Zecheriah 1: a call to repentance.

 Zecheriah 1: a call to repentance.

We read (NASB):

1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo saying, 2 “The Lord was very angry with your fathers. 3 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Lord of armies says: “Return to Me,” declares the Lord of armies, “that I may return to you,” says the Lord of armies. 4 “Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying, ‘This is what the Lord of armies says: “Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.”’ But they did not listen or pay attention to Me,” declares the Lord. 5 “Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6 But did My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, not overtake your fathers? Then they repented and said, ‘Just as the Lord of armies planned to do to us in accordance with our ways and our deeds, so He has dealt with us.’”’”


The Lord, through Zechariah, commands that his people return to him so that the Lord will return to his people. The Lord was with Judah before the exile. At that time, the Lord sent prophets such as Jeremiah who foresaw 70 years of exile. At that time, the prophets called for repentance. Finally, the people of Judah recognized that the Lord is above everything and accepted the punishment for their sins.
The Lord has not abandoned his people in punishment. Now it the time for repentance and restoration.