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

2. 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.

3. Israelite History Exodus (15th or 13th centuries BC)
Settlement & Proto-democratic Tribal Confederation
United Monarchy – Saul, David, Solomon, Rehoboam (c 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

4. 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?

5. 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

6. 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)

7. 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 Haggai (c. 520 BC)
Socrates born (470 BC)
Alexander the Great born (356 BC)

8. Haggai’s history Haggai from word meaning “festival”
Maybe born on a feast day?
“chag sukkot sameach”
Post-exilic prophet
During Zerubbabel’s leadership
Ancestor of King David
Book spans roughly four months
Turning point in prophetic role
From temple critic to temple supporter
The Temple still not complete 18 years after 537 BC
Second temple completed in 515 BC

9. 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)

10. Haggai’s Message Outline
I – Warning regarding the Temple & the Land (1:1-11)
II – People’s Response (1:12-15)
III – Oracle of Encouragement (2:1-9)
IV – Oracle Regarding the Unfinished Building (2:10-19)
V – Oracle Regarding Zerubbabel (2:20-23)

11. Haggai’s Message I – Warning regarding the Temple & the Land (1:1-11)
September (520 BC)
1:9-11 – As long as the Temple is in ruins (hareb) the land will suffer drought (horeb)
“Paneled” Houses

12. Haggai’s Message II – Encouragement & Promise (1:12-2:9)
Zerubbabel responds in 24 days
Zerubbabel & Joshua
Heirs to King David & the priesthood respectively
III – Oracle of Encouragement (2:1-9)
October, 520 BC
A Sukkot Address?
The Temple would exceed Solomon’s

13. Haggai’s Message
IV – Oracle Regarding the Unfinished Building (2:10-19)
December 520 BC
About 350 years before the establishment of Hanukkah
A purity question to the priests
The situation has improved
V – Oracle Regarding Zerubbabel (2:20-23)
Same day as last oracle
Reversal of Jeremiah’s rejection of Jehoiachin (Coniah)
Jeremiah (the signet ring rejected)
Jehoiachin was Zerubbabel’s grandfather

14. Haggai’s Reception Late Ancient (New Testament)
The shaking of the cosmos (2:6, 21)
Matthew 24:29; Luke 21:26
Hebrews 12:26 - At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.“ This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of what is shaken-- that is, created things-- so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
A few minor verbal similarities

15. Haggai’s Reception Early Church Modern
Typological Interpretation (highly symbolic)
Prophetic ministry translates to Apostolic authority (Jerome)
Prophecies of the church as temple (Augustine)
Generosity encouraged (Gregory the Great)
Hoarding Wealth Condemned (Cyril of Alexandria)
Modern
Underappreciated because of its apparent approval of the Temple (modern supersessionism)

16. Haggai’s Significance
Expectations and God’s promises
Indifference to God’s mission
Participation and blessing
The right response in the right time
The Future of the Temple (the Church)