C. Related Sayings of Encouragement (8:1-8)

But Zechariah’s ministry was one of comfort. He moves almost suddenly to a series of memorable sayings (perhaps these were texts of various sermons) intended to reassure God’s people of his love. The divine jealousy (cf. 1:14) may be thought of as passionate zeal or ardor moving God into action on behalf of his people. The expected arrival of the Lord will herald a new age for Jerusalem. The sounds of prosperous and happy families will once again fill her streets. As is always the tragic truth, the young and elderly would have suffered much at the fall of Jerusalem in 587 b.c. Few of the elderly would have endured the arduous trip back to Jerusalem. But the new age will witness God’s people returning to Jerusalem from the east and the west, and the repopulated city will once again enjoy the blessing of long life. For some, these tremendous promises were difficult to believe (v.6).