Zechariah 7
Verse of the Day:V9 “Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother:”
1. Word (V1-2)
V1 “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;”
Prophet Zechariah preached and prophesied to the priests, his fellow prophets, and the people of Israel, only when the word of the Lord came to him. At no point in time, did Zechariah use his own words, but every word he preached and prophesied was from God.
2. Weep (V3-10)
V3 “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?”
Zechariah told the priests, prophets and the people that it was never God’s plan and purpose for them to weep, mourn and fast, because they were defeated by their enemies, the Babylonians, and brought to the land of Babylon to be their slaves and servants. The Lord reminded them that the main reason why they were defeated, and became prisoners of the Babylonians, was because they had disobeyed God and His word, and had sinned against Him. The Lord had time and again shown them mercy and compassions yet the people of Israel had not shown mercy and compassions to others. It is not that we cannot weep, mourn and fast for our sins, but more importantly, we must truly repent of our sins.
V9 “Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother:”
3. Wrath (V11-14)
V11 “But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.”
Time and again, God sent prophets like Zechariah to preach and prophesy to the people of Israel to repent of their sins, and each time not only they refused to repent of their sins, but they continued to harden their hearts like stones. Subsequently God’s great wrath was upon them, and He punished and scattered them throughout the world. Let us be obedient to God and His Word, so that His richest blessings and not His great wrath be upon us.
V12 “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.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to obey You and Your Word.
