Doing All as Unto Christ

Zechariah 7 details an interaction of men who came to the house of God to pray and to inquire of the priests if they ought to continue fasting and mourning in the fifth and seventh months as had been their annual tradition during exile.  God answered with questions of His own in Zechariah 7:5-6:  "Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me--for Me? ⁶ When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves?"  The people embraced months of fasting and mourning but neglected to honour and obey God when they ate and drank every day.  They lamented being driven from their homeland but did not praise the God who had never left or forsaken them.

These men came to the priests because they found the periods of fasting and mourning burdensome--even unnecessary after their return to Jerusalem.  They wondered if there was any point to afflict themselves with hunger and God revealed they hadn't been doing it for His sake at all.  It had been an exercise of the flesh that lacked spiritual merit because they had not been eating and drinking for the LORD.  The principle held forth to King Saul is fitting here:  "To obey is better than sacrifice."  All the sacrifices a person can make are useless to find favour with God coupled with refusal to obey what He has clearly commanded.  If they had hearkened to the prophets God sent to warn His people before the 70 years of captivity, they could have been spared judgment and destruction they brought upon themselves.

Hear God's response in Zechariah 7:8-10:  "Then the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying, ⁹ "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother. ¹⁰ Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart against his brother.'"  While debated over whether they should fast and afflict themselves for the fifth and seventh month, God desired they would cease from sin and walk in justice, mercy and compassion to one another every day.  God called for a continual fast from oppressing the widow, fatherless, stranger or poor.  He commanded them to stop scheming against their brethren.  What they did out of the fear of God and faith in Him was more important than any of the self-imposed restrictions they put on themselves.

God has made His commands clear and without a doubt like in Colossians 3:20-24:  "Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. ²¹ Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. ²² Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. ²³ And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, ²⁴ knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."  If we say we love God, we ought to use our strength to honour and obey Him, loving others as He loves us.  We could fast for months without spiritual benefit should we refuse to heed Him.  Whether we eat, drink or fast, may it all be done unto the LORD in sincerity of heart before the LORD--not with an aim to please men or honour tradition.  May the fear of God and obedience to the LORD be our traditional practice, not because we are pious or religious, but because Jesus Christ is our glorious Master we serve with our whole hearts.