The Jews had retreated into their own lives and had lost sight of their great purpose. Alongside Haggai, it was Zechariah’s mission to rekindle their sense of purpose by giving them a series of dramatic apocalyptic visions that portrayed God’s great plan for the world. The reason why the Jews went into exile in the first place was because they had lost sight of their purpose and there was a great danger of the returned exiles regressing to the apathetic state of their forefathers. So Zechariah calls the people to turn around (repent) and see what God wanted to show them. What disturbed the Jews at this time, more than anything, was the sense that God was angry with them while seemingly indifferent to the nations that had been so cruel to them. They felt as though God was more favourable to these nations than to them. The first thing that God wanted to tell his people, therefore, was that he had forgiven them and that he was angry at the nations who were so at ease with themselves. God assured his people, through Zechariah, that he was on their case, and that he was working to bless them and lead them to their promised future. If you feel somewhat neglected by God then know that God is on your case. He is working now to lead you into the future that he has planned for you. But it is important that we respond to what God is doing. Like the Jews in the time of Zechariah we must turn around from vain preoccupations and see what God wants to show us.
Reflect on what God may be saying to you or asking you to do lately.
Read Zechariah 1
