Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi

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Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi Already back, but not yet returned from exile

Approaching Haggai •

Who was Haggai and what were his times?

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What are the structure and themes in Haggai?

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How does Haggai point us forward to Jesus and the NT?

Approaching Haggai •

Who was Haggai and what were his times? •

Haggai the prophet (1:1) was well known to his contemporaries •

It is likely that Haggai returned with the 50,000 exiles from Babylon in 538 BC (Ezra 2:64).

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In 536 BC, Joshua the priest and Zerubabbel the governor began to rebuild the temple (Ezra 3)

Approaching Haggai •

Who was Haggai and what were his times? •

Those who returned faced a number of difficulties: •

Land had lain fallow; homes were in disrepair

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Those who had been left behind took over the land, creating difficult legal situations (cf. Jer 52:15-16; Ezek 11:3, 15)

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Rebuilding Jerusalem and the male faced external opposition (Ezra 4:1-5, 5:3-5)

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Initial steps toward rebuilding the temple met with discouraging comments (Ezra 3:12-13)

Approaching Haggai •

Who was Haggai and what were his times? •

As a result, work on the temple stopped. Sixteen years passed until Haggai and Zechariah were able to persuade the people to work on the temple again (Ezra 5:1-2; 6:13-14)

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Work began in 520 BC, during the reign of Darius I (Ezra 5-6; see chart 1).

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Haggai’s prophecies are all dated in relationship to his reign and all occur between August and December in that year (see chart 2) •

As a result of these prophecies, the temple was completed in 516-515 BC.

Persia’s kings 559-530 BC

Cyrus the Great

Daniel 10-12

530-522 BC

Cambyses

522 BC

Bardiya

522-486 BC

Darius I

Haggai (520 BC), Zechariah

485-465 BC

Xerxes I

Esther

465-424 BC

Artaxerxes I

Ezra-Nehemiah

424 BC

Xerxes II

424-404 BC

Darius II

404-358 BC

Artaxerxes II

358-338 BC

Artaxerxes III

338-336 BC

Artaxerxes IV

336-330 BC

Darius III

330-329 BC

Artaxerxes V

defeated by Alexander the Great; Daniel 8

Haggai’s Oracles Oracle

Reference

Date

First

1:1

1st Day of 6th month (Aug 29, 520 BC)

Second

1:15

24th Day of 6th month (Sept 21, 520 BC)

Third

2:1

21st Day of 7th month (Oct 17, 520 BC)

Fourth

2:10

24th Day of 9th month (Dec 18, 520 BC)

Fifth

2:20

24th Day of 9th month (Dec 18, 520 BC)

Approaching Haggai •

What are the structure and themes in Haggai? •

The focus of this little book is the rebuilding of the temple—it is structured around four/five “oracles,” that represent condensations of Haggai’s larger sermons.

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There are key repeated phrases that cause the oracles to hang together: •

“Consider your ways” (1:5, 7; 2:15, 18)

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“I will shake” (2:6, 7, 21)

Approaching Haggai •

What are the structure and themes in Haggai? •

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Oracle #1: Consider your ways—you build your own houses but leave mine a ruin (1:1-12) •

It’s been 16 years since work on the temple began—the people delay in building the Lord’s house while they work on their own (1:2-3)

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The reason why the people have not prospered is because they have not honored the Lord’s house (1:9-11)

Oracle #2: I am with you, so rebuild my house (1:13-15)

Approaching Haggai •

What are the structure and themes in Haggai? •

Oracle #3: This house will have greater glory than the previous one (2:1-9) •

The new temple was criticized because it was not as glorious as Solomon’s temple (Ezra 3:12-13)

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God promises that this second temple would have greater glory and would be the place of peace (2:9) •

He would do this by shaking the world and the nations will come (2:7-8)

Approaching Haggai •

What are the structure and themes in Haggai? •

Oracle #4: Consider your ways, I will now bless you instead of judging you (2:10-19) •

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In the face of all the negative things that happened (cf. 1:9-11), God would now bless his people because they worked on his temple (2:19)

Oracle #5: I am with you—you are my signet ring (2:20-23) •

In Jer 22:24-26, God tells Jehoiachin that he would cast him aside, like a man tearing a signet ring from his finger.

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But here, God tells Zerubabbel, a descendent of Jehoiachin that he would “make you like my signet ring” (2:23).

