Return to the Lord!

Zechariah 1:3 Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. 4 Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. 5 Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, ‘As the Lord of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us.’”

Zechariah was given numerous visions by God to share with His people. But before he does, God gives a decree to set the stage.  His people had rebelled against God and His Word. When called upon to repent fo their sins and return to Him, they resisted and refused, so God had sent his judgment. That was now history. Many who suffered the exile finally did repent.  That generation was gone and the prophets who announced that judgment were gone. It was now time for this new generation to decide what they would do.  Would they return to the Lord? Will we?