The Prophet Hosea

Study By: Richard D. Patterson
 

I. Literary Features

Hosea was a master literary craftsman. His prophetic style is so elevated that it is often difficult to distinguish between his prose and poetry. Andersen and Freedman conclude that chapters 1-3 are basically written in prose narrative, while chapters 4-14 are typical of poetry.1 As a rule of thumb such an estimate is largely helpful, but it must be pointed out that “most of the prophets were poets and their oracles were delivered and have been preserved in poetic form.”2 Indeed, “one may expect that all of the major genres with the exception of some types of instructional accounts will take on the heightened speech, literary richness, and urgency of tone and message that so characterized poetry.”3 Nevertheless, it is true that chapters 1-3 due bear marks much more characteristic of prose. For example, these chapters are distinctly more narrative in style and the oracles embedded in them are brought together as clusters within the narrative. The narrative itself is arranged in chiastic structure around the marriage theme (see Outline).

Indeed, the marriage theme is a prominent one not only in chapters 1-3 but in various places in Hosea’s prophecy. For example, God is portrayed as a jealous husband (2:2-13) due to the infidelity of his wife Israel (as symbolized by Gomer). Israel has played the harlot by flirting with pagan idolatry (e.g., 4:10-18; 5:3-4; 6:10; 7:4; 8:4-6, 9; 9:1, 10, 15; 10:5; 11:2, 7; 12:11) as well as in its unwise political alliances and unrighteous social immorality. Yet God is also portrayed as a faithful and loving husband who longs for and is willing to forgive Israel (2:14-3:5; 9:1; 14:4).

The marriage theme is also closely allied to that of the covenant. Even though God had redeemed his people out of Egypt and brought them into covenant relationship with him (11:4; 12:9; 13:4), they have violated that covenant repeatedly (e.g., 6:7; 8:11-14). Israel’s sole hope lay in the fact that God’s covenant loyalty and redemptive love for them remained (2:18-23; 3:1-5; 8:1-14; 13:16).

Due to Israel’s violation of her fidelity to God and his covenant with them, there was need of repentance. Repentance, therefore, becomes a prominent theme in Hosea (e.g., 2:14; 3:5; 5:6; 6:6-7; 7:8-10; 14:4) as well as the need for Israel to practice righteousness (10:12; 12:6; 14:9).

The themes of violation of covenant and need of repentance are closely associated with that of judgment. Judgment oracles make up a great deal of Hosea’s speeches. Thus Hosea condemns Israel’s practice of idolatry (e.g., 3:4; 4:7-13, 15-18; 5:11; 8:4-6; 9:1; 10:5, 8; 11:2, 7; 13:2; 14:8) and denounces the priests who have led the people astray (4:4-9; 5:1; 6:9; 10:5). Likewise Israel’s prophets (4:5; 6:5; 9:7-8; 12:10-13) and leaders from royal house to prominent members of society come in for their share of denunciation (5:1, 10; 7:3-7, 16; 8:4; 9:15; 10:7; 12:7).

Accordingly, all society is corrupt is in danger of God’s judgment (4:1-6, 14; 5:4-5; 6:8-10; 7:1-14; 8:1; 9:1-3, 7, 15-17; 10:1-2, 9, 13-14; 11:12; 12:8, 14; 13:1-3, 12-13, 16; 14:1).4

Hosea also uses imagery drawn from the agrarian and animal worlds such as the procedures of sowing and reaping (2:3; 8:7; 10:12, 13), and threshing and harvest (2:6, 8-9, 11, 22-23; 6:11; 9:2). Hosea also speaks of vine, vineyard, and wine (2:9, 12; 9:2, 4, 10; 10:1; 14:7). Other images reflect the animal world. Israel is likened to a stubborn, trained heifer (4:16; 10:11), a wild donkey in heat (8:9-10), or a senseless dove (7:11) in her political alliances. Such unions are sapping her strength and Israel is not realizing it. Indeed, her condition is like that of a person who is growing gray but does not recognize the fact (7:9).

Israel is therefore advised and warned that God will deal with them like a ravenous lion (5:14-15) or a stalking leopard or angry bear robbed of its cubs (13:7-8). In a dramatic turn of imagery with regard to a future day a forgiving and loving God is likened to a lion roaring for its young to come to him, while the Israelites are compared to doves or birds returning to their nests (11:10-11).

This underscores the fact that although Hosea’s prophecies display a rich mine of images and literary features (e.g., 6:4; 9:5; 11:8; 12:11; 13:10, 14; 14:9), his most characteristic trait is his frequent employment of metaphor and simile.5 As Johnson observes, “Indeed, a thorough treatment of all of these items would practically amount to a commentary on the whole book.”6 His use of metaphor is indeed striking.7 For example, God is portrayed both as a ferocious lion (5:14) and a healing physician (6:1).

He was Israel’s provider during the period of their wilderness wanderings (13:5). Although Israel was God’s heifer trained to do plowing, yet the yoke she must bear is her coming captivity (10:11). God is the divine farmer who will reap a total harvest (= the coming judgment, 6:11). Hosea himself is God’s watchman over Israel, yet his way is made dangerous because of the traps along the pathway of his service laid for him by his adversaries (9:8).

Hosea’s similes are equally bold and well drawn. Thus because of Israel’s unfaithfulness and harlotry, she will be exposed like a newborn infant and her land will become like a desert (2:3). Israel’s failure to heed God’s word is likened to the stubbornness of a heifer (4:16). In her foreign policy she is like a silly dove flitting back and forth to Egypt and Assyria (7:11). Such a policy has made Israel to resemble “a flat cake not turned over” (7:8). Rather than trusting God, Israel has wandered over to Assyria like a wild and willful donkey (8:9). How different her present status than when God first brought her into covenant relationship. Then she showed great promise, for it was like finding grapes in the wilderness or early fruit on a fig tree (9:10). Alas, all that she now values will disappear like a bird flying away (9:11).

Israel is now not only spiritually but morally corrupt. Israelite society is so plagued by legal disputes that it resembles “poisonous weeds in the furrows of a plowed field” (10:11). Spiritually and morally bankrupt, Israel will fall to the Assyrians and her king will be carried away like a twig caught in water’s current (10:7). Israel is facing a swift and imminent judgment. Her sudden disaster is pictured in four similes: morning mist and early dew, which quickly disappears with the heat of the day, chaff blown away from the threshing floor by the wind, and smoke pouring out through a window (13:3).

At times Hosea also portrays Judah’s tenuous condition with picturesque similes. No less than Israel is Judah’s faithfulness to God—it is as short lived as the morning mist and the dew of the dawn (6:4). Moreover, Judah’s land-grabbing leadership is compared to those who seize adjacent property by moving boundary stones (5:10).

