Theological Commentary: Click Here
Discipleship Focus: Identity
- Identity: Our true identity comes from the Father. Only when our identity comes from God can we be obedient in ways that satisfy our person to our core.
Zechariah
7 opens up a discussion that is always profound in any time period of human
history. People come to Zechariah and
ask God how much longer they need to fast.
Be clear on this question, though.
This isn’t the people asking to stop obeying the Lord. This question is regarding a fast that was
instituted by humans at the beginning of the exile when Gedaliah was killed in
an act of treason. The people are coming
to ask Zechariah how much longer they need to follow the human fast.
This is a
very legitimate question that should be asked.
The people are to be commended for asking this question. We should always ask whether or not we should
be following human directives. This
truly goes back to our identity. Whose
people are we?
In fact,
God supports this line of thinking. Do
you hear what God says in reply? “Was it
for me that you fasted?” God wants the
people to hear and know that they are violating their relationship with Him if
they stop following directives that were not instituted by Him.
This
truly is a fundamental perspective with respect to identity. Who are we following? Are we following others? Are we trying to be like other human
beings? Or are we trying to be like God
and living in obedience to Him?
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