When Jerusalem's Children Will Play Together in Peace

Zechariah 8:3-5

Amichai Lau-Lavie (he/him)

Mar 26, 2024

Some prophetic words live longer and louder than others. Some wonder words leap from the pages into distant futures, giving guidance and meaning to people who hear or read them, and need them, generations later.

Such is the case with some of the futurist words spoken by Zechariah 2,500 years ago in today's chapter.

Several years ago, my mother Joan, born in London in 1926, and a resident of Israel since 1951, completed her will. In it she specified a few cherished words she wanted to be inscribed on her tombstone, when the time comes, famous words from today’s chapter.

כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה שַׁ֚בְתִּי אֶל־צִיּ֔וֹן וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֖י בְּת֣וֹךְ יְרֽוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְנִקְרְאָ֤ה יְרוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ עִ֣יר הָֽאֱמֶ֔ת וְהַר־יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת הַ֥ר הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃

כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת עֹ֤ד יֵֽשְׁבוּ֙ זְקֵנִ֣ים וּזְקֵנ֔וֹת בִּרְחֹב֖וֹת יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְאִ֧ישׁ מִשְׁעַנְתּ֛וֹ בְּיָד֖וֹ מֵרֹ֥ב יָמִֽים׃

וּרְחֹב֤וֹת הָעִיר֙ יִמָּ֣לְא֔וּ יְלָדִ֖ים וִֽילָד֑וֹת מְשַׂחֲקִ֖ים בִּרְחֹֽבֹתֶֽיהָ׃

YHWH Spoke: I have returned to Zion, and I will dwell in Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mount of YHWH of Hosts the Holy Mount.

YHWH Spoke: There shall yet be elderly men and women in the squares of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of their great age. And the streets of the city shall be crowded with boys and girls playing in the streets.

Complicated politics aside, for a moment, the mere fact that my mother, born before Jerusalem became again the center of the Jewish world, but where she now lives and is privileged to play with her great grandchildren - is for her, nothing short of a miracle.

The words of Zechariah touch her deeply as they resonate for many who long for better days for all those who live in Jerusalem.

When the prophet promised this future to the people of Jerusalem 2,500 years ago he may not have imagined the complicated politics of our time but he did remind them, as he reminds us now, that their future prosperity and peace is rooted in their commitment to living lives of equity, morality and justice. Only this will enable ‘the seeds of peace to prosper and the vines to grow abundant on the land.”

This is what will enable sustained national and personal security and prosperity:

אֵ֥לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּֽעֲשׂ֑וּ דַּבְּר֤וּ אֱמֶת֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵ֔הוּ אֱמֶת֙ וּמִשְׁפַּ֣ט שָׁל֔וֹם שִׁפְט֖וּ בְּשַׁעֲרֵיכֶֽם׃ וְאִ֣ישׁ ׀ אֶת־רָעַ֣ת רֵעֵ֗הוּ אַֽל־תַּחְשְׁבוּ֙ בִּלְבַבְכֶ֔ם וּשְׁבֻ֥עַת שֶׁ֖קֶר אַֽל־תֶּאֱהָ֑בוּ כִּ֧י אֶת־כׇּל־אֵ֛לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׂנֵ֖אתִי נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃

These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to one another, render true and perfect justice in your gates.Not a single one of you shall contrive evil against another; and do not love perjury, because all those are things that I hate—declares GOD.

Can we do it? Can we get there? Will our ancient prophetic call for justice supersede the greed of capitalistic mentality and the trauma-based fears that have led the young Israel through so many triumphs, trials and tribulations, violence and wars? Will all who live on this land find ways to lean into love, overcome obstacles and together, with all prophetic help of all traditions, write a new chapter for the future times?

The ecosystem of the Middle East is hardly a simple reality and has never been so, and yet from thousands of years ago, Zechariah’s words are a reminder of what’s likely the only and the best ways to make sure people of all ages and backgrounds can live in peace, play in the streets.

It’s a radical hope and he goes as far as imagining this future in a way that redeems the generations of tragedy and loss.

In the last chapter he insisted that we must keep fasting to remember the painful past so that we commit to a better future.

