Zechariah 7:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What is the intent behind the questioning, and what is the aim of those who raise these queries? During the reign of Hosea the son of Elah over the ten tribes in Samaria, he showed a strong inclination towards idolatry, provoking God's anger against Israel. Consequently, Salmanasar, the king of Assyria, invaded the land, captured Samaria, and exiled Israel. He then commanded some from the Chaldean region to settle in Israel, intending for it to become the property of the Persians through settlement. This account can be found in the fourth book of Kings, where it states: "In the summer of the second decade of Ahaz king of Judah, Hosea the son of Elah reigned over Israel nine years in Samaria. And he did evil before the eyes of the Lord, but not as the kings of Israel who were before him. And Salmanasar king of Assyria came up to him, and Hosea was his servant. And after a little while it states again: 'And Israel was cut off from his land to Assyria, even unto this day. And the king of Assyria brought from Babylon those from Hufah, and from Aiah, and from Emath, and from Sepharuim, and they were all in the cities of Samaria, instead of the children of Israel, and they inherited Samaria'" (4 Sam. 17:1-3, 23-24). These were the people who occupied the land of the Samaritans, established families, and adopted Jewish customs due to their fear of the lion attacks. Among these were Sarasar and Arcever, who was referred to as king because he led those settled in Samaria from Persia. Now, regarding the men, we must also address the sanctuary. Even before Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judea, the revered prophet Joel prophesied about the impending events and urged the priests and the people to mourn, foreseeing Jerusalem’s subjugation and the destruction of the holy temple. He proclaimed, "Weep ye that serve the altar, come in, sleep in your garments, ye that serve God, for the sacrifice and the libation is taken away from the house of your God. Sanctify the fast, preach the purpose, gather the elders of all that dwell on the earth unto the house of your God, and call diligently unto the Lord, ‘Alas for me in the day’" (Joel 1:13-15). This is what the prophet conveyed. To understand how these foretold events were fulfilled, I will explicate further using the testimony of Holy Scripture. In the fourth book of Kings, it is recorded: "In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, in the summer of the ninetieth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzardan the archmagir, the servant of the king of Babylon, to Jerusalem. And he set fire to the temple of the Lord, and to the house of the king, and to all the houses of Jerusalem" (4 Kings 25:8-9). Then, in the seventh month, Gedaliah was appointed over the remnant of Israel, whom he deceived, leading to the death of Ishmael, the son of Nathan, the son of Elisha "of the seed of the king" (4 Kings 25:25) as it is documented. Thus, it transpired that in the fifth month on the seventh day, Jerusalem fell, and the temple was destroyed; additionally, Gedaliah was slain in the seventh month. Consequently, the remnant of the Jewish people, perhaps recalling the prophet's words, resolved that every year on the fifth month and the seventh day, all from surrounding areas should gather in Jerusalem to fast and mourn as for the dead, weeping as for a corpse over the temple and shedding tears over the burned city. After their calamity, they believed they had devised a pious manner of serving God. Yet Israel practiced this while still in bondage, indifferent to the divine temple. Upon returning from the lands of the Persians and Medes and inhabiting the holy city, having later reconstructed the temple, it became evident to them that continuing this tradition was neither beneficial nor wise. Instead, they should turn from the past towards joy, celebrating feasts and giving thanks to Him who called them to freedom.

The Lord responded through the prophet, instructing the messengers to tell those who sent them that they erred in believing their captivity was solely due to their observance of non-commanded fasts. He admonished them, making it clear that their captivity resulted from their neglect of His commandments and laws: “If ye fast or mourn in the fifth month, as ye say, for seventy years, shall ye fast unto Me?" (Zechariah 7:5). The Lord had not commanded them to fast nor had He instructed them through the prophets prior to or after the exile; rather, He had called for righteous judgment and mercy: “Judge righteous judgment, and do mercy and bounty to everyone to his brother” (Zechariah 7:9). Due to their refusal to heed these commands, His anger was kindled, resulting in their expulsion from the land. He had cried out to them before their captivity, but they did not respond; now, during their captivity, they call upon Him, yet He does not listen. For it is declared: “They have given their shoulders to despise, and they have weighed down their ears, that they should not hear, and they have made their heart like adamantine” (Zechariah 7:11-12).

Now that the temple had been restored, they wondered if the time for grief had passed and if they might now embrace joy instead. It is important to note that mourning and fasting are regarded as acts of sanctification. This is echoed in the book of the prophet Joel, where the priests are instructed to consecrate fasting and proclaim healing, as stated in Joel 2:15, revealing that fasting and self-denial serve to heal the wounds of sinners and sanctify those who are restored.