Bible Study Materials

THE FASTS WILL BECOME FESTIVALS

by   02/21/2010  

Question


1. THE FASTINGS WILL BECOME FESTIVALS Zechariah 7:1-8:23 Key verse: 8:19 1. When did the word of the Lord come again to Zechariah? (7:1) How much time had transpired since Zechariah had seen the night visions? (1:7) What did the delegates of Bethel ask the priests and the prophets? (7:3) When and why had they kept the fastings in Babylon? (8:19; 2 Ki 25: 3-4, 8-9,25,1) Why you think they brought such a question? 2. What do God’s rhetorical questions reveal is wrong about their attitude towards fasting? (7:5) What is the true meaning of fasting? (1Sa 15:22; 1Cor 10:31) What are the words of the Lord’s commands to his people? (7:8-10) Who are “they” in verse 11 and how did they respond to the words of God sent through the earlier prophets? (7:-14) 3. What kind of love did God show toward Zion? (8:1-3a)? What blessings did God promise for Zion? (3b-8) 4. What caused their hands to be weak and what made them afraid? What is God’s encouragement for them? (9b; 13b) How can they let their hands be strong? (11-13; 14-15) What is God’s consistent direction for them? (14-17) 5. Read verses 18,19. What is God’s final answer to them? How will the Lord change this fasting into feasting? (19; Ro 5:1-2; Lk 5:33-35; Mt 9:14-15; Mk 2:18-20) How was it fulfilled at that time and will be ultimately? (Ezra 6:16; Isa 65:19; Rev 19:7) What does God want from his people? (19b) 6. What is the prominent prophecy in these verses? (20-23) What will be the glory of God’s people? (Isa 2:1-5)