Therefore, God will deal with both kingdoms by leaving them to their fate. Rather than preserving his people, his judgment will be like the destructive forces of moth and rotting wood (5:12). As noted previously, God is pictured also in a more active sense. In his superintending judgment God is likened to ravenous and voracious animals (5:14; 13:7-8). Yet in a future day his call to them to return from exile will be like that of a lion roaring for his pride (11:10).
Outline

A man of such literary skill could be expected to write a well-structured product. And such indeed is the case. Two major divisions in the book are recognized by nearly all expositors (chs. 1-3, 4-14). The first division centers upon Hosea’s marriage to Gomer, itself symbolic of God’s relation to Israel. The second contains a collection of prophetic oracles dealing with the infidelity of God’s people and their need of repentance as well as the Lord’s faithfulness and love despite the need for his judgment against his people. An opening superscription (1:1) and a closing subscription (14:9) enclose the entire prophecy.

Thematic and verbal associations are observable in both sections. Thus chapters 1-3 are structured chiastically with a rebuke of Israel’s infidelity forming the center of the chiasmus (2:14-23 [HB 2:16-25]). Chapters 4-14 fall into three distinct subdivisions, each climaxed or concluding with the prophet’s advice to his people followed by statements regarding the Lord’s continuing burden for his people (6:1-7:16; 10:12-11:11; 11:12-14:8 [HB 12:1-14:9]). The first two subdivisions are introduced by imperatives: “Hear the word of the LORD” (4:1); “Sound the alarm” (8:1), while the third subdivision is initiated by a statement of God’s charge against Israel (11:12 [HB 12:1]).8

I I. The resultant outline can be shown as follows:

Superscription (1:1)

I. A portrayal of unfaithful Israel (1:2-3:5)

A. Rejection—Symbolized in Hosea’s marriage (1:2-9)

B. Restoration—On the basis of the covenant (1:10-2:1)

C. Rebuke—Due to Israel’s infidelity (2:2-13)

B'. Renewal—Based on the covenant (2:14-23)


A'. Reconciliation—Symbolized by Hosea’s marriage (3:1-5)

I I. Perspectives on unfaithful Israel (4:1-14:8)

A. Opening complaints against Israel (4:1-7:16)

1. A threefold indictment (4:1-19)

2. Three guilty parties (5:1-7)

3. A threefold alarm (5:8-15)

4. Prophetic advice (6:1-3)

5. Divine concern for unfaithful Israel (6:4-7:16)

B. Further charges against unfaithful Israel (8:1-11:11)

1. The lesson on the broken covenant (8:1-14)

2. Prophetic reaction: Israel is doomed (9:1-9)

3. The lesson on the unprofitable plants (9:10-17)

4. Prophetic reaction: Israel is a wayward vine (10:1-8)

5. Prophetic advice: Israel is a trained heifer (10:9-15)

6. Divine and Prophetic compassion for Israel (11:1-11)

C. Concluding considerations re unfaithful Israel (11:12-14:8)

1. Her deceitful politics (11:12-12:1)

2. Prophetic reaction: Israel’s deceitful record (12:2-6)

3. Her deceitful practices (12:7-11)

4. Prophetic reaction God’s dealings with deceitful Israel (12:12-14)

5. Her deceitful pride (13:1-16)

6. Prophetic advice (14:1-3)

7. Divine consolation (14:4-8)

 Subscription (14:9)

I I I. Theological Context

Hosea’s theological perspective begins with the opening verses. Israel’s spiritual harlotry will bring God’s certain judgment of exile to the nation (1:1-9). Yet the overriding theological truth is that of God’s love. The Lord’s great unfathomable love will one day result in Israel’s forgiveness and restoration in a new exodus event that will bring his people back home (1:10-11). These themes with deep significance resound throughout the book.

Israel’s sin is termed harlotry and Israel is depicted as a harlot (cf. 1:2 with 2:1-13; 3:1; 4:10-18; 5:4; 6:10; 7:6; 9:1). Her sinfulness is that of infidelity against Yahweh her Redeemer expressed in the worship of idols (4:1, 17-18; 5:7; 8:5-6; 9:10) and the pursuit of sinful practices associated with them (4:14; 9:15; 10:5-6; 12:11; 13:2; 14:8). Because Israel has broken its covenant with God (6:7; 8:1, 11-14; 10:1-3; 12:14; 13:16), God’s judgment must come, for Yahweh is a God of justice (4:19; 5:5, 8-12, 14; 6:4-5; 7:12-16; 8:12-14; 9:3-9, 17; 10:7-10, 14-15; 11:5-6; 13:5-9, 15-16). Moreover, Israel has repeatedly violated the terms of the law. Thus Stuart rightly points out, “Understanding the message of the book of Hosea depends upon understanding the Sinai covenant. The book contains a series of blessings and curses announced for Israel by God through Hosea. Each blessing or curse is based upon a corresponding type in the Mosaic law.”29

As noted under Themes, Hosea has much to say concerning genuine repentance and God’s forgiveness as well (e.g., 2:18-20; 6:1-3; 10:12; 12:6; 14:1-4). Such is based upon the fact that Yahweh is Israel’s only Redeemer. It is he who will one day return a repentant and forgiven people to the land (11:1-4; 12:9; 13:4-6, 14) and initiate a new covenant with them (2:18-23; 3:5). For despite Israel’s propensity to sin, Yahweh is a God of love. His undying faithfulness (11:12) and love for his people will ultimately triumph to his glory and for their good (11:6-11; 14:4-7). Tucked here and there within the book is a hint of God’s means of carrying all of this out—a new leader, a longed-for and needed Messiah (1:10-11; 3:5). For his love is but an aspect of that basic quality among his attributes—his holiness (11:9, 12). Ultimately Israel must realize that there is only one God and they belong to him (2:23; 12:9)

If you want to know more about this study please click on the site below:

http://bible.org/seriespage/introduction-hosea-literary-and-theological-context


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The Prophet Joel

Study By: Imanuel Christian

I. The Author

The name Joel means, “The Lord is God.” Nothing is known about his personal life. Twelve other men in the Old Testament have this name, none of whom can be identified with the author of this book. His father, Pethuel, is mentioned nowhere else in the Bible.

From this book, we can see that he was acquainted with the land, the farming and the geography. Also, it is clear that he lived and prophesied in Judah since he mentions Judah and Jerusalem, and he is thoroughly familiar with the temple and its ministry.
Date

Joel must have lived during the early Eighth Century B.C., and prophesied in Judah during the days of King Uzziah (792-740 B.C.), because he does not mention Assyria, Babylon or Persia. Assyria was in severe decline from 782-745 B.C., and Babylon and Persia had not yet come on the forefront of history. Also, the events, the general attitude of the people, and the literary themes he presents in this book reflect the early Eighth Century B.C. atmosphere.

I I. Background

When you think of King Uzziah, you remember the prophet Isaiah’s call, “The year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted” (Isaiah 6:1). What Isaiah indirectly was saying is that with the death of King Uzziah, Judah lost the king, lost the golden period of the monarchy, and there was no real king left in Judah after Uzziah. At that time, Isaiah saw the real King, seated on a throne, high and exalted.

