but due to the greening of the desert compared to Egypt. God commands Ezekiel to prophesy to the Land of Israel to bring forth vegetation (Ezekiel 36), and you can even see it from space. 

5) The miracle of Aliyah: “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save My people from the east country and from the west country…” (Zechariah 8:7). Another great miracle is Aliyah – the Jewish return to Israel. I learned something amazing in a recent conversation with a Jewish Agency official. Since October 7, 2023, the number of Jews registering interest in moving to Israel doubled. Israel is probably the only country in the world where people immigrate even amid conflict. 

6) A new season for Israel: “Thus says the Lord of hosts: …But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days… just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing.” (Zechariah 8:11-13) Here, God prophesies a new season for Israel, from being a “curse” to becoming a “blessing”. The Jewish people today indeed have seen a dramatic shift from being a persecuted underdog and a byword among the nations, to being a world leader in science, technology, medicine and agriculture. It is an irreversible, heavenly shift seen by all. 

7) A new divine approach: “For thus says the Lord of hosts: Just as I determined to punish you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath, and I would not relent, so again in these days I am determined to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.” (Zechariah 8:14ff) God declares He is changing His attitude towards Israel. This is of highest importance for us, as it means we need a new approach to understand God’s current dealings with Israel. God was determined to deal harshly with His people, as was evident over many centuries. Yet, God has now reversed His way of dealing with Israel. Practically, this means their time of dispersion is over and we are in a time of ingathering. Israel has gone from desolation to restoration. It also means the “times of the Gentiles” is closing and Jerusalem is rightly returning to Jewish hands (Luke 21:24). It is thus time to fix our sight on what God is doing in Israel. As the Psalmist declares: “The time to favour Zion has come!” (Psalm 102:13) 

8) From mourning to joy: “Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth month… fifth… seventh… and tenth, shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah.” (Zechariah 8:19) This passage reminds us that we are still in a time of transition from one season to another. Israel today still mourns not only the pain of the Holocaust, but also the current wounds of war. We just saw this when the last living hostages were released by Hamas, as Israelis rejoiced but also mourned some 2000 civilians and soldiers killed since October 7. Yet God promises a day will come when their mourning will turn to “gladness” (Isaiah 35:10, 61:3). 

9) Mass pilgrimage to Zion: “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Peoples shall yet come, inhabitants of many cities; The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying “Let us continue to go and pray before the Lord, and seek the Lord of hosts. I myself will go also.”’” (Zechariah 8:20-22) The Lord decrees a season of mass Gentile pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Some see this as a purely futuristic prophecy, but we see it coming to pass already. Just days after our Feast, a Samoan lady testified how young people from her island are selling cars and possessions just to come to the Feast of Tabernacles to meet God next year. 

In a way, this Feast is exactly as theologian George Eldon Ladd once described the Kingdom of God, as a manifestation of “the presence of the future”. Indeed, we are already tasting “the powers of the age to come”. (Hebrews 6:5) 

10) A transformed nation: “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’” (Zechariah 8:23) This verse represents the culmination of God’s purposes with Israel, to transform them into a nation that will amaze the world. The Hebrew prophets foresaw a time when the people of Israel will receive new hearts transformed by the Holy Spirit (Ezekiel 36:25-27). As this happens, Israel will become a magnet not just for believers but for everyone, even kings and rulers. Israel will be a shining light to the nations (Isaiah 60:1-3). Paul said it will be like “life from the dead”. (Romans 11:15) And people will follow Israel for the simple reason that “God is with you.” 

May this day come soon!