Category: BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

Welcome to AtoZMom’s BSF Blog! BSF International, or Bible Study Fellowship (BSF)’s study of Exile & Return: A Time to Build is a study of the Old Testament where we will see how God’s people are called to build His kingdom in a foreign land. We will study several books in the Bible, including Ezekiel, Daniel, Ezra, Esther, Haggai, Zechariah, Nehemiah, and Malachi, and study some of the best characters in the Bible, such as Daniel, Ester, Ezra, and Nehemiah. Follow this free Bible study online today!

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BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 21, Days 4 and 5: Zechariah 11

by atozmom, posted in BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

Summary of Zechariah 11

“Open your doors, O Lebanon,” for judgment falls on the leaders. The Lord commands Zechariah to “pasture the flock marked for slaughter.” He takes two staffs, Favor and Union, but the flock detests him. He breaks Favor, annulling the covenant. Upon asking for wages, they weigh out “thirty pieces of silver,” which he throws to the potter. He then breaks Union, dissolving the brotherhood, leaving them to a “worthless shepherd” who deserts the flock.

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 21 Days 4 and 5: Zechariah 11

9) The poetry depicts a devastating fire sweeping from the north, devouring Lebanon’s majestic cedars and Bashan’s oaks. These trees symbolize Israel’s pride and powerful leaders. The “wailing of shepherds” and “roaring of lions” reveal that the nation’s rulers are being stripped of their power, signaling the total collapse of national defense. We have “railing” and “ruin.” Not good.

10) “Flock marked for slaughter”

11a)

God levels three specific and damning accusations against the leaders of Israel:

  • Merciless Exploitation: They treat the people as mere commodities to be bought and sold, slaughtering them without a second thought.

  • Spiritual Hypocrisy: They attribute their filthy gain to God’s blessing, saying, “Praise the Lord, I am rich,” masking their greed with religious language.

  • Ruthlessness (Not Sparing): The text states specifically that their own shepherds “do not spare them.” They offer no protection or mercy to the flock that is being bought and slaughtered.

b) God says: “For I will no longer have pity on the people of the land,” declares the Lord. “I will give everyone into the hands of their neighbors and their king. They will devastate the land, and I will not rescue anyone from their hands.”

God responds with judicial abandonment, ceasing His protection and surrendering the flock to civil strife and tyranny. This occurs because the flock forsook the “living waters” (Jeremiah 2:13), detested His leadership (Zechariah 11:8), and ultimately rejected the true Good Shepherd in favor of corrupt, destructive leaders (John 10).

12) Based on Zechariah 11:7–9, God directed Zechariah to shepherd the “flock marked for slaughter.” He took two staffs, named Favor and Union, to tend them. However, after removing three corrupt leaders and facing the flock’s hatred, Zechariah grew weary and resigned, leaving the rebellious people to their fate

13) Breaking Favor signified God revoking His covenant with the nations, removing His protective restraint. Breaking Union symbolized the severing of the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. Together, these acts marked the end of divine peace and national unity for the people.

14a) 30 pieces of silver

b) For me, it’s at my low points in life.  When I’m depressed, unhappy, or life gets hard. That’s when I am tempted.

15a) Verses 15–16 reveal the Antichrist (typified as the “foolish shepherd”) is raised up by God, showing his power is a divinely permitted judgment. His cruelty is absolute neglect of the suffering, while his destruction is savage: he devours the healthy sheep’s flesh and tears off their hooves to consume them utterly.

b) God is in control. God is in charge. God always wins.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 21, Days 4 and 5: Zechariah 11

This is a difficult passage to interpret, so stick with it!

End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 21, Days 4 and 5: Zechariah 11

The doors of Lebanon are the mountain passes between Lebanon and Israel. The cedar trees represent Lebanon’s strength.

As the shepherd, Zechariah represented the Lord.

The three shepherds are often considered to represent the prophets, the priests, and the king.

The eating of the flesh did happen when the Romans attacked Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

In Zechariah 11, the two staffs represent the dual blessings the Good Shepherd (Messiah) brought to His people:

1. Staff “Favor” (Hebrew: No’am)

  • Translation: Often translated as “Beauty,” “Grace,” or “Pleasantness.”

