You could sum up these chapters very simply as: - God's sovereignty in salvation - Our responsibility for obedience and faithfulness - The result of salvation and blessing for the nations
And within this – we see the Spirit's use of ordinary means. God uses us to accomplish his purposes.
The reason why you fast is because things are not the way they should be and we are not the way we should be. But fasting is not the end of the story.
In the same way, death is not the end of the story for those who believe in the resurrection! While the way of the Christian life is the way of the cross – the cross is not the goal! The goal is resurrection!
Another way to summarize its:
The people are asking if they still need to keep fasting in the fifth month (do they need to continue mourning over the destruction of the temple, while they are building the new temple)?
God replies by saying, that's not really a yes or no answer! Start by remembering what the prophets had warned you about. Remember why you were mourning and fasting in the fifth month – you were mourning and fasting because of your sins and rebellion! But then also remember who I am – remember who your God is – "I am the one who saves my people and restores my temple. I am the one who accomplishes my own purposes – both in destroying my enemies, and in saving my people."
Therefore love truth and peace. And the result will be that salvation will come through you to the nations! In other words, a kingdom ethic is fundamentally a resurrection ethic!
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