Real Piety or Posturing Zechariah 7:1-7

Oct-Nov 520 B.C. Zechariah commenced his prophetic ministry (1:1-6)
15 Feb 519 B.C. A series of eight visions occurring one night (1:7-6:8) . . . 22 months later . . .
7 Dec 518 B.C. Superficial folly and the City of Truth (7:1-8:23)
Outline of chaps 7-8:
Messengers from Bethel entreat the Lord (7:1-3)
God’s displeasure of their posturing (7:4-7)
The perils of impartiality and greed (7:8-12)
The wages of sin is exile (7:13-14)
Yahweh returns to Zion and bless the remnant of his people (8:1-6)
Yahweh will rescue his remnant from exile (8:7-8)
Yahweh will cause the remnant to inherit (8:9-15)
The love of God for truth and justice (8:16-17)
Posturing will be replaced with true piety (8:18-19)
All people will come to Jerusalem to entreat the Lord (8:20-23)
There are four responses (represented by bold) to the question in v. 3, "Shall I weep in the fifth month and abstain, as I have done these many years?"
Messengers from Bethel entreat the Lord 7:1-3
God’s displeasure of their posturing (7:4-7)
Application:
Outward/external devotion (religion) is a constant danger for all of God’s people
Do not allow yourself to make the mistake religious men are ever making, that God must be pleased with outward forms and ceremonies, even when these ritualistic forms are of his own devising. As long as the heart is untouched, nothing, however religiously done, can be acceptable to God (Dennett).
Test yourself . . . what is the reason you do what you do? Why are you doing spiritual practices like prayer, Bible study, worship, and church service? Is it for show, for your own ego, to assuage guilt feelings, or a response to God's grace for saving your soul?