God's Vision Is Always Bigger

God always has bigger plans. 

In Zechariah, as the prophet is encouraging the Lord's people to return to Him in true worship after their exile, chapter 2 begins with a vision that reveals God's idea for His people is far bigger than their own. 

Zechariah 2:1–2 (ESV) And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand! 2 Then I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.”

The vision is pretty simple. A man with a measuring line is ready to measure the city of Jerusalem. If you're going to build, you need measurements. That's what's being done. But God has bigger plans. 

Zechariah 2:3–4 (ESV) And behold, the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him 4 and said to him, “Run, say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it.

The Lord sent an angel with a message of a much broader plan - a city without walls. Now that sort of thing might sound unsafe. But God promises in the next verse:
Zechariah 2:5 (ESV) And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory in her midst.’ ”

In the wilderness, God was a pillar of fire leading the Israelites through. Now, after the exile, God is a wall of fire setting the boundaries of His people. 

After this, Zechariah calls on God's people to flee Babylon and return to the land. 
Zechariah 2:6–8 (ESV) Up! Up! Flee from the land of the north, declares the LORD. For I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens, declares the LORD. 7 Up! Escape to Zion, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon. 8 For thus said the LORD of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye:

What's interesting is to think that many Jews were still living in Babylon even after the exile. God has to challenge their apathy and consider that in doing so, they are settling for far less than He had in mind. Moreover, judgment upon those nations was coming for their mistreatment of Israel. 

Zechariah 2:9–10 (ESV) “Behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me. 10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the LORD.

Not only will the Lord bring Israel the plunder of the nations that once subdued them, but those nations will see God's blessing and join themselves to His chosen people.

Zechariah 2:11–12 (ESV) And many nations shall join themselves to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. 12 And the LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.”

Of course, we know the fulfillment of this passage is in the present day, as the Church, started with Jewish ambassadors, has spread around the world to reach the nations now joined to the Lord. But the whole chapter is a reminder that God does two things with great regularity. He uses our trouble (Israel's exile) for great purposes on our behalf, and He accomplished greater things than we can imagine. 

Paul said it like this in Ephesians...
Ephesians 3:20–21 (ESV) Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

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