  • Symbolism: It represents God’s protective covenant and grace toward His people. It symbolized the divine restraint God placed on foreign nations to keep them from destroying Israel. It reflects the vertical relationship between God and His flock—a relationship defined by His unmerited favor and defense.

2. Staff “Union” (Hebrew: Chobelim)

  • Translation: Often translated as “Bands,” “Bonds,” or “Unity.”

  • Symbolism: It represents the internal brotherhood and cohesion of the nation. specifically the unification of Judah (the Southern Kingdom) and Israel (the Northern Kingdom). It reflects the horizontal relationship among the people—binding them together in peace and shared identity under one Shepherd.

Together, they show that the Shepherd provided both external protection (Favor) and internal peace (Union).

In Zechariah 11:12–13, the thirty pieces of silver serve as a powerful prophecy regarding the rejection of the Messiah. Here is the breakdown of its significance:

1. The Value: The Price of a Slave

When the Shepherd asked the people for his wages, they weighed out thirty pieces of silver.

  • The Insult: In the Mosaic Law (Exodus 21:32), this was the specific compensation price for a slave gored by an ox.

  • The Meaning: By paying this amount, the religious leaders were effectively telling the Shepherd (God), “Your value to us is no more than that of a dead slave.” It was a calculated expression of contempt.

2. The Act: “Throw it to the Potter”

God, insulted by the low valuation, commanded Zechariah to “throw it to the potter” in the house of the Lord.

  • The Prophecy: This specific detail foreshadows the events of the New Testament with remarkable precision. A potter’s field was where a potter would throw his broken bits of pots. It was a useless piece of land.

3. The Fulfillment: Judas and Jesus

This passage is directly cited in (Matthew 27:3-10) as being fulfilled by Judas Iscariot:

  • The Betrayal: Judas betrayed Jesus for exactly thirty pieces of silver, fulfilling the valuation of the Messiah as the price of a slave.

  • The Return: Filled with remorse, Judas threw the silver back into the temple (“the house of the Lord”).

  • The Potter: The chief priests used the “blood money” to buy a potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners, fulfilling the command to throw the silver “to the potter.”

The foolish shepherd was allowed by God to be His instrument of judgment because the people rejected the true shepherd. This was fulfilled when Jesus was rejected. The foolish shepherd foreshadows the Antichrist (Daniel 9:27).

God will judge the worthless shepherd. Revelation 13:3, 12-14

END NOTES SUMMARIZED

This chapter provides a grim and dramatic enactment of Israel’s rejection of God’s leadership, contrasting the “Good Shepherd” with the “Foolish Shepherd.”

  • The Wailing of Leaders (vv. 1–3): The chapter opens with poetry describing the destruction of Lebanon’s cedars and Bashan’s oaks. These majestic trees represent the prideful leaders of the nation. The “shepherds” (rulers) wail because their glory and pasture are destroyed.

  • The Good Shepherd Rejected (vv. 4–14): Zechariah is instructed to act as a shepherd for a flock marked for slaughter. He takes two staffs—Favor (Beauty) and Union (Bonds). Despite caring for them and dismissing three bad leaders, the flock detests him. In response to their rejection, he breaks the staff “Favor,” signifying the revocation of God’s restraining protection against foreign nations.

  • The Price of a Slave (vv. 12–13): When the Shepherd asks for his wages, the people weigh out thirty pieces of silver—the legal price of a slave (Exodus 21:32). This insultingly low valuation of God’s care is thrown “to the potter” in the house of the Lord, a specific prophecy fulfilled when Judas betrayed Jesus (Matthew 27:3–10).

  • The Rise of the Foolish Shepherd (vv. 15–17): Because the people rejected the Good Shepherd, God hands them over to a “worthless shepherd” who will not care for the lost or heal the injured, but will instead devour them.

Conclusion

Rejection invites ruin. The conclusion of Zechariah 11 is a sobering warning: when people reject God’s gracious leadership (the Good Shepherd), they do not gain freedom. Instead, they become vulnerable to predatory leadership (the Foolish Shepherd). By valuing God’s care at the price of a slave, the people forfeited the “Favor” and “Union” that sustained their community.

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BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 21, Day 3: Zechariah 10

by atozmom, posted in BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

Summary of Zechariah 10

The Lord will care for His people, Judah, bringing rain. The Lord will be with His people as they punish their enemies. God will strengthen Judah, gather them, and save them. He will redeem them.