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Message


Today’s passage is the last portion of Zechariah Part I (ch. 1-8, before completing of the temple; Part II ch. 9-14, after the completion), and the middle section of 14 chapters of Zechariah. This passage begins with a question concerning fasting and series of four messages of God’s answer to it follow, ending with the message of festival. Through this study we can think of true religion and our Christianity. First, a question about fasting (7:1-3). Look at verse 1. “In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Kislev.” It is about 2 years after Zechariah saw eight visions during a night. The temple-rebuilding work began and was in process and was going to be completed in 2 more years. While the important work of temple-rebuilding was going on in Jerusalem, what was coming up? Look at verses 2 and 3. “The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melech together with their men, to entreat the LORD by asking the priests of the house of the LORD Almighty and the prophets, “‘Should I mourn and fast in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?’” According to Mosaic Law, the Israelites were required to observe only one national fast on the annual Day of Atonement (Lev 23:26-32). Of course, individual Jews could fast from time to tome as they felt necessary. But while they were in Babylon, they kept fasting in the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth month for the past 70 years, including the four new fasts in their religious calendar. This was to remember how the holy city Jerusalem was destroyed by Babylonians: besieging in the tenth month (9th year of Zedekiah’s reign), famine in the fourth month (11th year), the temple being burned and broken down in the fifth month, the assassination of Gedaliah the governor in the seventh month (2 Kings 25; Jeremiah 52). They must have kept fasting in these months in Babylon, asking for God’s mercy. Now they returned to their land. So many of the Israelites may have wondered whether they had to keep the fasts. Now those who came to ask were not the people of Jerusalem, but of Bethel (16 km north of Jerusalem). While the people of Jerusalem were working hard to rebuild the temple, the delegates of Bethel were sent and asked, “Should I mourn and fast in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?” In this question we can read their mind. The words, “for so many years” seem to indicate that they were now tired of fasting, and reluctant to keep it. Yet, they could not just drop it, because probably they feared that God would punish them again if they did so. Fasting lost its meaning, and became an empty ritual. Although they were not willing, they felt forced to keep the fasting as a means of maintaining their relationship with God. Yet, at least they wanted to skip the one fast in the fifth month, since the temple was being rebuilt. God gave them free will, but they did not know what to choose, being caught between the two. They became ritualistic and legalistic, losing their hearts for God. When God gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments, he wanted them to know the spirit of his commands that is love, love for God and their neighbours. But when they did not know the spirit of the law, they made so many meticulous rules out of the commandments and became legalists, which did not please God at all. Likewise, there are many people who think believing in God is just keeping certain rules, losing their free will. That is a great misunderstanding. We must watch out for legalism and ritualism and formalism and traditionalism, and empty superstitiousness in believing in God. Second, God’s answer to the question (7:4-8:23). The delegation from Bethel must have expected a relatively simple answer: “Yes, you must continue fasting!” Or, “No, you may abolish it.” But God’s answer was not that simple or short. Let’s see how God answers their question. Look at verse 4. “Then the word of the LORD Almighty came to me.” This kind of sentence is written 4 times at each of God’s answers to the question in this part: “And the word of the LORD came again to Zechariah (7:8)”, “Again the word of the LORD Almighty came to me” (8:1,18). Let’s think about each answer. Answer 1: Look at verses 5 and 6. “Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted? And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves?” The Lord first dealt with the heart attitude of the people by asking a rhetorical question. We see that to God fasting or feasting does not matter. What matters is whether they do it out of love for God or for themselves. God wanted them to have a right heart in fasting or feasting. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said that fasting should be done before God, not to show men (6:16-18). Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “…whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” God is concerned about our heart attitude and purpose in whatever we do. God answers continually in verse 7: “Are these not the words the LORD proclaimed through the earlier prophets when Jerusalem and its surrounding towns were at rest and prosperous, and the Negev and the western foothills were settled?” God said in Isaiah 58:3, “Yet on the day of your fasting you do as you please...” And he said Amos 5:21, “I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assembles…” God felt sorry that they were again doing what their forefathers did. He wanted them not to repeat the failures of their forefathers’ fasting and feasting. Answer 2: Look at verses 8-10. “And the word of the LORD came again to Zechariah: ‘This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.’” In the first answer God helped them to realize that their relationship with God was not right. In the second answer God helps them to see that their relationship with their neighbours was displeasing to God. To them fasting was one thing and practical life was another. Their habitual and formal religious practice of fasting did not have any impact on their practical lives with others. When we try to invite campus students to Bible study, we often hear from them, “I am not religious.” What they want is life. One’s religion should be expressed in one’s life. Paul wrote concerning this in 2 Timothy 3:5, “…in the last days…People…having a form of godliness but denying its power.” God wants us to bear fruit of true justice, mercy and compassion in our life of faith. Look at verses 11,12. “But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped up (put their fingers in) their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint (diamond-hard) and would not listen to the law or the words that the LORD Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the LORD Almighty was very angry.” These verses are in quotation, so God is still speaking to the delegates from Bethel. But he suddenly said, “they…” referring to their forefathers. God wanted them to find themselves in how their forefathers reacted to God’s word. God continues to speak in verses 13,14, “‘When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations, where they were strangers. The land was left so desolate behind them that no one could come or go. This is how they made the pleasant land desolate.” In Zechariah God helps his people of returnees again and again to learn from their history, their painful and tragic history. Those who learn from history are truly blessed. Answer 3: Look at 8:1,2, “Again the word of the LORD Almighty came to me. This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.’” What a sudden change in his tone! When God showed his anger toward his people, he must have felt very pained. We should notice that his tone and the words he used were changed, but his jealously loving heart was always the same. In 1:14 God said, “…I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion.” Here now God says again with double stress, “I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.” His burning jealous love is steadfast, never to get cold or be put out. Now his love is followed by his promise of hope. Look at verse 3. “This is what the LORD says: ‘I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.’” We all long for the City of Truth and the holy Mountain. This is possible when God dwells. This is the promise of God for his people. In man’s history we cannot have hope. But in God there is hope. He gives his words of promise of hope. God’s history will be indeed beautiful and glorious. Look at verses 4,5. “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with cane in hand because of his age. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.” Men and women of ripe age and playing children were considered weak and unprofitable people. Their sitting and playing in the streets were unsafe and undesirable. However in the streets of Jerusalem they will sit and play in peace and full safety. It was unthinkable to the returnees of the Israelites. They wondered how it would happen. It seemed to be marvelous to them. But the LORD Almighty says, “It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people, but will it seem marvelous to me?” God can do marvelous things to us, but what is marvelous to us is not marvelous to him. He will do an even greater thing that is truly marvelous to him. Look at verse 7,8. “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west. I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.” God’s people will not be limited only to the people of Israel. From the countries of the east and the west God will save his people and let them live in Jerusalem. They will be his people; God will be their God, faithful and righteous. This is the hope that God had even when he called Abraham as a father of many nations (Ge 17:4-8). This marvelous hope of God will come true in his power. God says in Isaiah 49:6, “…It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.” (People who are far away, 6:15) When a Roman centurion came to Jesus and showed his faith in the word of Jesus for his sick servant, Jesus was astonished at his great faith and said, “I tell you the truth…many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 8:10-11). God’s hope and vision reaches all people of all nations. Here God helps the people of Bethel not to be ruled by small rules and be legalistic but really have God’s marvelous hope and live by faith in this hope and vision. After showing this marvelous vision, now God helps the people to struggle practically. Look at verse 9, “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘(Let your hands be strong) You who now hear these words spoken by the prophets who were there when the foundation was laid for the house of the LORD Almighty, let your hands be strong so that the temple may be built.” At this point God wanted the people of Bethel to have strong hands through hearing God’s word and join in the temple-rebuilding with the people of Jerusalem and complete it together. Now their working conditions would be different. God says continually, “Before that time there were no wages for man or beast. No one could go about his business safely (No traveler was safe) because of his enemy, for I had turned every man against his neighbour. But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as I did in the past.” God’s blessing will be overflowing. God continues to speak, “The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will produce its crops, and the heaven will drop their dew. I will give all these things as an inheritance to the remnant of this people. As you have been an object of cursing among the nations, O Judah and Israel, so will I save you and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.” God wanted them to have marvelous vision and strong working hands for temple-building together. Look at verses 14-17. “‘This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Just I had determined to bring disaster upon you and showed no pity when your fathers angered me,’…’so now I have determined to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah. Do not be afraid. These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against your neighbour, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,’ declares the LORD.” God’s direction for them was consistent: speak the truth and love their neighbours (7:9). Answer 4: Here now God gives the people of Bethel a final answer to their question. Look at verses 18, 19. “Again the word of the LORD Almighty came to me. This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months (in the early summer, midsummer, autumn, winter) will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.” What a wonderful answer to the legalistic people! Not just one, but all of their fasts will become joyful and happy festivals. How can it be possible? Soon they would complete the temple-rebuilding work and celebrate the dedication of the house of God with joy (Ezra 6:6). Furthermore it is related to Jesus’ coming into this world. Once some people came to Jesus and asked him, “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.” Jesus answered, “Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast” (Lk 5:33-35; Mt 9:14-15; Mk 2:18-20). John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisee were fasting; Jesus’ disciples were feasting. Why? John 1:17 says, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” The time of law was gone; the time of grace and truth has come. Here we see that the joy of Jesus’ disciples comes from the beautiful relationship with their bridegroom Jesus, each being identified as his bride. The bridegroom sacrificed himself on the cross to purchase his bride, making her holy and righteous. He cleanses his bride through his words continually. In his sacrificial, divine caring love the bride is happy and joyful. The bride would be most sorrowful when she feels that the love relationship has been broken and she has lost her bridegroom in her heart. Then through fasting and mourning the relationship and joy should be restored. This beautiful love relationship will be consummated in the kingdom of heaven. Revelation 19:7 says, “Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.” We praise God for our holy, loving eternal bridegroom Jesus. May we consider our love relationship with him most precious and grow in this relationship keeping the joy in us. In his love may we become his people with truth and love. Look at verses 20-22. “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come, and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, “Let us go at once to entreat the LORD and seek the LORD Almighty. I myself am going.” And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the LORD Almighty and to entreat him.”’” All people of the world are seeking their true God the LORD Almighty and their true Saviour Jesus. In the end they will come to the LORD God. This is the vision of world evangelization. More interesting thing is written in verse 23: “This is what the LORD Almighty says, ‘In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’” Here this one Jew can be Jesus. He said in John 4:22, “for salvation is from the Jews.” And also a Jew can be each of his people who know God and the one he sent personally. Paul said in Romans 2:28,29, “A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly…No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly.” We thank and praise God for his marvelous grace that fasts become feasts in Jesus Christ. Also, thank God for his marvelous vision that all languages and nations will come to him. His people are not those who just keep rules legalistically, but those who have pure love relationship with Christ Jesus as one between the wonderful bridegroom and the pure bride, and keep the inner joy. May we live in this loving relationship day by day and love our neighbours with truth and compassion and serve his world salvation purpose.


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