This means that the prophet Joel lived during the golden period of King Uzziah’s 52 years extended rule. His was the time of great expansion in every aspect: militarily, administratively, commercially, and economically. It was a period of great expansion and solidification. It is noted about him that, “His fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, because he had become very powerful,” and “His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful” (2 Chronicles 26:8, 15). It was a period of peace and prosperity second only to Solomon’s time.

Joel indirectly talks about their prosperity. Their vine vats were overflowing, the fig trees and the pomegranates and apples, all the fruit trees were loaded down; their land was fertile, and barns were filled to the brim and olive oil was flowing like a river (1:10, 17). Their cattle never failed, their herds were multiplying, and flocks were plentiful (1:18).

I I I. The Spiritual Condition

What does material prosperity bring? Spiritual poverty and religious formalism. Moses had already warned them long time ago:

When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you – a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant – then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the Lord who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery (Deuteronomy 6:10-12).

This is exactly what had happened during Joel’s time. Much of their time was spent in merrymaking and drinking orgies as Joel tells them, “Wake up, you drunkards, and weep! Wail, all you drinkers of wine; wail because of the new wine, for it has been snatched from your lips” (1:5).

There is nothing wrong in enjoying life and the material blessing as a gift from God. But when that becomes the goal in life, “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless,” and “Nothing was gained under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:1; 2:11).

Of course, people do want to keep God happy and appeased lest all the material benefits are taken away. Remember Satan’s accusation about Job?

Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face (Job 1:9-11).

Of course, that was not right in Job’s case. But only God knows how many times that is just what it is in many who are called by His name.

The people in Joel’s time were bringing their grain offerings and drink offerings as required by the law (1:9). They did rend their garments and had extended sessions of fasting and weeping and mourning (2:12-13). But their heart was not in that. This is exactly what the Lord indicted them for through the prophet Isaiah, who came right after Joel,

The multitudes of your sacrifices – “what are they to me?” says the Lord. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New moons, sabbaths and convocations – I cannot bear your evil assemblies. Your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them” (Isaiah 2:11-14).

So, like in Isaiah’s case, it took the death of the king to be able to see who the real King was, in the same way for Joel’s time it took a natural disaster of epic proportion to wake people up. God has His ways to bring His people around. He cannot let them go, because He loves them so much.
The Locusts and Drought

Joel provides very vivid and poetic descriptions of the locusts. First, he describes them in the form of the agricultural devastation:

A nation has invaded my land, powerful and without number; it has the teeth of a lion, the fangs of a lioness. It has lain waste my fig trees. It has stripped off their bark and thrown it away, leaving their branches white. … The fields are ruined, the ground is dried up, the oil fails. Despair, you farmers, wail, you vine growers; grieve for the wheat and the barley, because the harvest of the field is destroyed. The vine is dried up and the fig tree is withered; the pomegranate, the palm and the apple tree – all the trees of the field – are dried up” (1:6-7, 10-12).

Second, he describes them as a marching army:

They have the appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry. With a noise like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like mighty army drawn up for battle. At the sight of them, nations are in anguish; every face turns pale. They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not swerving from their course (2:3-7).

The description of the locusts is very vivid and poetic, but not unrealistic. This is a very common phenomenon in that part of the world, even today. I grew up in a small farming community in a remote village in India, and I have seen with my own eyes the devastation that the locusts can make. When the people in my area heard the news of locusts coming, they all would come out of their homes and beat pots and pans with sticks, making a loud noise to scare them away. At least once we saw the widespread devastation by the locusts. For a few days, we heard rumors of locusts eating away the flesh of young babies who were laid out on coats under the open sky. That would give a chill to anyone.

As if that is not enough, Joel describes the drought, “The seeds are shriveled beneath the clods. The storehouses are in ruins. The granaries have been broken down, for the grain has dried up” (1:17).

I V. The Results

A. All the material blessings are taken away (1:7, 10-12).

B. All the religious sacrifices are taken away.

“Grain offerings and drink offerings are cut off from the house of the Lord” (1:9).

For a Hebrew, cutting off the religious sacrifices was far more serious than the loss of the material blessings, because the religious sacrifices guaranteed them the covenant relationship with the Lord. As long as they were able to offer the sacrifices, they thought that the Lord was bound by His covenant to keep His part and continue to take care of them in every way. But, when the sacrifices are taken away, there is no guarantee of any blessings from the Lord.

C. The joy is taken away.

“Surely the joy of mankind is withered away” (1:12). That is how it is with the joy that is based on material blessing and religious formalities.

When man trusts in other things and turns away from the Lord, even the very ground is taken away from under his feet to make him realize how shaky the ground is upon which he stands.

V. The Day of the Lord

Joel’s concern, however, is not limited to these disasters. He sees them as symbols of deeper significance – the Day of the Lord. It may be that the hordes of locusts that covered the sky and blotted out the sun and the moon and the stars (2:10) caused the prophet to reflect upon the Day of the Lord (2:2). The locusts’ plagues were just a sign of future judgment.

The locusts are described in terms of the Day of the Lord, “Alas for that day! For the day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty” (1:15). “Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming” (2:1). Verse 2:11 is transitional; it indicates more the future day of the Lord than the locust army:

The Lord thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty are those who obey his command. The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?

What Joel is saying is that you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

Five of the 19 explicit references to the “day of the Lord” in the Old Testament are found in this short book (1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14).

V I. The Prophet’s Call for Genuine Repentance

First, the call for repentance is given after the invasion of the locusts, “Put on sackcloth, O priests, and mourn; wail, you who minister before the altar … .” And, “Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly, summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord” (1:13, 14).

Second, the call for repentance is given after the more intensive description, “Even now, declares the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning” (2:12). Not just an outward show, but genuine repentance: “Rend your heart and not your garments” (2:13).

Priority of repentance is given to the priests and the religious leaders, “Put on sackcloth, O priests, and mourn; wail, you who minister before the altar.” And, “Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the temple porch and the altar” (1:13; 2:17). Then, they called the rest of the people, from the oldest to the youngest, “Bring together elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber” (2:16).

The prophet’s call is, “Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill” (2:1), where Zion is a symbol of the people of God who take the lead. The spiritual condition of the nation at any given time in history was the barometer of the spiritual condition of Zion.

It is the same with the church today. Does the spiritual condition of the nation reflect the spiritual condition of the church? As Paul writes,

Now you, if you call yourself a Jew (Christian); if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth – you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples (or, God as in the sense of Malachi's statements)? You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?

As it is written, 'God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles (non-Christians) because of you (Romans 2:17-24; italics added)

The Scripture puts the responsibility on the people of God,

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14).

If the land is in broken condition, it is not because the heathen are acting as heathen, but because the church is not acting as the church.

