And the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah, saying. Giving him orders to repeat what the former prophets had said, and to urge the same things on the people which they had before rejected, the rejection of which had issued in their ruin. read more
God and men. I. THE UNITY OF GOD 'S PURPOSE . God's thoughts do not vary, though he varies his methods. His end for nations and individuals is always the same—advancement, not merely in knowledge and culture, but in moral goodness. II. THE MERCIFULNESS OF GOD 'S WARNINGS . At no time hath God left himself without wirelesses. By word and providence and in countless ways his warnings come. We see this in the past. ( Zechariah 7:7 , "former prophets.") So in the... read more
Unto Zechariah. The prophet speaks of himself in the third person, as in Zechariah 1:1 . A further explanation of God's answer is next given. Some critics suppose that this verse is an interpolation, and that Zechariah 1:9 , Zechariah 1:10 are "the words" referred to in Zechariah 1:7 . read more
§ 8. The people are further reminded that they had been disobedient in old time, and had been punished by exile. read more
Hypocrisy warned. "And the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts," etc. The severe rebuke of the previous verses seems followed up in these verses by a very solemn yet very merciful warning, intended apparently to save the Jews from the various evils to which their hypocrisy had exposed them. The language of God to their fathers, as referred to in verse 7, appears still (note "thus spake ," according to Pusey, Wardlaw, and others, in verse 9) the... read more
Religion, genuine and spurious. "And the Word of the Lord," etc. From this passage we infer three facts. I. GENUINE RELIGION IS PHILANTHROPIC . ( Isaiah 1:16 , Isaiah 1:17 ; Isaiah 58:6 , Isaiah 58:7 ; Matthew 5:44 .) "Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute tree judgment, and show mercy and compassions every man to his brother," etc. Here is the ritual, the manifestation, the proof of genuine religion, and it is practical philanthropy. The sign and evidence... read more
Instead of quoting the former prophets, Zechariah gives the substance of their exhortations, as renewed to himself. read more
7:1-8:23 A QUESTION ABOUT CERTAIN FASTSMourning over the past (7:1-14)In captivity the Jews had instituted four fasts to mourn the destruction of Jerusalem. One fast was in the tenth month, which was the month the Babylonians laid siege to the city. One was in the fourth month, to mark the day eighteen months later when the Babylonians broke through the walls and invaded the city. Another was in the fifth month, to mark the destruction of the temple. The other was in the seventh month, to mark... read more
"And the word of Jehovah came unto Zechariah, saying, Thus hath Jehovah of hosts spoken, saying, execute true judgment, and show kindness and compassion every man to his brother".These and the following verses amount to a Bible lesson taught by Zechariah to his inquirers. They constitute somewhat of a thumbnail summary of what the previous prophets had taught.We are purposely passing over the allegations of some critical scholars to the effect that this or that passage is an interpolation, or... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Zechariah 7:8-14
What was said Zech. 7:7; that they should have heard the words of the former prophets, is here enlarged upon, for warning to these hypocritical enquirers, who continued their sins when they asked with great preciseness whether they should continue their fasts. This prophet had before put them in mind of their fathers? disobedience to the calls of the prophets, and what was the consequence of it (Zech. 1:4-6), and now here again; for others? harms should be our warnings. God's judgments upon... read more