Zechariah 1:1,2 - The Lord was very angry with your forefathers

1:1

As with Haggai, we tend to get precise dates in Zechariah as to when the various messages were given. This date places this oracle in 520 BC, and between Haggai’s 3rd and 4th messages. Two ancestors of Zechariah are mentioned, Berechiah and Iddo. If more than one ancestor is mentioned it is usually the case that the last named is the most important. Nehemiah 12:4 mentions an Iddo who returned with Zerubbabel and who was a priest. If this is the same Iddo, then it indicates that Zechariah comes from a prominent priestly family. The name Zechariah means “Yahweh remembers”.

1:2

“The Lord was very angry with your forefathers”. It is so important to know and remember the context. Jerusalem and the temple had been destroyed and many of the Israelites parcelled off to exile in Babylon because of their sin. Likewise today we need to remember that the whole reason for the cross and for Jesus is that we have sinned against God, and this sin merits judgement, wrath from God. Many react against this, or try to soften it, or even do away with it altogether. If we do this then we will never understand nor appreciate the gospel, and we will not be communicating God’s message to the world.