Approaching Haggai •

How does Haggai point us forward to Jesus and the NT? •

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The glory of the Second Temple: •

There is no record of the Shekinah Glory of God resting on the second temple as he did with Solomon’s (1 Kings 8:10-11)

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And yet, God’s glory would come to that temple (John 1:14)— and through the work of the Great High Priest, shalom would come.

The shaking of the world (cf. Haggai 2:6 with Hebrews 12:25-29)

Approaching Zechariah •

Who was Zechariah and what were his times?

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What are the structure and themes in Zechariah?

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How does Zechariah point us forward to Jesus and the NT?

Approaching Zechariah •

Who was Zechariah and what were his times? •

Zechariah was a priest, the son of Berechiah and grandson of Iddo (1:1). He was a member of a priestly family that returned from exile (Neh 12:4).

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He began his ministry in 520 BC and began prophesying a few months after Haggai (1:1; Oct 520 BC)—and he joined Haggai in urging the returning exiles to build the temple (Ezra 5:1-2; 6:13-14)

Approaching Zechariah •

What are the structure and themes in Zechariah? •

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One of the major issues with Zechariah is the significant difference between chaps 1-8 and chaps 9-14. •

Chapters 1-8 focus more on the immediate concerns of the restoration community—the rebuilding of the temple, the leadership of Joshua and Zerubabbel, the problem of sin in the renewed community.

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Chapters 9-14 seem less oriented to issues of immediate concern, but focused on future, eschatological issues.

As a result, critical scholarship believes that chapters 9-14 are from a different author and period.

Approaching Zechariah •

What are the structure and themes in Zechariah? •

But it seems clear that there are a number of themes that link the two sections together into a whole: Jerusalem’s importance

1:12-16, 9:8-10

Cleansing of the community

3:1-9, 12:10

Gentiles in God’s Kingdom

2:11, 9:7, 10

Outpouring the Spirit

4:6, 12:10

Regathering the exiles

2:6, 10:9-10

The Messiah

3:8, 9:9-10

Approaching Zechariah •

What are the structure and themes in Zechariah? •

The night visions (1-6) •

This section is arranged in a loose chiasm, to center attention on Zech 3-4 as the central message.

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The section opens with the word of the Lord coming to Zechariah the prophet with a call to God’s people to return to him (1:1-6); •

It closes with the word of the Lord coming to Word of the Lord coming to Zechariah the prophet with a call to crown Joshua, the priest-king, with the promise of the Branch to come (6:9-15)

Approaching Zechariah •

What are the structure and themes in Zechariah? •

The night visions (1-6) •

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B sections •

Night vision 1: four horsemen—God promises to return in mercy and to rebuild his temple (1:7-17)

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Night vision 8: four chariots—God declares that he finds rest for his Spirit “in the north” (6:1-8)

C sections •

Night vision 2: Four horns/craftsmen—Judgment upon Judah’s oppressors (1:18-21)

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Night vision 7: Woman in the basket—judgment upon Judah’s oppressors (5:5-11)

Approaching Zechariah •

What are the structure and themes in Zechariah? •

The night visions (1-6) •

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D sections •

Night vision 3: Man with the measuring line: God will regather Israel and dwell in her midst (2:1-13)

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Night vision 6: Flying scroll: Wickedness will be banished from Israel (5:1-4)

E sections (the central visions) •

Night vision 4: Reclothing Joshua: righteous robes for God’s people (3:1-10)

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Night vision 5: Golden lamp stands: the Holy Spirit for God’s people (4:1-14)

Approaching Zechariah •

What are the structure and themes in Zechariah? •

From Fasts to Feasts (7-8) •

This oracle dates to December 518 BC, after the ceremony to reestablish the temple but before its completion (7:1)

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God tells his people that they will no longer mourn, but now “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem” (8:2).

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The result will be that the nations will come to worship Yahweh (8:23)

Approaching Zechariah •

What are the structure and themes in Zechariah? •

The return of the king (9-14): divided into two major oracles •

First oracle: Leaders and their people (9-11) •

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The coming king through whom God will save his people (9:9-17)

Second oracle: People and their leaders (12-14) •

This coming king is from the house of Judah, a Davidic king who will be pierced for God’s people (12:10-13:1)

Approaching Zechariah •

How does Zechariah point us forward to Jesus and the NT? •

One estimate suggests that Zechariah is quoted in the NT over 65 times with the majority of these references in Revelation. •

The Messianic King riding on a donkey (9:9; Matt 21:5)

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The Davidic King who is pierced and betrayed (11:12-13, 12:10; Matt 26:15, 27:9-10, John 19:34, 37)

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The Shepherd King who is emitted (13:7; Matt 26:31)

Approaching Malachi •

Who was Malachi and what were his times?