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 21 Day 3: Zechariah 10

6) The Promise: God guarantees abundant provision (“showers of rain”) if the people ask Him. He promises to intervene personally, visiting His neglected flock and transforming them from wandering sheep into His “majestic horse in battle.”

The Warning: He warns that idols and diviners speak lies and give “false comfort,” causing the people to wander. Consequently, God declares His burning anger against the “shepherds” (leaders) responsible for this spiritual directionlessness.

7a) “The Cornerstone” (Daniel 2:34, Isaiah 28:16, Psalm 118:22-23, Matthew 21:42, Acts 4:11, 1 Peter 2:4-5): Reveals Him as the foundational rock on which God’s kingdom is built, crushing opposing kingdoms.

“The Tent Peg” (Isaiah 22:23-24): Reveals Him as the secure anchor who bears the weight of God’s house and glory, holding everything together firmly.

“The Battle Bow”: a strong fighter for good (Isaiah 63:1-4, Revelation 19:11-16).

“Every Ruler”: (Revelation 19:16).

b)

  • They will become like “mighty men” in battle, trampling the enemy and putting horsemen to shame because the Lord is with them (v. 5).

  • God promises to strengthen “Judah” (South) and save “Joseph” (North), reuniting the divided kingdom and restoring them as if He had never rejected them (v. 6).

  • He will “whistle” for them to gather from exile in Egypt and Assyria, bringing them back until the land (Gilead and Lebanon) is overflowing with people (vv. 8–10).

  • Just as in the first Exodus, God promises to pass through the “sea of trouble” and strike down the waves, humbling the pride of the nations that held them captive (v. 11).

  • The final promise is one of identity: “I will strengthen them in the Lord and in his name they will walk” (v. 12).

8a) The Lord is our defender and our provider. He strengthens us to overcome obstacles in our lives. He restores us. He has compassion on us. He never rejects us. He gathers us. He brings us back to Him. He is our everything.

b) I’m looking to make a career move and am wondering what He has for me. I pray He is helping guide me in these trying times and allowing me peace and solace through it all.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 21, Day 3: Zechariah 10

I loved the circling of the “I’s.” It just shows us how much God loves us and all that He does for us, day in and day out. He is amazing.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 21, Day 3: Zechariah 10

If you ask for rain, the Lord will provide.

Latter rains are spring rains.

There is no help from idols or diviners (or those who tell the future). The people had no leaders, which is why they were relying on these diviners.

Nevertheless, God would transform His people from sheep to war horses, ready for battle. They will defeat their enemies.

Their shepherd would be Jesus!

God will strengthen His people (all the tribes of Judah) and bring them joy.

God will gather His people  (Deuteronomy 30:1-6, Jeremiah 23:1-8, Jeremiah 32:37-41, Ezekiel 11:16-20, Ezekiel 36:16-28) and defeat their enemies, so they can walk in freedom.

END NOTES SUMMARIZED

Interpretation of Zechariah 10

This chapter focuses on the source of true blessing and the restoration of God’s people from scattered exiles to a unified, powerful nation.

  • True Source vs. False Comfort (vv. 1–2): The chapter opens with a command to seek provision (“rain”) from God, contrasting Him with household gods (idols) that offer lies. Because human leadership failed, leaving the people wandering like sheep without a shepherd, God announces He will step in to punish the bad leaders and care for the flock Himself.

  • The Flock Becomes a Warhorse (vv. 3–7): God promises to transform His timid flock into a “majestic steed in battle.” From the house of Judah will come the key figures of stability and strength: the Cornerstone (foundation) and the Tent Peg (security). God empowers them to tread down enemies, signaling victory for both Judah (South) and Ephraim (North).

  • The Second Exodus (vv. 8–12): God signals (whistles) for His people to return from exile in “Egypt” and “Assyria.” He promises to dry up the deep waters—just as He did at the Red Sea—to remove all obstacles to their return, strengthening them to “walk in His name.”

Conclusion

Restoration requires reliance. The passage concludes that God is the only provider of both physical needs (rain) and national security. By personally gathering the scattered exiles and removing the barriers to their return, God demonstrates that when His people rely on Him rather than false idols, He transforms their weakness into divine strength.

