The Lord hath been sore displeased with your fathers. Who lived before and at the time of the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, and which was manifest by their captivity; all which were occasioned by their sins, with which they provoked the Lord to sore displeasure against them; and this is mentioned as a caution to their children, that they might not follow their example, and incur the like displeasure. read more
The Lord hath been sore displeased with your fathers - For their ingratitude idolatry, iniquity, and general rebellion. read more
Verse 2 Angry was Jehovah with anger against your fathers (10) The Prophet here refers to the severity of the punishment with which the Jews had been visited, in order that posterity might know that God, who so rigidly punishes the despisers of his word and instruction, ought not to be provoked. For by saying that God was angry with anger, he means, that God was in no common measure offended with the Jews, and that the very grievousness of their punishment was a clear evidence how displeased... read more
A timely warning. "In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet," etc. Special attention seems invited in the opening verse of this opening prophecy to the question of time. Probably because the time of its utterance was a time of much hope, as shown by the cotemporaneous prophecies of Haggai 1:13-15 ("sixth month"); Haggai 2:1-9 ("seventh month"); and Haggai 2:18 , Haggai 2:19 ("ninth... read more
God's call to repentance. Repentance is turning from sin unto God. I. THE CALL IS FOUNDED ON GOD 'S ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO OBEDIENCE . "Lord of hosts." Sublime title. Thrice used, to give the greater impressiveness. Implies that God's rule is wide as creation. Mark the "host" of stars ( Isaiah 40:26 ). Higher, behold the "angels and principalities and powers" ( Psalms 103:20 , Psalms 103:21 ). God is Lord of all, and it is this God that claims our homage. To turn ... read more
The importance of repentance. "In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Berechish, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, The Lord hath been sore displeased with your fathers," etc. Zechariah and Haggai were contemporaries—prophets of the restoration. The former began to prophesy about two months after Haggai. Like Jeremiah and Ezekiel, he was of priestly descent; a son of Berechiah and grandson of Iddo, the chief of one of the... read more
Hath been sore displeased ; literally, displeased with displeasure, which the versions render, ὠργίσθη ὀργὴν μεγάλην : iratus iracundia (cf. Zechariah 1:15 ). Not only events connected with their earlier history proved that God had been incensed with their forefathers, but the ruin of their kingdom, and the late Captivity, and the desolation around them, were evidence of the same sad truth. read more
§ 2. The prophet admonishes the people not to follow their forefathers' evil example, but to turn to the Lord with all their heart. read more
Wroth was the Lord against your fathers with wrath - o, that is, a wrath which was indeed such, whose greatness he does not further express, but leaves to their memories to supply. Cyril: “Seest thou how he scares them, and, setting before the young what befell those before them, drives them to amend, threatening them with the like or more grievous ills, unless they would wisely reject their fathers’ ways, esteeming the pleasing of God worthy of all thought and care. He speaks of great wrath.... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Zechariah 1:1-6
Here is, I. The foundation of Zechariah's ministry; it is laid in a divine authority: The word of the Lord came to him. He received a divine commission to be God's mouth to the people and with it instructions what to say. He received of the Lord that which also he delivered unto them. The word of the Lord was to him; it came in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit, as a real thing, and not a fancy. For the ascertaining of this, we have here, 1. The time when the word of the Lord came... read more