Zechariah 1-7 Here We Go Again

by Jill Ice

Here we go again.

God once again calls Israel to repentance and back into right standing with Him. Israel’s all-to-common response:

^11” But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear.¹²They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the Lord of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the Lord of hosts. ¹³ “As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear,” says the Lord of hosts, ¹⁴ “and I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations that they had not known. Thus the land they left was desolate, so that no one went to and fro, and the pleasant land was made desolate.”

Zechariah 7

I have to admit I’m getting weary of Israel’s rebellion and stubbornness. I find myself thinking “I can’t wait to get to the New Testament!” The New Testament seems to be a land flowing with milk and honey compared to the dry desolation of doom and gloom we find in the pages of the Old.

I read recently that approximately 85% of the Old Testament is filled with pronouncements of judgment upon Israel. There have been bright spots here and there. My heart rejoiced upon reading last week about Daniel’s heart for God and God’s hand of protection upon him. But for the most part, Israel hasn’t been able to get it right in regards to following their Creator, their God, the One Who made covenant with them.

Then I thought about it from Israel’s point of view. I’m sure they were tired of it all too. The old covenant that they were living under (God’s promise to Abraham and descendants to make them a great nation, give them a land, and to be their God) just wasn’t working for them. And it couldn’t. The old covenant was written on tablets of stone and was merely a schoolmaster to show the nation of Israel that they weren’t good enough. They could never be good enough to keep all the rules or to live a life pleasing to God, and therefore gain acceptance with Him.

They needed a Savior. They needed a new and better covenant, enacted on better promises.

But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.

Hebrews 8:6

They needed a High Priest Who could make the sacrifice once and for all. And they needed a new covenant which would be written on their own hearts.

²⁶ And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷ And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

Ezekiel 36:26-27

Sadly, when the new covenant was offered, not all accepted. They chose to stay in the dry and desolate land of striving in their own power for God’s acceptance. It never works on our own. Only Christ’s atoning work on the cross can satisfy God’s wrath.

Praise Him for His new covenant. Can’t wait to read about it again.