V I I. The Fourfold Blessings

Verse 2:18 begins with “Then,” just like 2 Chronicles 7:14 above. If the people, the people of God, will turn to Him in true repentance, “Then the Lord will be jealous for his land and take pity on his people” (2:18). The prophet describes fourfold blessing as a result of their genuine repentance.

A. God will heal their land for their material abundance (2:18-27).

The blessings are described in the same agricultural terms as the devastation because of the locusts described earlier. “I am sending you grain, new wine and oil, enough to satisfy you fully” (2:19). And, “The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil … . You will have plenty to eat, until you are full … ” (2:24-26).

However, the emphasis is not on the material blessing; it is on the Lord Who provides the material blessings, on the relationship with and the knowledge of God, that provides the full satisfaction. It is the Lord Who is sending the grain and new wine (2:19): “Surely the Lord has done great things” (2:21). “Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God for he has given you autumn rains in righteousness” (2:23), and “You will praise the name of the Lord your God who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be ashamed” (2:26).

The ultimate purpose of God for blessing His people is that they would want to know Him and grow in their relationships with Him. God says, I will bless you: “Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed” (2:27). The purpose of blessing and meeting all our needs overabundantly is not that we get into enjoying the gifts and forget the Giver, but that we would find our joy, our fulfillment, our satisfaction in Him alone, because, as David said, “You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:11).

Repentance, as defined in the English dictionary, usually means “to feel sorry or self-reproachful for what one has done or failed to do,” or “to feel sorry, contrite, or self-reproachful over an error, sin, etc.”282 However, when the prophets preached repentance, it was not always repentance of a particular sin in a person or community’s life. Repentance in the Old Testament does not always mean being sorry for a particular sin, because that word is used for God Himself (e.g., Genesis 6:6; Exodus 32:14; Psalm 106:45; Jeremiah 18:8, 10; etc.).

The basic idea in repentance is to turn about, changing the course, making a U-turn, changing life goals and priorities. This is what the people of God, people who call themselves Christians, need to do today. Instead of running after the material things, they need to seek after the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Instead of finding happiness in the things of the world, they need to seek the true joy, fulfillment, and contentment in relationship with the Lord. The ultimate purpose of God for blessing us is that we seek Him and desire to know Him more and more and love and serve Him more and more.

B. God will pour out His Spirit for their universal spiritual restoration (2:28-32).

After speaking about their material blessing because of their turning back to God, Joel speaks of their spiritual blessing. In the New Testament, Peter applied this to the outpouring of the Spirit at the beginning of the church (Acts 2:16-21). Paul applied 2:32 for the salvation available to all,

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:12).

Although the ultimate fulfillment of this will be at the Second Coming of Christ, it already has been partially fulfilled, as all believers have the indwelling Spirit and can experience the fullness of the Spirit as they are filled with the Spirit in the sense that Paul speaks (Ephesians 5:17-20).


C. God will judge the wicked and establish His eternal Kingdom (3:1-21).

Joel speaks of God’s wrath and ultimate punishment of all the nations that oppressed God’s people. They will be judged and ultimately destroyed, e.g., Edom. The wrath of God on the unbelieving nations is described as God’s trampling of the grapes in the winepress (3:13). As the Apostle John describes in the Book of Revelation,

The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia (180 miles) (Revelation 14: 19-20).

Then, the Kingdom of God will be established, and God’s unlimited blessings will flow to His people,

In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the Lord's house and will water the valley of acacias (3:18).


D. The ultimate blessing.

The book ends with a note of the ultimate blessing, “The Lord dwells in Zion,” the Lord’s eternal presence with His people as described in Revelation:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:3-4).

However, for a Christian, a partial fulfillment of this blessing has already taken place, because “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14). We can enjoy the presence of the Lord in our life right now. We can experience His guidance, His provision, His abundant blessing in the sense that David talks in Psalm 23 right now. “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6).

So, Joel begins with the devastation of the locusts and ends with the eternal blessing of the presence of the Lord with His people forever. Those who have trusted the Lord and committed their lives for His glory, and those who long to fellowship with Him and seek to know Him more and more, enjoy all these blessings right now.

Two of the oldest writing prophets, Obadiah and Joel, speak about the Second Coming and the millennial Kingdom without speaking about the first coming. Why? One of the reasons is that they did not have the full revelation, and they did not have the clear picture and the distinction between the two comings.

However, the more important reason is that, as Peter tells us, “It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you” (1 Peter 1:12). And, as Paul writes, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come” (1 Corinthians 10:11). With the Cross and more than the Cross behind us, the Christian now needs the exhortation of the Second Coming of Christ and to be prepared to meet Him, which the Old Testament prophets provide more than anything else.

We look back to the cross with gratefulness for what God has done for us, and live a life that expresses that gratefulness, and look forward with boldness and great expectation to His Second Coming. Like Paul, every believer should be able to say near the end of his life,

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day--and not only me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing (2 Timothy 4:7-8).


If you want to know more about this book and the site, please click on the site below

http://bible.org/seriespage/book-joel


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The Prophet Amos

From the Study By: David Malick

I. Author: Amos

Southerner of Tekoa (south of Jerusalem) 1:1.

He traveled north to Israel (Bethel) to preach as one called of God 7:15.

Occupation: sheep breeder, perhaps a master shepherd with others under him; not a prophet until called by the LORD 1:1; 7:14f and a grower of sycamore figs 7:14

Spoke in Bethel (center for idol worship in Israel) and then in Judah under Jeroboam II's resistance (7)

May have returned to Judah to write his messages


I I. Date: ca. 767-753 B.C.

King of Judah is Uzziah (Azariah) (790-740)

King of Israel is Jerobaom II (793-753)

Within the period of the joint reigns of Uzziah and Jeroboam, possibly ca. 767-753 B.C.

Two years before the earth quake (1:1 cf. Zech 14:5) it was spoken; it may have been written down later.

King of Assyria--Adad Nirari III (810-753)

King of Syria--Hazael

I I I. Historical settings

A. Judah and Israel  

Judah is under the influence of Jeroboam II of Israel Israel appears to be outwardly at its zenith of power. Jeroboam had a successful reign (2 Ki.14:25-28 cf. Amos 6:14)

Many of the evil characteristics described in Amos 1--2 might better be translated in the present tense of activities then being done.They describe Jeroboam I I's rule as painfully disrupted as His lines were breached and the enemies pressed into the territory. Israel was fighting a defensive war against the armies of Syria and Ammon. Both were true.