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What are the structure and themes in Malachi?

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How does Malachi point us forward to Jesus and the NT?

Hebrew names for the books

Hebrew arrangement and classification

English arrangement and classification


 In the beginning
 These are the names
 And he called
 In the wilderness
 These are the words

Torah
 Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Law (Pentateuch) Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

the beginning to

c. 1400 BC


 Joshua
 Judges
 1-2 Samuel

1-2 Kings

Former prophets Joshua

Judges

1-2 Samuel

1-2 Kings

History
 Joshua

Judges

Ruth

1-2 Samuel

1-2 Kings

1-2 Chronicles


 1400-1380 BC
 1380-1050 BC

1200-1150 BC

1100-971 BC
 971-560 BC
 1010-539 BC

Ezra

Nehemiah

Esther

Poetry and Wisdom Job

Psalms

Proverbs

Ecclesiastes

Song of Songs

539-450 BC
 445-410 BC

483-474 BC
 
 
 No specific historical period covered
 


Major prophets Isaiah

Jeremiah

Lamentations

Ezekiel

Daniel

Minor prophets Hosea-Malachi


 739-530 BC
 627-580 BC
 586 BC
 593-570 BC
 605-530 BC
 
 760-460 BC

Latter prophets 
 Isaiah

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

Ezekiel

The book of the Twelve: The book of the Twelve:

Hosea-Malachi

Hosea-Malachi 
 Praises

Job

Proverbs

Ruth

Song of Songs

The Preacher

How!

Esther

Daniel

Ezra

Nehemiah

1-2 The Words of the days

The writings Psalms

Job

Proverbs

Ruth

Song of Songs

Ecclesiastes

Lamentations

Esther

Daniel

Ezra

Nehemiah

1-2 Chronicles

Approximate dates concerned

Approaching Malachi •

Who was Malachi and what were his times? •

We don’t know anything about Malachi (1:1). His name means “my messenger,” but there is no further identification.

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While the book’s lack of identification makes it difficult to date, there are some clues: •

The temple and its sacrificial system appear to be re-established (Mal 1:10; 3:1, 8); hence, it would have to be after 515 BC.

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There are significant parallels between the sins that Malachi observes and those Nehemiah chastises (see chart)

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Hence, it is likely that Malachi prophesied around the time of EzraNehemiah, 475-450 BC

Parallels between Malachi and Nehemiah Named sin

Malachi

Nehemiah

Corrupt priests

1:6-2:9

13:7-9

No concern to keep the Sabbath

2:8-9; 4:4

13:15-22

Mixed marriages

2:11-15

13:23-27

Social problems

3:5

5:1-13

Failure to tithe

3:8-10

13:10-14

Approaching Malachi •

What are the structure and themes in Malachi? •

The book is arranged as a series of six disputations, as God and his people argue. God accuses his people of failures and his people dispute this (see outline).

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Underlying this dialogue is God’s continued commitment to the covenant (1:2-5). Three covenants mentioned especially: •

The covenant with Levi (2:8)

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The covenant with the fathers

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The covenant of marriage (2:10-16)

Approaching Malachi •

What are the structure and themes in Malachi? •

God is determined that his name would be great among the nations (1:11)—and so he will send his messenger who will prepare the Lord’s way (3:1) •

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When the Lord comes, it will be the Day of the Lord (3:2) —judgment and salvation will come (4:1-2). This Day is certain; God will not change his mind (3:6)

The book ends with two appendixes, urging God’s people to observe his law and to look for his coming prophet (4:4-6).

Approaching Malachi •

How does Malachi point us forward to Jesus and the NT? •

Mark 1:2 opens with a quotation of Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3—the messenger who prepared the Lord’s way was John the Baptist (Matt 11:7-15; Luke 7:18-35).

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That means that Jesus himself was the Lord who was come, who brought the Day of the Lord, judgment and salvation to his people for the sake of the nations.