Passage
Zechariah 1:1-21 (ESV)
Misery of Disobedience
Genesis 34:1-31
Key Verse: 34:30
Return to the Lord
Date: Dec. 8, 2014
Daily Bread
Introduction to Zechariah
Key Verse: 1:3
First, listen and pay attention to the LORD (1-6). The Israelites had begun to rebuild the temple (Ez 5). The temple was important for worship but true worship is a relationship with God. Success with temple reconstruction was possible only when the people repented and returned to the LORD. God promised to return to them when they returned to him. He also warned them to learn from history. Their forefathers had ignored God's warnings and painfully realized that God punishes sin.
Second, God is jealous for his people (7-21). Zechariah had a vision of a man mounted on a red horse with other horses behind him. They reported that the whole world was at rest and in peace. Meanwhile, the LORD had withheld mercy from Judah. But the LORD was angry with the other nations. He allowed them to execute his judgment on Judah but they had gone too far. God was jealous for his people. He would comfort and bless them again but he would punish the other nations.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for inviting us to return to you. Please be with us and help us to listen to you.
One Word: "I will return to you"