B. Three periods of Israel from Jehu (841-414):

1. 839-806 -- Engaged in the East and rent by civil dissensions. Could not put pressure on Syria, suffered 30 years of humiliation during Jehu, Jehoahaz, Jehoash2

2. 806-782 -- Assyria's king Adad-Nirari I I I is ruler, and ruled over surrounding states, especially Syria. Israel was protected. Therefore Israel was able to restore some of its boarders under Johoash and Jeroboam II.  Syria was unable to fight on two boarders. Israel and Judah restored their boarders to almost that of David and Solomon (cf. 2 Ki. 14:25 for the prophecy by Jonah)

3. 782-745 -- the time when Amos spoke; Assyria was under duress from the northern kingdom of Urartu which pushed Assyria down from the north, northwest, and northeast.4 Syria was freed up to deal with Israel and entered into drawn-out battles to regain Gilead, and Bashan.5

The people became arrogant during the northern nation's period of prosperity resulting in injustice, greed, neglect of the poor, persecution of the poor, and formalistic religion.6
 

I V. Audience and purpose of the Book:

A. Audience:

Primarily northern Israel (1:1; 7:15), but there are some references to southern Judah as well (2:4-5; 3:1; 6:1).

B. Purpose:

To describe how the Lord of the universe will not only come to judge the nations for their evil, but will also come to judge Israel for her breach of covenant

To expose Israel's breach of covenant through their social oppression of the people, empty religious ritual, and arrogant self-confidence

To proclaim a time of restoration and blessing after judgment under a revitalized Davidic dynasty


From the Study By:  Hampton Keathley IV

V. The Theme of the Book (1:2)

Three things we need to notice is the phrase, “The Lord comes roaring out of Zion.”

God has been Israel’s shepherd. The Israelites are familiar with the 23rd Psalm, etc. Like a shepherd, God is supposed to take care of them. But Amos, a sheepherder himself, uses what would have been a very vivid word picture to that society. God is now like a Lion to Israel. The lion was probably the most feared animal of that time. It could attack and devour a flock of sheep while the shepherd watched helplessly.

Like the lion roars just before he attacks (3:4), the Lord is announcing his judgment on Israel.

And, I think it is probably more than coincidence that Assyria was big into lion hunting and is compared to a lion in Nahum 2:11-12

2:11 Where now is the den of the lions, the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion, lioness, and lion cub once prowled and no one disturbed them?

2:12 The lion tore apart as much prey as his cubs needed and strangled prey to provide food for his lionesses;
he filled his lairs with prey and his dens with torn flesh.

So this imagery sets the stage and lets the people know that God is angry.

Why is He angry?


V I. Overview of the Book

Key to unlocking the book – Understanding the literary devices used, isolating each unit, figuring out what the point of that unit is and then put the pieces together. When we do that, we see that Amos might be organized as follows:

Seven speeches pronouncing Judgment (following the covenant lawsuit format).
Five messages describing the reasons for the judgment and just how bad they were. (Laments and Woe Oracles)
Five visions to show how bad the judgment will be.
Promise of restoration in the future. (promise Oracle)

So, with these things in mind, we see Amos is preaching in the northern kingdom to the Israelites, and he begins by giving a series of speeches against Israel’s surrounding enemies.


If you want to know more about the book and the site, please click on the site below:

http://bible.org/article/introduction-book-amos

http://bible.org/seriespage/amos2


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The Prophet Haggai

Study by David Malick

I. Title of the book

A. Hebrew: In Hebrew the book is titled ygj after the name of the prophet which probably meant my feast¹

B. Greek: In Greek the book is titled Aggaios, a transliteration from the Hebrew, from which we get our English spelling of Haggai


I I. Author and date: 

A. Author was probably Haggai himself 

1. He is given no introduction other than the prophet cf. 1:1  Erza 5:1; 6:14

2. He may have been a returnee from Babylon

3. He may have been a priest

4. Even though the book was written in the third person (e.g., about Haggai) it is possible that Haggai did this to give the impression of objectivity

B. Date: 

Haggai preached his sermons during the second year of Darius I (521-486 B.C.) 520 B.C

I I I. The content of Haggai

A. The theme 

May I point out that there is probably a century of time which passes between the book of Zephaniah and the book of Haggai. The people of Israel have spent their 70 years in Babylonian captivity. It is Haggai’s responsibility to challenge them to return to the promised land and build God a temple. The key verses are probably 1:4 were Haggai speaks of the Lord’s house lying in waste. The other is 2:3 were Haggai ask if any of the people remember the temple that Solomon built when the house of God was in its glory. May the Lord allow us to speak of a present-day glory in our churches and not a pass day of glory.

B. It is unknown what happened to Haggai ...

It is unknown what happened to Haggai ...after his last message on 18 December 520. Baldwin writes, Once Temple building began in earnest he had fulfilled his mission, and, having in Zechariah a successor to continue the work, he withdrew from the scene

C. The message in 1:13.

The message in 1:13 does not have a certain date. Chisholm offers the following solution:

Since the other messages in the book can be dated, the chronological notation of 1:1 may apply to this message as well.

However, since the people's positive response to the message came on September 21, 520 B.C. (the sixth month, twenty fourth day; cf. 1:14-15), it could have been delivered any time between August 29 and that date


I V. Historical Settings

A. First Return:

The first return from Babylonian exile was under Zerubbabel in 538 B.C. when Cyrus was King (539-530) (Erza 1-6)

1. Return of Haggai: This was probably when Haggai returned to Jerusalem

2. Temple Rebuilt: Haggai and Zechariah prophesy and the Temple was completed under Darius I (521-486)

a. Levitical sacrifices were reinstituted on an altar built for burnt offerings (Erza 3:1-6).

b. The foundation for the temple was laid in the second year of the return (536 B.C.; cf. Erza 3:8-13;5:16).

c. Samaritan and Persian resistance ended the rebuilding of the temple for 16 years (until 520 B.C.; cf. Erza4:4-5).

d. Haggai and Zechariah prophesy from 520-518 B.C. encouraging the nation to rebuild the temple.

e. The Temple was completed in 515 B.C. (Ezra 5-6) 

B. Second Return:

The second return from Babylonian exile was under Ezra in 457 B.C. while Artaxexes I Longimanus was King  (Ezra 7- 10).

1. Ezra 7:1 affirms:

Erza 7:1 affirms that Ezra arrived in Jerusalem during the reign of Artaxerxes the king of Persia.

2. Ezra 7:8 affirms:

Erza 7:8 affirms that Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king (Artaxerxes)

a. The is some question as to whether this was in the reign of Artaxerxes I Longimanus (464-423 B.C.) or Artaxerxes II Mnemon (404-359 B.C.)

b. The evidence seems to be that this was during the reign of Artaxerxes I Longimanus; therefore, the seventh year of his reign would have been 457 B.C.

1). Nehemiah 8:2 identifies Ezra as Nehemiah's contemporary

2). The Elephantine Papyri [c. 400 B.C.] mentions Johanan (the grandson of Eliashib [Neh 3:1, 20])¹²

C. Third Return:

The third return from Babylonian exile was under Nehemiah in 445/444 B.C. also while Artaxerxes I Longimanus was king (Neh 1--13).

