1. OTS 501 OLD TESTAMENT INTRO AND LITEARTURE
Dr. Esa Autero

2. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
1.1 Introduction to Haggai
Who was Haggai and when did he live?
What is the basic setting and message of Haggai?
Heard sermons on Haggai?

3. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
1.2 Historical and Critical Issues
Author, composition, date
Haggai the prophet (1:1)
Haggai as the recipient of the oracles
Third person narrative – written down by a scribe/friend?
Later editor wrote down the prophecies(?)
Written by Haggai or his disciple very shortly after the oracles
Dedication of the Temple (516BC; Ezra 6:15) not mentioned
 Haggai ministered Aug-Dec. of 520BC
Book of Haggai probably written shortly after

4. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
1.3 Background, purpose, structure
Historical background
Return of the Exiles & edict of Cyrus (539BC) 2Chr36:23
Many did not want to return (cf. Jer 29:5-6)
First returnees 539BC led by Sheshbazzar (Ezra 2:64; Neh 7:66)
Foundation of Temple laid (Ezra 5:16) – project halted b/c of practical reasons
2nd group led by Zerubbabel & Joshua 522BC
Inspired by Hag. & Zech. to rebuild the Temple (Ezra5:11-12) – finished 515BC
On-going issues in postexilic community
Land ownership issues (Jer 52:15-16; Ezek 11:3, 15)
Tensions b/w newly arrived and those who remained (Neh 5:6-8)
Opposition to building of Temple & walls (Ezra3:2-10, 12-13; 4:1-5; 5:3- 5; Hag 2:3; Zech 4:10)
Focus on survival not Temple building (Hag 1:3-10)
Haggai’s oracles during the reign of Darius I
Rebellions in Persian empire (Hag 2:6-7; Zech 1:11-15; 2:7-9)
 Hope of independence, restoration, fulfillment of promises

5. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
Purpose of Haggai
Haggai initiated the construction of the Temple
Preoccupation with personal comfort
Repentance and honor the LORD
Structure
Challenge to covenant renewal (1:1-15)
The promise of restoration (2:1-9)
Call to holiness (2:10-19)
Zerubbabel – Davidic Servant and Signet Ring (2:20-23)

6. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
1.4 Themes in Haggai
Temple construction & divine retribution
History of God’s dwelling places
Tabernacle – moving around and Shiloh (Josh 18:1)
Temple (1Kgs 6-8; 2 Sam 24:18-25; 1Chr21:18-30; 22:1-16)
Temple as ‘lucky charm’ & destruction (Jer 7-10; Ezek 8-10; 2Kgs25:8-17)
Haggai: “rebuild the Temple”
Foundations laid but work discontinued (1:2)
Divine retribution due to neglect of Temple (1:3-6; Deut 28:38-40)
“Former” and “latter” glory of the Temple (2:8-9)
Need for consecration of worship (2:10-14) BUT blessing due to divine grace (2:15-23)

7. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
2.1 Introduction to Zechariah
When did you read through Zechariah last time?
Any difficulties understanding it?
Peculiar or obscure features of Zechariah?
Sermons from Zechariah?

8. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
2.2 Historical and Critical Issues
Author, composition, date
Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo (1:1; cf. Ezra 5:16; 6:14)
Unified work by Zechariah
Critical theories – two/three sections 1-8 and 9-14 [12-14]
Major arguments for multiple authorship/composition
1-8 history, people, and concerns of restoration community
E.g. Zerubbabel, Joshua, Zechariah (6:10-11; 7:2)
9-14 apocalyptic visions reflecting later times (9:5, 13; 10:11; 11:3-14)
E.g. Greece (9:13); Maccabean period & Onias III (11:3-14; cf. 2Macc 4:1)
No personal names (contra 1-8)
Differences in vocabulary, syntax, style b/w sections

9. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
Response & some other suggestions for the differences
Sections arranged according to themes
Immediate-distant; vision-oracle; dated-w/o date
Style & vocabulary changes due to literary genre (prose-poetry)
Statistical analyses not wholly reliable
Lapse of time b/w writing of sections
Change in social setting – from optimism (1-8) to longing (9-14)
No need to pose Maccabean/Alexander G’s time (cf. Ezek 27:13; Joel 3:6)
Common themes b/w the sections
Importance of Jerusalem (1:12-16; 2:1-13; 9:8-10; 12:1-13; 14:1-21)
Cleansing of the community (3:1-9; 5:1-11; 10:9; 12:10; 13:1-2; 14:20-21)
Gentiles in the kingdom (2:11; 8:20-23; 9:7, 10; 14:16-19)
Former prophets (1:4; 7:4-10; 9:1-8; 11:1-3; 14:1-4)
Restoration of paradisiac conditions (8:12; 14:8)
Re-gathering of the exiles (2:6; 8:7; 10:9-10)
Outpouring of the Spirit (4:6; 12:10)
Messiah (3:8; 4:6; 9:9-10)

10. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
Date of Zechariah
Oracles delivered b/w Oct/Nov 520BC and Dec 518BC
Time of writing
Depends of the compositional theories
1-8 written b/f Temple’s dedication in 515BC (cf. Ezra 6:13-22)
9-14 written ? --- attributed dates from c. 4th to 2nd century BC
Would it have been incorporated into Canon of minor prophets?
 Unified work – final compilation b/w 500 and 470BC

11. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
2.3 Background, purpose, structure
Historical background
Persian king Darius I ruling Persia (c BC)
Difficulties in postexilic community
Zechariah prophesied just two months after Haggai
Zechariah’s last dated message in 518BC
Purpose
Comfort, strengthen, rebuke postexilic community
Not to follow evil ways of the ancestors (1:3-5)
Do good (7:8-12; 8:14-17)
Rekindle postexilic community’s hope and messianic expectations (4:6; 6:9-15; 8:13)

12. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
Structure of Zechariah
Prelude: Call to repentance (1:1-6)
The night visions of Zechariah (1:7-6:15)
God’s horsemen (1:7-17)
Four horns and four smiths (1:18-21)
Measuring Jerusalem/A wall of fire (2:1-13)
High priest and Satan (3:1-10)
Lampstand and olive trees (4:1-14)
The flying scroll (5:1-4)
Woman in a basket (5:5-11)
Four chariots of judgment (6:1-8)
The crowning of the Branch (6:9-15)
Zechariah’s messages (7:1-8:23)
Justice and mercy vs. fasting (7:1-13)
Restoration of Zion (8:1-23)
Two Oracles (9-14)
Messiah’s rule (9); redemption of Israel (10); Messiah’s rejection (11)
Israel cleansed (12:1-13:6); Shepherd & sheep (13:7-9); Zech’s Apocalypse (14)

13. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
2.4 Themes in Zechariah
Visions of Zechariah – mercy, judgment, restoration
Chiastic structure of the visions
Visions 1&8 – fate of gentiles
Horsemen: Judgment of gentiles & blessing of Jerusalem (1:1-17)
4 Chariots & horses: God’s control of the nations (6:1-8)
Visions 2&3 and 6&7 – sin, judgment, restoration
Horns & smiths – oppressive nations smashed (1:18-21)
Wall of fire - Restoration & protection of Israel (2:1-13)
Flying scroll – judgment for breaking 8th & 9th comm. (5:1-4)
Women/basket – Israel’s sin removed & Babylon judged (5:5-11)

14. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
Visions 4&5 – cultic and civil leadership restored
Joshua/Satan – removal of sin from postexilic community and restoration of leadership w/ Messianic overtones (3:1-21)
Lampstand & olive trees – completion of the Temple and God’s faithfulness to the restoration of community (4:1-14)
Future messianic hope (9-14)
Salvation and judgment – Day of the LORD and Messiah
Return from Exile completed w/ final Exodus
Salvation & judgment of the nations/Israel (9:9-10, 16; 12:1-19; 14:1-5; 12:10-13:9; 14:6-15)
LORD as Shepherd and His coming to Jerusalem
Messianic King (11:4-17)

15. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
3.1 Introduction to Malachi
Most commonly cited passages of Malachi?
Message of Malachi
Sermons from Malachi (apart from Mal 3:9-10)

16. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
3.2 Historical and Critical Issues
Author, date, composition
Malachi wrote down the oracles (1:1)
Critical scholarship
Malachi means “my messenger”/”my angel” – not a proper name
Mal 3:1 “I will send my messenger…”
Malachi as a whole an anonymous oracles
Similarity to Zech 9:1 and 12:1 “An oracle. The Word of the LORD…”
Three independent oracles (Zech 9-11; Zech 12-14; Mal 1-4) were originally attached to Zech 1-8
Later Zech 9-11 and attached to Zech 1-8 and Mal 1-4 independent book due to “my messenger” formula in 3:1 and 1:1.

17. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
Easier to see Malachi as a proper name
Oracles written by Malachi or his scribe/disciple
Possible appendices (4:4-6)
Connections to the book itself though (3:1)
Malachi written during postexilic time
Written down b/w 500BC-450BC
Malachi preceded Ezra and Nehemiah

18. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
3.3 Background, structure, purpose
Historical background
2nd Temple rebuilt but time of blessing not realized
Unfulfilled expectations of Zerubbabel as the King (Hag 2:20-23)
Partial material prosperity (Hag 2:6-9)
Only some returned from captivity (Zech 8:1-8)
Pre-Ezra decline of the postexilic community
Mixed marriages (Mal 2:11-15; Neh 13:23-27)
Failure to tithe (Mal 3:8-10; Neh 13:15-22)
Breaking of the Sabbath (Mal 2:8-9; 4:4; Neh 13:15-22)
Corruption of priesthood (Mal 1:6-2:9; Neh 13:7-9)
Socio-economic injustice (Mal 3:5; 1:16; 2:16; Neh 5:1-13)

19. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
Structure of Malachi
Six disputation speeches
Superscription (1:1)
God does not love Israel (1:2-1:5)
Love demonstrated by destruction of Edom
Priests show contempt to God (1:6-2:9)
Defiled offerings to the father/master who deserves honor
Israel breaks the covenant (2:10-16)
Unfaithfulness to God & people – God is the father/creator
God accused of injustice (2:17-3:5)
God ignores evil – God will purify His people on the “day”
Israel must repent and change (3:6-12)
God does not change – Israel must repent and bring tithes
Israel’s harsh words against the LORD (3:3-4:3)
Israel says it is futile to serve the LORD – differences b/w righteous and wicked on the “day”

20. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
Purpose of Malachi
Call back to covenant relationship w/ YHWH
3.4 Themes in Malachi
Covenant(s) of YHWH w/ His people
Three covenants in Malachi
Covenant of Levi (2:8)
Covenant of the fathers/ancestors (2:10)
Covenant of marriage (2:14)
The messenger of the covenant (3:1)
God’s covenant faithfulness (3:6; cf. 3:5)
Covenant blessings and curses (2:1-9; 3:8-12)
Promise of future restoration due YHWH’s mercy (4:1-5)
Expectation of blessing and hope for the future

21. Haggai, Zechariah, MalachiF