Zechariah7

In the fourth year of King Darius, a delegation from Bethel inquired whether they should continue their traditional fasts. The Lord, through Zechariah, questioned the sincerity of their past fasting, stating it was not truly for Him but for themselves. He reminded them of His earlier commands for justice and mercy, which they had historically rejected, leading to their scattering and the desolation of the land.

Delegation Asks About Continuing the Fasts

1
And in the fourth yeere of King Darius, the worde of the Lord came vnto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth moneth, euen in Chisleu,
2
For they had sent vnto the House of God Sharezer, and Regem-melech and their men to pray before the Lord,
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And to speake vnto the Priests, which were in the House of the Lord of hostes, and to the Prophets, saying, Should I weepe in the fift moneth, and separate my selfe as I haue done these so many yeeres?

God Challenges the Motivation for Fasting

4
Then came the word of the Lord of hostes vnto me, saying,
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Speake vnto all the people of the land, and to the Priests, and say, When ye fasted, and mourned in the fift and seuenth moneth, euen the seuentie yeeres, did ye fast vnto me? doe I approoue it?
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And when ye did eate, and when ye did drinke, did ye not eate for your selues, and drinke for your selues?
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Should ye not heare the wordes, which the Lord hath cryed by the ministerie of the former Prophets when Ierusalem was inhabited, and in prosperitie, and the cities thereof round about her, when the South and the plaine was inhabited?

The Requirement of True Justice

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And the worde of the Lord came vnto Zechariah, saying,
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Thus speaketh the Lord of hostes, saying, Execute true iudgement, and shewe mercy and compassion, euery man to his brother,
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And oppresse not the widowe, nor the fatherles, the stranger nor the poore, and let none of you imagine euil against his brother in your heart.

Past Rebellion and Divine Judgment

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But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their eares, that they should not heare.
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Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, least they should heare the Lawe and the wordes which the Lord of hostes sent in his spirit by the ministerie of ye former Prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hostes.
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Therefore it is come to passe, that as he cried, and they would not heare, so they cried, and I would not heare, sayth the Lord of hostes.
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But I scattered them among all the nations, whom they knew not: thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they layd the pleasant land waste.
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