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BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 21, Day 2: Zechariah 9

by atozmom, posted in BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

Summary of Zechariah 9

The Lord comes against Israel’s enemies. Never again will an oppressor overrun God’s people. The king (Jesus) will come to Israel, riding on a donkey. The Lord will appear, overcome, and save His people. He grants them victory, beauty, and abundance, restoring their strength and joy.

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 21 Day 2: Zechariah 9

3a) God revealed grace by offering salvation even to enemies. After judging nations like Philistia, He promised a “remnant” would belong to Him, integrated like leaders in Judah. Simultaneously, He showed grace to Israel by personally encamping around His house as a protector, ensuring no oppressor would ever overrun them again.

b) God has always been with me in the troubling times, and although the times are heavy and hard, they do eventually pass, leading to brighter times in my life.

c) Honestly, the whole passage is encouraging! God is with me, He is my shelter, He will save me, and cover me, I will not fear, He holds me in His hands, etc. God is always there for us!

4a) Your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey. Jesus is our king, Lord over all of us. He is righteous and victorious over all. He did come humbly and riding on a donkey to save all of us.

b) When Jesus first came, he came as a humble servant, bringing salvation to his people. In Verse 10, he is coming as a warrior, bringing judgment and rule to the earth.

5) The Lord will save His people and fight for us. We will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. Such a beautiful picture of love.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 21, Day 2: Zechariah 9

I love prophecy in the Bible! These are some of my favorite passages!

End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 21, Day 2: Zechariah 9

Most Bible scholars see this as the conquest of Alexander the Great since the towns and cities mentioned follow his march through the Promised Land in 332-331 B.C. They served as God’s judgment instrument.

The conquest of Tyre by Alexander the Great is considered one of the ingenious military conquests the world has ever known. It’s a very interesting study if you ever get the chance.

map of Alexander the Great's conquests

The Jebusites were those whom David conquered (Joshua 15:8, 2 Samuel 5:6-9, 2 Samuel 24:16-18). Both the Jebusites and the people of Ekron would become part of Israel.

Then, Jesus, as the coming king, is described as coming in peace. He would be a different kind of king.

This passage speaks of the millennium of the End Times (Psalm 72, Isaiah 2:2-4, Isaiah 11:4-9, Jeremiah 23:5-6, Luke 1:32-33 and 19:12-27, Matthew 5:18).

Verse 11 tells of the covenant of Moses, and God will rescue them as if they were trapped in a cistern.

The Lord will fight for His people.

END NOTES SUMMARIZED

This chapter juxtaposes the judgment of worldly powers with the arrival of a divine, peaceful King.

  • Judgment on the Nations (vv. 1–8): The chapter begins with the “Divine Warrior” marching south, dismantling the traditional enemies of Israel (Syria, Tyre, Sidon, and Philistia). God systematically strips them of their pride and military strength. However, a surprising twist occurs in verse 7: a remnant of these enemies will “belong to our God,” foreshadowing the inclusion of Gentiles in God’s kingdom.

  • The Coming of the Messiah (vv. 9–10): In contrast to the violent conquests of Alexander the Great (who history suggests is the background context here), Zion’s King arrives in humility. Riding a donkey rather than a warhorse, He brings salvation and proclaims peace to the nations, extending His rule “from sea to sea.”

  • The Liberation and Victory (vv. 11–17): Because of the “blood of the covenant,” God promises to free the prisoners from the waterless pit. He transforms His people from victims into victorious warriors, defending them so they shine like “jewels in a crown” in His land.

Conclusion

True power looks like humility. The passage concludes that God’s victory is not achieved through superior military might, but through a humble King who brings peace. While worldly powers (like Tyre and Philistia) trust in their fortifications, God’s people are called to trust in the King who arrives in lowliness to bring ultimate salvation.

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Friday’s Digest BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 20

by atozmom, posted in BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IN BSF EXILE & RETURN: A TIME TO BUILD LESSON 20

  • God has great things in store for His people
  • Self-focus perverts our best intentions
  • God is about transforming our hearts
  • We are to represent God right where we are at
  • The Lord is with us
  • God loves us abundantly
  • Living for God changes everything: our relationships, work, community, and daily living
  • We thrive when we live for Him
  • Trusting in the Lord brings unfathomable blessings into our lives
  • God wants to turn our mourning into joy
  • God’s joy always overcomes our circumstances
  • God will accomplish His purposes
  • We live differently when we know that God is with us
  • We can overcome fear and live for others when we seek God

TAKE AWAY: A transformed heart results in a transformed life.

