Today’s text comes from the book of Zechariah, and was spoken in late October or early November 520 BC (between Haggai’s 3rd and 4th messages found in Haggai 2:1, given on October 17 and
2:10 on December 18). God reminds the struggling community of Jews in Jerusalem, who have
been back from exile for 17 years, a principle that is found throughout scripture:
”Return to me, and I will return to you!”
This is similar to Azariah’s words to Judah’s King Asa around 900 BC:
“The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.”
The Law says in Deuteronomy 4:29:
“If from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
The prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah and Amos also spoke similar words:
“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” (Isaiah 55:6)
and,
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)
and,
“Seek the LORD and live, or he will sweep through the tribes of Joseph like a fire.” (Amos 5:6)
Jesus also spoke along these lines:
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)
The concept is confirmed in Proverbs 8:17 when God, or Wisdom, says:
”I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.”
After promising Israel that he “will return” to them if they will return to him, the Lord asks them to consider the longevity and stability of his word. The Jews’ forefathers, even the prophets of the previous generation, have not endured, but had succumbed to the very Words that God spoke to
them. In fact, even in days of Zechariah and his contemporaries, those Words of God spoken
by the prophets where still directing history and being fulfilled. The point: We should seek God because he is controlling history with his word and his will is going to be completed. |
