BIBLE STUDY- ZECHARIAH .sx F. B. HOLE .sx ( Chapters 7 :sx 1-11 :sx 17 ) .sx IN the first verse of chapter 7 , we find another date given ; almost two years later than that of the visions just recorded , and the prophecies of Haggai .sx These fresh prophecies were occasioned by the arrival of certain men with questions as to the observance of fasts , and we notice that we pass from the record of visions to a series of plain declarations of God's message .sx We now find repeated not , " I lifted up mine eyes , " but rather , " The word of the Lord came .sx " The question raised by these men concerned a fast in the fifth month , which had been observed for many years .sx From Jeremiah 52 :sx 12 , we learn that it was in that month the Babylonian army had burned Solomon's magnificent temple , and wrecked Jerusalem .sx Now once more the house of the Lord was being built , if not entirely finished , so was it suitable that they should still observe the fast ?sx A very natural question !sx The answer of God through Zechariah linked with this fast another in the seventh month , which apparently was in memory of the murder of Gedaliah and others , and the flight of the remnant , left in the land , into Egypt , as recorded in 2 Kings 25 :sx 25 , 26 .sx These tragedies were commemorated with fasting and tears , during the seventy years captivity .sx As far as we can discern , no direct answer was given to the question they raised :sx instead another question was raised with them .sx Did they have Jehovah before their minds in their observances or only themselves ?sx And when the fast was over , did they return to their eating and drinking just enjoying themselves ?sx Did they really fast , enquired the Lord , " unto Me , even to Me ?sx " Here is deeply important instruction for ourselves .sx We may put it thus :sx In our observances and service a right motive is everything .sx We may diligently observe the Lord's Supper on the first day of the week , diligently preach the Gospel , or minister to the saints ; but are we doing it with God Himself , revealed in Christ , before us , or are we just pursuing an agreeable ritual and maintaining our own reputations in it all ?sx A searching question , which the writer had better ask himself as well as the readers ask themselves .sx If the people had kept the Lord before them and observed His words through the former prophets , things would have been far otherwise .sx And what was His word now through Zechariah , but just what it had been through them .sx Take Isaiah's first chapter as an example .sx He accused the people of moral corruption , whilst maintaining ceremonial exactitude .sx In verses 11-14 , of our chapter the men who enquired are reminded of this , and are plainly challenged as to the present attitude of themselves and the people of their day , as we see in verses 8-10 .sx The moral evils that had wrecked the nation were still working amongst the people that had returned to the land .sx A remnant may return but the inveterate tendency to develop the old evils remains .sx Let us never forget that .sx But having exposed the sinful state of the people , another word from the Lord came in which the purposes of His mercy were revealed , as we see in chapter 8 .sx In this remarkable chapter there are things specially addressed to the remnant then back in the land- verses 9-17 , for instance- yet the main drift of it goes far beyond anything that was realized in their history , between the rebuilding as permitted by Cyrus , and the destruction under the Romans ; so it looks on to the end of the age and the second coming of Christ .sx In that age Jerusalem will indeed have Jehovah dwelling in her midst and be called " a city of truth .sx " Once indeed He who was the " truth " as well as the " way , " and the " life , " was in her midst , only to be rejected and crucified , while Pilate , who sanctioned that act of rejection , asked satirically , " What is truth ?sx " No , Jerusalem has never yet been worthy of that designation ; but she will be in a coming age .sx And then human life will be greatly prolonged , and young life be abundant and free .sx Our modern streets with fast-moving motor traffic are hardly a playground for children .sx Verses 6-8 , also look on to the time of the end .sx What had come to pass in the return of the remnant was indeed wonderful in their eyes , but what is here predicted would be more wonderful still , when God would gather from the west as well as the east , to dwell as His people , so that He would be their God " in truth and righteousness .sx " In Christ truth and righteousness have indeed been revealed and established , but never yet has God dwelt in Jerusalem on that basis .sx The day is coming when He will do so .sx In verses 9-16 , there is a special appeal to the remnant of the people then in the land .sx They are reminded of the words spoken to them earlier , when the foundation of the temple was laid , and how the adversity that had marked their doings had been turned into a time of prosperity .sx God was now bestowing much favour and prosperity upon them , but they are reminded that He called for suitable behaviour on their part .sx Truth , honesty and righteous judgment was what was expected of them .sx Again the stress is on the moral qualities that are according to God , and not on ceremonial observances .sx A further word from the Lord is now given , and in verse 19 four fasts are mentioned .sx Besides the two mentioned in the previous chapter we now have the one in the fourth month , for in that month famine prevailed and Jerusalem was broken up , according to Jeremiah 52 :sx 6 , and it was in the tenth month that the city was surrounded by Nebuchadnezzar's army , as verse 4 of that same chapter records .sx It is now revealed that the day would come when these four fasts would be turned into feasts of rejoicing .sx Therefore