John Calvin Commentary Zechariah 8:20-22

"Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: [It shall] yet [come to pass], that there shall come peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities; and the inhabitants of one [city] shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to entreat the favor of Jehovah, and to seek Jehovah of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek Jehovah of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of Jehovah." — Zechariah 8:20-22 (ASV)

The Prophet here extends his discourse still further, for he promises not only the complete restoration of His chosen people but also the propagation of the Church. God, he says, will gather a Church for Himself from many and remote nations and unite many nations in one body.

This should have especially encouraged the Jews, as they were thus taught that the temple was built not only so that God might be worshipped by one nation, but by all nations.

Moreover, since before this time some had come from distant lands to worship God, the Prophet may seem here to have this in view by using עוד, oud, the adverb of time.

But he not only declares that some would come, as in the time of Solomon, but as I have already said, he promises here something more remarkable: that the temple would not belong exclusively to the Jews but would be common to all nations. For there is to be no language and no nation that will not unite in the true worship of God.

But let us consider the words of the Prophet.

He begins by saying that God was the author of this prophecy; and this was said to secure credit. Extraordinary authority was needed, as we have said, since he was speaking here of what was incredible.

There was only a handful of people returned to their country, and many dangers surrounded them almost every day. Consequently, many, weary of their present condition, preferred exile, and regret for their return had now crept into the minds of many, for they thought that they had been deceived.

Since the state of the people was such then, something more than ordinary was needed to confirm what is said here—that the glory of the second temple would be greater and more eminent than that of the first. It shall yet be, he says. Although a comparison is implied, no equality is expressed, as if only a few would come.

But as there had been no temple for seventy years, and as the temple, whose construction had now begun, was held in low esteem, being lowly and insignificant, the Prophet says that the time would yet come when nations and inhabitants of great cities would ascend into Jerusalem.

We may indeed render רבות, rebut, many or great, for it means both; but the Prophet, I think, speaks of great cities, and the reason will soon become clear.

It follows, Come shall the inhabitants of one to one, that is, the inhabitants of one city to another, saying, going let us go, etc. He means by these words that there will be a mutual consent among all nations, so that they will stimulate one another and thus combine their efforts.

We see here that the Prophet’s object was to encourage the Jews to maintain good hope, and thus to cause them to persevere, so that they would not doubt that success would attend their work and labor, because the Lord would have Himself worshipped at Jerusalem, not only by themselves but also by all nations.

But as the Jews could not believe that nations could be drawn there by force, he teaches them that their assembling would be voluntary. He says that those who had previously been extremely resistant would be inclined to come of their own accord, so that there would be no need of external force to constrain them.

For they would willingly come; indeed, they would excite one another and by mutual exhortations stimulate themselves to come together to worship God at Jerusalem.

The ardor and vehemence of their zeal should be noted, for the Prophet says that they would come of their own accord and also encourage one another, according to what we have seen in Zechariah 2:1: Lay hold will each on the hand of his brother, and say, let us go to the mount of the God of Jacob.

But more is expressed in this place, for not only shall each one encourage his brother whenever they meet and an opportunity is offered, but he says that they will come from all directions. So now we see the design of the Prophet in these words.

And from this we learn that faith only then produces its legitimate fruit when zeal is kindled, so that everyone strives to increase the kingdom of God and to gather the straying, so that the Church may be filled.

For when anyone consults his own private benefit and does not care for others, he first most clearly betrays his own inhumanity; and where there is no love, the Spirit of God does not rule.

Besides, true godliness brings with it a concern for the glory of God.

It is no wonder then that the Prophet, when describing true and real conversion, says that each would be concerned for his brethren, so as to encourage one another, and also that the hearts of all would be so kindled with zeal for God, that they would hasten together to celebrate His glory.

Then he adds, Let us go to entreat the face of Jehovah. The phrase is common in Scripture. But we must observe that the Prophet, in speaking of God’s worship, sets prayer in the first rank, for prayer to God is the chief part, indeed, the main thing in religion.