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BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 20, Day 5: Zechariah 8:16-23

by atozmom, posted in BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

Summary of Zechariah 8:16-23

God tells us what to do: “Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. The fasts will become joyful, so love truth and peace. Many will seek the Lord.”

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 20 Day 5: Zechariah 8:16-23

13) God hates when people plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. He calls His people to love truth and peace.

14a) The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah.

b) God transforms mourning by exchanging “ashes for beauty” and despair for a “garment of praise.” He reframes suffering as “light and momentary,” revealing that it prepares an “eternal weight of glory.” By shifting focus from visible troubles to unseen hope, He turns temporary grief into everlasting joy.

c) By realizing that this burden in temporary, and it, too, shall pass. By remembering that God is always with me, and He is my rock. I can lean on Him, talk to Him, and lay all of my worries at His feet, and He will give me the strength to overcome.

15) “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come,  and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the Lord and seek the Lord Almighty. I myself am going.’ And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord Almighty and to entreat him.”

“In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’”

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 20, Day 5: Zechariah 8:16-23

I love the promises of God. So, so good to remember He always wants us to prosper, not to fail, suffer, or flounder in life.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 20, Day 5: Zechariah 8:16-23

God promises blessings when they obey Him.

The fasts will be turned into feasts.

In the End Times, all people will come to Jerusalem through Israel.

When God dwells within you, it attracts others to Him

END NOTES SUMMARIZED

This final section of the chapter outlines the ethical responsibilities of the people in light of God’s promised restoration and concludes with a vision of global attraction to God.

  • The Ethical Mandate (vv. 16–17): God clarifies that restoration requires participation. He demands a community built on integrity: speaking truth to neighbors, rendering sound justice in courts, and refusing to plot evil or embrace dishonesty. He explicitly states He hates the treacherous behaviors that destroyed their ancestors.

  • From Mourning to Feasting (vv. 18–19): God addresses the original question about fasting (from Ch. 7). He declares that the fasts commemorating Jerusalem’s tragic destruction will be transformed into “joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts.” The season of mourning is over; the season of celebration has begun—provided they “love truth and peace.”

  • The Global Pilgrimage (vv. 20–23): The passage ends with a stunning prophecy of reversal. Instead of being despised exiles, God’s people will become magnets for the nations. People from every language and city will grab the hem of a Jew’s robe, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”

Conclusion

Holiness creates attraction. The passage concludes that when God’s people live out truth and justice, and when they are blessed by God, their lives become a testimony that draws the rest of the world to their Creator. The blessing is not just for them; it is meant to extend through them to the nations.

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BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 20, Day 4: Zechariah 8:1-15

by atozmom, posted in BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

Summary of Zechariah 8:1-15

The Lord spoke to Zechariah and said He was jealous for His people. He will return to Jerusalem to dwell, and joy will return to the city. He will save His people and will be faithful and righteous to them as their God. The temple will be rebuilt, and the people will be strong.

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 20 Day 4: Zechariah 8:1-15

9) God responds with intense, burning jealousy for Zion. Unlike His avenging wrath against enemies (Nahum 1:2), this is a protective zeal for His people. He is furiously committed to defending Jerusalem against opposing nations (Zechariah 1:15), turning His passionate resolve into restoration and declaring that Zion belongs exclusively to Him.

10) God promises to return to Jerusalem, transforming it into a “City of Truth.” He guarantees safety where the elderly rest and children play freely. He vows to reverse their curse, replacing poverty with prosperity, fruitful harvests, and peace. He commits to doing them good, commanding them: “Do not fear.”

11) These promises shifted their focus from present ruins to future glory. By guaranteeing safety, prosperity, and His presence, God assured them their labor wasn’t in vain. Knowing the Almighty was now “resolved to do good” gave them the confidence to overcome discouragement and strengthen their hands to finish the work.

