Albert Barnes Commentary Zechariah 1:5

"Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?" — Zechariah 1:5 (ASV)

Your fathers, where are they? - The abrupt solemnity of the question seems to imply an unexpected close of life which cut short their hopes, plans, and promises to self. When they said, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them (1 Thessalonians 5:3).

Yet not only they but the prophets too, who ministered God’s Word to them, these also being human beings, passed away, some of them before their time as people, by the martyr’s death. Many of them did not see their own words fulfilled. But God’s word which they spoke, being from God, did not pass away.