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Commentary on Zechariah 7 verses 1–7
This occasional sermon, which the prophet preached, and which is recorded in this and the next chapter, was above two years after the former, in which he gave them an account of his visions, as appears by comparing the date of this (Zac 7:1), in the ninth month of the fourth year of Darius, with the date of that (Zac 1:1), in the eighth month of the second year of Darius; not that Zechariah was idle all that while (it is expressly said that he and Haggai continued prophesying till the temple was finished in the sixth year of Darius; Ezr 6:14, Ezr 6:15), but during that time he did not preach any sermon that was afterwards published, and left upon record, as this is. God may be honoured, his work done, and his interest served, by word of mouth as well as by writing; and by inculcating and pressing what has been taught, as well as by advancing something new. Now here we have,
I. A case proposed concerning fasting. Some persons were sent to enquire of the priests and prophets whether they should continue to observe their yearly fasts, particularly that in the fifth month, as they had done. It is uncertain whether the case was put by those that yet remained in Babylon, who, being deprived of the benefit of the solemn feasts which God's ordinance appointed them, made up the want by the solemn fasts which God's providences called them to; or by those that had returned, but lived in the country, as some rather incline to think, because they are called the people of the land, Zac 7:5. But, as to that, the answer given to the messengers of the captive Jews might be directed, not to them only, but to all the people. Observe,
1.Who they were that came with this enquiry - Sherezer and Regem-melech, persons of some rank and figure, for they came with their men, and did not think it below them, or any disparagement to them, to be sent on this errand, but rather an addition to their honour to be, (1.) Attendants in God's house, there to do duty and receive orders. The greatest of men are less than the least of the ordinances of Jesus Christ. (2.) Agents for God's people, to negotiate their affairs. Men of estates, having more leisure than men of business, ought to employ their time in the service of the public, and by doing good they make themselves truly great; the messengers of the churches were the glory of Christ, Co2 8:23.
2.What the errand was upon which they came. They were sent perhaps not with gold and silver (as those, Zac 6:10, Zac 6:11), or, if they were, that is not mentioned, but upon the two great errands which should bring us all to the house of God, (1.) to intercede with God for his mercy. They were sent to pray before the Lord, and, some think (according to the usage then), to offer sacrifice, with which they offered up their prayers. The Jews, in captivity, prayed towards the temple (as appears Dan 6:10); but now that it was in a fair way to be rebuilt they sent their representatives to pray in it, remembering that God had said that his house should be called a house of prayer for all people, Isa 56:7. In prayer we must set ourselves as before the Lord, must see his eye upon us and have our eye up to him. (2.) To enquire of God concerning his mind. Note, When we offer up our requests to God it must be with a readiness to receive instructions from him; for, if we turn away our ear from hearing his law, we cannot expect that our prayers should be acceptable to him. We must therefore desire to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of our life that we may enquire there (Psa 27:4), asking, not only, Lord, what wilt thou do for me? but, Lord what wilt thou have me to do?
3.Whom they consulted. They spoke to the priests that were in the house of the Lord and to the prophets; the former were an oracle for ordinary cases, the latter for extraordinary; they were blessed with both, and would try if either could acquaint them with the mind of God in this case. Note, God having given diversities of gifts to men, and all to profit with, we should make use of all as there is occasion. They were not so wedded to the priests, their stated ministers, as to distrust the prophets, who appeared, by the gifts given them, well qualified to serve the church; nor yet were they so much enamoured with the prophets as to despise the priests, but they spoke both to the priests and to the prophets, and, in consulting both, gave glory to the God of Israel, and that one Spirit who works all in all. God might speak to them either by urim or by prophets (Sa1 28:6), and therefore they would not neglect either. The priests and the prophets were not jealous one of another, nor had any difference among themselves; let not the people then make differences between them, but thank God they had both. The prophets did indeed reprove what was amiss in the priests, but at the same time told the people that the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they must enquire the law at his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts, Mal 2:7. Note, Those that would know God's mind should consult God's ministers, and in doubtful cases ask advice of those whose special business it is to search the scriptures.
