Haggai
Haggai lived during the time of Governor Zerubbabel and the high priest Joshua.
He told them that even though the people were saying that it was not a good time to build the Temple, they apparently had time to build nice houses for themselves.
Haggai convinced them that they should restart the Temple project.
The Promised Glory of the New House (1:15–2:9)
The older generation was discouraged because they remembered how nice Solomon’s Temple was and they didn’t think they could ever build another Temple as good as that one.
“‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
Blessings for a Defiled People (2:10-19)
Haggai brought God’s message to the priests, saying that the food shortage in the land which had come as a result of the peoples’ sin would end, and God instead planned to bless His people.
Zerubbabel the Lord’s Signet Ring (2:2-23)
Haggai brought God’s message to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah at that time, saying that God planned to overthrow the current world powers, and that he had chosen Zerubbabel to be his chosen “signet ring” to lead his people.
Zechariah
The rest of the book is made up of an extended section that uses apocalyptic imagery to describe the future Messianic Age.
Like Haggai, Zechariah lived during the time of Zerubbabel’s governorship over Judah, the high priesthood of Joshua, and the reign of Darius the Great over Persia.
Like Haggai, Zechariah called on the people to rebuild the Temple.
Call to Repentance (1:1-6)
The book opens by saying that the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah during the second year of the reign of King Darius the Great.
“Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty. Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord.”
“Then they repented and said, ‘The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.’”
Eight Visions (1:7–6:8)
First Vision (1:7-17)
Sees angel standing among Myrtle trees.
Host of horsemen patrol the earth, report all is quiet
Angel asks God how much longer He’s going to withhold mercy from Jerusalem and Judah
God promises to restore His people and judge their oppressors
Second Vision (1:18-21)
Sees four horns and four craftsmen.
Four horns = nations that had scattered God’s people and destroyed their dignity
Four craftsmen = God’s forces against those nations
He would scatter them as they had scattered His people.
Third Vision (2:1-13)
Sees a man measuring Jerusalem.
God is marking off Jerusalem as His own.
He will dwell there, provide protection
Warns Judah’s enemies of future slavery, offers to join repentant nation to Himself
Fourth Vision (3:1-10)
Sees High Priest Joshua
Joshua is in filthy garments
Satan stands ready to point out sin of Joshua and his predecessors
God rebukes Satan
Joshua given clean new clothes
God’s servant, the “Branch”
Joshua marks beginning of a new work
The Branch will bring in a new age
“I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.”
Fifth Vision (4:1-14)
Sees gold lampstand and two olive trees
Angel explains:
The gold lampstand = the Spirit of the LORD whose seven eyes go throughout all the earth, and whose word approves of the work of Zerubbabel in rebuilding the Temple.
The two olive trees = “the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth”
Sixth Vision (5:1-4)
Sees a flying scroll
Very large, has writing on both sides
Represents the curse and God’s convicting word
Seventh Vision (5:5-11)
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Sees a woman
representing wickedness
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Angel shoves her in a large basket,
seals lid with lead
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Women with wings carry basket away to Babylon
Message = God will remove His people’s sin
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Sees four chariots emerging from between two bronze mountains
The chariots = spirits of heaven who patrol the earth at God’s command
God is sovereign over all the nations.
The spirits report that God’s Spirit now has rest in the north.
God had dealt with His enemies, and could now continue to restore His people.
A Symbolic Act (6:9-15)
A Crown for Joshua (6:9-15)
God told Zechariah to make a crown and place it on the head of Joshua, the high priest.
God explained that His servant, “the Branch,” would build the Temple, rule as a priest on his throne, and bring peace between the offices of king and priest.
Some scholars suggest the text may have originally hinted at Zerubbabel and Joshua’s unity of purpose – political and spiritual leadership working together in harmony.
Ultimately, the text points to Jesus, in whom the offices of king and priest find perfect unity.
Jesus built God’s Temple, the Church.
Jesus intercedes for believers as our great High Priest.
Jesus is also the successor to David’s throne, and will rule forever as King of kings.
Joy of the Messianic Age (7:1–8:23)
Justice and Mercy, Not Fasting (7:1-14)
Bethel delegation’s question:
Should we keep fasting on special days to remember Jerusalem’s destruction?
God’s answer:
Remember the past to avoid following the ways of your ancestors who were exiled.
Fasting lets you humble yourself before God and seek righteousness, but fasting to feel sorry for yourself is a waste of time.
The Lord Promises to Bless Jerusalem (8:1-23)
God will gather His people and reestablish His name in Jerusalem.
He will restore His relationship with His children, and bring lasting peace and blessing.
Israel can become a light to other nations
Other peoples will see God’s blessing and seek it for themselves.
Triumph of the Messianic Age (9:1–14:21)
Judgment on Israel’s Enemies (9:1-8)
God will remove Israel’s neighboring enemies and form a remnant from among them.
The Coming of Zion’s King (9:9-13)
“Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
and the warhorses from Jerusalem,
and the battle bow will be broken.
He will proclaim peace to the nations.
His rule will extend from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.”
The Lord Will Appear (9:14-17)
“Then the Lord will appear over them;
his arrow will flash like lightning.
