Zechariah 8:19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The blessed Jeremiah recounts: “And it came to pass in the ninth year of his kingdom (clearly Zedekiah), in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, and all his power upon Jerusalem, and they encamped against it, and made round about it an enclosure of quadrangular stones. And the city was encompassed, even unto the first tenth year of the kingdom of Zedekiah, the fourth month on the ninth day. And there was a plague in the hail, and there was no bread for the people of the land. And all the men of the army went out by night by the way of the city, which is between the two walls and the fortification, which was straight to the king’s helicopter.” He further recalls the tragic fate of Zedekiah’s sons and his own blinding, stating: “In the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, Novuzardan the archimagir, standing before the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem, and burned the temple of the Lord, and the house of the king, and all the houses of the city, and burned every great house with fire, and destroyed every wall of Jerusalem round about by the power of the Chaldeans, which was with the archimagir.” (Jer. 52:4-7, 12-14 cf. 4 Sam. 25:1-10). In the tenth month of the ninth year, Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem, and in the fourth month of the tenth year, the city was laid waste. In the fifth month, the archimagir ignited the temple and the entire city. This illustrates why the fourth, fifth, and tenth days were deemed wretched.

Regarding the seventh day, after the archimagir captured Jerusalem, he appointed Gedaliah to oversee the remaining Jews there before returning to Babylon. When the surviving Jews learned of this, they gathered in Jerusalem, hoping to settle once more. However, in the seventh month, it is recorded (4 Kings 25:25; Jer. 41), Gedaliah was assassinated by Ishmael, resulting in the scattering of the people, who fled into Egypt and met their demise. Thus, they considered both the seventh day and the associated month as mournful. These events led to the establishment of the fasts.

Yet, following their suffering, when Israel returned to Jerusalem and the days of grief were past, it was deemed unnecessary to continue fasting and mourning. Instead, they were commanded to transform their sorrow into joy and to celebrate the blessings they received from God. They were to remember their past punishments for indulging in unrighteousness (Psalm 29:12), as noted by the Psalmist. We should not be ashamed of having once succumbed to our adversaries through ignorance of God and by worshipping created things instead of the Creator. Rather, our gratitude should be for the pardon, salvation, and deliverance from our enemies, as we now dwell in the holy city—the Church. We are privileged to offer our reverence through prayer and spiritual sacrifices, embodying love grounded in the divine Scriptures, which teach us that this is the essence of peace, truth, and ultimate joy, for “He is our peace” (Eph. 2:14). Indeed, He is also Truth. In Him, we find hope, and absent of discouragement, we should rejoice.

In response to the question posed by the envoys Oarasar and Rogommelech about whether to continue fasting and lamenting during the fifth and seventh months, as stated in the LXX, or if they could cease these observances after the temple was completed, the prophet, after emphasizing what actions they should take and what to hope for, answered on behalf of the Lord: The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months for the house of Judah and Jerusalem shall transform into days of celebration and joy; God desires only truth and peace.

Regarding this passage, many insights exist among our own, often conflicting. Some, recognizing its complexity, have chosen to overlook it, reasoning that it is preferable to remain silent than to speak inadequately. Therefore, we must consult the Hebrews for the truth rather than rely on derivative interpretations, especially when addressing events related to Christ, where the Hebrews may obscure the truth. We seek to understand the connections of historical events based on what preceded and followed them.

The fast of the fourth month, known as July in Latin, refers to the day when Moses descended from Mount Sinai and shattered the tablets of the Law (Ex. 32:19) and when, according to Jeremiah, the city walls were initially breached (Jer. 52:14). In the fifth month, referred to as August by the Latins, conflict arose among the people due to the spies' report regarding the holy land, leading to a divine decree preventing their ascent to the promised land and resulting in a forty-year wander in the wilderness, where all perished except Caleb and Joshua (Num. 14:25-45). That month witnessed the destruction of the temple by Nebuchadnezzar (Jer. 52:4) and later by Titus and Vespasian, alongside the capture of the city of Bether, where many thousands of Jews sought refuge, and the lamentable desecration of the temple site by Turannius Rufus occurred.

In the seventh month, known as October, Gedaliah was slain, the remnant of Judah was dispersed, and Jerusalem faced destruction (4 Sam. 25:10, 11, 25; see also Jer. 39 and Jer. 41). The tenth month, which we call January to denote the opening and beginning of the year, was the time when Ezekiel, along with the captives, realized that the temple had been laid waste in the fifth month, as we will explore thoroughly in this book.

Thus, it is stated, “Know that the days of weeping and fasting, previously sorrowful for you, shall be transformed into days of joy, gladness, and feasting, for I have resolved to bestow blessing upon Jerusalem and the house of Judah, provided you cherish truth and peace.” The allegorical interpretation is this: as we fast when the bridegroom departs from us (Luke 5:35), and feel unworthy of His presence, when the Lord turns toward us and decides to bestow a blessing, all despair will be converted into joy, and the original glory of God's word will be fulfilled through His teachings and nourishment with the bread of heaven.

These included the fourth fast, observed on the 17th day of the fourth month (July), to remember Nebuchadnezzar's conquest of Jerusalem; the fifth fast, on the 10th day of the fifth month (August), in memory of the temple's destruction; the seventh fast, on the 4th day of the seventh month (October), commemorating the assassination of Gedaliah, the Babylonian ruler; and the tenth fast on the 4th day of the tenth month (January), recalling the siege of Jerusalem. The circumstances of these fasts are further explained in Rabbinic interpretations.

During the era of Zechariah, the Jewish people inquired of the priests and prophets whether these fasts, established during times of national distress, should continue once those hardships had ended, and Jerusalem along with the temple had been restored (Zech. 7:3-7). In response, they were told that henceforth, the days designated for fasting in remembrance of the people’s hardships should be transformed into times of joy and celebration, reflecting gratitude to the Lord for their deliverance from such trials. However, this gratitude must also be accompanied by love for one’s neighbors—adhering to truth and justice—and a commitment to mutual peace. Both fasting and feasting are unacceptable to the Lord if those who partake cause harm to others, exploit the vulnerable, or ignite disputes and quarrels.