Zechariah 7
Chapters 7 begins with the concerns that the people of Israel faced during the process of rebuilding Jerusalem and restoring their faith after the Babylonian exile, as well as the questions they brought to God. A group comes to Zechariah and asks whether they should continue the fasting rituals they have practiced for years (especially fasting during the month when Jerusalem was destroyed). This question is not only about whether to continue a formal religious practice; it also reflects a deeper struggle over what the essence of true faith really is.
1verseIn the fourth year of King Darius, the LORD’s word came to Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Chislev.
2verseThe people of Bethel sent Sharezer and Regem Melech and their men to entreat the LORD’s favor,
3verseand to speak to the priests of the house of the LORD of Armies and to the prophets, saying, “Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?”
4verseThen the word of the LORD of Armies came to me, saying,
5verse“Speak to all the people of the land and to the priests, saying, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh month for these seventy years, did you at all fast to me, really to me?
6verseWhen you eat and when you drink, don’t you eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves?
7verseAren’t these the words which the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and its cities around her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?’”
8verseThe LORD’s word came to Zechariah, saying,
9verse“Thus has the LORD of Armies spoken, saying, ‘Execute true judgment, and show kindness and compassion every man to his brother.
10verseDon’t oppress the widow, the fatherless, the foreigner, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart.’
11verseBut they refused to listen, and turned their backs, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear.
12verseYes, they made their hearts as hard as flint, lest they might hear the law and the words which the LORD of Armies had sent by his Spirit by the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from the LORD of Armies.
13verseIt has come to pass that, as he called and they refused to listen, so they will call and I will not listen,” said the LORD of Armies;
14verse“but I will scatter them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they have not known. Thus the land was desolate after them, so that no man passed through nor returned; for they made the pleasant land desolate.”
Content: The Meaning of Fasting and God’s Response
Through Zechariah, God tells them that what matters more than the form of fasting is the motive behind it and the sincerity of faith. God points out that although the people of Israel fasted and wept in the past, it was not truly for God. This is a warning that repeated rituals are meaningless if there is no heart toward God.
Core Message: Emphasis on Justice and Mercy
Instead of discussing repentance and fasting, God emphasizes righteous judgment, compassion and mercy toward one’s neighbors, and care for socially vulnerable people (widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor) . The prophet recalls the mission of the earlier prophets and offers a historical lesson: disaster came because Israel hardened its heart and did not obey the voice of God.
Organizing the Structure and Flow
| Division | Contents |
|---|---|
| Verses 1-3 | The people’s question (counsel about fasting) |
| Verses 4-7 | God’s message (the essential meaning of fasting) |
| Verses 8-10 | God’s will (a requirement for justice and mercy) |
| Verses 11-14 | Israel’s disobedience and its consequences (a lesson from the exile period) |
Meditation Points
- You can reflect on whether the sincerity of your faith is present in your spiritual practices, or whether you are doing them out of habit.
- You can consider again that what pleases God is justice, mercy, and love for one’s neighbor, more than outward religious acts.
Try Applying It to Yourself
- Let’s step away from a formal religious life and look for ways to practice justice and mercy in daily life.
- You need to check your relationship with God and make a decision to move toward a life of true repentance and faith.
