The Holy Mountain

The Lord Remembers - Message 10 - The Holy Mountain. In Zechariah 7 and 8 we read an account of a delegation traveling from Bethel to Jerusalem in order to question the priests and prophets regarding the observance of annual fasts in the nation of Judah. Now that a new Temple was being built and worship was about to be restored the people asked if they could stop holding these fasts. They were ready to move on and find closure from the remembrances and memorials of their time in captivity. Chapter 8 gives us the third and fourth answers to the question. The third answer (8:1-17) moves from rebuke to encouragement as the Lord assures the people that He loves them with a zealous love, demonstrated in His returning to His people, restoring the city and the Temple, and blessing the nation. God promises to restore truth, prosperity, and peace. The fourth answer (8:18-23) is another promise. The fasting will be replaced with feasting. The remembrance of sin and captivity will be transformed into celebrations of salvation and deliverance. From rebuke, conviction of sin, and judgment comes the fruit of repentance and restoration. The final answer to the question regarding true worship is the cry, “Let us go at once to entreat the Lord and seek the Lord Almighty. Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.” As James Boice wrote in his commentary on this passage, “Happy is the one who is among those who hear that call and go with Jesus.”