1. Nehemiah I:

Nehemiah's first arrival in Jerusalem was probably in 444 B.C.

a. Nehemiah 1:2 and 2:1 affirm that the events of Nehemiah occurred in the twentieth year of king Artaxerxes

b. Nehemiah arrived the first time in Jerusalem twelve-thirteen years after Ezra arrived

2. Nehemiah I I:

1. Nehemiah's second arrival in Jerusalem.

Nehemiah's second arrival in Jerusalem was probably in 433/432-420 B.C.

a. Nehemiah 13:6-7 reads, But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had gone to the king. After some time, however, I asked leave from the king, and I came to Jerusalem and learned about the evil ....

b. Nehemiah left Jerusalem in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes

c. Nehemiah may also have returned to Jerusalem in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes (this is not certain since the text reads, After some time, ...

V. Purposes

A. To encourage the returned remnant to move from a resigned satisfaction with their return to the land to an expression of faith by making an effort to rebuild the temple

B. To encourage the returned remnant toward the reestablishment of temple worship as the nation's main goal

C. To encourage the returned remnant that Yahweh will bless them and the land as they move towards rebuilding the temple

D. To encourage the returned remnant that Yahweh has a future place of importance for them in spite of their past rebellion

If you want to know more about the book, please click on the sites below:

http://bible.org/article/introduction-book-haggai

http://tomgilliam.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/the-theme-of-haggai/


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The Prophet Zechariah

Study By: David Malick

I. Title of the book 

Hebrew: In Hebrew the book is titled hyrkz meaning “Yahweh remembers”

Greek: In Greek the book is titled ZACARIAS, a transliteration from the Hebrew name


I I. Autor: Zechariah the prophet

A. About the Prophet Zechariah:

Zechariah was a Levite who was born in Babylon (Neh 12:1, 16)

He was the son of Berekiah and the grandson of Iddo the priest (Zech 1:1; cf. 12:4, 16; Ezra 5:1; 6:14), therefore, although the name was a common one, it is possible that he was a priest2

Zechariah was a prophet (Zech 1:1)

A contemporary of Haggai the prophet, Zerubbabel, and Joshua, the high priest (cf. Ezra 5:1-2; Zech 3:1; 4:6; 6:11)

Unlike Haggai, Zechariah was probably a young man when he prophesied (cf. Zech 2:4)

I I I. Literary genre:

This book is apocalyptic genre like parts of Ezekiel, Daniel and Revelation.

It is characterized by symbolic visions, animal symbolism, symbolic numbers (two, four, seven), and a blending of history and imagery.

Apocalyptic literature was meant to offer hope to a down cast people through describing the ultimate defeat of evil and victory of God for His people.

In some ways apocalyptic literature is like parables in that it is meant to reveal and hide truth. Ezekiel calls his apocalyptic material parables.

It seems that the visions of Zechariah are more developed than those of Amos and Jeremiah and yet less developed than those of Daniel and later Jewish apocalyptic literature like the book of Enoch. Revelation is fully developed apocalyptic literature.


I V. Date: 520 B.C. until later in Zechariah’s ministry (end of the sixth century B.C.)

A. The dates for the three messages - in chapters 1--8

Identify his ministry there in concurrence with Haggai’s ministry with a one month overlap for the first message.

B. No dates are provided in the text for the two “oracles” - in chapters 9--14

This has led to debate about their chronology:

1. Preexilic Date (and thus not by Zechariah)

Matthew 27:9-10 refers to Zechariah 11:12-13 but is attributed in Matthew to Jeremiah 8

However, as Chisholm writes, “Matthew’s quotation is probably a composite of Zechariah 11:12-13 and passages from Jeremiah (cf. 18:1-2; 32:6-9), perhaps being based on an early Christian testimonial collection.

Like Mark 1:2-3, which attributes a composite quotation (from Isa. 40:3 and Mal 3:1) to Isaiah, the more prominent of the prophetic authors involved, so the quotation in Matthew 27:9-10 is ascribed to the well-known prophet Jeremiah, even though its wording is more dependent on Zechariah”.

The references to Ephraim and Judah, Assyria and Egypt were considered to be preexilic descriptions.

However, the prophet could have been drawing on earlier prophetic passages for his terminology.

2. Post-Zecharian Date:

A military conflict between Israel and Greece is an allusion to the Maccabean-Seleucid struggles of the second century B.C.

However, “Greece” may be used here to symbolize the distant nations (cf. Isa 66:19) who will resist the extension of the Lord’s kingdom in the eschaton. Even if the Maccabean wars are in view, one should not necessarily presuppose the existence of a Greek empire in the author’s day.

Even though Persia, not Greece, was the major power in Zechariah’s time, a keen observer might have been able to foresee Greece’s eventual rise to prominence. If so, then certainly a divinely aided prophet could have looked beyond contemporary political realities and have foreseen future developments”11

3. Later In Zechariah’s Ministry

Some would affirm that the book comes from a time later in Zechariah’s ministry, but not by Zechariah. They would affirm that it was written by a disciple of Zechariah. This is primarily due to the unity which the book has been demonstrated to have.

If the book could have been written during the life of Zechariah, there is no reason to believe that it could not have been written by Zechariah himself; it is not necessary to assume that the same author can write in different genres.

In addition the canonical history of the book of Zechariah has always included all fourteen chapters in the book. Baldwin writes, “Even the tiny fragment of the Greek manuscript found at Qumran, which includes the end of chapter 8 and the beginning of chapter 9, shows no gap or spacing whatsoever to suggest a break between the two parts. Again, as P. R. Ackroyd comments, ‘The very fact that this linking of 9--14 with 1--8 took place argues for some recognition of common ideas or interests’“13

V. Historical background

A. First Return

The first return from Babylonian exile was under Zerubbabel in 538 B.C. when Cyrus was King (539-530) (Ezra 1--6)

1. Return of Haggai and Zechariah: This was probably when Haggai and Zechariah returned to Jerusalem14

2. Temple Rebuilt: Haggai and Zechariah prophesied and the Temple was completed under Darius I (521-486)

Levitical sacrifices were reinstituted on an altar built for burnt offerings (Ezra 3:1-6)

The foundation for the temple was laid in the second year of the return (536 B.C.; cf. Ezra 3:8-13; 5:16)

Samaritan and Persian resistance ended the rebuilding of the temple for 16 years (until 520 B.C.; cf. Ezra 4 :4-5)

Haggai and Zechariah prophesy from 520-518 B.C. encouraging the nation to rebuild the temple

The Temple was completed in 516 B.C. (Ezra 5--6)

B. Second Return:

The second return from Babylonian exile was under Ezra in 458/57 B.C. while Artaxexes I Longimanus was King (Ezra 7--10)

1. Ezra 7:1 affirms that Ezra arrived in Jerusalem during the reign of Artaxerxes the king of Persia

2. Ezra 7:8 affirms that Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king (Artaxerxes)

The is some question as to whether this was in the reign of Artaxerxes I Longimanus (464-423 B.C.) or Artaxerxes II Mnemon (404-359 B.C.)15

The evidence seems to be that this was during the reign of Artaxerxes I Longimanus; therefore, the seventh year of his reign would have been 458/457 B.C.