they were to love truth and peace .sx These predictions of future blessing were to have a present effect upon the people .sx And all that we know of future blessing should have a present effect or good upon ourselves .sx It is worthy of note that truth precedes peace , as cause and effect .sx Error produces strife just as certainly as truth produces peace .sx In the remaining verse of our chapter we find predictions of the happy state of things that will prevail when truth at last prevails in Jerusalem , and peace fills the scene .sx In that coming day the house of the Lord will indeed be , " an house of prayer for all people " ( Isa .sx 56 :sx 7) .sx There will be many who desire to seek the Lord in prayer , and they will recognize where God is to be found in that day .sx All through the centuries the name , " Jew , " has had a measure of reproach attaching to it .sx It will not be so then , for they will recognize that at last God is with His ancient people .sx It is obvious that this prediction has never yet been fulfilled , and looks on to a future day .sx The word of the Lord that opens chapter 9 is spoken of as a " burden , " since it starts with solemn words of judgment on peoples that surrounded the land of Israel .sx Some of these judgments took place soon after the predictions were uttered ; that upon Tyre , for instance , and upon the cities of the Philistines .sx Darby's New Translation tells us that an alternate rendering to " bastard , " is one " of a foreign race .sx " But even so there will apparently be a remainder , or a remnant , who will be for God and belong to Him .sx Moreover , however powerful oppressors may appear to be , God will encamp about His house in protecting mercy .sx And how will this be brought to pass ?sx Verses 9 and 10 answer this question , for in these two verses the two advents of the Lord Jesus are brought before us .sx The coming of the King will settle everything , but we can imagine how the reader of Zechariah's day might pause at this ninth verse in amazement , feeling that in the presence of powerful outside foes , and the inward defection so plainly manifested amongst the Jews , some great and majestic and powerful Deliverer was needful , and the King is announced as lowly in His person and in His approach .sx True , He is to have salvation , but this was not the kind of King that was popularly expected .sx The spirit of God , who inspired this prophecy knew very well that there was a deeper question to be settled before there could be the intervention in power that was so ardently desired .sx First must come the bearing of the full penalty of human sin , and hence the Divinely reached settlement of that dreadful matter , and , that accomplished , there could be emancipation from sin's power .sx This had been set forth typically in Exodus 12 and 14 .sx First the blood of the lambs in Egypt , and then deliverance by the overthrow of Egypt .sx The latter is more spectacular , but the former a far deeper thing .sx In the Gospels we see how the more spectacular filled the minds of the disciples .sx Even when they acted and played their part in the fulfilment of verse 9 , they did not realize they were doing it .sx This we are plainly told in John 12 :sx 16 .sx Only when Jesus was glorified and the Holy Spirit was given did they realize the true significance of what they had done .sx Again , in Acts 1 :sx 6 , we see how the coming of the kingdom in power filled their thoughts before the Spirit was given .sx The coming of the King in lowly grace was but little understood or anticipated by the great majority .sx But the Messiah will come in power and have dominion over all the earth , as verse 10 declares .sx The way His widespread kingship is stated here agrees exactly with the inspired statement through David centuries before , written in Psalm 72 :sx 8 .sx When David forsaw [SIC] this by the Spirit , every desire of his heart was satisfied , and he had nothing left to pray for , as the last verse of the psalm tells us .sx What our prophet tells us is that the days of warfare will be over- chariot and battle bow cut off , and peace imposed upon the nations .sx Verse 11 appears to be a word specially addressed to the sons of Israel , for Ephraim is addressed in verse 13 , as well as Judah .sx They have all been like prisoners , entrapped in a waterless pit , waiting and hoping for deliverance .sx When Messiah comes in power deliverance will reach them , but only through " the blood of thy covenant .sx " Here we see an allusion to that new covenant of grace , predicted in Jeremiah 31 :sx 31 , illuminated for us by the words of the Lord Jesus at the institution of His Supper , when He spoke of , " My blood of the new testament " ( Matt .sx 26 :sx 28) .sx On that basis only will the deliverance and the blessing be brought in and firmly established .sx When Zechariah wrote these things , Greece , mentioned in verse 13 , was hardly a power to be reckoned with , though not long after , under Alexander the Great , it was destined to overthrow the Persian power .sx We may see therefore in the closing verses of this chapter predictions which had a partial fulfilment not long after the prophecy was given , though in their fulness they look on to the end of the age .sx The same thing may be said of the predictions that fill chapter 10 , though it opens with solemn words concerning the evils that still were practiced [SIC] among the people .sx The " rain " of blessing would descend from God , and not proceed from the " idols , " or " teraphim , " little images by which men sought to probe into future events .sx All that came from this source was but vanity , and the " shepherds " of the people , who dealt with such things would have the anger of God against them , for God was going to take up the house of Judah and use them in the execution of judgment in some directions .sx