A Prisoner of Hope?

This morning I felt I should read Zechariah 9:9-12, 14-17 NIV:

[9] Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. [10] I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. [11] As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. [12] Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.

[14] Then the Lord will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south, [15] and the Lord Almighty will shield them. They will destroy and overcome with slingstones. They will drink and roar as with wine; they will be full like a bowl used for sprinkling the corners of the altar. [16] The Lord their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. [17] How attractive and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women.

As I was reading these verses, verse 12 caught my attention - "Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you." - specifically the phrase "you prisoners of hope"! What an interesting phrase and thought. Are there people who are prisoners of hope? A strange thought, as normally I would think most prisoners have lost hope, or trying to hold onto hope, at least they are not imprisoned by it.

However, I think there are people who are trapped in situations, who got there because they had hope that things would change. I think of people trapped in bad marriages, bad jobs, bad circumstances, all of which didn't start that way. I think of people who find themselves hoping and praying for a way out, yet believing things might get better. I think of people who find themselves thinking - " I didn't sign up for this!". I think of people who are loyal to a fault, hopeful to a fault and not wanting to give up their hope.

The word for those who find themselves in this situation is to return to your fortress - to Your God. In Psalms the Lord is called 'my fortress' seventeen different times. He intends to be a fortress for each of us. A place we can run to, a place we can take refuge, a place where we are safe and secure in the midst of the battle. Another word for fortress is stronghold. I like that word, because I separate it and think about God having a strong hold on me. God doesn't lose His grip, ever.

Finally, the promise of God is that He will restore twice as much to you! The time frame is immediate in the original language. Rather than even now, it could easily be translated "this very day, this very moment". Although this prophecy was speaking of the day of the Lord, when Jesus came to earth, and established His Kingdom, it is true this day as well. Jesus is King! He has come! He does reign from His throne! He is the giver of good things, the restorer of our relationship to the Father. He won't just give us what we lost, but twice as much. What an encouragement - Thank You Lord.