12a) In Genesis 12:1-3, God says He will bless Abraham and curse those who curse His people. The world will be blessed by His people.

b) I hope I inspire others or at least make their days a bit brighter when I interact with others. I also try to bless my family with my caregiving and actions. I try to help others, too, whenever I can.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 20, Day 4: Zechariah 8:1-15

I love how even if God chastizes or punishes His people, He emphasizes His overpowering love for them and how He will always be with His people and bless them no matter their actions. Such a powerful promise for us today!

End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 20, Day 4: Zechariah 8:1-15

God is passionate for His people. He is the Lord of all of heaven.

God will transform His people into truth and holiness.

Jerusalem will once again thrive and be a safe place for His people.

Even though the people could not see God’s promises come to fruition, God could. He always does what seems to us impossible.

God encourages His people to finish His work, and they will be blessed. There was no need for fear.

Fun Fact: The name Yahweh (or Lord) appears 22 times in this chapter alone.

END NOTES SUMMARIZED

This passage marks a dramatic shift from the judgment of Chapter 7 to a promise of radical restoration. It describes God’s “jealousy” for His people not as a destructive fire, but as a protective zeal to bless them.

  • The Vision of Shalom (vv. 1–8): God promises to return to dwell in Jerusalem, renaming it the “City of Truth.” The text offers a vivid image of total peace and safety: the elderly sitting securely in the streets with their canes, watching children play. This indicates a society free from war and disease, where life spans are full, and joy is visible.

  • The Great Reversal (vv. 9–13): God acknowledges their past suffering, where there were no wages, no peace, and neighbor turned against neighbor. He promises to flip the script entirely: the “curse” will become a “blessing.” The ground will give its fruit, and the heavens their dew.

  • Divine Determination (vv. 14–15): Just as God was resolved to judge their ancestors for disobedience, He is now equally resolved to do good to the current generation. He commands them, “Do not fear.”

Conclusion

Future hope fuels present strength. The passage concludes that because God has unilaterally decided to bless His people and restore their standing, they should “let their hands be strong.” The certainty of God’s favor is intended to give them the courage to finish the work of rebuilding the temple and their society.

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BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 20, Day 3: Zechariah 7:8-14

by atozmom, posted in BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

Summary of Zechariah 7:8-14

The Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’

The people would not listen to God, so He did not listen to them. He turned His back and scattered them, making the land desolate.

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 20 Day 3: Zechariah 7:8-14

6a) ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’

b) People go from only caring for themselves to caring for others in justice and mercy.

c) It reveals their heart.

7a) Often, God’s people had responded with stubbornness and rejection of God. They ignored the prophets and turned to empty rituals rather than heartfelt change.

b) The result was exile and punishment. God refused to hear them.

8 ) I hope I have become more Christ-like, learned the lessons to grow in my relationship with God and in what He wants for my life, and ultimately learned enough to not repeat my mistakes and to depend on Him more.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 20, Day 3: Zechariah 7:8-14

Such a sad passage and day for the Israelites. When God refuses to listen because you do, it’s not a good thing. So tragic, but what the Israelites needed to return to Him. Hopefully, we don’t make this mistake today!

End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 20, Day 3: Zechariah 7:8-14

God wants obedience and care for others.

Turning from God is usually a progression. As a result, you grow away from God.

If you want God to listen to you and have your prayers answered, listen to Him.

END NOTES SUMMARIZED

This passage serves as a divine explanation for the Babylonian exile, arguing that God values ethical conduct over religious ritual.

  • The Demand (True Religion): God reminds the people that He never primarily asked for fasting; He asked for true justice, mercy, and compassion. Specifically, He demanded the protection of society’s most vulnerable (widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor).

  • The Rebellion (Hardened Hearts): The ancestors refused to listen, turning “stubborn shoulders” and making their hearts as hard as flint to block out the Spirit’s conviction.

  • The Judgment (Reciprocal Silence): Because they refused to hear the cries of the poor, God refused to hear their prayers. “As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear” (v. 13). This resulted in their scattering (exile) and the desolation of their “pleasant land.”

Conclusion

Ritual cannot replace righteousness. The passage concludes that spiritual authenticity is measured by how one treats the powerless, not by religious performance. A heart closed to the needs of others will eventually find heaven closed to its own petitions.

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BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 20, Day 2: Zechariah 7:1-7

by atozmom, posted in BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

Summary of Zechariah 7:1-7

People from Bethel went to Zechariah to ask him if they should still mourn and fast as they had been doing for years.

