FOR THE THEN
Bible Commentaries
Clarke's Commentary
Verse 1
CHAPTER VII
Some Jews being sent from those who remained at Babylon to
inquire of the priests and prophets at Jerusalem whether they
were still bound to observe those fasts which had been
appointed on occasion of the destruction of Jerusalem, and kept
during the captivity, the prophet is commanded to take this
opportunity of enforcing upon them the weightier matters of
the law, judgment and mercy, that they might not incur such
calamities as befell their fathers. He also intimates that in
their former fasts they had regarded themselves more than God;
and that they had rested too much on the performance of
external rites, although the former prophets had largely
insisted on the superior excellence of moral duties, 1-14.
NOTES ON CHAP. VII
Verse Zechariah 7:1. The fourth year of King Darius — Two years after they began to rebuild the temple, see Zechariah 1:1, A.M. 3486.
The ninth month, even in Chisleu — This answers to a part of our November and December. The names of the month appear only under and after the captivity.
Verse 2
Verse Zechariah 7:2. When they had sent - Sherezer and Regem-melech — To inquire whether the fasts should be continued, which they had hitherto observed on account of their ruined temple; and the reason why they inquired was, that they were rebuilding that temple, and were likely to bring it to a joyful issue.
Verse 5
Verse Zechariah 7:5. When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth - month] This they did in the remembrance of the burning of the temple, on the tenth day of that month; and on the seventh month, on the third of which month they observed a fast for the murder of Gedaliah, and the dispersion of the remnant of the people which were with him. See Jeremiah 41:1, and 2 Kings 25:25.
Verse 6
Verse Zechariah 7:6. And when ye did eat — They had not observed those fasts as they should have done. They deplored the loss of their temple, and its riches, &c., but they did not humble themselves because of those iniquities which had brought the displeasure of God upon them, their temple, and their city.
Verse 7
Verse Zechariah 7:7. The words which the Lord hath cried by the former prophets — נביאים הראשנים nebiim harishonim, is the title which the Jews give to Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, and the two books of Kings.
The latter prophets, נביאים אחרונים nebiim acharonim, are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve minor prophets.
The hagiographa, כתובים kethubim, holy writings, are the Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Canticles, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and the two books of Chronicles. But the above words, the former prophets, seem to apply to Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.
The south and the plain? — From Eleutheropolis to the sea, Obadiah 1:19. The south was the wilderness and mountainous parts of Judea: and the plain, the plains of Jericho.
Verse 9
Verse Zechariah 7:9. Execute true judgment — See the parallel texts in the margin. (Isaiah 58:6-7; Jeremiah 7:23; Micah 6:8)
Verse 10
Verse Zechariah 7:10. Evil against his brother in your heart. — Do not indulge an unfavourable opinion of another: do not envy him; do not harbour an unbrotherly feelingtowards him.
Verse 11
Verse Zechariah 7:11. Pulled away the shoulder — From under the yoke of the law, like an unbroken or restive bullock in the plough.
Verse 12
Verse Zechariah 7:12. Made their hearts as an adamant stone — שמיר shamir may mean the granite. This is the hardest stone with which the common people could be acquainted. Perhaps the corundum, of which emery is a species, may be intended. Bochart thinks it means a stone used in polishing others. The same name, in Hebrew, applies to different stones.
Verse 14
Verse Zechariah 7:14. I scattered them with a whirlwind — This refers to the swift victories and cruel conduct of the Chaldeans towards the Jews; they came upon them like a whirlwind; they were tossed to and fro, and up and down, everywhere scattered and confounded.
FOR THE FUTURE
KEITH HUNT'S COMMENTARY
CHAPTER 7
Question about the Fasts
The fasts here mentioned are not any fast day in the books
of Moses. As most Bible Commentaries explain, they are the fast
day of the 5th month, to bring to remembrance the burning of the
Temple on the 10th day of that month. And the fast of the 7th
month was on the 3rd day, for the murder of Gedaliah and the
dispersion of the remnant of the people that were with him. See
Jer.41:1 and 2 Kings 25:25.
The lesson is that doing outward religious signs such as
fasting, should be to bring you closer to the Lord. It is to help
you hear the Words of the Lord, help you understand the words of
the prophets, that were given when all seemed good and
prosperous. Those fasts should have helped you see the message of
the prophets, that sin and wickedness will be rewarded with
destruction and death.
It would seem that Judah had gone to sleep again during the
fasting of those months while in the 70 year captivity (verse 5).
Such religious practices should bring you closer to the truth and
words of the Lord, but often people follow such religious
practices in outward form only, and there is no DEEP INNER
renewing of the mind and heart. Going through the motions of
"religion" gets you no points for victory with the Lord, unless
it produces INNER GODLY RENEWING of the mind towards walking in the true ways of the Eternal.
Causes of the Exile
The prophecy now slips back as to the reasons why God must
punish Judah in the end time of this age.
There is lacking true judgment, little mercy and compassion
to neighbors. The widow, the fatherless, the stranger, the poor,
are not cared for as they should be. There is too much evil as
brother towards brother, even in the heart.
The people of Judah refuse to harken, they pulled away, they
stopped the ear from hearing the truths of God. They made their
hearts as adamant as stone, LEST they should hear the LAW, and
the words which the true prophets gave as coming from the Lord.
Put in one single word, it is the WICKEDNESS of Judah that will
finally bring the wrath of God upon them (verses 8-13).
I have said before and will say it once more: the people of
Judah, the Jews, are MAINLY SECULAR, there is no deep root of
religion among them. They have mainly turned away the ear, mind
and heart, from seeking God, His law, and His ways to live.
So it will come to pass, that as God cried out and they
would not listen, so as they cried out in the Great Tribulation,
at the close of this age, God will for a time NOT HEAR! (verse
13).
The Lord will scatter them as with a whirlwind among all
nations, and for a while the land of the State of Israel in the
Holy Land, will be DESOLATE! (verse 14).
The king of the North, the Beast of Babylon Mystery religion
of Europe, will come and destroy Jerusalem and Judah; that last
days Empire will bring the abomination of desolation. That Empire of Europe will be an ABOMINATION to God, but it will be used by the Lord to DESOLATE Jerusalem and the Jews inThe Holy Land, when the last 42 months of this age is to come, as decreed when the Almighty says all thingsthat are written must come to pass.
JESUS talked about it in Luke 21: 20-21.
There is yet to come a GREAT DESOLATION upon the Jews and Jerusalem. Though the Jews claim another HOLOCAUST will never come their way, they do not have the power to prevent itwhen God has said it will come because of their sins and
wickedness, and from refusing to listen to the law and words of
the Lord.
Everywhere in the prophets, we find that at the coming of
the Messiah Christ, the Jews are in a captivity and desolate
destruction state of living, that He must deliver them out of and
restore Judah and Jerusalem. All this RESTORATION we shall see unfold to us as we proceed through to the end of this book of the prophet Zechariah.Keith Hunt
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To be continued
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