Good Morning “Understanders of Gods Grace.” Today we are in Zechariah 7.
Judah had returned from Babylonian exile. The Temple reconstruction was about half done. While in exile they became accustomed to fasting during the 5th and 7th months of the year.
The fast in the fifth month commemorated the destruction of the temple (2 Kings 25:8-9). The fast in the 7th month remembered the murder of Gedaliah, the last act of rebellion against the Babylonian governor of Judah (2 Kings 25:25). It appears they observed these fasts the entire time they were in exile - 70 years or so. The question is… now that they are back in Jerusalem should they continue (vs 3)?
The summary of Gods answer was simple “Who was this fasting for?” (vs 5) You see God never commanded these fasts. They instituted them. Then they practiced them for so long they began to carry the same weight as the ordinances God DID command. It was yet another way they made their worship what they wanted. They commingled their worship of God with their worship of their flesh and EVERYTHING else.
The fasting in and of its self was not wrong… but they weren’t doing it for God. They were doing it for themselves. Gods specific in what He requires of us and isn’t impressed when we attempt to add to it… especially to serve ourselves (Mark 7:7-9; Colossians 2:8, 22-23).
Instead God reiterated to them what He really wanted from them… their hearts. Which ultimately would be fleshed out in the way they treated each other (vs 9-10). (John 13:35)
Over and over He pleaded with them simply to turn back to Him fully. They thought they had it “figured out”.
“They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord Almighty was very angry. “ ‘When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,’ says the Lord Almighty.” Zechariah 7:12-13 NIV
Our unrepentant sin hinders our prayers. Our unrepentant sin puts distance between us and God. It separates us from Him as we often say (Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 59:2; 1 Peter 3:7; Proverbs 28:9; James 4:3; Mark 11:25).
Don’t let ANYONE ever tell you that Gods Grace means He has no expectations for the way we live after salvation. That kind of junk is out there. It’s a pure lie from the pit (Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:15-16)! His Grace means we are forgiven despite our sin… through the Blood of Jesus, but where our hearts are at matters. Repentance is the key (Acts 3:19).
Love you all! Dig in and live it out!
Judah had returned from Babylonian exile. The Temple reconstruction was about half done. While in exile they became accustomed to fasting during the 5th and 7th months of the year.
The fast in the fifth month commemorated the destruction of the temple (2 Kings 25:8-9). The fast in the 7th month remembered the murder of Gedaliah, the last act of rebellion against the Babylonian governor of Judah (2 Kings 25:25). It appears they observed these fasts the entire time they were in exile - 70 years or so. The question is… now that they are back in Jerusalem should they continue (vs 3)?
The summary of Gods answer was simple “Who was this fasting for?” (vs 5) You see God never commanded these fasts. They instituted them. Then they practiced them for so long they began to carry the same weight as the ordinances God DID command. It was yet another way they made their worship what they wanted. They commingled their worship of God with their worship of their flesh and EVERYTHING else.
The fasting in and of its self was not wrong… but they weren’t doing it for God. They were doing it for themselves. Gods specific in what He requires of us and isn’t impressed when we attempt to add to it… especially to serve ourselves (Mark 7:7-9; Colossians 2:8, 22-23).
Instead God reiterated to them what He really wanted from them… their hearts. Which ultimately would be fleshed out in the way they treated each other (vs 9-10). (John 13:35)
Over and over He pleaded with them simply to turn back to Him fully. They thought they had it “figured out”.
“They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord Almighty was very angry. “ ‘When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,’ says the Lord Almighty.” Zechariah 7:12-13 NIV
Our unrepentant sin hinders our prayers. Our unrepentant sin puts distance between us and God. It separates us from Him as we often say (Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 59:2; 1 Peter 3:7; Proverbs 28:9; James 4:3; Mark 11:25).
Don’t let ANYONE ever tell you that Gods Grace means He has no expectations for the way we live after salvation. That kind of junk is out there. It’s a pure lie from the pit (Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:15-16)! His Grace means we are forgiven despite our sin… through the Blood of Jesus, but where our hearts are at matters. Repentance is the key (Acts 3:19).
Love you all! Dig in and live it out!
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