B. The Sermon Concerning the Purpose of Fasting (7:4-14)

Zechariah begins by reminding the people that fasting was an external expression of an internal, spiritual reality. They did not fast to satisfy God’s requirements. On the contrary, just as feast days were to satisfy themselves, so fasts were often prompted by self-interests. The prophetic quotes in vv.9-10 sum up the four precepts that were meant to shape Israel’s social principles. The positive commands reflect the concern for justice (mišpāṭ) so prevalent in the prophets and a commitment to covenantal love and loyalty (ḥesed̠) that should pervade all our relationships. The negative prohibitions denounce the exploitation of weakness and forbid thinking of wronging others. The point of Zechariah’s sermon seems to be that the preexilic fathers had rejected these principles and had refused to hear God’s Word. Thus he goes beyond the question of fasting and dwells on the stubborn disobedience that brought on the tragedy commemorated by the fast days. Those who would consider fasting should dwell on these moral standards because the fall of Judah could have been avoided if these had been maintained.