Exploring the Minor Prophets The Book of the Twelve Exploring the Minor Prophets

What is the book of the Twelve? Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) divisions: Torah, Nevi’im, Ketuvim (Law, Prophets, Writings) Book = Scroll (סֵ֫פֶר- sepher) תרי עשר = “The Twelve” Emerged as a collection around 190 BC Intended to be read as an episodic unity.

Israelite History Exodus (15th or 13th centuries BC) Settlement & Proto-democratic Tribal Confederation United Monarchy – Saul, David, Solomon, Rehoboam (c. 1000 BC) Divided Monarchy (and decline) Fall of Samaria (N) to Assyria (c. 722 BC) Fall of Jerusalem (S) to Babylon (587 BC) Cyrus the Great invades Babylon (539 BC) Edict of Cyrus Allows Jews to return home and rebuild

Majoring on The Minors History – What really happened? Message – What does it say? Reception – How have others interpreted it? Significance – What does it mean for us?

The Path Ahead July 23 – Zephaniah July 30 – Issues in the Minor Prophets ( Dr. Robin McCall, Guest Teacher) Aug 6 –   Biblical Archaeology (Dr. Don Polaski, Guest Teacher) Aug 13 – Haggai Aug 20 – Zechariah Aug 27 – Malachi Sep 3 –   Closing the Scroll May 21 – Intro to the Book of the Twelve May 28 –  Hosea June 4 -   Joel June 11 – Amos June 18 –Obadiah June 25 –Jonah July 2 –   Micah July 9 –   Nahum July 16 – Habakkuk

Timeline of the book of the Twelve Christian Bible (Masoretic Text) Ancient Greek OT (Septuagint) Chronology (all BC) Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi ---- Amos (mid-8th) Hosea (mid-8th) Isaiah (late 8th) Micah (late 8th) Nahum (mid-to-late 7th) Zephaniah (mid-to-late 7th) Habakkuk (late 7th or early 6th) Jeremiah (late 7th or early 6th) Lamentations (early 6th) Ezekiel (early 6th) Obadiah (early 6th) Haggai (late 6th) Zechariah (late 6th) Malachi (late 5th) Jonah (5th – 4th) Joel (4th ?) Daniel (2nd)

This Time in History The first Olympics (according to tradition) in Greece (776 BC) The City of Rome is founded (753 BC) Homer’s Illiad and Odyssey are put to writing (c. 750 BC) Fall of Samaria/Northern Kingdom to Assyria (722 BC) Greeks add vowels to Phoenician language (700 BC) Fall of Jerusalem/Southern Kingdom to Babylon (586 BC) Leonidas reigns in Sparta (530 BC) The events recorded in the Book of Zechariah (c. 520 BC) Socrates born (470 BC) Alexander the Great born (356 BC)

Zechariah’s history Zechariah means “the Lord has remembered.” Post-exilic Prophet (& Priest – cf. Nehemiah 12:16) Contemporary of Haggai Mentioned along with Haggai in Ezra 5:1, 6:14 During the rebuilding of the Temple During Zerubbabel’s Governorship Ancestor of King David During Joshua’s Priesthood Supporter of the Temple Zechariah 9-14 written later

Haggai’s history During the Reign of Darius I of Persia (522 – 486 BC) Cyrus decrees return and rebuild (Ezra 1:1ff) Temple isn’t built Internal tension between returnees and “the people of the land.” Selfishness/Indifference Persian instability after Cyrus Cambyses (Cyrus’s son) struggles Egypt misbehaving / Cambyses killed Struggle for the throne / Darius acceded 522 BC Temple decreed by Darius (Ezra 6:1ff)

Zechariah’s Message Outline Oracles of the Prophet Zechariah I – Recalling God’s Judgment on the People (1:1-6) II – Eight Visions (1:7-6:15) III – Priestly Reply to a Question about Fasting (7) IV – 10 Divine Promises to Jerusalem (8) Two Later Oracles V – Poetic Speeches about the Day of the Lord (9-11) VI – Advent of the Day of the Lord (12-14)

Zechariah’s Message Superscription (1:1) Recalling God’s Judgment (1:2-6) Eighth Month of the 2nd Year of Darius Mid-October (cf. Haggai 2:1) Between Haggai’s 2nd & 3rd oracles Son of Berechiah, Son of Iddo “The Lord was very angry with your ancestors.” (2) “Return to me” (3) (שׁ֤וּב / shub – 4xs) Double meaning – repent/return “Do not be like your ancestors.” (4) Validation of the prophets