God answered by asking the people if their hearts were truly mourning or if they were just going through the motions, and if when they were feasting, if it was just for themselves.

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 20 Day 2: Zechariah 7:1-7

3)

Time Passed: Approximately two years passed between the first vision (2nd year of Darius, 8th month) and this inquiry (4th year of Darius, 9th month).

What Was Happening:

  • Active Construction: When Zechariah began (1:1), the work was just restarting after a 16-year delay (Ezra 5:1-2). By Chapter 7, the rebuilding was in full swing.

  • Mid-Way Point: They were roughly halfway through the project. The foundation was laid, and the structure was rising, but it would not be fully finished until Darius’s 6th year (Ezra 6:15).

  • Rising Hope: Because the new Temple was becoming a reality, the people began to question if they still needed to fast and mourn over the destruction of the old one.

4a) They asked the priests, “Should I mourn and fast in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?”

b) God didn’t simply answer their question with a yes or a no. He wanted to know if they were truly mourning for Him or for themselves. He wanted them to examine their hearts.

5a) Because religious rituals are easy to do. Anyone can do them.  Heartfelt worship and service require work and for us to get uncomfortable and face and admit things we don’t necessarily want to.

b) Many ways. You can truly not be repentant for your sins and therefore continue in your ways rather than grow in a relationship with Christ. God gets the glory, not us.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 20, Day 2: Zechariah 7:1-7

Great stuff! I love how God always knows everything — our motivations, desires, fears, and reasonings. And, I love how God always corrects in His amazing way to get us on the right path for Him!

End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 20, Day 2: Zechariah 7:1-7

Bible scholars put this exact day at December 4, 518 B.C., when the temple was about halfway done.

This fast marked the destruction of the temple (2 Kings 25:8-9). The fast in the seventh month (Zechariah 7:5) remembered the murder of Gedaliah, which was the last act of rebellion against the Babylonian governor of Judah (2 Kings 25:25).

Note that these were all fasts and mournings instituted by the Israelites themselves. The only one God instituted was the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29-34). They had been doing this one for 70 years, so they just kept doing it. Now, they began to wonder why.

And, how long should we mourn our past? With Jesus, this is unnecessary!

God rebuked His people for this show of self-pity rather than actual heart mourning, and for trying to make up for living for themselves the rest of the year.

If it’s not done for God, it’s useless.

END NOTES SUMMARIZED

Zechariah 7:1-7 addresses the emptiness of ritual without relationship.

  • The Question: A delegation arrives from Bethel two years into the temple rebuilding. They ask a practical question: “Should we continue to fast and mourn in the fifth month (remembering the Temple’s destruction) as we have done for seventy years?” Since the Temple was being rebuilt, the ritual seemed obsolete.

  • The Motive Check: God does not give a simple “yes” or “no.” Instead, He exposes their hearts: “When you fasted… did you really fast for Me?” God reveals that their fasting was actually self-pity, not repentance. They were mourning their loss, not their sin.

  • The Comparison: God parallels their fasting with their feasting. When they ate, they did it for themselves (pleasure); when they fasted, they did it for themselves (religious pride/sorrow). God was not the focus of either activity.

  • The Reminder: God points them back to the “former prophets.” He implies that if their ancestors had simply obeyed the message of justice and mercy back when Jerusalem was prosperous, these mourning fasts would never have been necessary in the first place.

Conclusion

God looks at the “Why,” not just the “What.” This passage teaches that religious activities—even difficult ones like fasting—are worthless to God if the motive is self-centered. God desires obedience and a heart connection, not just the mindless maintenance of religious traditions.

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Friday’s Digest BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 19

by atozmom, posted in BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IN BSF EXILE & RETURN: A TIME TO BUILD LESSON 19

  • God must deal with sin
  • Fill your mind with God’s truth, not the world’s “truths”
  • Every step in our lives has meaning
  • We conquer sin with God’s strength
  • We are covered in the blood of Christ, so we can be holy in the face of God
  • God is all we need

TAKE AWAY: God rules rightly.