But here he goes further — suggesting that when we actually do overcome our obstacles - even the four fast days of sorrow on the Jewish calendar will be transformed to celebrations - where truth and peace transcend, together, the sorrows of the past:

כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֗וֹת צ֣וֹם הָרְבִיעִ֡י וְצ֣וֹם הַחֲמִישִׁי֩ וְצ֨וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֜י וְצ֣וֹם הָעֲשִׂירִ֗י יִהְיֶ֤ה לְבֵית־יְהוּדָה֙ לְשָׂשׂ֣וֹן וּלְשִׂמְחָ֔ה וּֽלְמֹעֲדִ֖ים טוֹבִ֑ים וְהָאֱמֶ֥ת וְהַשָּׁל֖וֹם אֱהָֽבוּ׃

YHWH of Hosts declared: The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth month, the fast of the seventh month, and the fast of the tenth month shall become occasions for joy and gladness, happy festivals for the House of Judah; but you must love peace and truth.

Who knows what the future holds, what words will resonate to our descendants as they have for our ancestors, what prophetic promises will provide solace and inspiration to people who just want to live with truth, in peace?

May there be many people of all faiths, all ages, sitting together, in peace, in the streets of Jerusalem, and in all streets and cities everywhere, watching grandchildren play with more joy, and less fear.

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Below the Bible Belt

When Jerusalem's Children Will Play Together in Peace

Zechariah 8:3-5

Some prophetic words live longer and louder than others. Some wonder words leap from the pages into distant futures, giving guidance and meaning to people who hear or read them, and need them, generations later.

Such is the case with some of the futurist words spoken by Zechariah 2,500 years ago in today's chapter.

Several years ago, my mother Joan, born in London in 1926, and a resident of Israel since 1951, completed her will. In it she specified a few cherished words she wanted to be inscribed on her tombstone, when the time comes, famous words from today’s chapter.

כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת עֹ֤ד יֵֽשְׁבוּ֙ זְקֵנִ֣ים וּזְקֵנ֔וֹת בִּרְחֹב֖וֹת יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְאִ֧ישׁ מִשְׁעַנְתּ֛וֹ בְּיָד֖וֹ מֵרֹ֥ב יָמִֽים׃

וּרְחֹב֤וֹת הָעִיר֙ יִמָּ֣לְא֔וּ יְלָדִ֖ים וִֽילָד֑וֹת מְשַׂחֲקִ֖ים בִּרְחֹֽבֹתֶֽיהָ׃

YHWH Spoke: I have returned to Zion, and I will dwell in Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mount of YHWH of Hosts the Holy Mount.

YHWH Spoke: There shall yet be elderly men and women in the squares of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of their great age. And the streets of the city shall be crowded with boys and girls playing in the streets.

Zechariah 8:3-5

Complicated politics aside, for a moment, the mere fact that my mother, born before Jerusalem became again the center of the Jewish world, but where she now lives and is privileged to play with her great grandchildren - is for her, nothing short of a miracle.

The words of Zechariah touch her deeply as they resonate for many who long for better days for all those who live in Jerusalem.

This is what will enable sustained national and personal security and prosperity:

These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to one another, render true and perfect justice in your gates.Not a single one of you shall contrive evil against another; and do not love perjury, because all those are things that I hate—declares GOD.

Zechariah 8:13

The ecosystem of the Middle East is hardly a simple reality and has never been so, and yet from thousands of years ago, Zechariah’s words are a reminder of what’s likely the only and the best ways to make sure people of all ages and backgrounds can live in peace, play in the streets.

It’s a radical hope and he goes as far as imagining this future in a way that redeems the generations of tragedy and loss.

In the last chapter he insisted that we must keep fasting to remember the painful past so that we commit to a better future.

But here he goes further — suggesting that when we actually do overcome our obstacles - even the four fast days of sorrow on the Jewish calendar will be transformed to celebrations - where truth and peace transcend, together, the sorrows of the past:

YHWH of Hosts declared: The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth month, the fast of the seventh month, and the fast of the tenth month shall become occasions for joy and gladness, happy festivals for the House of Judah; but you must love peace and truth.

Zechariah 8:19

Who knows what the future holds, what words will resonate to our descendants as they have for our ancestors, what prophetic promises will provide solace and inspiration to people who just want to live with truth, in peace?

May there be many people of all faiths, all ages, sitting together, in peace, in the streets of Jerusalem, and in all streets and cities everywhere, watching grandchildren play with more joy, and less fear.

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