“RETURN TO ME AND I WILL RETURN TO YOU” In the 6th century BC, Zechariah proclaimed God's Word to His chosen people. “In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah…” Zechariah 1:1

The evening of October 26 on our 2022 Gregorian calendar, begins the 1st day of the 8th month on God's calendar. Ancient Rabbis believed this was the month appointed for Messiah to come and begin rebuilding His temple on earth. 1 Corinthians 3:16 gives us an accurate picture of the spiritual temple building already in progress. “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s spirit lives in you?”

Zechariah continues his message in verses 2-6: “The Lord was very angry with your ancestors. Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty. Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the LORD. Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever? But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors? Then they repented and said ‘The LORD Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.’”

The introduction in verse 2 commands our attention: “The LORD was very angry with your ancestors.”

Around 2000 BC, God made an everlasting covenant with Abraham to bless all the nations of the earth through him, and to give him the land of Canaan forever. (Genesis 12-15) Abraham’s descendants were later sealed with the God-given name "Israel" for Jacob, grandson of Abraham. After spending generations in Egyptian bondage, the Israelites were freed by God Almighty through the Passover Lamb, whose sacrificial blood guaranteed their deliverance and survival. The twelve tribes of the nation of Israel, with the namesakes of the sons of Jacob, traversed the desert regions for 40 years in search of the Promised Land designated by God for His chosen people.

Led by God’s appointed judges for 350 years, the nation began its decline by placing their faith in the mindset of the world for leadership. "Make us a king to judge us like all the nations." 1 Samuel 8:5.

God gave them what they wanted. As a result, by 920 BC, Israel had split into 2 kingdoms: the North and the South. (Sound familiar?) The 10 northern tribes, continuing with the namesake Israel, set up their own worship in Samaria. A remnant from the 10 northern tribes joined the 2 southern tribes, and they become known as Judah, worshipping the Lord from Jerusalem.

Soon both kingdoms were “doing their own thing”, even as they claimed to worship God. Around 720 BC, the 10 northern tribes were taken into captivity by Assyria, and scattered across the isles, never mentioned again as a nation. 150 years later, the southern kingdom of Judah was taken into captivity by the Babylonians.

Eventually, Judah was allowed to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the destroyed city and Solomon’s Temple. Today, descendants of Israel bear the name “Jew”, because they descend from the southern tribe of Judah. Amazingly, Israel is the only nation on earth that inhabits the same land, has the same name, and speaks the same language as it did 3,000 years ago.

It was during the time of the exiles return to Jerusalem that Zechariah arrived on the scene. Zechariah, whose name means “God has remembered”, was not just a prophet for the people of Israel in the Old Testament. Zechariah’s prophecies are repeated in the New Testament 41 times. Indeed, Zechariah even foretells Christ’s coming with great accuracy. He speaks of Jesus coming in lowliness (6:12); the humanity of Christ (6:12, 13:7); His betrayal for 30 pieces of silver (11:12-13); the crucifixion of Jesus (by the "sword" of the Lord) (13:7); His priesthood (6:13) and kingship (6:13, 9:9, 14:9,16); the future return of Jesus Christ (14:4); His building the Lord's temple (6:12-13); the reign of King Jesus (9:10) the establishment of enduring peace and prosperity by Jesus Christ (3:10, 9:9-10).

The phrase “Lord Almighty” appears three times in this focal passage of Zechariah 1:1-6. If you look at other translations like the KJV “Lord of the hosts” and the NLT “Lord of Heavens’ Armies”, we get an idea that we are talking about a great and mighty Lord speaking here. In fact, “Lord Almighty” is used 50 more times in the book of Zechariah.

Indeed, the Book of Zechariah ends with the powerful picture of ALL people of the earth worshipping the Lord of Hosts, the Lord of Heavens’ Armies, the King of Kings, Son of God, during the Holy Days of Tabernacles. “Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him… The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name…Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.” Zechariah 14:5,9,16. https://www.facebook.com/fontanacommunitychurch/posts/pfbid02ZRkDxWcbRvFcUZnkXYx4cKKLzJFfhGpiQ22VYRBMRcfaXj1eJMphGrVHKVZ8DfA7l

“RETURN TO ME, AND I WILL RETURN TO YOU"