Detail

In the eighth month of the second year of Darius (Zechariah 1v1)

Time matters when it comes to prophecy. Or, more accurately, the date of the prophecy matters. Actually, even more accurately, numbers matter more generally. It seems that God wants us to know that he is not distant and general, but right in there with the detail. I think this may be so we know that prophecy, real prophecy that is, real prophecy when it is God who is speaking that is, can be tested against what really happens. 

When God speaks it is not some general waffle that can have so many meanings it will always be true for some value of true. When God speaks we know it is God speaking because it is clear that we will know for sure when it happens that this thing God spoke about has happened, and that it was God that did it.

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