Learning from the past

Zechariah started his ministry at the same time as Haggai, and together they helped the Israelites get back on track with the rebuilding of the temple. As well as being a prophet, he was also a priest.

By the way, just a quick historical note, when it says this happened in the time of Darius (and this goes for Haggai too), this was not the Darius mentioned in Daniel. This is Darius the Great as known in history.

Anyway, Zechariah starts his ministry by reminding the Israelites of their past. He told them,

The Lord was very angry with your ancestors. Therefore tell the people:

This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.

Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’

But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord.

Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever? But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors?

Then they repented and said, ‘The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.’ (Zechariah 1:2–6)

Here Zechariah recounts how time and again, God had called their forefathers to return to him, and turn away from their sins, but they ignored him.

Many thought that the prophets were speaking empty words, but in the end, judgment fell on them until they finally repented and admitted they were wrong.

Now God was saying, “Learn from your past. My words were not empty when I spoke to your forefathers. They are not empty now. Repent and turn from your sins lest judgment fall upon you again.”

God tells us the same. We all sin sometimes. But the question we need to ask is if we are learning from the mistakes that we make, or are we just repeating the same destructive patterns in our lives.

Let us not be people who repeat our mistakes of the past. Let us instead be wise, walking in repentance and the grace of God.