The Delegation from Bethel Zechariah 7. You are here!

The Delegation from Bethel

Zechariah 7

You are here!

Zechariah 7:2Zechariah 7:2New King James (NKJV) & KJVNew King James (NKJV) & KJV

2 when the people sent Sherezer, with Regem-Melech 2 when the people sent Sherezer, with Regem-Melech and his men, to and his men, to the house of Godthe house of God, to pray before the , to pray before the LORD,LORD,

New American Standard (NASB)New American Standard (NASB)2 Now the town of 2 Now the town of BethelBethel had sent Sharezer and had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and their men to seek the favor of the Regemmelech and their men to seek the favor of the LORD,LORD,

Revised Standard Version (RSV)Revised Standard Version (RSV)2 Now the people of 2 Now the people of BethelBethel had sent Share'zer and had sent Share'zer and Reg'em-mel'ech and their men, to entreat the favor of Reg'em-mel'ech and their men, to entreat the favor of the LORD,the LORD,

Contextual Scholars OnlyContextual Scholars Only

How can you tell from the How can you tell from the context of 6:14 - 7:3 that the context of 6:14 - 7:3 that the “house of God”“house of God” (KJV and (KJV and NKJV) is NKJV) is notnot the templethe temple??????

Contrast the two Contrast the two Delegations of Delegations of Zechariah 6 & 7Zechariah 6 & 7

Zech 6:10Zech 6:10 The gift from the captives The gift from the captives – from Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah– from Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah

Zech 7:2Zech 7:2 The question from Bethel – The question from Bethel – from Sherezer, Regem-Melech, and his from Sherezer, Regem-Melech, and his menmen

What differences do you notice???

Contrast the two Contrast the two groupsgroups

Zechariah 6Zechariah 6

From BabylonFrom Babylon Jewish namesJewish names Give giftsGive gifts Focused on templeFocused on temple Operate on faithOperate on faith

Zechariah 7Zechariah 7

From BethelFrom Bethel Babylonian namesBabylonian names Ask questionsAsk questions Focused on Focused on

themselvesthemselves Concerned about Concerned about

worksworks

Delegation from BethelDelegation from Bethel Some of Bethel did return (Ezra 2:20) Some of Bethel did return (Ezra 2:20)

223 of Bethel and Ai.223 of Bethel and Ai. Sent official delegation to ask about Sent official delegation to ask about

information that temple builders would information that temple builders would have discussed while on the job!have discussed while on the job!

Should have helped build the temple, but Should have helped build the temple, but seems they were out of touch.seems they were out of touch.

Probably stayed in Bethel & kept the Probably stayed in Bethel & kept the rituals going.rituals going.

Uninvolved in ecclesial life. Worried about Uninvolved in ecclesial life. Worried about formal rituals that take away personal formal rituals that take away personal time!time!

The Question about The Question about FastingFasting

The people only ask about the 5The people only ask about the 5thth month fastmonth fast

God’s response covers all their God’s response covers all their ritualistic fasts – 7ritualistic fasts – 7thth month, 4 month, 4thth month, 10month, 10thth month (see 7:5; 8:19) month (see 7:5; 8:19)

Jewish fasts to remember Jewish fasts to remember Jerusalem’s downfall (7:5; Jerusalem’s downfall (7:5;

8:19)8:19)5th Month5th Month:: Jer 1:3 Judah taken captive Jer 1:3 Judah taken captive

7th Day – 2 Kgs 25:8-97th Day – 2 Kgs 25:8-9 Nebuzaradan burned Nebuzaradan burned temple,temple,

broke wall of citybroke wall of city10th Day – Jer 52:12-1510th Day – Jer 52:12-15 Nebuzaradan burned Nebuzaradan burned temple, burned king’s house, broke wall of citytemple, burned king’s house, broke wall of city

7th Month:7th Month:2 Kgs 25:252 Kgs 25:25 Ishmael rebelled, killed Gedaliah & Ishmael rebelled, killed Gedaliah & JewsJews

at Mizpeh, escaped to Egyptat Mizpeh, escaped to EgyptJer 41:1-3, 10Jer 41:1-3, 10 Ishmael rebelled, killed Gedaliah, Ishmael rebelled, killed Gedaliah,

carried some Jews from Mizpeh away captivecarried some Jews from Mizpeh away captive

Jewish fasts to Jewish fasts to remember remember

Jerusalem’s downfall Jerusalem’s downfall (8:19)(8:19)4th Month4th Month:: Probably 9th day Probably 9th day

Jer 52:6-8Jer 52:6-8 Zedekiah broke thru wall, tried to Zedekiah broke thru wall, tried to escape, but was capturedescape, but was capturedJer 39:1-2Jer 39:1-2 Nebuchadnezzar penetrated wall Nebuchadnezzar penetrated wall of Jerusalemof Jerusalem

10th Month10th Month:: Probably 10th dayProbably 10th day2 Kgs 25:1; Jer 39:1; 52:42 Kgs 25:1; Jer 39:1; 52:4 Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem in Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem in Zedekiah’s 9th yearZedekiah’s 9th year

God’s Response:God’s Response: to to “all the people of the land”“all the people of the land”

(v.5)(v.5) Did you really fast for Me – for Me???Did you really fast for Me – for Me??? You really do what pleases you!You really do what pleases you! You should have obeyed the message You should have obeyed the message

given to you from the prophets years agogiven to you from the prophets years ago

God cares about our motives, not our motions!

