Zech 7:1-14 
1 And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu; 

The "fourth day of the ninth month" is approximately November 24th, most probably...see explanation below. 
FATHER saw fit to have this date included in HIS Word, so we do have need to consider it. 
The month name "Chisleu" was not a Hebrew name, but a Babylonian name. 

In its later history the nation of Israel adopted all 12 months of the Babylonian calendar as their civil calendar.
But not all of the 12 months are listed in the Bible. The seven that occur are: Nisan, the first month <Neh. 2:1>; Sivan, the third month <Esth. 8:9>; Elul, the sixth month <Neh. 6:15>; Chislev, the ninth month <Zech. 7:1>; Tebeth, the tenth month <Esth. 2:16>; Shebat, the eleventh month <Zech. 1:7>; and Adar, the twelfth month <Ezra 6:15>. The first month of this calendar also fell during the springtime. 
Since Israel was an agricultural society, its calendar worked well for the people and their religious festivals. In the first month (coinciding with our March April), the fourteenth day was Passover <Ex. 12:18>; the fifteenth day through the twenty-first day was Unleavened Bread <Lev. 23:6>; the sixteenth day was Firstfruits <Lev. 23:10-14>, dedicating the first-ripe barley sprigs. The second month (April May) marked the celebration of a later Passover, in case some had missed the first celebration <Num. 9:10-11>. 
On the sixth day of the third month (May June), the people celebrated Pentecost, which was also called the Feast of Weeks <Lev. 23:15-22>, in commemoration of the completion of the barley and wheat harvests. In the seventh month (September October), the first day was the Feast of Trumpets <Lev. 23:23-25; Num. 29:1>, celebrating the New Year; the tenth day was the Day of Atonement <Lev. 16:29-34; 23:26-32>; the fifteenth to the twenty-second days were the Feast of Tabernacles or Ingathering <Lev. 23:33-43> in commemoration of all the harvests of the year. Thus, the feasts revolved around the harvests. 
With regard to the year, the Jewish historian Josephus stated that Israel had two New Years-- the commercial New Year, which began in the fall (seventh month), and the religious New Year, which began in the spring (first month). Since the months were based on the lunar system and since each month averaged 29 1/2 days, the year would be 354 days, or 11 days short of the solar year. In just three years the calendar would be off more than a month. 
To reconcile the lunar month with the solar year, Babylon had a sophisticated system where seven months would be added to the calendar over a 19-year cycle, resulting in an error of only two hours and four minutes by the end of the cycle. This is remarkable accuracy for that day. Israel must have adjusted her calendar in a similar fashion by adding a "Second Adar" month whenever necessary. 
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary) (Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers) 

Zech 7: 
2 When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regemmelech, and their men, to pray before the LORD, 
3 And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years? 

"Sherezer" (prince of fire) [ this name is of a foreign derivation ] 
[sheh REE zur]-- a man sent by the people of Bethel to ask about the observance of the anniversary feast commemorating the destruction of Jerusalem <Zech. 7:2>; (Sharezer, NASB, NIV, RSV). 
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary) (Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers) 

"Regemmelech" (king's heap{stoneheap}) or (friend of the king) [ This name is written as Regem Melek ] 
[ree guhm MEE lek] (friend of the king)-- one of a group of men sent to the Temple to ask about a day of national mourning <Zech. 7:2>. They were instructed to ask the priests and prophets whether they should continue to observe fasts in remembrance of the destruction of the Temple. 
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary) (Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers) 

"Sherezer and Regemmelech, and their men" were sent unto the "house of God" (Bethel). 
They were sent to ask specific questions of "the priests which were in the house of the LORD of hosts" and  of "the prophets". 
"Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?" 
They were sent unto the priests and prophets, to ask what The LORD would say about whether or not they should continue to observe the fasts in remembrance of the destruction of the Temple. 
They were asking, should we 'continue' to mourn?; should we 'continue' to fast / abstain? 

YHVH knows the hearts of all men. And those who are pretentiously pious and pretending obedience shall not be able to deceive HIM. 
Are these specific men lying (to themselves, to the priests and prophets, and to YHVH) as to their actions during those 70 years? 
Let us look to that which YHVH answered them through HIS servant, Zechariah. 

Zech 7: 
4 Then came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying, 
5 Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me? 
6 And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves? 
7 Should ye not hear the words which the LORD hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain? 

YHVH responded to these men with questions. Were these rhetorical questions? 
(Were they questions of which HE did not have need to hear their responses?) 
Did these questions charge or convict them within themselves? 
Often, YHVH'S Word will 'tweak' the conscience of one who does look to YHVH, but has not always done as HE has instructed. Those who do not know or love Our FATHER, and do HIS Will shall not feel badly. 

"When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?" 
"And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?" 
"Should ye not hear the words which the LORD hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain?"

We have need to look at these "seventy years" which FATHER spoke of in HIS questions/responses. 

During those "seventy years", did the people only do for themselves? Would this "seventy years" have been easier on them if they had turned again unto FATHER, done as FATHER had instructed, and looked to HIM? 

Zech 7: 
8 And the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying, 
9 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: 
10 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. 
11 But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. 
12 Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts. 

These things which FATHER asks of us are not that difficult to do. 
But, were (are) YHVH'S children willing to do that which is right and good? 
Do they know the difference between that which right and good from that which is wrong and evil? 
Most refuse to 'hear', 'see', and 'do' according to YHVH'S Word. 

Zech 7: 
13 Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts: 
14 But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate. (KJV) 

If one (or a whole people) refuses to 'hear, see, and do according to YHVH'S Word', then HE will refuse to 'hear, see, and do' for that one (or a whole people). 

FATHER did scatter all of the tribes of Israel into the midst of the heathen or ethnos who knew not YHVH. 
HE shall gather those who shall overcome once again, but not into the former land, but to Jerusalem and unto YAHSHUA in The LORD'S DAY.