It is, indeed, immediately added, and to seek Jehovah; he explains the particular by the general, and in the next verse, he inverts the order, beginning with the general. However, the meaning continues the same.

For God seeks nothing else than for us to be teachable and obedient, so as to be prepared to follow wherever He may call us, and at the same time carefully to inquire about His will. We need Him as our leader and teacher, so that we may not foolishly go astray through winding and roundabout paths.

For if we consider it enough to presumptuously take our own way, the effort to seek God will be unnecessary. It must then be observed that God is only then truly sought when people desire to learn from His Word how He is to be worshipped.

But, as I have already said, the Prophet adds prayer here, for the design of the whole truth concerning salvation is to teach us that our life depends on God, and that whatever belongs to eternal life must be hoped for and expected from Him.

So now we understand the meaning of the whole.

But we must also inquire why he says that the nations would come to seek God at Jerusalem, and there to call on Him. The Jews foolishly imagine that God cannot be worshipped otherwise than by still offering sacrifices in the temple.

But the Prophet had something very different in view: that the light of truth would arise from that city, which would spread far and wide. And this prophecy ought to be connected with that of Isaiah:

A law shall go forth from Sion,
and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:3).

Since then the doctrine of salvation, which has filled the whole world, flowed from that city, the Prophet says that nations would come to Jerusalem, not that it would be necessary for them to assemble there, but because all were to seek there what could not be obtained elsewhere.

Since then none could be considered children of God unless they were brought up in that school and acknowledged that alone to be true religion which had its first home in Jerusalem, we thus see why the Prophet expressly mentions that city.

We must further bear in mind that the temple was built for this end and purpose—that the doctrine of salvation might continue there and have its seat there until the coming of Christ.

For then was fulfilled that prophecy in Psalm 110:2: The scepter of thy power shall God send forth from Sion.

The Prophet here teaches us that Christ would not be the king of only one people, whose power was to be confined to narrow limits, but that He would rule throughout the whole world, for God would extend His scepter to every quarter of the globe.

Since it was therefore fitting for the Jews to have this end in view, the Prophet, in order to encourage them so that they might not fail in the middle of their work, says that that place was sacred to God, so that salvation might be sought from there by the whole world, for all who wished to be considered children of God were to be disciples of that Church.

But we should carefully note what I have already referred to: the two things required in God’s worship—to seek Him, and also to pray to Him.

For the superstitious, though they pretend great ardor in seeking God, yet entertain themselves with many delusions; for they hurry on presumptuously and, as it were, at random, so that they do not seek God, but leave Him, and weary themselves without thought and without any discernment.

Since then the superstitious have no reason for what they do, they cannot be said to properly seek God. But the faithful seek God, for they acknowledge that He is not to be worshipped according to anyone's fancy, but that there is a certain precept and rule to be observed.

For us then, this is the beginning of religion—not to allow ourselves the liberty to attempt anything we please, but humbly and soberly to submit to God’s Word.

For when anyone seeks and chooses an unfit teacher, he will not advance as he should.

But the Prophet shows that all the godly succeed when they strive to be approved by God by confining themselves to His Word, and by attempting nothing from their own impulses, but when they have such discernment as not to mix, as it is said, profane things with sacred things.

The second chief thing is to pray to God. The Prophet thus reminds us why it is that God would have us especially to seek Him.

Indeed, nothing from our efforts results in His advantage or benefit, but He would have us seek Him so that we may learn to expect from Him everything connected with our salvation.

This seeking is also defined by the term prayer. And the word face is not useless, for though God is invisible, we still should not wander with uncertainty, as it were through the air, when our purpose is to flee to Him, but we are to go to Him with full confidence.

Unless then we are fully persuaded of what Scripture teaches us—that God is always near those who truly call on Him—the door will be closed to our prayers, for God’s name will be profaned even if we express what we wish.

Since then the nearness of God ought to be impressed on our hearts when we prepare ourselves for prayer, Scripture usually adopts this phrase: to entreat the face of God.

But this is not to be understood as a visual sighting but, on the contrary, as a conviction of the heart.