4.What the case was which they desired satisfaction in (Zac 7:3): Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years. Observe, (1.) What had been their past practice, not only during the seventy years of the captivity but to this time, which was twenty years after the liberty proclaimed them; they kept up solemn stated fasts for humiliation and prayer, which they religiously observed, according as their opportunities were, in their closets, families, or such assemblies for worship as they had. In the case here, they mention only one, that of the fifth month; but it appears, by Zac 8:19, that they observed four anniversary fasts, one in the fourth month (June 17), in remembrance of the breaking up of the wall of Jerusalem (Jer 52:6), another in the fifth month (July 4), in remembrance of the burning of the temple (Jer 52:12, Jer 52:13), another in the seventh month (September 3), in remembrance of the killing of Gedaliah, which completed their dispersion, and another in the tenth month (December 10), in remembrance of the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem, Kg2 25:1. Now it was very commendable in them to keep those fasts, thus to humble themselves under those humbling providences, by which God called them to weeping and mourning, thus to accommodate themselves to their troubles, and prepare themselves for deliverance. It would likewise be a means of possessing their children betimes with a due sense of the hand of the Lord gone out against them. (2.) What was their present doubt - whether they should continue these fasts or no. The case is put as by a single person: Should I weep? But it was the case of many, and the satisfaction of one would be a satisfaction to the rest. Or perhaps many had left it off, but the querist will not be determined by the practice of others; if God will have him continue it, he will, whatever others do. His fasting is described by his weeping, separating himself. A religious fast must be solemnized, not only by abstinence, here called a separating ourselves from the ordinary lawful comforts of life, but by a godly sorrow for sin, here expressed by weeping. "Should I still keep such days to afflict the soul as I have done these so many years?" It is said (Zac 7:5) to be seventy years, computed from the last captivity, as before, Zac 1:12. The enquiry intimates a readiness to continue it, if God so appoint, though it be a mortification to the flesh. [1.] Something is to be said for the continuance of these fasts. Fasting and praying are good work at any time, and do good; we have always both cause enough and need enough to humble ourselves before God. To throw off these fasts would be an evidence of their being too secure, and a cause of their being more so. They were still in distress, and under the tokens of God's displeasure; and it is unwise for the patient to break off his course of physic while he is sensible of such remains of his distemper. But, [2.] There is something to be said for the letting fall of these fasts. God had changed the method of his providences concerning them, and returned in ways of mercy to them; and ought not they then to change the method of their duties? Now that the bridegroom has returned, why should the children of the bride-chamber fast? Every thing is beautiful in its season. And as to the fast of the fifth month (which is that they particularly enquire about), that, being kept in remembrance of the burning of the temple, might seem to be superseded rather than any of the other, because the temple was now in a fair way to be rebuilt. But, having long kept up this fast, they would not leave it off without advice, and without asking and knowing God's mind in the case. Note, A good method of religious services, which we have found beneficial to ourselves and others, ought not to be altered without good reason, and therefore not without mature deliberation.
II. An answer given to this case. It should seem that, though the question looked plausible enough, those who proposed it were not conscientious in it, for they were more concerned about the ceremony than about the substance; they seemed to boast of their fasting, and to upbraid God Almighty with it, that he had not sooner returned in mercy to them; "for we have done it these so many years." As those, Isa 58:3, Wherefore have we fasted, and thou seest not? And some think that unbelief, and distrust of the promises of God, were at the bottom of their enquiry; for, if they had given them the credit that was due to them, they needed not to doubt but that their fasts ought to be laid aside, now that the occasion of them was over. And therefore the first answer to their enquiry is a very sharp reproof of their hypocrisy, directed, not only to the people of the land, but to the priests, who had set up these fasts, and perhaps some of them were for keeping them up, to serve some purpose of their own. Let them all take notice that, whereas they thought they had made God very much their debtor by these fasts, they were much mistaken, for they were not acceptable to him, unless they had been observed in a better manner and to better purpose.
