Zechariah 7:1-14

 

Zechariah 7:1-14

Do Not Become Adamant to the Voice of the Logos

Zec 7:1  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; 

Zec 7:2  When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regemmelech, and their men, to pray before the LORD, 

Zec 7:3  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? 

Zec 7:4  Then came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying, 

Zec 7:5  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? 

Zec 7:6  And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves? 

Zec 7:7  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? 

Zec 7:8  And the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying, 

Zec 7:9  Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: 

Zec 7:10  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. 

Zec 7:11  But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. 

Zec 7:12  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. 

Zec 7:13  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: 

Zec 7:14  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. 

 

           1.     A Delegation Comes to Jerusalem to Inquire About the Observance of Fasts – vs. 1-3*

a.      This is during the time of the construction of the new temple; everyone is hard at work with coordinating a difficult task. – vs. 1*

b.     The approach of the delegation seems innocent enough. They are there to “pray.” The group of men approach in good faith but are filled with insincere intentions. – vs. 2*

c.      The delegation is there to meet with the prophets (like Zechariah and Haggai) and the priests (many of whom are mentioned in the previous chapter) – vs. 3*

                                               i.     The question regarding fasts is certainly not a bad one. Unfortunately, the timing was poor, and judging from the Lord’s answer, one that was intended to cause division and disunity. The fasts they were asking about commemorated the fall of Jerusalem 70 years earlier.

1.     In the 10^th month – commemorated the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem

a.      2 Kings 25:1 

2.     In the 4^th month – commemorated the fall of Jerusalem

a.      2 Kings 25:3-4 

3.     In the 5^th month – The burning of Jerusalem

a.      2 Kings 25:8-9 

4.     In the 7^th month – Commemorated the murder of Gedaliah and the last of Jewish self-governance

a.      2 Kings 25:23-25 

          2.     Beware of Legalism – vs. 4-7*

a.      The Word of Lord returns to speak to Zechariah and give an answer to the delegation – vs. 4*

b.     It is possible that the delegation was harboring secret hopes that their diligence in keeping the fasts would force God to free them from Babylonian rule. Whatever their motivation was, they were not fasting for the sake of true worship. – vs. 5*

                                               i.     Colossians 2:16-18 

c.      Their worship nor their lifestyle was honoring to God – vs. 6*

                                               i.     Isaiah 1:9-14 

d.     Even when an Israelite king ruled all of Palestine they did not honor God – vs. 7*

                                               i.     Isaiah 66:1-2 

        3.     Beware of the Hardening of Your Heart – vs. 8-14*

a.      The Word of the Lord Comes Again to Zechariah to Explain what a broken and contrite heart looks like – vs 8*

                                               i.     A broken and contrite heart loves equal justice for all – vs. 9*

1.     Amos 5:10-14; Micah 6:8; James 2:1 

                                             ii.     A broken and contrite heart puts others first – vs. 10*

1.     Philippians 2:1-4; James 1:27 

                                            iii.     A broken and contrite heart does not pull away from God’s loving touch – vs. 11*

1.     Hebrews 10:38-39 

                                            iv.     A broken and contrite heart is not hardened to the things of the Lord – vs. 12*

1.     Hebrews 3:7-14 

                                              v.     A broken and contrite heart listens to the voice of the Shepherd – vs. 13*

1.     John 10:25-28 

                                            vi.     A broken and contrite heart abides for ever – vs. 14*

1.     1 John 2:17