God cares about our God cares about our Motives!Motives!

Real motives for fasts:Real motives for fasts: self pity – they mourned their suffering, not their self pity – they mourned their suffering, not their

sins!sins! Looked righteous – but no real caring for othersLooked righteous – but no real caring for others

Real motives for feastsReal motives for feasts Pleasure for themselves – not for God or others!Pleasure for themselves – not for God or others! Social gatherings and partiesSocial gatherings and parties

God’s intent – 8:19-23God’s intent – 8:19-23 Joyful feastsJoyful feasts Love truth and peaceLove truth and peace Invite others to join in worshipping Him!Invite others to join in worshipping Him!

“having a form of godliness, but denying its power” 2 Tim 3:5

God’s intent for fasts God’s intent for fasts (Isa 58)(Isa 58)

Loose the bonds of wickedness & let the Loose the bonds of wickedness & let the oppressed go free (v.6)oppressed go free (v.6)

Feed the hungry, give shelter to the Feed the hungry, give shelter to the homeless, clothe the naked (v.7)homeless, clothe the naked (v.7)

Not a time for putting yokes on others, Not a time for putting yokes on others, pointing fingers or speaking wickedness pointing fingers or speaking wickedness (v.9)(v.9)

Do God’s work instead of our ownDo God’s work instead of our ownv.14 - I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. Taken from Deut 32:13,9 when Moses tried to get Israel to see beyond the letter of the Law!

Who are the rituals for?Amos 4:4-5Amos 4:4-5

4 "Come to Bethel and 4 "Come to Bethel and transgress, at Gilgal multiply transgression; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days.5 Offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, proclaim and announce the freewill offerings; for this you love, you children of Israel!" Says the Lord GOD.

Amos 5:25-2625 "Did you offer Me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?26 You also carried Sikkuth your king and Chiun, your idols, the star of your gods, which you made for yourselves. (used by Stephen in Acts 7:42-43)

Live the Truth! (vs 9-10)Live the Truth! (vs 9-10)Don’t just act it out!Don’t just act it out!

Execute true justice (in our decisions)Execute true justice (in our decisions)

Show mercy & compassionShow mercy & compassion

Don’t oppress the poor, fatherless, Don’t oppress the poor, fatherless, widowswidows

Don’t plan evil in our hearts against a Don’t plan evil in our hearts against a brother or sister!brother or sister!

Micah 6:6-8Micah 6:6-86 With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow 6 With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?

7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, 7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?soul?

8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; and 8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

God didn’t really want God didn’t really want sacrifices!sacrifices!

Ex 19:5Ex 19:5 Obey My voice, keep Obey My voice, keep covenantcovenant

Jer 7:21-23Jer 7:21-23 Obey My voice! Obey My voice! Amos 5:21-25Amos 5:21-25 I will not accept them! I will not accept them! Hos 6:6Hos 6:6 Mercy…not sacrifice! Mercy…not sacrifice! Note Christ’s use in Mat 9:13; 12:7Note Christ’s use in Mat 9:13; 12:7

Compare the fasts of Zech 7Compare the fasts of Zech 7

Same message in Zech Same message in Zech 8:16-178:16-17

16 These are the things you shall do: 16 These are the things you shall do: speak speak each man the trutheach man the truth to his neighbor; give to his neighbor; give judgmentjudgment in your gates for in your gates for truth, justice, and truth, justice, and peace;peace;

17 Let none of you 17 Let none of you think evil in your heartthink evil in your heart against your neighbor; and against your neighbor; and do not love a false do not love a false oath.oath. For all these are things that I hate,' says the For all these are things that I hate,' says the LORD."LORD."

Listen to the Bible Listen to the Bible and respond! (vs 7 and respond! (vs 7

and 12)and 12) Listen to the prophets when we read Listen to the prophets when we read

our Bibles in our homesour Bibles in our homes Don’t just read and walk away!Don’t just read and walk away! Read…think….consider how to put it into Read…think….consider how to put it into

practice todaypractice today How can I live more like God?How can I live more like God? What can I do today to help God’s What can I do today to help God’s

family?family?

Warning of Zechariah Warning of Zechariah 7:137:13

The way we respond to God now may be the The way we respond to God now may be the way He responds to us in the days to comeway He responds to us in the days to come

Don’t wait until a tragedy occurs, to listen to Don’t wait until a tragedy occurs, to listen to God speaking to us today thru His word and God speaking to us today thru His word and events He brings into our livesevents He brings into our lives

'When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,' says the LORD Almighty. (NIV) cp RSV, NASB

God warns the Nation God warns the Nation (v.14)(v.14)

"But I scattered them with a whirlwind "But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nationsamong all the nations which they had not which they had not known. Thus the land became desolate after known. Thus the land became desolate after them, so that no one passed through or them, so that no one passed through or returned; returned; for they made the pleasant land for they made the pleasant land desolate."desolate."

He did it before and He will do it again!

Lessons for us Lessons for us tonighttonight Let’s really be involved in the working Let’s really be involved in the working

of ecclesial life, not just the ritualsof ecclesial life, not just the rituals Make sure we are working for God, Make sure we are working for God,

not just doing what pleases usnot just doing what pleases us Listen to the warnings of the prophetsListen to the warnings of the prophets Execute true justice, mercy and Execute true justice, mercy and

compassioncompassion

Any other comments? Any other comments?