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"Should I weep in the fifth month and fast?"

Text: Zechariah 7:3

AN IMPORTANT QUESTION II

The question that the delegation of two needs careful consideration.

“And to ask the priests who were in the house of the LORD of hosts,
and the prophets, saying,
‘Should I weep in the fifth month and fast as I have done for so many years?'”
Zechariah 7:3

1. “The house of the LORD of hosts”

a) “The house of God” (literally “Bethel”).

b) This was to be distinguished from “the house of the LORD of hosts”.

2. “The priests”

a) They were led by Joshua the son of Jehozadak.

b) The priests were in charge of all the temple activities.

i) Worship

ii) Offerings

iii) Prayers

iv) Fasting

3. “The prophets”

a) They were not priests.

b) Sometimes they had a special word from the LORD.

c) Zechariah was given the word (message) from God.

4. The practice of weeping and fasting

a) This had been practised for many years.

b) Should this practice continue?

5. This was a practice of many who considered it a pious act

a) This was to commemorate the destruction of the first temple by the Babylonians.

b) Some decided that they must weep and fast as a religious practice.