1 God gave a word to Zechariah. It was year 4 of King Darius, day 4 of month 9. ️ 2 Men came from a town to ask God for help. They wanted to pray to God. ♂️♂️ 3 They asked God’s house helpers and God’s teachers, “Do we keep not eating in month 5? We did this many years. Do we keep crying then?” ️ 4 God gave a word to Zechariah again. ️ 5 God said, “Tell all the people and the helpers: When you did no food in month 5 and month 7 for many years, was it for Me? Was it for Me?” ️❓ 6 “When you eat and drink, you do it for you, not for Me.” ➡️ 7 “Long ago I said this too, when the city had many people and the towns were full. I told you before.” ️ 8 God gave a word to Zechariah again. ️ 9 God said, “Be fair and do what is right. Be kind. Be kind to each other.” ⚖️❤️ 10 “Do not hurt a woman with no husband. Do not hurt a child with no mom or dad. Do not hurt a new person in the land. Do not hurt people with not much. Do not plan bad in your heart.” 11 But the people did not listen. They turned away. They shut their ears. ↩️ 12 Their hearts got hard. They would not hear the law and the words God sent by God’s Holy Spirit to His teachers long ago. So God was very angry. ️ 13 God said, “I called, and you did not hear. You called, and I did not hear.” ➡️ 14 “So I sent them far away to many lands. The land was empty and quiet. No one went there.” ️♂️