“Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” (Zechariah 7:9–10, ESV)

This message from the Prophet Zechariah seems pretty straight forward. This was not a new word from the Lord. Prophets before Zechariah gave the people the same message. People ignored it and turned their back on God’s wishes.

Once again the message did not take hold. Not only that but Jesus tells a crowd (specifically those that would be considered the religious people of that day), that they not only ignored this message, but also killed the prophets who brought it. (Matthew 23) As for Zechariah, he was: “…murdered between the temple and the altar.”