Zechariah 7-8  In the 4th year of king Darius's reign, two years before the temple is completed, men from Bethel came to Jerusalem to speak to the priests there.  Their questions had to do with the fast that was to be held in the fifth month.  According to the Holman Bible Dictionary, this fast was observed on the 9th day to mourn the destruction of the temple.  This seems a reasonable question since the temple was now being reconstructed.  

Zechariah's response was a Word from the Lord.  "Say to all the people of the land and to the priests, 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and the seventh months these seventy years, was it actually for Me that you fasted?  And when you eat and drink, do you not eat for yourselves and do you not drink for yourselves?'"  The Lord reminds them of Israel's history.  Before the exile, the prophets had warned Israel that their external religious activity was not what the Lord required.  They did not listen and that is why Jerusalem had been made desolate.  Here is what Isaiah had spoken,

"Why have we fasted and Thou dost not see?

Why have we humbled ourselves and Thou dost not notice?

Behold on the day of your fast

you find your desire.

And drive hard all your workers.

Behold, you fast for contention and strife

and to strike with a wicked fist.

You do not fast like your do today

to make your voice heard on high.

Is it a fast like this which I choose, 

a day for a man to humble himself?

Is it for bowing one''s head like a reed,

and for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed?

Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the Lord?

Is this not the fast I choose,

to loosen the bonds of wickedness,

to undo the bands of the yoke,

and to let the oppressed go free, 

and to break every yoke?

Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry,

and bring the homeless poor into the house;

when you see the naked to cover him;

and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?"

( Isaiah 58:3-7)

Because they refused to listen and made their hearts "like flint" the Lord "scattered them with a storm wind among all the nations whom they had not known..."  Now the returned remnant needed to learn the lesson that their ancestors had failed to learn.   " Thus has the Lord of hosts said, 'Dispense true justice, and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another."  ( v9-10)   

" These are the things which you should do:  speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgement for peace in your gates.  Also let none of you devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love perjury, for all these are what I hate, declares the Lord." ( 8:16-17)

The Lord does answer the question about the fasts.  Yes, they should keep them... 

The fast of the fourth month ( observed for the taking of Jerusalem)

The fast of the fifth month ( observed for the destruction of the temple)

The fast of the seventh month ( the Day of Atonement and the Feast of tabernacles)

The fast of the tenth month ( observed for the siege of Jerusalem)

But, these would now be observed with "joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts" instead of solemn fasts!

Love, truth and peace would abound to the point that other nations would be drawn to the Lord. 

"So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord." 

A change would come to Jerusalem, the Lord promised,  because He loved Zion.  He was jealous for her.  He would return and make her "the City of Truth".  The mountain would be "called the Holy Mountain".  Men and women will live to old age.  The streets would be filled with children.  People would return from foreign lands.  The land and the people would be fruitful.  "If it is too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be too difficult in My sight? declares the Lord." ( v6)  The Lord promises to save His people, to make them a blessing, and to do good to them.  He tells them to be strong and courageous. 

The people had asked a good question.  The answer was probably much more than they expected!

They wanted to know about a religious observance.  The Lord wanted them to know His will for their whole lives - changed hearts, transformed lives, renewed minds - each individual personally hearing His Word and living in loving obedience:

Doing justice

Practicing kindness

Showing compassion

Speaking truth

Seeking peace

Not oppressing the widow, orphan, stranger, or poor. 

Not devising evil towards anyone

Not lying

Unfortunately, we know that Israel continued to fall short of what the Lord wanted for His people.  Jesus spoke about these same things during His time on earth, "You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying 'This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me." 

They cared more about their outward images than their inward realities.  

It is a strong teaching for all of us.  Going to church, reading our Bibles, giving offerings, or even doing "good" works - are not going to please God if our hearts are far from Him.  We need to heed His Word and do what He has told us to do.  

Father, thank You that nothing is too hard for You.  You change our hearts and make us new creatures through Jesus our Lord.  You draw us near to Your own heart so that we honor You , not only with our lips, but with our whole lives as well.  Forgive our trespasses Lord.  Forgive us for being hypocrites... for worrying about our appearances and reputations instead of truly worshiping You with all of our hearts.   Remake me Lord.  Mold me in the image of Jesus.  May justice, truth, love, and peace flow from my life as You fill me with Yourself, I pray.  In the Name of the Savior I ask this, amen.