God’s Description Of The Blessed City In Zechariah's Prophecy

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women, dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.     Zechariah 8:4,5

After His punishment of His ancient people because of their religious adultery and other sins, God says He is back with them, I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. When that happens, He says Jerusalem will be a city of truth (Zechariah 8:3). I’m sure that includes religious truth as God declares it, and moral truth as God defines it. Then God describes what His presence, His truth, and His morality do for a city. It is very picturesque. He says that old men and women, even those so old they must use staffs or canes to hold themselves up with and to walk, will be on the streets and boys and girls will be playing in the streets. Now think of it: the two most vulnerable parts of the population, those who cannot protect themselves from bullies and criminals will be seen everywhere in the city. They won’t be afraid to be outside, as they are in many places in our world. They will not be sleeping in bath tubs to protect them from stray bullets. They will not have the fear of kidnap, rape, mugging, or assault. This wonderful experience will happen because God has reached people with His goodness and truth and changed their lives and outlook. There will be no more criminals in the city they will have refocused their lives or being law abiding. There will be no immoral ones in the city, they will have refocused their lives on what God directs is proper living. With the refocusing of lives by God’s power the city will be safe. It will be a happy city, a bright and beautiful city, a city of peace, the city of God. There is a lesson here for us.