Zechariah - Chapter 7
OBEDIENCE IS BETTER THAN RITUAL
ZECHARIAH 7
Now that all eight visions have been revealed, we come to several specific areas of question concerning which ceremonial functions should be required for obedience to the Lord.
These areas arose in the second year after the appearance of the visions to the prophet which was the fourth year of Darius' reign as king of Babylon. Darius had removed all obstacles to the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem and all seemed to be tranquil in the promised land. Even though all renewal was not finished in the city of God, (walls were not yet rebuilt), conditions were indeed beginning to show improvement overall. Because of this positive turn some questions were evident as to whether the certain feasts of sorrow and mourning were still needed to be observed. The question was basically that if times are better should I weep and fast over previous days of difficulty?
The Lord had commanded only one fast day, on the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16:29-34. But the Jews had themselves added four more feast days to remember key dates of the defeat of their nation. These were:
Mourning of Capture of Jerusalem Jer 52:6-30
Temple Destruction 2nd Kings 25:2-10
Massacre in Jerusalem Jer 4:1-10
Siege of Jerusalem Beginning 2nd Kings 25:1
Psalm 137 describes for us the sadness of heart that brought these added days. But these days were not added by God, but were added by man during the 70 year exile.
Now in verses 4-7 God comes to Zechariah asking him to ask the people if the added times were truly for seeking God or were they actually a pity party for themselves. The Lord seemed to be saying that a few days of fasting did not make up for the awful way His people had lived for so long, which caused their captivity. Active obedience to God is clearly seen by the Lord as better than wallowing in past sin. After God's judgment has ended (70 years) it is best to understand restoration has come and there is no need to dwell on the past.
Is this command from God exactly describing us today, even in our New Testament times when we have confessed and been forgiven we still seem to look backward to the past (thank you Satan) and not focus on already having been cleansed?
Now in verses 8-10 the Lord explains to Zechariah the conduct He requires:
Execute true justice
Show mercy and compassion
Do not oppress the widow of the fatherless, the alien, or the poor
Make no plan of evil in the heart
Some people had seemed to think it was easier to fast rather than to obey. This was contrary to the spirit of the Lord's desired relationship with His own.
In verses 11-12 we see the rebellious reaction to God's instruction that He had given His prophet to pass onward to His people.
They refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, stopped their ears, made their hearts hardened, refusing to hear and accept the word of the Lord. Such rejection brought much displeasure and wrath from God.
In verses 13-14 God answers this rejection, saying since the people refuse to hear Him, He now will refuse to hear their prayers. He rejects them just as they had first rejected Him.
Another prophet, Isaiah, wrote of this matter strongly in his writing, now found for us in what we call chapter 59:
“... your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear...”.