Wednesday, March 26 – Zechariah 7, 8 – Additional Reading, Prophets and Kings, pages 519-520

1. What question does the Lord ask regarding the convocations for fasting? (Zechariah 7:5)

2. Zechariah 7:12 speaks of the hardness of the heart. What should my response be to God’s call?

3. What promise did God make in Zechariah 8:3?

4. How should God’s people enjoy fasting? (Zechariah 8:19)

Zechariah was one of the post-exilic prophets after Judah’s captivity in Babylon. He was the son of Berechiah, and his name means “The Lord has remembered” (Zechariah 1:1). This messenger of God ministered to the nation a few years after many Jews returned to Jerusalem following the seventy years of captivity. He began his prophetic mission shortly after the prophecies of Haggai.

The prophet Zechariah was a member of the tribe of Levi and served in Jerusalem as both a priest and a prophet (Nehemiah 12:16). His grandfather Iddo is mentioned as one of the leaders of the priests who traveled with Zerubbabel from Babylon to Jerusalem (Nehemiah 12:4; Ezra 5:1; Zechariah 1:1, 7).

Zechariah and Haggai served together to awaken the spiritual lethargy among the returned exiles. While Haggai challenged the people to rebuild the temple, Zechariah called the nation to repentance and spiritual renewal. His role was crucial because he sought to prepare Judah for proper worship and service in the sanctuary. The goal was for the nation to be spiritually ready for the temple’s reconstruction.

In Zechariah 7:3, the prophet asks, “Shall we weep?” The fasting mentioned here commemorated the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. However, this fast had become a mere tradition, a human invention without a true spiritual connection.

It was not a command from God, nor did it reflect true repentance for the sins that led to Jerusalem’s destruction. Today, we are not immune to traditions that become hindrances, preventing the advancement of God’s mission, just as happened in those days.

In verse 9, God speaks with authority, calling His people to truth, mercy, and compassion toward one another. He admonishes them to return to the path of righteousness and morality.

This call extends to us today, the Church of God.

The prophet compares the people’s hearts to diamonds. Diamonds are known for their hardness and can scratch and cut glass. “They made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit.” (Zechariah 7:12, NKJV). Here, “the law” refers to God’s Word.

Their disobedience and apostasy led to the Babylonian captivity. Their “pleasant land” became a place of chaos and violence, and even today, the world experiences the consequences of sin.

Chapter 8 begins with God’s assurance to His people: He was with them. The restoration of the city and temple was proof that God was present. In times of difficulty, we should never doubt or think we are alone. The same God who cared for His people in the past will care for us today.

In verse 7, God declares, “Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east and the land of the west” (Zechariah 8:7, NKJV). This promise applies to us as well. We are part of God’s scattered people, and He will gather and save us.

The fasting mentioned in Zechariah 8:19 was not meant to focus on past calamities. Instead, God’s people were to experience fasting as a time of joy.

They were to see God’s guidance through trials as evidence of His love and protection, knowing He never abandoned His people.

May the reading of the Bible, especially of these two chapters, assure us that God is a jealous God, that protects what belongs to Him. A loving God who never forgets His promises and a committed God dedicated to restoring and preserving our lives.