The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet;
he will march in the storms of the south,
and the Lord Almighty will shield them.”
The Shepherds (10:1–11:17)
Part of God’s restoration of his people included removing their bad leaders.
Zechariah described the leaders as three worthless shepherds who cared little for their sheep.
At God’s command, Zechariah assumed leadership, but the people rejected his good leadership.
The prophet warned the people another evil leader would come before God’s ultimate leader.
Scholars have tried to identify the three shepherds Zechariah mentioned, as well as the future evil shepherd.
Some suggest the shepherds were priests of Zechariah’s day.
Some say they were political leaders.
Some say they represent prophets, priests, and rulers.
“Then I took my staff called Favor and broke it, revoking the covenant I had made with all the nations. It was revoked on that day, and so the oppressed of the flock who were watching me knew it was the word of the Lord.”
“I told them, ‘If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.’ So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.”
“And the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter’—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the Lord.”
“Then I broke my second staff called Union, breaking the family bond between Judah and Israel.”
Jerusalem’s Enemies to Be Destroyed (12:1-9)
God will bring victory in His coming Kingdom.
Jerusalem will be God’s instrument, but the triumph will be His.
He will destroy all the nations that gather against His people.
Mourning for the One They Pierced (12:10-14)
The nation will embrace their God.
As God pours out His Spirit, His people will look upon one whom they have pierced, and mourn for him as one would mourn for the death of an only son.
John the apostle connected this prophecy with Jesus’ crucifixion.
Cleansing From Sin (13:1-6)
“On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.”
God’s shepherd will be struck down.
The Shepherd Struck, the Sheep Scattered (13:7-9)
“Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.”
Through this process, God would prepare a special remnant for His purposes.
At his last meal with his disciples, Jesus warned them about his coming arrest, and told them they would fulfill this prophetic word, and they did.
The Lord Comes and Reigns (14:1-21)
Zechariah foretold a day when all nations will gather themselves against Jerusalem.
At the last minute, God will intervene, deliver His people, and establish His everlasting Kingdom.
“Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.”
“On that day there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness. It will be a unique day—a day known only to the Lord—with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light.”
“On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter.”
“This is the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. On that day people will be stricken by the Lord with great panic. They will seize each other by the hand and attack one another.”
“Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, they will have no rain.”
“On that day holy to the Lord will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the Lord’s house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar.”
When Zechariah wrote about the Messiah’s coming, he did not distinguish sharply between his first and second comings.
For him, as with many other prophets, the Messiah’s coming Kingdom was one glorious future.
Malachi
He disputed with God’s people in post-exilic Jerusalem because they had grown lax in their faith.
This book appears to be presented as a lovers’ quarrel between God and His people.
Dispute over God’s Love (1:2-5)
God: I love you.
People: Oh, really? Prove it!
God: I rebuilt you, didn’t I? Take a look at your neighbor. I didn’t rebuild Edom. Remember Jacob and Esau? Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.
Dispute over Poor Spiritual Leadership (1:6–2:9)
Breaking Covenant Through Blemished Sacrifices (1:6-14)
God: Why don’t you respect me?
People: When have we ever not shown you proper respect?
God: Is it respectful to offer me blind, lame, and diseased sheep for sacrifices? Your own governor wouldn’t accept such cheap gifts, so why should I? I deserve an apology.
Additional Warning to the Priests (2:1-9)
God: If you don’t start listening to me, I am going to curse your blessings. I’ll wipe the filth from the sacrifices you gave me all over your faces! You children of Levi ought to know better than to lead my people astray! My covenant was about life, but you’re killing it!
Dispute over Breaking Covenant (2:10–3:12)
Breaking Covenant Through Divorce (2:10-16)
Malachi accuses the people:
Isn’t God the father of us all? Why do we break his covenant?
You men have broken your covenant with God by marrying women who worship other gods!
People: Why doesn’t God listen to us any more?
Malachi: Because you cheated on the wife of your youth!
God: You hated your wife, and you divorced her. You were supposed to protect her, but instead you were violent with her! So watch out!
Breaking Covenant Through Injustice (2:17–3:5)
Malachi: God is worn out from listening to you.
People: What did we say?
Malachi: You said that God loves it when people do evil deeds, and you acted like he doesn’t care about justice!
God: I will send my messenger ahead of me to prepare for my coming. I will come suddenly; my messenger will come – the one you supposedly look forward to. My messenger will burn the evil right out of you, and I will come and put you on trial!
Breaking Covenant by Withholding Tithes (3:6-12)
God: Return to me and I will return to you.
People: How can we return?
God: Stop robbing me! Do you really think a mortal can rob God?
People: How are we robbing you?
God: In tithes and offerings!
Dispute over Futile Worship (3:13–4:6)
Israel Speaks Arrogantly Against God (3:13-15)
God: You spoke arrogantly to me.
People: What did we say?
God: You said that it’s pointless to serve me, and you said that I have no understanding of justice.
The Faithful Remnant (3:16-18)
Malachi says:
Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.
Judgment and Covenant Renewal (4:1-6)
God says:
“‘Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘Not a root or a branch will be left to them. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act,’ says the Lord Almighty.”
“Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel.”
“See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”
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