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More Zechariah commentaries

Zechariah 1:1-6
Repent Now

Zechariah 1:7-17
The Man On a Red Horse

Zechariah 1:18-21
The Hammering of the Four Horns

Zechariah 2:1-13
The Man Who is Measuring Jerusalem

Zechariah 3:1-10
The Chief Priest

Zechariah 4:1-14
The Golden Lampstand and the Two Olive Trees

Repent Now

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Zechariah 1:1–6
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)

The story is told of a man who detonates explosives for the police department’s bomb squad. Suppose he comes to my house one day sporting a distinctive T-shirt. The front reads: “Hazardous Device Technician.” When he turns around, I read the back: “If you see me ru … More

Warning

Zechariah began his book with a short speech telling the people to repent (vv. 1-3). This means ‘to be sorry. There is an old saying that he who will not learn from history is doomed to repeat it. Zechariah starts off with a solemn warning to the people to not repeat the errors of their fathers. Their fathers had provided a bad example so Zechariah gives them a three fold lesson from the past.

  1. A warning against disobedience (v.4) - This warning against disobedience shows how the  forefathers fell into evil ways by disobeying God’s holy law. Then when God in His mercy sent prophets to warn them and urge them to turn to Him, they hardened their hearts and refused to hear (Prov. 29:1). Numbers 32:23 says, “Be sure your sins will find you out."
  2. A warning against delay (v. 5) - Zechariah calls attention to the brevity of human life. He does this by asking, “Where are your forefathers now” and “The prophets, do they live forever?” The implied answer was no, so the opportunity for repentance which they ignored is still offered and should not be ignored by you.
  3.  A warning against doubt (v.6) - It is definitely clear that God is faithful and always keeps His Word. The people well knew this to be true because of the judgments that had already been sent on Israel. This included the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar and the seventy years in Babylon. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7)

Application

What a sad situation it is when children must be told not to follow the ways of their parents. I need to seriously consider whether my life is an example for my children and grand children to follow or something that they must be warned against.

Zechariah 1:1-6 (English Standard Version)

In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, "The LORD was very angry with your fathers. Therefore say to them, Thus declares the LORD of hosts: Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.' But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the LORD. Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, As the LORD of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us."

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