1.What they did that was good was not done aright (Zac 7:5): You fasted and mourned. They were not chargeable with the omission or neglect of the duty, though it was displeasing to the body (thy fasts were continually before me, Psa 50:8), but they had not managed them aright. Note, Those that come to enquire of their duty must be willing first to be told of their faults. And those that seem zealous for the outside of a duty ought to examine themselves faithfully whether they have the regard they ought to have to the inside of it. (1.) They had not an eye to God in their fasting: Did you at all fast unto me, even to me? He appeals to their own consciences; they will witness against them that they had not been sincere in it, much more will God, who is greater than the heart and knows all things. You know very well that you did not at all fast to me; in fasting did you fast to me? There was the carcase and form of the duty, but none of the life, and soul, and power of it. Was it to me, even to me? The repetition intimates what a great deal of stress is laid upon this as the main matter, in that and other holy exercises, that they be done to God, even to him, with an eye to his word as our rule, and his glory as our end, in them, seeking to please him and to obtain his favour, and studious by the sincerity of our intention to approve ourselves to him. When this was wanting every fast was but a jest. To fast, and not fast to God, was to mock him and provoke him, and could not be pleasing to him. Those that make fasting a cloak for sin, as Jezebel's fast, or by it make their court to men for their applause, as the Pharisees, or that rest in outward expressions of humiliation while their hearts are unhumbled, as Ahab, do they fast to God, even to him? Is this the fast that God has chosen? Isa 58:5. If the solemnities of our fasting, though frequent, long, and severe, do not serve to put an edge upon devout affections, to quicken prayer, to increase godly sorrow, and to alter the temper of our minds and the course of our lives for the better, they do not at all answer the intention, and God will not accept them as performed to him, even to him. (2.) They had the same eye to themselves in their fasting that they had in their eating and drinking (Zac 7:6): "When you did eat, and when you did drink, on other days (nay, perhaps on your fast-days, in the observation of which you could, when you saw cause, dispense with yourselves, and take a liberty to eat and drink), did you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves? Have you not always done as you had a mind yourselves? Why then do you now pretend a desire to know the mind of God? In your religious feasts and thanksgivings you have had no more an eye to God than in your fasts." Or, rather, it refers to their common meals; they did no more design the honour of God in their fasting and praying than they did in their eating and drinking; but self was still the centre in which the lines of all their actions, natural, civil, and religious, met. They needed not be in such care about the continuance of their fasts, unless they had kept them better. Note, We miss our end in eating and drinking when we eat to ourselves and drink to ourselves, whereas we should eat and drink to the glory of God (Co1 10:31), that our bodies may be fit to serve our souls in his service.
2.The principal good thing they should have done was left undone (Zac 7:7): "Should you not hear the words which the Lord has cried by the former prophets? Yes, that you should have done on your fast-days; it was not enough to weep and separate yourselves on your fast-days, in token of your sorrow for the judgments you were under, but you should have searched the scriptures of the prophets, that you might have seen what was the ground of God's controversy with your fathers, and might have taken warning by their miseries not to tread in the steps of their iniquities. You ask, Shall we do as we have done, in fasting? No, you must do that which you have not yet done; you must repent of your sins and reform you lives. This is what we now call you to, and it is the same that the former prophets called your fathers to." To affect them the more with the mischief that sin had done them, that they might be brought to repent of it, he puts them in mind of the former flourishing state of their country: Jerusalem was then inhabited and in prosperity, that is now desolate and in distress. The cities round about, that are now in ruins, were then inhabited too and in peace. The country likewise was very populous: Men inhabited the south of the plain, which was not at all fortified, and yet they lived safely, and which was fruitful, and so they lived plentifully. But then God by the prophets cried to them, as one in earnest, and importunate with them, to amend their ways and doings, or else their prosperity would soon be at an end. "Now," says the prophet, "you should have taken notice of that, and have inferred that what was required of them for the preventing of the judgments, and which they did not, is required of you for the removal of the judgments; and, if you do it not, all your fasting and weeping signify nothing." Note, The words of the later prophets agree with those of the former; and, whether people are in prosperity or adversity, they must be called upon to leave their sins and do their duty; this must still be the burden of every song.
