Today’s passage: Zechariah 1:1-6
Helpful thoughts:
- Zechariah was born in Babylon and served as a priest in Jerusalem after the return from exile, during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.
- This book opens with a call to repentance. After their return from exile (Which had been a consequence of their sin), the people continued in their sin! God calls this logic (Or the lack thereof) into question.
- In the end of verse 6, we see the response of the people. They repented and acknowledged the truth of God’s rebuke.
Questions to consider:
- Why would the Lord continue to refer to Himself as the Lord of Hosts in this rebuke toward the people? How had He shown Himself to be the God who commands the armies (Think: Angel armies, Israel’s armies, even foreign armies) to accomplish His will? Why does it make so much sense to follow His commands even at this level of understanding?
- With all the logical sense that demands we obey God, do we? Were the Jews ever going to nail down perfect obedience before God? Could we? Why not? (John 8:31-34)
- What is our only hope of freedom from this slavery to sin (Romans 6:1-7)? Who sets us free?