For thus says the LORD of hosts: “As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the LORD of hosts, so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not.
The above passage is a good summary of the book of Zechariah. The prophet is a doom and gloom prophet. He is a turn or burn type prophet. When Moses wrote the first five books of the Old Testament (the Torah), he warned the people that blessings would come if they obeyed and curses would come if they disobeyed (see Deuteronomy 28). God had told them that the condition of the covenant He made with them would be based upon faithful obedience. After their disobedience the people had been taken captive. They now have been returned to their promised land. They are rebuilding the city under Nehemiah and the Temple under Ezra’s leadership. Zechariah is rebuilding their hearts. He is warning them about coming judgment on all those who reject God. God is going to judge their enemies. But God is also going to warn them about their own walk. In the above passage he is reminding them that God is bringing to them the blessings of obedient faith. Those who walk in heartfelt obedience will be blessed. He tells them to not fear the enemies around them because they have God watching over above them. God wants them to rest in His care. Now that they are settling back into the land God wants them to have no fear because He is going to keep His side of the covenant. He wants them to continue their walk of obedience and He sends the prophet to motivate them in that walk. We can rest assured that as we walk in obedience to Him we will be blessed by Him. That is a take-a-way for what we hear from Zechariah. God will always bless those who obey Him. The blessing may not look like we think but He will bless. Faithful obedience is what God demands. We walk in faith by obeying His Word. In return God blesses us.
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