(Chapter 7, verses 1 onwards) In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Casleu. And they sent to the house of God Sarasar and Rogommelech, along with the men who were with him, to seek the face of the Lord and to speak to the priests of the house of the Lord of hosts and the prophets, saying: Should I weep in the fifth month and separate myself as I have done for many years? And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying: Speak to all the people of the land and to the priests, saying: When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for these seventy years, did you really fast for me? And when you eat and drink, do you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves? Are not these the words that the Lord spoke by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous, and her cities were around her, and the Negeb and the Shephelah were inhabited? LXX: And it came to pass in the fourth year under King Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Casleu. And he sent to Bethel Sarezer and Regemmelech, and their men, to entreat the Lord, saying to the priests of the house of the Lord of hosts, and to the prophets, saying: Should I weep in the fifth month and fast as I have done for many years? And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying: Speak to all the people of the land and to the priests, saying: When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month for seventy years, did you truly fast for me? And if you eat or drink, do you not eat and drink? Are these not my words, which the Lord spoke through the prophets, who were before when Jerusalem was inhabited, and it was prosperous, and its cities around it, and the mountains and fields were inhabited? In the fourth year of King Darius, in the ninth month, which is called Casleu, (), and on the fourth day of the same month, they sent to the house of God, that is, to the temple which had already been restored by Zerubbabel and Joshua, Sarsechim and Regemmelech and the other companions who were with them, whom the Hebrews considered to be the leaders of King Darius, fearing God: so that because they had already heard that the temple was constructed, they would inquire of the priests of the house of the Lord and the prophets, whether they should weep and fast according to the ancient custom, or change mourning into rejoicing. And the understanding of those inquiring is this: In the fifth month, called July among the Romans, Jerusalem was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. For this reason, because of the desolation of the temple, we have fasted and mourned up until now, and have comforted our sorrow with weeping and fasting. Now because it is said that the temple has been rebuilt, and we see no reason for our sadness to continue, we ask for your response: should we continue to do this, or should we exchange our mourning for joy? And it must also be considered that weeping and fasting are called sanctification. Therefore, in Joel, it is commanded to the priests to sanctify fasting and preach healing (Joel 5). For fasting and abstinence heal the wounds of the sinner, and sanctify those who have been healed. After the Persian leaders had questioned those whom they had sent, and the legation had been completed by consulting the priests and prophets, the word of the Lord came to the prophet, commanding him to speak to the people and the priests about what they should respond to the envoys. When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month of the captivity in Jerusalem, and in the seventh month, when Gedaliah was killed by Ishmael, during the seventy years of desolation of the temple and the destruction of Jerusalem, did it benefit you that you fasted? And conversely, when you eat and drink, does it not satisfy your hunger and quench your thirst? For God is not pleased by these things, but by good works, and if we follow His commandments, for food does not commend us to God. And if we do not eat, we will be weak; and if we eat, we will be satisfied. Are these not my words, spoken to you while Jerusalem and the cities of Judah were still standing, which I spoke to you through my prophets, when Jerusalem and the cities of Judah were prosperous, and the mountainous and plain regions were abundant in crops, and enjoyed a secure peace? But these were the words of the Lord, as the following Scripture testifies, desiring to judge with truth and show mercy to one's neighbor, widow, orphan, stranger, and poor, and not to plan evil in one's heart. They, he says, did not want to do this, and with deaf ears they despised my commands. Therefore, great indignation came upon Jerusalem; and just as they did not want to listen to me, so I did not hear them. And now they seek with such scrupulousness when they should fast and mourn, when I had said before through Isaiah: I have not chosen such a fast, says the Lord, nor for a man to humble his soul; but to dissolve every bond of wickedness: dissolve the obligations of violent guarantors: give your bread from the heart to the hungry. If you see someone naked, clothe them; and bring the poor and the homeless into your tent. Then your temporary light will break forth, and your healing will quickly appear (Isaiah 58:5, seqq.). This is what is written in the Septuagint: Sarasar and Arabesser ((or Arbath Sager)) king of Bethel sent, none of us could explain: for neither can what is wrongly translated from Hebrew be explained in any way. Who is this Sarasar or Arabesser king? Who was the king of the province, or to which province did Bethel send a message? Or could the king of Bethel have been Arabian, which had previously been abandoned along with Judaea, and at that time was not called Bethel, which means house of God, but rather Bethaven, which means house of idols? Also, concerning what follows: In the fifth month, the consecration entered here, just as they had been doing for many years, they attempt to explain it as follows: the consecration entered, the temple vessels that had been taken by Nebuchadnezzar were restored at that time. However, they tried to refer to the days of the week for the fasts of the fifth and seventh days. But because it follows the fast of the tenth day, they were compelled to refer to months, and they completely ignored the fasts of the fifth, seventh, and thirteenth months. Therefore, we are satisfied with the earlier explanation, and we do not incline (or rather, we are not indignant) towards the false attempts of commentators that came from an error in interpretation.
