Old Testament – Postexilic Israel Preserving Tradition Old Testament – Postexilic Israel

Prophets in postexilic Israel Ezra Nehemiah Haggai Zechariah Malachi Helped to restore and renew Israel as a religious community, not as a nation Around the primary event of rebuilding the Temple

Haggai The driving force behind the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem 15 years after the return from exile but very little reconstruction effort Very effect: Reconstruction began 23 days after Haggai’s started prophesying The people began with great enthusiasm but soon turned to discouragement and self- centeredness and was left unfinished Haggai 2:4 – The people need to work not just to be children of God but to be working children of God When God is given first place, he blesses his people richly Read Haggai 1:1-15 What command does God reiterate in these verses? How could these words apply to you in your own life today?

Zechariah Also encourages Temple reconstruction Writes in apocalyptic style – unveiling of future events, particularly the final struggle between good and evil, with God being victorious and establishing his kingdom forever Describes a divine intervention and the beginning of a new age Different from prophecy that interprets fore ordinary historical evens as actions of God Written in response to real or perceived persecution Renews hope in a messianic kingdom to come, looking ahead to the day of the Lord Was a priest as well as a prophet Wrote 2 months after Haggai began prophesying 8 visions With a partner, analyze the Book of Zechariah on the Book of Revelation: Zechariah 4:10 and Revelation 5:6 Zechariah 13:1 and Revelation 21:6; 22:1-2 Zechariah 14:6-7 and Revelation 22:5 Zechariah 14:9 and Revelation 11:15, 15:3-4

Like Haggai, Zechariah emphasized the importance of religious ritual Zechariah’s Visions Themes: call to repentance, hope for a messiah, revelations about a messianic community of the future centered in Jerusalem Dialogues between God, Zechariah, and an angel who interprets the visions Vision of the victorious end times after destruction, war, and suffering: peace between all people and all will worship God Riders (messengers) from other nations – in response to complaints from Israelites that sinful nations were prospering Horns – four horns symbolize the nations that had overpowered Israel; horns are cast down, symbolizing that the oppressor nations would pay for their sinfulness Measuring line – God would remain as their protective wall A Heavenly Court – the high priest, Joshua, who is leading the community, has his filthy clothes removed and clean clothes placed on him after being accused by Satan (literally meaning “accuser” or “adversary”) Lampstand – the lamp holds an infinite reservoir of oil, symbolizing the infinite care of God Flying Scroll – represents God’s curse for those who go against God’s Law; the individual must live righteously Woman in a Basket – represents the wickedness in all the land; an angel packs the woman into a basket and returns her to Babylon, signifying God’s removal of sin from society Four Horses and Chariots – horses patrol the world in search of evil, especially in the north (the route from Babylon); the world was now at rest and Judah could rise again in freedom Choose 5 symbols that would convey God’s message for today’s society. Like Haggai, Zechariah emphasized the importance of religious ritual

Second Part of Zechariah (Ch 9-14) Added later More Messianic Oracle refers to the entry of Zion’s king on a donkey (Palm Sunday) Defiance of the practice of a monarch arrogantly riding in horse and chariot Donkey was a vehicle of nobility in the days of Genesis and Judges The king would come as a humble and noble king The king will be strong, trustworthy, stable, and victorious The messiah will be a good shepherd Zechariah and the Gospels Handout

Joel Calls the people to return to God Uses plague of locusts that devastated the land as a warning of things to come Also uses apocalyptic prophecies along with judgments and blessings Speaks of the Apocalypse that will be an earthly disaster of cosmic proportions