Zecharaiah 7:1-8:10
“And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu; When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regemmelech, and their men, to pray before the LORD, And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?” (Zechariah 7:1-3)
For about fifteen years, court orders had blocked construction of the temple. About three and a half years before, Haggai and Zechariah had prophesied to them and they had resumed construction, although there was concern that they might be stopped at any time. From the time of the original captivity to Babylon to the present time, every year they had had a time of fasting and praying to be allowed to finish the work. Finally they had permission,, and there was some question whether they should hold the fast again that year.
“Then came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying, Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me? And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?
Should ye not hear the words which the LORD hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain?” (Zechariah 7:4-7)
God pointed out that even in their fasting and praying since going into captivity, the emphasis had been on their own benefit and protection. They had made the same mistake many Christians make today. James 4:3 says, “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” God is not obligated to give us whatever we ask for, contrary to what many preach. I John 5:14-15 tells us, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
The Jews needed to hear what God had said about why they were in trouble and correct the sin, before they expected God to deliver them. Far too many people ignore most of the conditions God set forth in II Chronicles 7:14. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Just praying is not enough. There needs to be obedience as well. God had never been satisfied with those annual fasts because they never got around to repentance.
“And the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassions every man to his brother: And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.
But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.” (Zechariah 7:8-12)
For centuries, the Jews had refused to obey Gods commands and fulfill their contract or covenant with God, cheating and taking advantage wherever they could of those who were worse off. When God sent prophets to warn them, they ignored them or in some instances even killed them, causing God to become angry.
“Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts: But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.” (Zechariah 7:13-14)
The only reason they had been in captivity was that their refusal to listen had angered god to the point he had caused them be taken captive and dispersed throughout the other nations, leaving Israel and Judah almost uninhabited and barren so no one bothered to go there. By simply obeying, they could have avoided the whole problem.
“Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.” (Zechariah 8:1-5)
The Israelites were still God’s people and he protected them like a man protecting his children, despite his anger at them. He was still going to give them another chance. Living among them and teaching them. They would once again live out their lives at peace, with the children again playing freely in the streets instead of hiding in theirs homes.
“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.” (Zechariah 8:6-8)
While they were amazed at the things that had happened, it was no surprise to God. He knew what his plan was, and would bring the Jews who had been taken into the eastern countries and into the western countries back to Jerusalem. When they finally returned, they would worship sincerely and completely. That still hasn’t happened.
“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.” (Zechariah 8:9-10)
If they were to experience what God intended for them, they would need not only hear, but act on the what the prophets had told them. Their refusal to obey the law had resulted in everyman considering only their own benefit, leading to constant infighting and unwillingness to help each other. They were afraid to hire anybody to work because they expected to get ripped off, and God had caused that distrust. He would do it again if they refused to listen.
“And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu; When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regemmelech, and their men, to pray before the LORD, And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?” (Zechariah 7:1-3)
For about fifteen years, court orders had blocked construction of the temple. About three and a half years before, Haggai and Zechariah had prophesied to them and they had resumed construction, although there was concern that they might be stopped at any time. From the time of the original captivity to Babylon to the present time, every year they had had a time of fasting and praying to be allowed to finish the work. Finally they had permission,, and there was some question whether they should hold the fast again that year.
“Then came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying, Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me? And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?
Should ye not hear the words which the LORD hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain?” (Zechariah 7:4-7)
God pointed out that even in their fasting and praying since going into captivity, the emphasis had been on their own benefit and protection. They had made the same mistake many Christians make today. James 4:3 says, “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” God is not obligated to give us whatever we ask for, contrary to what many preach. I John 5:14-15 tells us, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
The Jews needed to hear what God had said about why they were in trouble and correct the sin, before they expected God to deliver them. Far too many people ignore most of the conditions God set forth in II Chronicles 7:14. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Just praying is not enough. There needs to be obedience as well. God had never been satisfied with those annual fasts because they never got around to repentance.
“And the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassions every man to his brother: And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.
But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.” (Zechariah 7:8-12)
For centuries, the Jews had refused to obey Gods commands and fulfill their contract or covenant with God, cheating and taking advantage wherever they could of those who were worse off. When God sent prophets to warn them, they ignored them or in some instances even killed them, causing God to become angry.
“Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts: But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.” (Zechariah 7:13-14)
The only reason they had been in captivity was that their refusal to listen had angered god to the point he had caused them be taken captive and dispersed throughout the other nations, leaving Israel and Judah almost uninhabited and barren so no one bothered to go there. By simply obeying, they could have avoided the whole problem.
“Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.” (Zechariah 8:1-5)
The Israelites were still God’s people and he protected them like a man protecting his children, despite his anger at them. He was still going to give them another chance. Living among them and teaching them. They would once again live out their lives at peace, with the children again playing freely in the streets instead of hiding in theirs homes.
“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.” (Zechariah 8:6-8)
While they were amazed at the things that had happened, it was no surprise to God. He knew what his plan was, and would bring the Jews who had been taken into the eastern countries and into the western countries back to Jerusalem. When they finally returned, they would worship sincerely and completely. That still hasn’t happened.
“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.” (Zechariah 8:9-10)
If they were to experience what God intended for them, they would need not only hear, but act on the what the prophets had told them. Their refusal to obey the law had resulted in everyman considering only their own benefit, leading to constant infighting and unwillingness to help each other. They were afraid to hire anybody to work because they expected to get ripped off, and God had caused that distrust. He would do it again if they refused to listen.
No comments:
Post a Comment