Who are the many people and strong nations in Zechariah 8?
The many people and strong nations are Gentiles, not Israel. This prophecy describes inhabitants of many cities and Gentile nations going from one city to another, urging each other to pray before the Lord and seek the Lord of Hosts in Jerusalem, where the Lord is Jehovah.
Les explains that this is future prophecy, not past or present. He points out that the inhabitants of many cities are Gentiles—cities and nations, not Jews. One Gentile city will say to another, “Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of Hosts,” and another Gentile will say, “I’ll go also.” Verse 22’s “many people, and strong nations” are therefore Gentile nations, not Israel. They shall come to seek the Lord of Hosts in Jerusalem and pray before the Lord, or Jehovah. Les connects this to Israel being a kingdom of priests, a go-between, so Gentiles from all languages can come to that knowledge.
Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.