Zechariah 1:1–6; 2:7–13

Zechariah 1:1–6; 2:7–13

Assistant Professor, School of Christian Studies, University of Mobile

REPENTANCE
Zechariah 1:1–6; 2:7–13

Zechariah is the longest Minor Prophet. He began prophesying about the same time as Haggai, in 520 B.C. Like Haggai, he exhorted the Jews who had returned from exile in Babylon to Jerusalem to get on with rebuilding the temple of the Lord. Through a series of eight visions, two sermons and two oracles, God used Zechariah to tell God’s people that they would have a second chance.

Accept the Invitation (1:1–3)
Because a holy and just God must deal with sin, Zechariah began his message by reminding the people of how angry their faithful, covenant God had been with the covenant-breaking sins of their ancestors. This reminder should have made a significant impact on Zechariah’s hearers. They certainly knew that the exile they had recently returned from was the direct result of God’s wrath against their ancestors and that the temple they were now rebuilding had been destroyed because of the sins of their forefathers.

The divine wrath was followed by the availability of divine grace. The basic command of the whole book is found in verse 3: “Return to Me.” The point of this verse is that since God was very angry with your ancestors because they refused to repent, do not make the same mistake they did; return to me. If the people of Zechariah’s day would only return to the Lord or repent, the Lord would return to them with a blessing instead of a curse. The emphasis is on their personal relationship and allegiance to the Lord.

Avoid the Judgment (1:4–6)
The opening plea for repentance is followed by a lesson from the past. Their ancestors had not heeded the warnings of the pre-exilic prophets. They had prophesied of God’s coming judgment, but the people had not taken their warnings seriously, and therefore they did not repent of their evil ways. In their failure to respond to the prophets, the people had not responded to God, for it was God who had sent the prophets.

Instead of responding with repentance, faith and obedience, the people had mocked God’s prophets and despised their words. Defiance of God and disobedience to His word are always dangerous. The result for both the Northern Kingdom of Israel and Judah was disaster. The answer to the rhetorical questions of verse 5 is clear: Both the ancestors and the prophets who had warned them were dead. Nevertheless verse 6 reminds us that though the prophets may be dead, God’s words were fulfilled.

Acclaim the Protection (2:7–9)
The Jewish exiles who had not returned from Babylon in 538–537 B.C. were now exhorted to escape. The same Lord who had scattered them desired that they return home. They were being called on to join the other returnees in Jerusalem, evidently to help them rebuild the temple and restore the city.

The Lord of Hosts said he would come against the nations that have plundered God’s chosen people. Such treatment was condemned because harming them is like striking the pupil of God’s eye. God was so closely identified with His people that they are precious to Him and He was zealous to protect them and take care of them. The Lord of Hosts would move against His people’s enemies with His sovereign power. God would reverse the fortunes of His people.

Anticipate the Joy (2:10–13)
These verses anticipate full Kingdom blessing in the messianic age. The Lord told His people to “shout for joy and be glad” because God Himself would personally come to live among His people in Jerusalem. In the great messianic future, “many nations will join themselves to the Lord on that day and become My people.” This ingathering of the nations to the Lord is a fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant: “And all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Gen. 12:3). These blessings will be fully experienced during the yet future messianic reign, but present believers do enjoy “a foretaste of glory divine.” Christians experience the joy of the Lord’s presence now and joyfully anticipate His future eternal rule.