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Zechariah 8 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
Oh my! There are few verses more worthy of our desperate pursuit than Zechariah 8:6. The verse illustrates a life of faith, trust, and perseverance.
The LORD of Hosts says this: “Though it may seem incredible to the remnant of this people in those days, should it also seem incredible to Me?”—this is the declaration of the LORD of Hosts.
Zechariah 8:6 HCSB
What is incredible to you these days? What seems almost impossible and unbelievable? Where do you feel like God has gone silent in the midst of famished heart-wrenching sorrow?
What seems incredible to man is not incredible to God. Let that fact sink in.
We tend to project human limitations on God when we don’t see the results we desire. We let our minds wander far from the foundational faith started in our heart long ago. We wander into “what-if” scenarios and open ourselves to the predatory tactics of the enemy. Journeying away from our Father’s fortress, we get ambushed in the wilderness. Fear, despair, loneliness and hopelessness paralyze our legs. We can’t walk another step as the darkness closes in.
For many, this is a common, everyday occurrence. We struggle to take our thoughts captive and the tangible reality staring at us each day chases us away from the Father’s peaceful presence. We flee the fortress. We run into the wilderness. We don’t do it because we want to leave our Father, but because we feel like we are forced out. In these moments, there seems to be no other option but to flee.
But it is not so.
What seems incredible to man is not incredible to God.
How do we embrace this perspective and live in it without sounding crazy to others? Is it blissful ignorance or positive thinking that gets us through? No. God does not call us to ignorance. In fact, He plainly states His promises in His Word and then asks us to believe them. Belief leads to trust. Trust leads to action. Action demonstrates faith. Many today are asking themselves, how can I be a solid believer if I flee God’s fortress at the first sign of trouble? You are not alone.
“But God does seemingly forget some of His choicest servants, as we have seen. Joseph, Paul, David‑‑all of them were shut up in unpleasant circumstances for years during which it seemed that God had forgotten. Do you know what was happening during that time? God was building maturity into those men as they learned to trust Him. Just as it takes years to grow a sturdy oak tree, so it takes years to build the godly character qualities needed to be an effective servant of the Lord.”
Stephen J. Cole
What seems incredible to man is not incredible to God.
Do you believe it? The Bible is full of promises that seem so distant in our suffering. This was the case for Israel in Zechariah 8. Even though God was telling them exactly what He was going to do, they were struggling to believe it. The promise of a completely renovated and prosperous Jerusalem seemed outrageous.
But God did it. He has never failed. He has never wavered. He does not grow weary.
I urge you… do not flee the fortress of faith today. Take Him at His Word. Trust, believe and obey. There is a greater work taking place in the unseen Kingdom of our Lord.