Zechariah 1:1-6 A Call To Repentance.
Zechariah was a contemporary of Haggai, so that their background in terms of content and dating parallel each other. “Zechariah began his ministry two months after the returnees from Babylon began to rebuild the temple” (NGSB p.1465). Zechariah, being much longer, obviously goes into greater detail. Like Haggai, his book begins with a word from the LORD regarding His anger with their fathers and the people (vv. 1-2). Repentance was the first order of business-if they returned to the LORD, He as the LORD of hosts, would return to them (v. 3 Cf. Mal. 3:7-10). They are warned about not following in the steps of their rebellious forefathers, who did not heed His word (v. 4 Cf. II Chr. 36:15-16; Is. 31:6). A new generation called for new decisions, and new leaders (v. 5). What the LORD had commanded through the prophets, in the time of their forefathers, came to pass, to which they had to acknowledge (v. 6 Cf. Is. 55:11; Lam. 1:18; 2:17).
