Zechariah 7:2-7
7:2 a to seek the Lord’s favor (literally to soften the face of the Lord): They were asking God to grant a petition or to rule on a question. Their request was probably accompanied by a sacrifice or offering.7:3 b The delegation from Bethel posed a practical procedural question.
Summary for Zech 7:4-7: 7:4-7 c Rather than answering the question right away, Zechariah first confronted his hearers with their selfish motives and hypocrisy. The most important issue was whether or not their heart’s desire was really to please God and do his will; if not, it made no difference whether or not they kept a fast.
7:5 d According to Jeremiah, seventy years of exile in Babylon (see Jer 25:11-12 e; 29:10 f) were to make up the Sabbath years of rest for the land that had gone unobserved for nearly 500 years (2 Chr 36:21 g; see Exod 23:10-11 h; Lev 26:34-35 i).
• While the summer fast lamented the destruction of Solomon’s Temple (Zech 7:3 j), the early autumn fast either commemorated the assassination of Gedaliah, governor of Judah (see 2 Kgs 25:22-25 k; Jer 41:1-3 l), or it was the Day of Atonement (Lev 23:26-32 m).
7:7 n Isn’t this the same message: E.g., see Isa 1:11-20 o; 58:3-7 p.
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