Zechariah 7
Zechariah 7 addresses a question posed by the people about whether they should continue observing fasts commemorating Jerusalem’s past destruction. God’s response, however, redirects them, focusing on the importance of genuine worship over mere ritual. Through the prophet Zechariah, God challenges the people to examine the motives behind their religious practices and calls them to return to values of justice, mercy, and compassion in their lives. This chapter emphasizes God’s desire for true devotion expressed through righteous actions and caring for others, rather than empty ceremonies.
Zechariah 7:1-3 (NKJV)
1 Now in the fourth year of King Darius it came to pass that the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, on the fourth day of the ninth month, Chislev,
2 when the people sent Sherezer, with Regem-Melech and his men, to the house of God, to pray before the Lord,
3 and to ask the priests who were in the house of the Lord of hosts, and the prophets, saying, “Should I weep in the fifth month and fast as I have done for so many years?”
The people, represented by Sherezer and Regem-Melech, came to the temple to seek guidance on whether to continue fasting in remembrance of Jerusalem’s destruction. Since the city and temple were now being restored, they wondered if the period of mourning should end. This question reveals their desire to align with God’s will but also hints at uncertainty about whether their past rituals were still relevant in this new context of restoration.
Zechariah 7:4-7 (NKJV)
4 Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying,
5 “Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me?
6 When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves?
7 Should you not have obeyed the words which the Lord proclaimed through the former prophets when Jerusalem and the cities around it were inhabited and prosperous, and the South and the Lowland were inhabited?’”
God’s response challenges the people to reflect on their motives during their fasts. He questions whether their fasting was genuinely for Him or if it was a self-centered ritual. God reminds them that true obedience—living according to His commands—is more meaningful than the outward act of fasting. The people’s ancestors had failed to follow God’s instructions, leading to Jerusalem’s destruction, suggesting that empty rituals cannot replace sincere obedience.
Zechariah 7:8-10 (NKJV)
8 Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying,
9 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother.
10 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart against his brother.’”
God instructs the people on what He truly desires—justice, mercy, and compassion. These values are central to a society that honors God, emphasizing care for the vulnerable and integrity in relationships. By focusing on justice and kindness, the people would reflect God’s character in their actions. This command serves as a reminder that true worship is demonstrated through how they treat others, rather than in ritual alone.
Zechariah 7:11-12 (NKJV)
11 But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear.
12 Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts.
God recounts the stubbornness of the people’s ancestors, who ignored His messages and hardened their hearts. Their resistance to God’s guidance led to severe consequences. This historical reminder serves as a warning: ignoring God’s call to righteousness and compassion results in separation from Him. Their ancestors’ disobedience brought God’s judgment, illustrating the importance of heeding His word sincerely.
Zechariah 7:13-14 (NKJV)
13 Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen,” says the Lord of hosts.
14 “But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they had not known. Thus the land became desolate after them, so that no one passed through or returned; for they made the pleasant land desolate.”
In response to their disobedience, God allowed their pleas to go unheard, ultimately scattering them among foreign nations. Their actions had made the land desolate, a consequence of their disregard for God’s commands. This scattering was both a punishment and a sobering lesson: ignoring God’s will leads to ruin. God desires His people’s well-being, but this is only possible when they align their lives with His principles of justice and compassion.