Oppress Not Widows, Fatherless, Strangers or the Poor - Zechariah 7:10

In the book of Zechariah, Zechariah said “And the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying, thus speaks the LORD of hosts, saying, execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassions every man to his brother”, and in chapter seven and verse ten of Zechariah, Zechariah shared how the LORD said, “oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor” where we read,

And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; 

and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

The verse reads, “And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor;” Zechariah began with the words, “and oppress not the widow” or “and do not violate, defraud or treat deceitfully and wrong the woman whose husband has died”, “nor the fatherless” which means “no and not in any way orphans”, “the stranger” or “the temporary inhabitant, newcomer lacking inherited rights or sojourners”, “nor the poor” which means “no and not in any way people who are impoverished, afflicted, humbled, wretched and lowly”. Zechariah shared four more groups of people whom the people of Israel were to care for: widows, orphans, sojourners and the impoverished. 

The verse continues, “and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.” Zechariah added the words, “and let none of you” or “and do not allow or permit any of you, the people of Israel to” “imagine evil” which means “plan, esteem, invent or devise bad, disagreeableness, unpleasantness and misery” “against his brother” or “in opposition to his, the people os Israel's, relative, kinship or kindred” “in your heart” which means “within your, the people of Israel's, inner man, mind, will, soul and understanding”. Zechariah shared how Jehovah God also told the people of Israel not to devise any wickedness and disagreeableness within their souls and minds in opposition to their kindred and relatives. 

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn through Zechariah how Jehovah God gave specific ways that the people of Israel were to care for others. “Widows, orphans, sojourners, the impoverished and fellow kindred were to be treated with pity and tender compassion and not with deceitful intentions. God loves us like this, and He gave His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins to prove it. Rather than follow religious practices for the practices themselves, we are to love others as God loves us. (See John 13:34; 15:12,17; Romans 13:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:9) When we yield our lives to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put within us a love for Him and others that will be in keeping with His desire for us. 

Next time Zechariah shares how the LORD says, “they refused to hearken”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".