7 Then Ephraim shall become like a mighty warrior,
and their hearts shall be glad as with wine.
Their children shall see it and be glad;
their hearts shall rejoice in the Lord.
8 “I will whistle for them and gather them in,
for I have redeemed them,
and they shall be as many as they were before.
Zechariah 10:7-8 (ESV)
Continued…
God’s pronouncement of blessing through restoration / renewal continues here and through the rest of the chapter. Yesterday was the hope of reset, a new start, as before their punishment. Today is the result of this blessing. Remember, this is prophecy of the future written to the Jews who had returned from captivity and were in need of hope.
Result of blessing
The result of God’s future blessing, like the reset, will be many-fold:
Glad heart syndrome
First the adults become glad – as if they are drunk – meaning without a care, at peace. Then the children get it. Though this could mean little kids, I think rather it means the adult children see the blessings God gave their parents (or ancestors) and they too are glad. It’s like a glad heart syndrome.
Redemption and gathering
This is so wonderful. God will redeem the whole nation. But wait, look at the wording. It’s a prophecy. It says, “I have redeemed them”. At the time God gave this prophecy through Zechariah, He had already determined that He will redeem them!
And He will gather them back, a theme that continues in this chapter, and book.
Original population
Along with the reset of yesterday, their population would return to as it was before – an abundance. This is probably referring to how the Israelites grew in numbers in Egypt to a point that the Egyptians started to fear they would overtake them. “But the sons of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly, and multiplied, and became exceedingly mighty, so that the land was filled with them.” (Exodus 1:7 NASB)
Let us also gain hope from these words. As we know, we are also God’s “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession”. (1 Peter 2:9 NASB)
