Zechariah 8:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This is the fate of Israel when God bestows prosperity upon them and frees them from all hardship. These promises can be attributed to Christ, our Redeemer. Prior to His advent, each of us led a wayward life, indulging in folly and succumbing to the temptations of evil spirits. Yet when the Father looked upon us with compassion, as if we were fallen and oppressed under the feet of our foes, He no longer acted as in former times; He did not abandon us to the tyranny of sin, dragging us into disgraceful acts. Instead, He has granted us divine peace through Christ, who has enriched us with every spiritual blessing. We have been filled with abundance, with the true vine, Christ (John 15:5), providing us with fruit that brings joy to the heart of man, in line with the Scriptures. He is the ‘grain of wheat’ (John 12:24) and the holy offering. He became our very life, causing us to flourish abundantly by showering us with heavenly blessings, both tangible and spiritual, as the psalmist David expressed: ‘like the dew of Hermon descending upon the mountains of Zion’ (Psalm 132:3). This is the good portion ordained for us by God, given that we have been transformed into Israel—a people with a vision of God, for in the Son, we have witnessed the Father.

The prophet who spoke of this time also said, “I have struck you with scorching wind, with bitterness, and with hail, all the work of your hands” after the temple's foundation was laid. He urged the people to focus on this day and on the future, marking the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month—that from the day the temple's foundations were set, their hearts should be attentive. Is there still seed in the sprout? Have the grapes, fig tree, pomegranate tree, and olive tree yet shown their color? From this day forward I will bless them and restore both heaven and earth (Haggai 2:18-19).

Let us also express this differently, aligning our interpretation with the Church. Prior to receiving the faith of Christ and before the Holy Spirit’s foundations are laid within him, no one can hear the words: “There is a reward for thy work.” Regardless of whether a person is a Jew, a heretic, or a Gentile, he will find no reward for his deeds. We observe virgins among heretics, self-discipline amongst philosophers, and Jews who abstain from various foods; yet, as it is stated according to Haggai’s words, they eat but are not filled, drink yet remain thirsty, clothe themselves but are not warmed, and those who gather their wages find them in a bag with holes (Haggai 1:6).

Upon accepting the faith of Christ, both those who were sinners in the Church, having been captured by the world’s trials and scorched by Babylon's fire, responded to the Lord's proclamation: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for He has anointed Me. He has sent Me to proclaim good news to the poor, to declare release to the captives, to give sight to the blind, and to heal the brokenhearted” (Isaiah 61:1). Moreover, the words of the prophet Amos will be fulfilled: “I will restore the fortunes of My people Israel; they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them” (Am. 9:14); thus, in those days, truth and the multitude of believers will be revived (Ps. 70:7).

The vineyard will indeed bear its fruit, as stated in the Gospel: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Every branch that abides in Me, the Father prunes, so that it may bear more fruit” (Jn. 15:1-2; cf. Jn. 15:5-8). When the branches are pruned, they will offer hope for future harvests, fulfilling the prophecy: “The blossoming vines yield their fragrance” (Song of Songs 2:14). At that time, the Sun of righteousness shall illuminate the fruitful vines, and those that are trampled by the Lord's foot in the winepress will produce the wine that gladdens the heart. The earth will yield its produce abundantly—good soil providing crops thirty, sixty, or even a hundredfold (Matthew 13:8)—so that those who sow in tears will reap in joy (Psalm 125:5).

The heavens will also pour down their dew, as described: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm 18:2). These heavens rejoice along with the Lord, as referenced in the song of Deuteronomy: “Rejoice, O heavens, with Him” (Deut. 32:43), which speaks of the Creator, destined to bring those conformed to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29). As Moses stated: “Let my teaching drop as the rain, and my speech distill as the dew” (Deut. 32:2). Indeed, those who were once dead in sin will rise, and those who lie in graves filled with dry bones will awake, while those living on earth will rejoice; their joy is evidenced by the following: “For the dew that comes from Thee is their healing.” All these gifts—peace, the fruit of the vine, and the earth's abundance enhanced by the dew from heaven—shall belong to the remnant of My people, of whom Isaiah reminds us: “If the Lord of hosts had not left us a remnant, we would have become like Sodom, and would have been made like Gomorrah” (Isaiah 1:9). Indeed, for the remnant were saved by the election of grace, not by works; otherwise, grace would not be grace.