Daily Devotions

Zechariah

Zechariah 
Day 
Day 8

"The word of the LORD came to Zechariah"

Text: Zechariah 1:7

THE INTENTIONS OF GOD IN GIVING HIS WORD

The word of the Lord was not given randomly. There were good and important reasons why the words were given to the remnant.

“On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month,
which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius,
the word of the LORD came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah,
the son of Iddo the prophet.”
Zechariah 1:7

1. The first word

a) This was given in the eighth month of the second year of Darius (Zechariah 1:1).
b) The purpose of this word:
i) To recount the past.
ii) To understand fully why God had been angry with Israel.
iii) To help the remnant to reflect.
iv) To acknowledge that God had not dealt unfairly with Israel.

2. The second word

a) This was given on the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, in the second year of Darius (Zechariah 1:7).
b) This word was given about three months later.

NO CHANGE IN THE MINISTER

The word of the LORD was given to Zechariah. He was described in the same way:

1. He was the son of Berechiah (Possibly his grandfather; an illustrious ancestor).

2. He was the son of Iddo the prophet (renowned and respected).

UNDERSTANDING THE GAP OF THREE MONTHS

The gap of three months may be understood in the following ways:

1. It took time to reflect on the question God had raised to them.

2. They probably took time to have this question of God discussed thoroughly by the remnant before they came back with their answer.

3. The important thing to note was that God was giving them another message!