Zechariah 1 Return to Me
God calls Zechariah to be His prophet as Haggai is nearing the end his time. “Return to Me” God calls to His people; unlike what your fathers did.
Zechariah was one of the exiles born in Babylon. He was also among the first group who returned to Jerusalem, following the decree of Cyrus. We don’t know his age at the time God called him to prophecy, but we do know he was at least 20 years old. God didn’t call him until His people had been back in the land for 19 years. This was the same time He called Haggai.
Zechariah and Haggai had slightly overlapping prophetic ministries. Zechariah spoke the words of the Lord one month before Haggai’s last prophecy. To me, it appears that the two ministries had a different focus. Haggai’s task was to get the people working on the Temple and motivated to complete it. Zechariah’s focus is on returning the hearts of the people to their Lord. This was the same focus as MANY of the previous prophets. Let’s pray he had better results!
Let’s join Zechariah as God brings him forward to His people. Holy Spirit, please guide this journey. Help me to hear what You are saying to Your people’s hearts. And help me find the kernel You have for my own life.
♥ ♦ ♥
Zechariah was among the first group of exiles to return to Jerusalem. He sang, and wept with the people as they turned to their Lord. He was part of the Levites who served the Lord, even before the Temple was completed. He rejoiced as the foundation for the new Temple was laid, and he wept along with the people when they were ordered to stop building.
Recently, the Lord spoke through Haggai and told the people to begin rebuilding. Zechariah is MORE than happy to begin working again. As he has aged nearly twenty years since the work ceased. He was just entering adulthood at that time. Now he has the muscles of a man and works many hours each day without difficulty. This isn’t to say that he never gets tired, but he is able to ‘hold his own’ with the rest of the workers.
Zechariah listens to each of Haggai’s prophecies with joy and purpose. He will do whatever he is called on to do for his God.
Today, as the project is moving into its second month, Zechariah is preparing to join his brothers on the work crew. One of Zechariah’s regular routines is to attend the morning sacrifice. There is no grand altar to offer sacrifices to the Lord on, but the Levites still bring the morning and evening sacrifices required by the Lord. Zechariah hasn’t been called upon to preform any of the specific tasks required, but he attends anyway. He feels closest to God during these times.
The aroma of the burning flesh rises from the altar. Zechariah inhales deeply. The scent filling his nostrils and reminding him of all the times he has stood before the Lord. This is a scent that he will ALWAYS associate with the Lord, no matter where he encounters it.
As Zechariah stands in the presence of the Lord, he hears the voice of the Lord speaking to him. The Lord’s voice is not unfamiliar to him as God has spoken directly into his life on several occasions. It is always a private matter of relationship that God is addressing in Zechariah’s life. But today is different. Today, God’s message focuses on ALL the people and their relationship with the Lord.
“The Lord was very angry with your fathers. Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, ‘As the Lord of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us’” (Zechariah 1:2-6).
Zechariah’s eyebrows come towards one another and a look of confusion covers his face. “Lord, aren’t we following You now? We are working on rebuilding Your Temple; just as You commanded us to do. What more are You requiring of us?”
“Yes. The people are working faithfully with their hands to complete the work I called them to. But the hearts of many of them are still far from me. They are expecting the works of their hands to be sufficient; to be able to ‘appease Me’, while their minds and hearts are not in it.”
Zechariah’s heart hurts after hearing God’s indictment of the people. “What am I supposed to do with this Lord?”
“You will share it with the people.”
“But Haggai is bringing Your words to the people.”
“He is, but I have given him direction to take My words directly to the elders; Zerubbabel and Joshua. The words that I give you are to be taken to the people themselves.”
“Where and when should I speak to the people, Lord?”
“There is no better time and place than right after the morning and just before the evening sacrifices. Stand before Me and before the people in this place.”
“The sacrifice is already completed for today. Do You want me to bring Your message now? Today?”
“Yes. Now. Today.”
Zechariah nods and turns from the inner area where the sacrifices are offered. He looks out over the crews who are gathering for the work. He takes a deep breath, straightens his back, and shares the words that the Lord gave him a few minutes ago.
The people are initially stunned. The only prophet they have heard is Haggai. But they are soon giving Zechariah their full attention. No one turns away or ignores Zechariah’s warning. Their hearts are pierced. Yet they have the same question Zechariah did.
“We are building His Temple. Isn’t that what He wants?”
“Yes. He wants our obedience, but he wants even more than that. He wants our heats. He wants us to WANT to follow Him; to do His will. Our hands are not enough. He desires our hearts. That is the ONLY way we will stay true to our God. Only when our hearts and minds are HIS can we truly be His people.”
The people drink in Zechariah’s words. Not everyone makes the shift from working because he is told to, to working because he wants to honor the Lord. Those who make that shift find the work just a little bit easier each day because their heats are filled with joy as they watch the Temple come together.
(to be continued)
I’m wondering why God didn’t continue to use Haggai. We don’t have any answer on this question. Whatever reason Zechariah was tapped, he does exactly as God tells him to do. And there is more to come for Zechariah in service to the Lord.
Father God, thank You for choosing people all over this world to be part of Your plan. I pray I am part of Your reaching out to people for You. I believe I am, but if I’m doing this for myself, KILL IT NOW. I want to give You all the glory AND the direction. Lead me Lord and I will follow.
