16 God's Love & Promises to Jerusalem

Jehovah God continues His direct communication to the spirit of Zechariah bypassing his ears and eyes to begin a comforting message to His people. In the last chapter there was a long oracle on the fast with a strong rebuke for the Jews fasting without obeisance to God. Their fasts were primarily directed at themselves for the problems in their lives. God was saying to them that it was their own fault that these things like the Babylonian captivity happened to them. He described the outcome of their actions, which was a deportation to Babylon. The present group, returning to Jerusalem from the captivity was in danger of suffering the same consequences if they did not turn to Him in love, trust, and obedience. This chapter is a continuation of the last one but with a very positive message. God is telling the nation Israel that he will change their fasts into feasts if they will obey Him.

The nation Israel had been promised good blessings from the Lord (Leviticus 26:4-13 etc.). But for them they were always conditional on their obedience to God’s Word.