Through Prosperity Shall My Cities Spread Abroad?

Through Prosperity Shall My Cities Spread Abroad? 

This is one of the most abused verses of scripture, which many preachers quote completely out of context, in a bid to legitimise a false gospel. 

It's really absurd that those hell bent on proving that the gospel cannot be preached without money, readily quote this scripture 👇🏼 

Zechariah 1:17. 

The teaching generally drawn from the common English version of this prophetic scripture is wrong both textually and contextually. 

The actual reading is "Cities overflowing with good, pleasantness or prosperity(ṭôb in Hebrew)" and not cities spreading abroad or multiplying through good, pleasantness or prosperity. 👇🏼 

"Cry further, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: My cities shall yet overflow with prosperity, and Jehovah shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem. 

The cities spoken of here, were already existing cities of Judah/Jerusalem, and the searchlight of prophecy is on their restoration and not their multiplication. 

If we read through verses 12 to 17, we can clearly see the context 👇🏼 

"And the angel of Jehovah answered and said, Jehovah of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these seventy years? 

And Jehovah answered the angel that talked with me good words, comforting words. And the angel that talked with me said unto me, Cry, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy, and I am wroth exceedingly with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little wroth, and they helped forward the affliction. Therefore thus saith Jehovah: I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith Jehovah of hosts, and the line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem. Cry further, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: My cities shall yet overflow with prosperity, and Jehovah shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem". 

Contextually, the prophetic vision & word here in Zechariah 1, concerning the full restoration of the cities of Judah & Jerusalem at the millennial coming, has absolutely nothing to do with the spreading of the gospel of Christ in the days of the church. 

It's a pity how people will rush to the old testament and quote a verse of scripture they don't understand contextually, to support their vain religious ideologies. 

Most preachers have done a lot of damage to their congregants by feeding them with garbage. 

For those who think the kingdom of God is about colonizing & dominating the world systems, Paul in closing his epistle in the book of Philippians, makes mention of saints in Caesar's household. Philippians 4:22.

It is important to note that this is an epistle in which he clearly wrote that our citizenship is in heaven, and by faith, from there we expect/look for the saviour from heaven, who shall change our vile, mortal bodies to be fashioned/jointly-formed his glorious body. Philippians 3:20-21. 

If the christian hope & vision is to take over the systems & governments of this world, then Paul & the saints(those he had witnessed to) in Caesar's household, were close to achieving that, being connected to the corridors of power. 

Contrary & opposed to any such thought of an antichristian, utopian, earthly ambition of world domination, Paul sets forth that our citizenship & commonwealth is in heaven and our craving/pursuit in such a heavenly consciousness/mindset, is for the appearing of the saviour from heaven.

He also exposed those who are contrary to this mindset, as enemies of the cross of Christ, though they walk as we do in the christian profession and are in the majority being many, yet they are contrary to the cross of Christ being earthly minded & indisposed to the way of the cross.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Truly, many preachers have killed is with twisting of the scriptures. Especially while we were growing in age and in the knowledge of the word. The lord will keep helping us. Thanks a lot sir for this. God bless you.
18 February 2025 at 04:08
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