C. Third Return:

The third return from Babylonian exile was under Nehemiah in 445/444 B.C. also while Artaxerxes I Longimanus was king (Neh 1--13).

1. Nehemiah first arrival in Jerusalem was probably in 445/444 B.C.

Nehemiah 1:2 and 2:1 affirm that the events of Nehemiah occurred in the twentieth year of king Artaxerxes

Nehemiah arrived the first time in Jerusalem twelve-thirteen years after Ezra arrived

2. Nehemiah second arrival in Jerusalem was probably in 433/432-420 B.C.

Nehemiah 13:6-7 reads, “But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of
Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had gone to the king. After some time, however, I asked leave from the king, and I came to Jerusalem and learned about the evil ....”

V I. The literary content of Zechariah is as follows:

An Opening Exhortation: 1:2-6

Eight prophetic dream visions: 1:7--6:8

Historical Messages: 7--8

Two Prophetic Oracles: 9--14

The crown symbolized the coronation of the Branch 6

A. An exortation to repent

Through messages and visions the Lord encourages His people to repent of their evil, be faithful and obey Him because He has a certain, restored, central future for Jerusalem among the nations with Him dwelling among her 1:1--8:23

Yahweh calls the people in Jerusalem to repent in order that they will not be judged as their ancestors were for disobeying the word which lasts forever 1:1-6

B. Night Visions:

Zechariah recounts a series of eight night visions and the coronation of Joshua in order to encourage the nation that He is not finished with them but--has plans for them and will fight for them, bless them, take away their sins, enable them to build the temple, bring true worship, and unite them, if they will repent and obey Him 1:7--6:15

Vision One:

A Horseman Among the Myrtle Trees--God’s Devotion to Jerusalem: The Lord proclaims that His riders are patrolling the earth which is at peace, and that He will restore Jerusalem because He cares deeply for her 1:8-17

Vision Two:

Four Horns & Four Craftsmen--Judgment on Judah’s Oppressors: Through the vision of the horns and craftsmen, Zechariah proclaims that divine agents are going to overthrow those powers who have overcome Israel, Judah, and Jerusalem 1:18-21 [Hebrew 2:1-4]

Vision Three:

A Man with a Measuring Line--Jerusalem’s Future: Through the vision of the surveyor the Lord proclaimed that a time is coming when Jerusalem will be a secure city with many inhabitants, the Lord will dwell among them, the nations will be judged, and the people should rejoice 2:1-13 [Hebrew 2:5-7]

Vision Four:

Clean Garments for the High Priest--The Cleansing and Restoration of Joshua/Israel: Although Israel is defiled (as is pictured through Joshua), Yahweh will cleanse her, restore the Davidic throne, bring about a time of peace and prosperity 3:1-10

Vision Five:

The Golden Lampstand and Two Olive Trees--The Temple, Joshua & Zerubbabel: The Lord proclaimed that His Spirit would empower Joshua and especially Zerubbabel to complete the temple so that the people would know of His presence among them 4:1-14

Vision Six:

The Flying Scroll--Purification of the Land: In the vision of the flying scroll Zechariah learned that the Lord will curse those (and the households of those) who disrupt the building of the temple (steal and lie) 5:1-4

Vision Seven:

A Woman in a Basket--Removal of Evil to Babylon: In the vision of the women in the ephah basket Zechariah learned that the Lord is going to take Israel’s idolatrous evil captive to Babylon where it will be honored 5:5-11

Vision Eight:

Four Chariots--God’s Conquest of the Northern Nations: In a vision of the four chariots Zechariah learned that the Lord sends his spirits out to patrol the earth, and that the nations in the north will be destroyed 6:1-8

C. Four Divine Proclamations:

Even though the nation is unfaithful, Yahweh promises that He will be faithful to them in order to encourage them to trust in Him 7:1--8:23

Message One:

The Rebuke of the Lord concerning Fasting and Repentance: The Lord rebuked the people because their motives for the fasts and feasts were for themselves rather than for the Lord as the prophets forewarned the earlier generations 7:4-7

Message Two:

The Command to Repent concerning Social Justice: Yahweh illustrates that judgment came upon the earlier generation because it refused to hear and repent over the exhortations from the former prophets 7:8-14

Message Three:

Restoration of Israel: Because of Yahweh’s jealousy for his people, He promises to certainly restore them by regathering them, dwelling in their midst, and blessing them 8:1-17

Message Four:

Exchanging Fasts for Celebrations of Joy: Yahweh promises that a time is coming when the time of fasting will be a time of joy and worship for Israel and the nations who will worship Yahweh through Israel 8:18-23

D. Two oracles ("burdens")

The First Oracle:

The Advent and Rejection of the Messianic King: The first burden proclaims the king/shepherd’s coming to defeat the nations and gather His people only to be rejected by His own people and replaced by a false shepherd who will destroy the people and be destroyed 9:1--11:17

The Second Oracle:

The Rejected King Enthroned: The second burden begins with the nation in warfare and mourning over their sin toward the ‘one whom they pierced,’ and ends with God faithfully cleansing His people, going to battle on their behalf, and finally establishing His world-rule from Jerusalem in order that Israel might take courage in God’s faithful plan for them 12:1--14:21

E.The crown symbolized the coronation of the Branch

The crown symbolized the coronation of the Branch who will build the temple of Yahweh and unite the offices of king and priest 6:12-13

Branch Will Branch Out: 6:12a

Branch Will Build Temple: 6:12b

Branch Will Unite Offices of King and Priest: 6:13

Conclusion: 6:14-15

V I I. Purposes for the book:

To introduce glimpses of reality for the postexilic community from a heavenly standpoint, namely, that “The transcendent God is working out His eternal purpose for Judah and Jerusalem, equipping His covenant people to fulffil [sic] the spiritual role for which He chose them (Zc. 1:7--6:15)”20

To describe the quality of life which the postexilic community is to display (Zech 7:1--8:32)21

To demonstrate that the Lord will establish His kingdom, not through a gradual evolutionary process, but through struggle and tension22

To urge Israel to return to Yahweh so that He would return to them and continue to fulfill His word23

To promise that in spite of the nation’s lowly position and its spiritual insensitivity, a Deliverer will bring a time of ultimate blessing

V I I I. Controversy over Authorship and Unity of the Book:

Many critical scholars have decided that chapters 9--14 were not authored by Zechariah, and the reasons have been based upon internal evidence:

Unlike chapters 1--8  where Zechariah’s name was mentioned three times (1:1; 1:7; 7:1) it is not mentioned in the last six chapters. 


The last six chapters do not mention dates.

The last six chapters do not make clear references to known historical events like the completion of the temple.

The book of Zechariah lacks unity in its contents, style, and vocabulary.

But, others scholars don't accept those arguments. Chisholm writes, “Arguments of this type are often subjective. Others have presented lists of stylistic and thematic similarities between the two sections.”

