The prophet Zechariah also prophesied that the nations will come to Israel to entreat the favor, the grace, of Jehovah, and the children of Israel will be priests to them (vv. 20-23). At that time, not just one country but peoples, even the inhabitants of many cities from different countries, will come to Israel. “The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, Let us go at once to entreat the favor of Jehovah and to seek Jehovah of hosts; and the other: I will go too” (v. 21). Moreover, “indeed, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek Jehovah of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of Jehovah” (v. 22). This will be the situation in the millennium. Not only all the people of Israel, but also the Gentiles who are living with them will seek God.
“In those days, from all the languages of the nations, ten men will take hold, indeed, they will take hold of the skirt of a Jewish man, saying, Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you” (v. 23; cf. Isa. 2:2-3). This implies that God will reverse the situation of Babel and deal with the problem caused by the different languages among the nations. God did this once already, at Pentecost (Acts 2). What happened at Pentecost is a prefigure of what will take place during the age of the millennial kingdom.
The children of Israel will be priests to the nations (Isa. 2:3-4). In the millennial kingdom, after the Lord’s return and the salvation of the Jews, the entire nation of Israel will be a priesthood. They will teach the Gentiles, the nations, to know God’s way and God’s person, and they will teach them to worship and serve God. As priests, they will bring the nations into the presence of God that they may be enlightened, corrected, and favored with all the riches of God. This is the priesthood. According to Exodus 19:6, God’s intention was to have Israel as a nation of priests, and He has never forgotten this. God has been waiting for an opportune time to fulfill this, but He has not yet had the opportunity. In the time of the restoration, all the Israelites will be priests. They will be very busy as priests to the nations, teaching them how to worship and serve Jehovah. The nations were formerly idol worshippers or atheists, but they will turn to God, and God will turn to them to be their God. Therefore, they will need to learn how to worship and serve Jehovah.
Zechariah 9:10 says, “I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim / And the horse from Jerusalem, / And the battle bow will be cut off; / And He will speak peace unto the nations, / And His dominion will be from sea to sea / And from the River unto the ends of the earth.” This indicates that in the millennial kingdom, God will cause all warfare to cease. This is the result of Christ’s coming (v. 9). Christ’s coming issues in peace and restoration and brings in God’s dominion. In the restoration the first item is peace: “He will speak peace unto the nations.” The second item is dominion: “His dominion will be from sea to sea.”
When Christ came the first time, He was welcomed for only a short period and was ultimately rejected, detested to the uttermost, and put to death by being crucified. Because the children of Israel rejected Christ the King, the restoration was suspended, and the children of Israel entered into a time of judgment. This time of judgment has lasted nearly twenty centuries. Therefore, Christ needs to come a second time. However, this time He will not be riding a donkey; rather, He will come like lightning (Matt. 24:27). Then peace and the eternal kingdom, as God’s dominion, will be on the earth from sea to sea.
Zechariah 12:10 says, “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of supplications; and they will look upon Me, whom they have pierced.” In Acts 2 God poured out His Spirit upon all flesh (v. 17), and three thousand were saved. However, when God pours out the Spirit of grace upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, thousands of Israelites, even the entire race of Israel, will be saved.
The Spirit of grace in Zechariah 12:10 is a sweet term. It is in contrast to the Spirit of power in Acts 1:8 and 2:1-4. The Spirit of power is for strengthening, but the Spirit of grace is for bringing people into the enjoyment of the Triune God. In Acts 2, the beginning of the age of grace, the church age, the Spirit was mainly the Spirit of power. In Zechariah 12, at the ending, the consummation, of the age of grace, the Spirit will be mainly the Spirit of grace for the enjoyment of the Triune God.