When Zechariah spoke to the Jews along this line—that ten men would take hold of the skirt of a Jew—it was simple for him to say, “If you listen to me, my people, and do what I say, this is what will happen.” God was not remiss in making this statement, even though He knew the people would not obey. Thank God that, in His mercy, He will go ahead with this promise and will accomplish it in His own way and time! Thus prophecy has always been helpful, even though it has not been fully fulfilled in the past. Seeing this wonderful picture as happening in the future does not minimize the grand view of what will occur, for God’s Word is an “amen” to His covenant. Zechariah, a young man, was quite enthusiastic about the promises, and no doubt when he mentioned them, he did it with an encouraging voice. Unlike Jeremiah, who wept and got angry with righteous indignation at times because the people paid no attention to the warnings and were so dull of hearing, Zechariah referred to the promises. He said in effect, “The Lord has brought you back to the homeland. Doesn’t that show He has had mercy on you? The very fact you are here and I am speaking to you proves the Lord will do things for you, so hearken and obey!” The tone of Zechariah’s message was different from the tone of some of the other prophets.