Examining The Scripture CXLIX: Man With A Measuring Line

The first thing we see in Zechariah 2 is a man with a measuring line in his hand. As stated before a measuring line is a symbol of restoration. God will restore His people. Also as we had seen in Chapter 1 of Zechariah there was a man that would stretch the measuring line over Jerusalem (including the Temple). Zechariah asks him where he is going and the not so surprising answer is that he is going “To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is." The man with the measuring line appears to be the Angel of the Lord, Israel’s Messiah. By measuring His city He is declaring that it is His and He will eventually use it to fulfill His Divine purposes no matter what has happened in the past or who controls it now. The people that were contemporaries of Zechariah, the remnant, were keeping the city alive for the day the Messiah would come.

Another angel then approaches Zechariah and says "Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of men and livestock in it. And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,' declares the LORD, 'and I will be its glory within.” This statement alludes to the fact that Jerusalem will be free from walls and seems as if it will know no bounds, open to all that wish to enter. The implication is that it will not become overcrowded. The idea of Jerusalem without walls also implies that it will be safe to live there. Why? The Lord will be their wall of fire and the Lord will be its glory within. In light of these statements we also see that the covenant is still valid.

We then see a practical application in the oracles that follows. It is in the form of Hebrew poetry (which cannot be gleaned from English versions). It is divided into two equal stanzas (v. 6-9) and (v. 10-13). An introductory command (v. 6 & 10) is followed by a clause beginning with “for”. These are followed in later verse with “and then you will know” (v. 9 & 12).

(v. 6) "Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north," declares the LORD, "for I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven," declares the LORD.

(v. 7) "Come, O Zion! Escape, you who live in the Daughter of Babylon!"

(v. 8) For this is what the LORD Almighty says: "After he has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye-

(v. 9) I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me.


The first stanza speaks to admonishing the Jews still in Babylon to leave the city and join the others in Jerusalem. They should not remain in comfort or a pagan city when they are needed in their own ruined city that needs to be rebuilt. Some Jews were putting comfort ahead of what they were obliged to do as a covenant people. Besides, there was coming a day when Babylon would be judge for the atrocious things they had done to God’s people and the Jews probably didn’t want to be present in Babylon when it happened.

We as Christians would be well advised by this thought. We are called to take the Gospel to the world, not wait for it to come to us. By sitting and waiting in comfort we are not always doing what we were commanded by Jesus Christ. Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Just because it’s the easy thing doesn’t mean it is the better thing. Jesus never said it would be easy to follow in his footsteps to evangelize people and try to bring them to Him. As a matter of fact He said "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” Denying one’s self is hard, taking up his cross is even harder.

(v. 10) "Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you," declares the LORD.

(v. 11) "Many nations will be joined with the LORD in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you.

(v. 12) The LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem.

(v. 13) Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling."

The second stanza of Zechariah 2’s poem is an exhortation to praise. A people who know that they are God’s people should rejoice. This is especially true knowing that He himself will bless them and all of humanity (many nations) with His presence “in that day”. In verse 12 we have the only place in scripture where the area of Palestine is referred to as the holy land (Wiersbe 451). The Messiah will actually come to reign.

One additional note about verse 8: It mentions the “apple of God’s eye”. The figure of speech the "apple of the eye" means the pupil of the eye. He [God] keeps His covenant people as if they are/were the pupil of His own eye. The pupil of the eye is the most vulnerable part of the body and the one most in need of protection. Protection for the eye is also one of the fastest reflexes in the human body as the eyelid covering the eye protects it from damage the pupil from damage. When objects approach the eye the body's reaction intuitively is to blink or close the eye. Deuteronomy 32:10…He kept them [Israel/chosen people] as the apple of His eye. Reference : The Apple of God's Eye

Baldwin, Joyce G.. "Jerusalem Has A Divine Protector." Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: An Introduction & Commentary (The Tyndale Old Testament Commentary Series). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1981. 105-112. Print.

Wiersbe, Warren. "God Will Restore His People" Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament: The Prophets (Bible Knowledge). Acambaro: Victor, 2003. 451-452. Print.