God is jealous with wrath for His people. But His grander purpose in it all is restoration. His purpose is blessing His people. His people are just really bad about receiving the blessing. They have to experience the wrath to appreciate and receive the blessing.

God will bring His people back from the places they were scattered to, and He will be their God.

There’s a fun picture of children playing in the streets.

It’s a big difference compared to when God set every man against his neighbor. Realize that if there is violence and unrest, God set it in place. He doesn’t plot evil, but His hand is sovereign over what happens.

He is sovereign over the blessing too. His people will come into possession.

The possession isn’t just about land and goods. They need to live like God is their God and live in the blessing, trusting they have all things, so they can share all things and live for others and not just for themselves.

They are told again not to devise evil in their hearts. They are also told to speak the truth to one another.

They are told their fasts will become joyful feasts.

God’s not after our sacrifice. He’s after our hearts. He wants to bless His children. He wants them resting and feasting. Those are commands of His, but He knows what we need so that we can live in the place of blessing and feasting.

It’s not just for our own sake. It’s for others as well. We suffer for the sake of righteousness. We suffer on behalf of the Body. It’s never just about ourselves. We’re to love others.

One way God’s people will love others is they will lead others to turn to the Lord. We can teach others how to seek the Lord.

People will recognize that God is with us and will want to be with us. It’s not to exalt self, but to bring the many into the saving knowledge of the Lord.