Zechariah’s Message #1/8 Four Horsemen (1:7-17) #2 Horns & Smiths (1:18-21) Another time marker Eleventh Month = Early February An angel with red, sorrel, and white horses. (8) Angelic patrols find peace on the earth and plead for Jerusalem. “Then the LORD replied with gracious and comforting words…” (13a) “My cities shall again overflow with prosperity…”(17b) Vision of four horns & four blacksmiths The angel explains these are the four horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem Animals? Helmets? Altars? Symbols? The blacksmiths “terrify” and “strike down” the horns

Zechariah’s Message #3 Measuring Jerusalem (2:1-5) #4 Cleansing of Joshua (3:1-10) Angel measures the “new” Jerusalem “Jerusalem shall be inhabited like a village without walls, because of the people and animals in it.” (4) God as wall/ring of fire (5) Persian Capital of Pasargadae Aside: Returning Exiles (2:6-13) “Up! Escape to Zion…” (7) Joshua the high priest flanked by the Angel of the Lord and the satan Reference to political critics? Joshua given clean clothes to replace his “filthy” ones My servant, “the Branch” (8d) Zerubbabel? Multi-faceted “stone” from a headdress indicating the power to remove guilt

Zechariah’s Message #5 Lampstand & Trees (4:1-14) #6 The Flying Scroll (5:1-4) Z. wakes to see a lampstand of 49 candles and two olive trees A message to Zerubbabel: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord of Hosts.” (6) Zerubbabel will finish the Temple Lamp (menorah) = God’s presence and vision Trees = sons of oil (“anointed”) Open scroll, flying carpet style. Roughly 30 x 15 feet Warning of cursing for those who steal or swear falsely Rare that scrolls have writing on both sides

Zechariah’s Message #7 Woman in a Pot (5:5-11) #8 Four Chariots (6:1-8) So absurd Zechariah can’t even make sense of it Inside the basket is a woman named Wickedness Pot? Jar? Hebrew, Ephah – 6 gallons) Two stork-winged women take the basket away to a place where a house (prison) is built for Wickedness A reference to foreign wives? Four chariots come forth from between two mountains of bronze Horses are red, black, white, and dappled gray Mesopotamian sun god imagery Chariots = the four winds of heaven The making of crowns The Branch = Joshua, the High Priest Meaning unclear

Zechariah’s Message Question about Fasting (7:1-14) 10 Words to Jerusalem (8:1-23) Oracles in the fourth year of Darius, ninth month November or December 518 BC A question about fasting is brought to the Lord. “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another; do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the immigrant, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.” (9-10) I am jealous for Zion I will return to Zion (faithful city) Old people in the streets/children playing The impossible will be possible Gathering in / Covenant reaffirmed Not as in the former days (blessing crops) I have purposed to do good to you (admon.) Fasts to become feasts (love truth & peace) Jerusalem as sought after destination by many Strangers will mob you saying, “God is with you.”

Zechariah’s Message Zechariah 9-11 – Poetic Speeches about the Day of the Lord Judgment upon surrounding city-states in Syria-Palestine (9:1-8) “Your King comes to you… He shall command peace to the nations.” (9:9-12) Rejoicing as victory promised over enemies (9:13-17) False shepherds & God’s protection (10:1-11:3) Judgement using the Shepherd theme (11:4-17) Two staffs broken (favor & unity) = covenant broken Thirty shekels of silver Rejection of unnamed “worthless shepherd”

Zechariah’s Message Zechariah 12-14 – Advent of the Day of the Lord Judgment on those who go up against Jerusalem (12:1-4) Blessing on Jerusalem “on that day” (12:5-9) Mourning for the dead in Jerusalem (12:10-14) Purification of Jerusalem & false prophets (13:1-9) God will avenge Jerusalem (14:1-21)

Zechariah’s Reception Late Ancient (New Testament) A cornucopia of Messianic prophecies Triumphal Entry (9:9) 30 Pieces of silver (11:12-13) He will be pierced (12:10) His disciples will forsake him (13:7) Influences the Book of Revelation

Zechariah’s Reception Early Church Straight forward prophecies & typological interpretation Messianic Prophecies Renaissance Zechariah in the Sistine Chapel

Zechariah’s Reception Modern “Apple of my eye” (2:8) “Holy Land” (2:12) “A brand plucked from the fire.” (John Wesley, at 5) “Prisoners of Hope” (9:12)

Zechariah’s Significance Questions about support for government The Nature of Prophecy Rebuilding & Renewing Community Building Church Building Justice over religious ritual