Zechariah’s prophecy came two months after Haggai’s. According to the note in my Bible, he used ‘the Lord of hosts’ 53 times.

His first words were to return to the Lord. Why? Zechariah 1:2 says that the Lord was angry at their fathers. Verse 3-4 says, “…Return to Me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you…Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets preached…Turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds. But they did not hear nor heed Me…”

Since all actions are first thoughts, it is good to remember Matthew 15:19. It says, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts…” Thoughts of rebellion lead to disobedience. Entertaining thoughts against another will lead to a hard heart of unforgiveness. We ‘return’ by confessing our sinful thoughts and actions.

Zechariah had multiple visions. In each one he was asked what he saw. When he didn’t know, the answer was given to him. Zechariah 7:11 revealed the profile of the disobedient. Let us take warning. It says, “But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear.”

Heed means to listen with an inclined ear. It displays an eagerness. Isaiah 43:19 is a verse I visit often. In the Amplified it says, “Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give HEED to it?…”

Think right now about what just happened in our nation. Zechariah 8:17 says, “Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor; and no not love a FALSE oath. For all these are things I hate, says the Lord.”

Zechariah 12:10 says, “…they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.” The Lord is doing a new thing. Let us heed it and unite our prayers for revival in our nation and in the world. Let us call out, ‘Return to the Lord and He will return to you.’