THE MAN WITH A MEASURING LINE

                                               ZECHARIAH 2:1-13

Zechariah might have been catching his breath from the last scene when suddenly a man appears with a measuring line in his hand. Who is this man and what is he doing with this measuring line and how are we to interpret or understand the meaning? There is lots of interaction between the prophet, the angels and the man.

Verses 1-5: “Then I looked up--and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand! I asked, “Where are you going?” He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is.” Then the angel who was speaking to me left, and another angel came to meet him and said to him: “Run, tell that young man, ‘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.’”

While this fourth vision had a local application (to encourage the generation Zechariah preached to with the thought that the Lord was then going to bless them) yet, the prophecy looks far beyond to the final regathering of Israel and exaltation of Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be overrun with people and cattle, like an unwalled town (v.4), and the Lord will be the “glory” within the city (v.5). Many nations will join themselves to God’s people (v.11) which will include a host of Gentiles. Thus, God wanted them to know that not only had He not deserted them but that He has a plan and purpose for them that extends into the future (1:16).

The first thing Zechariah saw was a man with a measuring line in his hand. Who is this man? In chapter 6:12, Zechariah says, “here is the man who is the Branch” pointing to the Lord Jesus who is from the branch of David. This man is the pre-incarnate Christ even though the text does not categorically infer it. He and his measuring line are symbols of the rebuilding process that is about to begin.

Zechariah calls to the man, asking where he is going, and the answer is encouraging: he is going to do the measuring for this great building. When you find the Lord with a measuring line, it means He is ready to move in behalf of His prophetic plan. Other Scriptures speak similarly of this “measuring line:” Jer.31: 38-39; Ezek.40: 2-4; Rev.11: 1-2; Rev.21:15-17.

The scene is not static! There is a lot of movement and some apparent confusion at this point. So the angel speaking to the prophet suddenly leaves the place where he was standing perhaps to get more information about the meaning of this measuring line. Another angel leaves the ranks and meets him. This angel may have been one of the angelic riders who were standing among the myrtle trees behind the angel of the Lord or it may be the angel of the Lord Himself. He tells him to go back and inform Zechariah that Jerusalem will be without walls because of the massive influx of people and cattle. We know that in 445 BC Nehemiah the cup bearer for Artaxerxes I, was given permission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem which he accomplished in 52 days But our text indicates no need for walls! There seems to be a wide gap between the command to build walls and the time when there will be no walls. The answer is simple! He is pointing to Messiah's millennial reign where “I myself will be a wall of fire around it and be its glory within”(v.5).

It is the Angel of the Lord who explains the visions and who speaks here in reference to Himself. We now know why this Angel heads the host of cosmic riders that stand behind him (1:8): He has come not only to command them to ride throughout the earth, but also to pursue glory for Yahweh. His eternal purposes will be completed in His time and on schedule!

But suddenly there appears to be a shift from his main subject. He stops to address a contemporary problem, which needs immediate attention. It is a word of warning!

Verses 6-9: “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. “Come, O Zion! Escape, you who live in the Daughter of Babylon!” 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-- 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.”

A solemn warning is now given to the Jews still remaining in “the land to the north” which is Babylon. For 70 years He had scattered them to “the four winds of heaven,” but now He calls them to return. A majority of them had settled down in Babylon indulging in prosperity and the Babylonian life style. They failed to avail themselves of the opportunity to return to their own land. But judgment against Babylon was looming and the Lord calls them to leave before the curtain of grace falls and judgment begins.

We are told that Babylon revolted twice during Darius’ reign and was twice conquered. The first revolt probably occurred around the time Zechariah was ministering. The second time occurred six years later. Both occasions were times of terrible suffering and carnage. Again, this return from Babylon at this time is a foreshadowing of the final regathering of Israel preparatory to the return of Christ to set up His millennial kingdom. In Isaiah 11:11-12 and Jeremiah 23:3-8 both prophets look forward to that eternal righteous reign of Messiah.

Verses 10-13: “Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you” declares the Lord. “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. The Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem. Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.”

In these final verses, Zechariah gives a preview of the millennial joy that will exist when Messiah lives among His people and sets His throne in Jerusalem. This joy will overflow to the nations for “many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day.” The final scene pictures the Second Person of the Trinity “the Lord Almighty” sending the first Person, Jesus, our Emmanuel, to earth to set up His kingdom. “The Lord will inherit Judah!”

            THE MAN WITH A MEASURING LINE

                       A MAN WITH MEASURING LINE APPEARED

                       TO MARK THE BOUNDARIES OF HIS WORK

                       THE PROPHET ASKED WHO HE MIGHT BE?

                        “THE BRANCH! THE INCARNATE DEITY!”

                       BEFORE THIS PLOT COULD BE FULFILLED

                       AND JUDAH’S KING BECOME REVEALED

                       A TWO-FOLD PLAN WAS PUT IN PLACE

                       A CALL TO LEAVE AND WALLS TO RAISE.

                      TO LEAVE THE COMFORTS OF THEIR HOME

                      WHERE BABYLON SEEMED SECURE

                      WAS NOT THE PLACE WHERE GOD HAD PLANNED

                      AS HIS INTENDED PROMISED LAND.

                      THE VISION FOR THE TEMPLE BUILT

                      WITH WALLS REPAIRED ON ZION’S HILL

                      WAS GOD’S INTENT TO PUT IN PLACE

                      WITH PROMISED BLESSINGS TO EMBRACE

                      WHEN NEHEMIAH FELT GOD’S CALL

                      TO LEAVE THE KING AND BUILD THE WALL

                      IN FIFTY-TWO HISTORIC DAYS

                      THEY WERE COMPLETE TO YAHWEH’S PRAISE.

                      BUT FAR BEYOND THE PRESENT SCOPE

                      THE MEASURING LINE WAS MEANT TO GIVE

                      A GREATER GOAL FOR ISRAEL’S LAND

                      ALTHOUGH THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND.

                       “SHOUT AND BE GLAD!” DECLARED THE LORD

                       “YOU ARE THE APPLE OF MY EYE!

                       I WILL RETURN AS JUDAH’S KING

                       AND NATIONS WILL REJOICE AND SING!”

                   THOUGHT QUESTIONS

1. According to Zechariah 6:12, who is the man with a measuring line? Why is he given that name?

2. The walls of Jerusalem lay in ruins until Nehemiah, some 140 years later, rebuilt them. Why does the angel tell Zechariah "Jerusalem will be a city without walls?"

3. Two angels are involved in verses 1-5. What confusion might have arisen necessitating further explanation?

4. Since so few left the comforts of the Babylonian lie style to return to Judah, what warning does the Lord give in verse 6, and why?

5. The vision seems to indicate a forward leap into the distant future. What time frame are verse 10-13 speaking about and what comfort or assurance might that have given to the remnant living in Judah at the time?