ZECHARIAH 1:1–6 (August 5, 2025)

A Call to Return to the Lord

1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, 2 “The Lord was very angry with your fathers. 3 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. 4 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. 5 Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6 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_1-6Brian Lee

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Summary

Zechariah is the second of the three post-exilic prophets (Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi), ministering to the remnant who returned from Babylonian exile under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua. His name, Zechariah (זְכַרְיָה), means “The LORD has remembered.” This is a powerful declaration of God’s covenant faithfulness to a people who may have felt forgotten during their long exile. His ministry began in 520 B.C., in the second year of King Darius I of Persia (Zechariah 1:1), just two months after Haggai’s, and overlaps in purpose: to encourage the rebuilding of the temple and call the people to spiritual renewal. By this time, Babylon was no longer a sovereign empire but a province under Persian rule, having fallen to Cyrus the Great in 539 B.C. But while Haggai focused on immediate temple construction, Zechariah reaches further, with apocalyptic visions, messianic hope, and cosmic restoration. It is one of the most quoted Old Testament books in the Passion narratives of the Gospels, highlighting its deep Christological significance.

Zechariah 1:1–6 serves as a prophetic preface to the entire book. Before a single vision is shown, God summons His people to remember the past, repent in the present, and return to Him with all their hearts. The call is urgent, personal, and covenantal. The Lord’s message is clear: “Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you” (v. 3). This is not merely a moral correction but a renewal of relationship. God’s longing is not for religious ritual but for covenantal closeness. The reference to their forefathers (v. 2, 4–6) reminds the returned exiles that unrepentant sin led to exile. And without a true return from the heart that leads to action, history will repeat itself.

Who is God?

God is the Lord of hosts. He is the sovereign commander of angelic armies and the covenant-keeping God of Israel. He speaks not only with authority but with love. His command to return is not a cold summons but the pleading voice of a faithful husband calling back His wayward bride.

“The Lord was very angry with your fathers. (v.2)"

He is holy and just, as seen in His anger toward their fathers’ disobedience, but He is also merciful and ready to receive those who turn to Him. His Word is not void. It “overtook” the former generations (v. 6), showing that divine judgment and promises are not empty threats but unstoppable realities.

What is our Guilt?

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 (v. 4).

Our guilt lies in becoming like our spiritual ancestors. Much like the disobedient Israel, we are stubborn, indifferent, and slow to heed the voice of God. The post-exilic community risked falling into the same patterns that led to the exile. They risked simply going back to external religiosity without repentance from the heart. The Lord warns them, “Do not be like your fathers”. This is the voice of our Lord for us today!

This is a call to learn from history, not repeat it. The guilt was not passive ignorance but active rebellion. They “did not hear or pay attention” to the Lord’s voice. And we, too, are often guilty of the same. We "listen" without obeying. We read without repenting, and we are busy without bearing any fruit. We have the appearance of being faithful without returning to the Lord with our hearts.

How does Grace Shine?

Grace shines in the invitation itself.

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 (v. 3).

This is the gospel heartbeat of the Old Testament. God's grace always precedes our return. He initiates the call, makes the way, and promises restoration. This covenant relationship is not a transaction, but a response of love flowing from God’s faithful heart. Through judgment and exile, God does not give up on His people. This grace ultimately finds its fulfillment in Christ, who embodies God’s return to His people in flesh, and who calls all who are weary and burdened to come to Him. Grace is shown in God, who speaks, still warns, still woos His people through His Word.

Prayer

Gracious Father,

You are the Lord of hosts, holy and merciful, just and full of steadfast love. We hear your call today to return—to turn our hearts away from cold habits and to embrace the warmth of your covenant love. Forgive us for the ways we have become like those who went before us, hardening our hearts and ignoring your voice. Thank you for your grace that continues to reach for us, even after failure. Lead us to true repentance. Let our hearts not be proud or slow to believe. Help us to walk in newness of life, rooted in your promises, shaped by your mercy.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.