It seems that these differences may be best explained in view of the apocalyptic genre of the material rather than through differences in authorship. Chisholm writes, “Any actual differences may be due to changes in subject matter and literary genre”.


If you want to know more about the book and the site, please click on the site below:

http://bible.org/article/introduction-book-zechariah

The Prophet Malachi

study by Davi Malick

I. Title of the Book:

A. Hebrew: In Hebrew the book is titled ykalm meaning messenger of Yahweh or my messenger

B. Greek: In the Greek Septuagint the book is titled Malacias, a transliteration of the Hebrew title which actually has the sense of His messenger¹

I I. Author and Unity of the Book:

A. The traditional understanding

The traditional understanding has been that the name of the author was Malachi 1:1, and nothing is known of Malachi apart from this book

B. Some have understood Malachi to be a title

Some have understood Malachi to be a title for the work and not the name of the prophet; these identify Malachi as anonymous (along with Zechariah 9:14) because of the similar headings in Zechariah 9:14 and 12:1; but the similarities between the headings is not substantial.

On the other hand, the title of Malachi is similar to all of the other minor prophets which would support the notion that Malachi is a name, not a title.

C. The unity of the book

Although some have questioned the unity of the book, (especially with reference to the last three verses (4:4-6) which some think are an appendix to the book or the minor prophets as a whole), there is a close relationship between 4:4-6 and the rest of Malachi.

D. Three other messengers

Three other messengers besides the author are mentioned in the book: the priest (2:7); the forerunner of Messiah (3:1); and the Messenger of the Covenant (3:1)^.

I I I. Dates: it is not possible to be sure but any time from 568-433 B.C.

 
A. Some references

The reference to a governor points to the postexilic, Persian period (1:8 Ha 1:1, 14, 22; 2:2, 21) See also Nehemiah 5:14.

Malachi must be after 515 B.C. because that was when the temple was finished; the degeneration of worship may imply that some time has passed since its completion

B. Similarities between Malachi and Ezra-Nehemiah

Similarities between Malachi and Ezra-Nehemiah suggest dates around the end of the fifth century B.C.

Both refer to intermarriages with foreign wives (Ezfra 9-10; Neh 13:23-27; Mal 2:11)

Both refer to failure to pay tithes (Neh 13:10-14; Mal 3:8-10)

Both refer to social injustice (Neh 5:1-13;Mal 3:15)

C. A precise date is not possible to identify

Malachi could have preceded Ezra and Nehemiah (468 B.C.?)

Malachi could have followed Ezra and preceded Nehemiah (before 445 B.C.)

Malachi could belong to the unspecific interim of Nehemiah's two visits to Jerusalem (after 443 B.C.)

I V. Historical settings:

A. First Return:

The first return from Babylonian exile was under Zerubbabel in 538 B.C. when Cyrus was King (539-530) (Erza 1-6)

Return of Haggai and Zechariah:

This was probably when Haggai and Zechariah returned to Jerusalem

Temple Rebuilt: Haggai and Zechariah prophesied and the Temple was completed under Darius I (521-486)

Levitical sacrifices were reinstituted on an altar built for burnt offerings:

The foundation for the temple was laid in the second year of the return (536 B.C.; cf.Erza 3:8-13;5:16)

Samaritan and Persian resistance ended the rebuilding of the temple for 16 years (until 520 B.C.; Erza 3:1-6)

Haggai and Zechariah prophesy from 520-518 B.C. encouraging the nation to rebuild the temple:

The Temple was completed in 516 B.C. (Erza 5-6)

B. Second Return: 

The second return from Babylonian exile was under Ezra in 458/57 B.C. while Artaxexes I Longimanus was King ((Erza 3:7-10)

Erza 3:7:1 affirms that Ezra arrived in Jerusalem during the reign of Artaxerxes the king of Persia

Erza 3:7:1 affirms Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king (Artaxerxes)

a. The is some question as to whether this was in the reign of Artaxerxes I Longimanus (464-423 B.C.) or

Content and Purpose for the Book study by Biblecentre.org

V. Content and Purposes for the Book:

A. Purpose of Writing

Upon the last message of the Old Testament by Malachi follow the 400 silent years during which God did not speak to His people until John the Baptist arose to prepare the way of the Lord (compare Mal. 3:1 and Mark 1:2). 
 
God’s last message to His earthly people Israel is directed to the remnant that returned from the Babylonian captivity. This remnant had totally failed during the decades after the return in their testimony for God. It is true that the Jews did no longer serve the idols as they did before the exile but their moral condition was marked by indifference, despising of God and unbelief.

Into this situation Jehovah manifests His unchanging love for the people and severely points out their sins and their departure from His commandments (Mal. 1 – 2). But God also announces to the Jews that severe judgments will come upon them before the day of Jehovah will arise with full blessing for the repent ones (Mal. 3 – 4). – It is as if God wanted to underline His last message and we find 25 times “thus says Jehovah” in the whole book.  

1. To remind the people that Yahweh:

Will do all that he can to help his people

Will hold them accountable for their evil when He comes as judge

Will honor them for their faithfulness when He comes as judge

2. To urge the people to repent:

To urge the people to repent of their evil for covenant blessings to be fulfilled.

B. Peculiarities

The Eight Questions of the People

The evil condition of the people of Israel is clearly expressed in their eight questions, which Malachi mentions and upon which he gives God’s answer. The questions are:

1. “Wherein have you loved us?” chapter 1:2

2. “Wherein have we despised your name?” chapter 1:6

3. “Wherein have we polluted you?” chapter 1:7

4. “Wherefore?” chapter 2:14

5. “Wherein have we wearied him?” chapter 2:17

6. “Wherein shall we return?” chapter 3:7

7. “Wherein have we robbed you?” chapter 3:8

8. “What have we spoken so much against thee?” chapter 3:13

Each of these questions starts with “you say”. These words appear four more times in chapter 1:7.12.13; 3:14. All these utterances show the entire malice and impudence of the people towards their God.

C. Jehovah’s Messenger

Jehovah announces His messenger in chap. 3:1 who shall prepare the way before him. Matt. 11:10 and Mark 1:2 relate this announcement  to John the Baptist who was the forerunner of the Messiah. He announces the first coming of Christ in grace.

But in chapter 4:5 God says that Elijah also will be sent before the coming of Christ. The Lord Himself relates this prophecy to John the Baptist too (Matt. 11:14; compare Luke 1:17) while John says that he is not Elijah (John 1:21). This seeming contradiction is solved by the fact that His second appearing in glory for judgment will follow Christ’s rejection. So before this “great and dreadful day of Jehovah” will come Elijah will appear and announce the second coming of Christ for judgment (Rev. 11:3-6).
 

If you want to know more about this book, please click on the site below:

http://bible.org/article/introduction-book-malachi

http://www.biblecentre.org/commentaries/ar_43_ot_malachi.htm#2


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