👉 Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?
Explanation: Okay, letās break down this verse from Zechariah 1:12. It's a really important passage about Godās judgment and a call to repentance. Hereās what it means in simpler terms: The Basic Idea: God is deeply concerned about two places ā Jerusalem (the capital of Israel) and Judah (a region near Jerusalem). Heās been angry with them for a long time, and he's demanding that they stop their actions and show mercy. Letās unpack it piece by piece: āThe angel of the LORDā : This is referring to God himself, specifically the divine messenger or leader of the Israelites. āansweredā : God is directly responding to his concern. āO LORD of hostsā : This shows how serious and important this situation is ā itās not a casual conversation; it's a powerful declaration of Godās displeasure. āhow long wilt thou not have mercy onā¦ā : This is the core of the verse. "Mercy" means forgiveness, compassion, and kindness. God is asking for unconditional mercy ā no conditions attached. He wants to show his loving concern for these people. āā¦Jerusalem and the cities of Judahā : These are specific places that God considers to be in trouble. āJudahā specifically refers to the Kingdom of Israel, which was under rule from Assyria (a powerful empire at the time). "Jerusalem" is their capital city. āagainst which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?ā : This is the cause of Godās anger. He has been angry for a long period ā 30 and 10 years ā because of certain actions and behaviors by them (primarily the Assyrian Empire). It's a significant amount of time, showing that this isnāt a recent issue. Overall Meaning & Significance: This verse is essentially a warning. God is saying, āI am deeply disappointed with you. You have been causing me pain for a long time, and I expect a change.ā Itās a call to repentance ā to stop the things that are causing him distress and to show compassion to those he's angered. It sets the stage for a period of judgment and potential consequences if they donāt turn back. In short, itās a plea for forgiveness and a reminder that God is watching and concerned. --- Do you want me to: Explain this verse in more detail? Provide context about the history of this passage? Talk about how this verse relates to other parts of the Bible?