Zechariah 1:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Instead, they turned their backs on the truth, becoming ensnared by trivial and disgraceful gains, leading Israel away from righteousness. Consequently, the prophet Jeremiah sternly reproves them, declaring, “This is the Lord God, behold their prophets prophesying and saying, ‘You shall not see the sword, neither shall there be plague upon you, but truth and peace I will give in the earth and in this place.’” In response, God declares, “False prophets prophesy in my name; I have not sent them, nor commanded them, nor spoken unto them: for these prophets prophesy unto you false visions, and divination, and sorcery, and the works of their heart” (Jeremiah 14:13-14). Additionally, He states elsewhere, “I sent not the prophets, but they flowed: I spoke not unto them, and these prophesied” (Jeremiah 23:21). Israel, misled by the deceit of these false prophets, wandered off course. Had they listened to the authentic prophets whom God sent, forewarning them of impending trials and emphasizing that calamity would undoubtedly befall them if they failed to align with God’s will, they would not have suffered such dire oppression. Therefore, He implores them to recall the deceitful prophets and those who followed them, questioning, “Where are your fathers and the prophets, and where shall they live forever?” It is as if He were saying, “Your ancestors faced tragic ends in captivity, alongside the false prophets who misled them and misused the prophetic calling. If those ancestors were still alive, they would have urged you to repent, reflecting on their suffering and frequently criticizing the deceivers who accompanied them.”

Where indeed are your forebears, those who have not heeded My call? Where are your prophets? This is generally understood to express a certain exaggeration: where are your ancestors, and where are your false prophets? The holy prophets would never be questioned about their eternal existence. As both those who sinned without repentance and those who misled the sinners with false assurances are taken by death, My words delivered through My prophets remain eternal. They have maintained your ancestors and demonstrated the truth of what I have spoken.

After the demise of My prophets, your ancestors, witnessing the fulfillment of prophecies, turned to repentance and acknowledged, ‘As the Lord of Hosts declared He would reward us according to our deeds and our transgressions, so has He done.’ Let us consider how Daniel confesses before the Lord on behalf of himself and the people, recognizing their refusal to heed the Lord, resulting in the just consequences they faced.