Zechariah 7: Justice and Mercy
SOMETIMES OUR ACTIONS may appear to be pious, but our motives are misguided. How can we avoid this kind of hypocrisy? How can we get beyond an external legalism in order to serve the Lord from the heart? In Zechariah 7 the Lord tells his people the kind of obedience that really matters.
Warming Up to God
Do you ever feel as though you are merely going through the motions as you serve God? Ask the Lord to purify your motives as you study this passage.
Read Zechariah 7. »
Discovering the Word
- While they were in Babylon, the Israelites observed various fasts to commemorate the destruction of the temple. Now they ask if they need to continue (vv. 1-3). How does the Lord evaluate the seventy years of fasting by the people in exile (vv. 4-7)?
- Why do you think the people are asking whether they should continue these fasts?
- How can we know whether our actions are done for the Lord or merely for ourselves?
- If our motives are pure, what kinds of actions will be evident in our lives (vv. 8-10)?
- Why is it dangerous to harden our hearts against the Lord and against his Word (vv. 11-14)?
Applying the Word
- In what areas are you merely practicing religious rituals rather than obeying the Lord from the heart?
- How do you measure up to Zechariah's four tests of spiritual reality (vv. 8-10)?
- In what practical ways can you begin to follow these commands?
Responding in Prayer
Ask the Lord for insight into the areas of your life where your "obedience" is really self-serving or mere ritual. Pray for opportunities to administer true justice, and show mercy and compassion, while avoiding oppression and thinking evil of others.
For Further Study
The Twelve Prophets Edited by Alberto Ferreiro