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BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 19, Day 5: Zechariah 6:9-15

by atozmom, posted in BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

Summary of Zechariah 6:9-15

God instructs Zechariah to make a crown from gold and silver and place it on the high priest, Joshua’s, head. His name shall be Branch, and he will build the temple of the Lord. He will be clothed in majesty and sit and rule on his throne. He will be a priest on the throne.

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 19 Day 5: Zechariah 6:9-15

12)  “Take silver and gold from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon. Go the same day to the house of Josiah, son of Zephaniah. Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jozadak.”

13) The “Branch” symbolizes life springing from the “dead” stump of David’s fallen dynasty (Isaiah 11). It identifies Jesus as the promised King (Jeremiah 23) and Servant (Zechariah 3) who, despite humble beginnings, grows to restore God’s glory (Isaiah 4) and build the eternal Temple.

14a) Jesus fulfills this by offering Himself as the perfect, “once-for-all” sacrifice, securing eternal redemption through His own blood (Hebrews 9–10). Unlike human priests, He holds a permanent priesthood, living forever to intercede for believers at God’s right hand (Hebrews 7; Romans 8), ensuring our salvation is complete and secure.

b)

From these verses, we learn that Jesus is not merely a spiritual guide but the absolute Sovereign of the Universe with authority over every realm of existence.

Here is what each passage reveals about His Kingship:

  • Matthew 25:31 (The Royal Judge): Jesus is the King who sits on a literal “glorious throne.” His Kingship includes the ultimate authority to judge the nations, separating people based on their relationship with Him. He has the final word on human destiny.

  • Ephesians 1:20-22 (The Supreme Head): His authority is total and current. He is seated “far above” every other rule, authority, power, and dominion. Nothing in the spiritual or physical universe is outside His jurisdiction.

  • Philippians 2:9-11 (The Object of Worship): His Kingship is universal and undeniable. He holds the “name above every name,” and eventually, every knee—in heaven, on earth, and under the earth—will bow in submission to His Lordship.

  • Revelation 1:5 (The Ruler of Rulers): His authority is political. He is the “ruler of kings on earth.” Every president, dictator, and monarch is a subordinate who answers to Him.

Short Summary

These verses portray Jesus as the supreme Sovereign who outranks every spiritual power and earthly leader (Ephesians 1, Revelation 1). He sits on a glorious throne as the final Judge (Matthew 25) and holds the highest name, demanding that every creature in existence bow in submission to His Lordship (Philippians 2).

c) With humility, gratitude, awe, worship, prayer, and more.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 19, Day 5: Zechariah 6:9-15

I love this mini-study of Jesus as our High Priest. So, go good!

End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 19, Day 5: Zechariah 6:9-15

There had always been a separation between church and state in Israel. A high priest was not crowned as king and vice versa. In fact, there were dire consequences if one tried to do so 2 Chronicles 26 .

This is a direct prophecy of Jesus as our King and Priest.

The branch was a common name for the Messiah (Isaiah 4:2 and 11:1, Jeremiah 23:5 and 33:15). We see branches in the Bible elsewhere, too (John 15:5) and often referred to abundance, fruitfulness, and life.

Since the crown was a memorial, this shows us that Joshua was never meant to be king; this was merely a foreshadowing of Jesus to come.

END NOTES SUMMARIZED

Interpretation

Zechariah 6:9-15 (The Crowning of Joshua) is a Messianic prophecy enacted in real life.

  • The Forbidden Merger: Zechariah is commanded to make a crown of silver and gold and place it on the head of Joshua the High Priest. This was shocking symbolism because in Israel, the office of King (tribe of Judah) and Priest (tribe of Levi) were strictly separate.

  • The Branch: The text clarifies that Joshua is merely a sign. The crown actually belongs to the coming “Branch” (the Messiah).

  • The Priest-King: The prophecy declares that this future figure will “sit and rule on his throne” and “shall be a priest on his throne,” with “counsel of peace” between the two roles. He will perfectly unite supreme authority and supreme mercy.

  • The True Builder: While Zerubbabel built the physical temple, this Branch “shall build the temple of the Lord”—referring to the future spiritual house of God (the Church).

Conclusion

Jesus is the solution to the separation of powers. This passage foretells that the Messiah will not just be a ruler who conquers, nor just a priest who prays, but a Priest-King. He is the only one who can mediate for us with perfect empathy (Priest) while ruling over us with perfect sovereignty (King).

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