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SUMMARY
Zechariah 7:7 serves as a poignant rhetorical question from the Lord, delivered through the prophet Zechariah, reminding the post-exilic community of Judah about their ancestors' profound failure to heed divine warnings. The verse critically highlights that God's message, proclaimed by the pre-exilic prophets, was clear, consistent, and delivered during a time when Jerusalem and the surrounding regions enjoyed widespread habitation and prosperity, underscoring the inexcusable nature of their disobedience that ultimately led to the Babylonian exile.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Zechariah 7:7 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message. The most prominent is the rhetorical question, "Should ye not hear the words...?" This question is not posed to elicit information but to deliver a scathing rebuke and to emphasize the obviousness of their past failure. It forces the audience to confront their inexcusable negligence and the direct link between their disobedience and the subsequent judgment. The verse also utilizes historical allusion by referencing "the former prophets" and the specific period when "Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity." This grounds the divine message in the concrete, recent history of the nation, making the consequences of their actions tangible and undeniable. Furthermore, there is an implicit contrast between the described past state of widespread prosperity and the audience's present post-exilic reality of desolation and hardship, which serves to highlight the tragic outcome of their ancestors' unheeded warnings and to impress upon the current generation the importance of obedience.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Zechariah 7:7 profoundly underscores God's consistent character as a God who speaks clearly and persistently to His people, holding them accountable for the revelation they receive. It highlights the unchanging nature of His moral and ethical demands, regardless of the historical context or the nation's material circumstances. The theological implication is that divine judgment is not arbitrary but a just consequence of sustained disobedience, particularly when warnings are delivered during times of peace and prosperity, when there are no external pressures to excuse spiritual apathy. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that true blessing lies not in material abundance but in humble submission to God's word, and that spiritual complacency in times of ease is a grave danger, often leading to spiritual decline and eventual discipline.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Zechariah 7:7 carries a timeless and urgent message for believers today, challenging us to critically examine our own receptiveness to God's word. Just as the ancient Israelites faced severe consequences for ignoring the clear pronouncements of the "former prophets," we too are called to be diligent hearers and, more importantly, doers of the Scriptures. This verse serves as a potent reminder that spiritual complacency, especially during times of personal or societal prosperity, can be a dangerous snare, dulling our ears to divine instruction and leading us away from righteousness. It compels us to learn from history, both biblical and personal, recognizing that God's principles for righteous living are constant and applicable regardless of our circumstances. Our spiritual well-being is directly tied to our willingness to humble ourselves, listen attentively to the Spirit's leading through the Word, and apply its truths consistently in our daily lives, thereby avoiding the pitfalls of past generations.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who were the "former prophets" mentioned in Zechariah 7:7?
Answer: The "former prophets" (Hebrew: hannebi'im harishonim) refer to the pre-exilic prophets who ministered in Judah before the Babylonian exile and the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. This group would include prominent figures such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, Amos, Micah, and others. These prophets consistently delivered God's warnings, calls to repentance, and pronouncements of judgment to the people of Judah, often during periods of relative peace and prosperity, as highlighted in this verse. Their messages were often recorded and were well-known to the post-exilic community to whom Zechariah was speaking, underscoring the long history of divine communication that had been largely ignored.
Why does God emphasize Jerusalem's state of being "inhabited and in prosperity" when the warnings were given?
Answer: God emphasizes Jerusalem's prosperity and widespread habitation to highlight the inexcusable nature of the people's disobedience. It demonstrates that their failure to listen was not due to hardship, oppression, or lack of resources, but rather to willful spiritual complacency and rebellion during a time of peace and material blessing. This context makes their sin more culpable, as they had no external pressures to justify their neglect of God's word. It underscores that God's warnings were given in an environment where the people had every opportunity to respond, yet chose not to.
What is the significance of the rhetorical question, "Should ye not hear?"
Answer: The rhetorical question "Should ye not hear?" is a powerful literary device used to convey a strong rebuke and a sense of astonishment at the people's past negligence. It implies that the answer is an obvious and resounding "Yes, you absolutely should have heard!" By posing it as a question, God forces the audience to confront their own culpability and the clear, undeniable fact that they were without excuse. It serves to highlight the direct link between their historical disobedience and the subsequent judgment, pressing the post-exilic community to learn from the past and avoid repeating the same mistakes.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Zechariah 7:7 directly addresses the failure to heed the Old Testament prophets, it finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "words which the LORD hath cried by the former prophets" ultimately pointed forward to the coming of the ultimate Prophet, the Word incarnate. As Hebrews 1:1-2 declares, "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son." Jesus is the culmination and embodiment of all prophetic revelation, the very Word of God made flesh. Just as the former prophets were rejected by a prosperous but unrepentant Israel, so too was Jesus, the Son, rejected by His own people, as He lamented over Jerusalem's unwillingness to gather under His protective wing in Luke 13:34. The call to "hear" the words of the prophets in Zechariah 7:7 is ultimately a call to hear and obey Christ, the one whom the Father commanded, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." Thus, the historical failure to listen to the prophets foreshadows the greater tragedy of rejecting the Son, whose message of repentance and salvation is the ultimate divine cry to humanity.