It is of some importance to remember when these Words of the Lord came to this dear prophet. Darius was then the king of the Medes and the Persians. He was the king that stood by Daniel when the presidents conspired to kill Daniel because of his love and worship of Jehovah. This is the Darius that stood outside of the den where Daniel had spent the night with the lions:
Daniel 6: 20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
This is the time frame when Zechariah was commanded of the Lord to give the priests and prophets of that day the two messages in this chapter.
Part A
In the month of August (Chisleu) Zechariah was instructed to tell the priests and the prophets of that day that their fasting was not as the façade that they were trying to make it appear. Their fasting was for self service. The Lord has a designated fast as described in:
Isaiah 58: 5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?
6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.
Fasting is a source of power with God that we are told not to try to manipulate or control. The last word of this verse "rereward" is in example the protection for our back. Thus, the Lord tells them and us "I have your back." It is not up to us to manipulate to obtain the reward or answer. The fasting and prayer are God's way of giving us what He deems important and necessary. It is a prerequisite to "trust in the Lord, and lean not unto our own understanding." Proverbs 3:5.
So the first message was that their "FASTING" was for naught.
Part B
The second message was that their designs; to oppress the widows, the fatherless, the stranger and the poor were the cause of the Lord stopping his ears and not hearing their prayers.
What a sorrowful state of affairs for the Lord to condemn the self righteous acts of men and refuse to hear when the crying of those great leaders when judgment came.
Hear the last verse of this chapter
Zech 7: 14 But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.
What a message that is just as applicable today as it was in that day. We must be sure that our actions are pleasing unto the Lord and not for self-satisfaction.
Our cry should be:
Psalms 19: 14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
David DeTar
Sunday
Zechariah 7
