Prisoners of Hope

Dayna Curry, 30, and Heather Mercer, 25, were American missionaries who went to Afghanistan in 2001 to introduce a poor and oppressed people to a better life. Within a few months, they were arrested by the Taliban and were tried for teaching Christianity. During their trial, the worst thing happened with respect to their trial. The Twin Towers of the Trade Center were toppled, and the US went to war against the Taliban. They ended up in prison during which Dayna and Heather were threatened with execution and suffered head lice, asthma, and intestinal worms. Nevertheless, while there they wrote songs of praise to God and attempted to encourage the other prisoners. Upon returning home, they were invited to the White House and were interviewed on several national TV shows. Later, they wrote a book entitled, Prisoners of Hope, which details their early lives, their humanitarian work in Afghanistan, and their three months of imprisonment by the Taliban. So, what exactly is a “prisoner of hope”?

The phrase comes from Zechariah Chapter 9:

Zech 9:12 – Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.

These words were written by Zechariah during the time of the restoration of Jerusalem under the Jewish governor Zerubbabel. The people were discouraged. The Samaritans had been hindering the work on the temple and had sent emissaries to the Persian emperor with false accusations to get the work to stop. Finally, the work on the temple stopped, and the Jews dedicated their time and energy to building their own houses and farms, focusing on self. (Perhaps like most Christians today.) But God had already been working mightily to overcome Persian resistance, as recorded by Daniel in Chapter 10. The people needed revival and reformation to seize this opportunity. Therefore, God raised up the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, who gave them hope. The work on the temple resumed.

One of the messages given by Zechariah is found in Chapter 9:

Verse 9: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Clearly, this was fulfilled in the triumphal entry of Jesus. It is also fulfilled for us in Revelation 19’s description of the second coming, if we replace the donkey with a white horse.

Verse 10: “I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.” This is a prophecy of a time when there is no more war on the Earth. Jesus would have fulfilled this in literal Israel’s day, but now it applies for spiritual Israel after the second coming.

Verse 11: “As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.” This was likely a reference to the many Jews who chose to remain in Babylon. Life for them was likely easier than for the pioneers who returned to the desolation of Jerusalem to build a new life; however, Jesus wanted all His people to be part of His earthly kingdom centered at Jerusalem.

Verse 12: “Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.” Jesus is calling His people out of Babylon, but it applies to both the Jews in Babylon and the Jews in Jerusalem. Both groups considered themselves prisoners of circumstances but there is hope. God plans a glorious future for them if they will cooperate with God’s efforts to bless them. It is easy to see how it applies to us, spiritual Israel, today.

One who remains hopeful, in spite of seemingly hopeless circumstances, is a prisoner of hope. If you let your circumstances define the way you see God, you are a prisoner of perspective rather than hope. But if you let God define the way you see your circumstances, you are a prisoner of hope, even if your circumstances are your own fault.

Humanity is fallen and is trapped in a prison, needing deliverance. We all are trapped in this sinful world that is slated for destruction. We all need a change of perspective to rejoice greatly, because our King is coming, righteous and having salvation (ref. Zech 9:9). We are all trapped in sins that need overcoming, but we can be transformed from prisoners of sin to prisoners of hope, if we accept the free salvation offered by our King.

If you feel trapped by circumstances, either by your own mistakes or by the manipulations of Satan, have hope, because our King is coming, having righteousness, having salvation, offering an eternity without strife (verse 10). If you need to “return to the stronghold” of a life surrendered to Jesus, then do so now, and Jesus will restore you more than double. God has planned a glorious future for you if you cooperate with His efforts to bless you.