1. Old Testament – Postexilic Israel
Preserving Tradition
Old Testament – Postexilic Israel

2. 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

3. 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?

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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