God moved through Zechariah and Haggai to bring the people to repentance and obedience. Zechariah gave them the visions and the promises containted in them. Haggai asked them to consider their ways. The temple work was restarted.
Read Ezra 5: 1-5:
Nearly two years had passed since the Zechariah's visions and the call to repentance. There was still two years of work left on the temple, and there was still opposition.
And a report did go to Darius; in essence informing him of the work on the temple and inquiring what he would want done regarding this construction project. King Darius did a search and discovered the decree of Cyrus. We can imagine this was no short process; it had to have taken months
This is the likely setting and context for chaptera 7 & 8; the temple is still being worked on and there was still some opposition. With that opposition there came fear and doubts and lots of hard work. But God's hand was on them.
Zechariah 7:1-3
A delegation came to Jerusalem to seek an answer to their question; should they continue in their fast of the fifth month? This was a time of fasting and mourning instituted by the Jews in captivity in rememberance of the destruction of the temple. God only instituted one fast on the Day of Atonement (Lev 16:29-34). The Jews added four more:
- In the fourth month, a fast commemorating the capture of Jerusalem.
- In the fifth month, a fast commemorating the destruction of the temple.
- In the seventh month, a fast commemorating the assassination of Gedaliah (Jer 4:1-10).
- In the tenth month, a fast commemorating the beginning of Nebuchadnezzar's siege against Jerusalem.
Now that God had brought them back to the land, was it appropriate ton continue to look at the past with mourning and fasting? Was it important or relevant? In addition, many commentators sieze on the idea that this delegation came from Bethel, that had been the source of so much pagan idolatry during their previous days of rebellion. Bethel had a golden calf during the days of Jereboam; at best, it was worshiping the right God in the wrong way. Regardless of what credit we might give them for intentions, in time it became rank idolatry, forsaking their God (see Amos 5:4-7; Hosea 10).
Zechariah 7:4-7
While the delegation may have come from Bethel, they apparently represented and conveyed the thoughts of the people because the answer is directed to all the people of the land. The answer comes in the form of a question:
- "When you fasted and mourned, did you really fast for Me?"
For seventy years, they had fasted and mourned. Someone instituted it early on, maybe for very good reason. But by the end, why was it done? Possibly because they were supposed to? Was it simply tradition? Legalistic ritual? Was that just what you did because eveyrone else did? Were they drawing attention to themselves or God? God didn't call them to fast in this way, so it was a fair question, was it not?
- Did you fast for me?
- If you continue, will it be for me?
It had become easy to hold a fast, setting aside of a time as self indulgent pity party, then go back to their life of disobedience. Since their hearts were not right with God, how could their fast be right? Everyday obedience, every day abiding in Him, everyday relationship as children to their heavenly Father would make their fast more meaningful.
Zechariah 7:8-14
The words of the former prophets still applied to these folks. It was words spoken to the rebellious, hardhearted and prideful who chased after other gods and were disobedient to the God who ruled their life. The previous words of the prophets are summed up in verses 9-10:
- Execute true justice
- Show mercy & compassion
- Don't oppress the widow or orphan
- Dont oppress the poor or the foreigner
- Keep your heart free of evil intent
The response was a progressively rebellious response:
- A refusal to heed
- Shrugging the shoulders - used to describe an animal 'not submitting to the yoke"
- Stopped their ears
- Hardened their hearts - the word literally means an impenetrable hardness.
God brought punishment, just as He said He would. In this punishment, they called out to Him, He didn't hear them. He didn't deliver them from it. They were scattered and the land became desolate.
To love the Lord is to love the things of the Lord. These are the things that break his heart and stir Him to wrath. All the words to their ancestors were far more important to remember than the punishments for their disobedience. Instead of a 'woe is me' fast, they needed to remember why they were punished and learn from it.
So there is a contrast:
- Their fast, legalistic traditon. Had become meaningless. Not about heart or repentance. But about sadness for their past. Attention went to them, a people previously oppressed. a draw on emotion, seemingly to the point of feeling entitled to a better future.
- Relationship, characterized by repentance. Remembrance only in the sense of understanding what we were without Him. Glory goes to God only! Not emotion driven, but certainly emotional. Complete submission, we don't want what God owes us, we want to enjoy His grace.
So, what was the answer to the question? What answer do you suppose this delegation took home? Their answer was found in their own heart and motivaiton? The same search should be executed on our motivation for:
- The communion table
- Celebration of Easter (Resurrection Sunday)
- Celebration of Christmas
- Activites around Baptism
- Worship
- Prayer
- Anything we repeatedly do by tradition in the name of the Lord
Doing any of these without a repentant attitude and obedient heart leads us down a similar path of legalism, meaningless traditions and rote religious actions.
Read Isaiah 58.
©2017 Doug Ford
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