Zephaniah and Haggai.
Zephaniah.
The Prophet. He is a son of Cushi, a descendant of Hezekiah, and
prophesied about 630 B. C. during the reign of Josiah. His prophesies
may have aided in inaugurating and in carrying to success the reforms
of Josiah. His name means "hid of the Lord" in he is supposed to have
been a contemporary of Habakkuk.
The Prophecy. The prophecy seems to be based upon the ravages of the
Scythians, whom the nations had come to fear and whom Egypt had
bribed, and looks to the judgment of the Lord which cannot be
escaped. Its theme, therefore, is "The great day of the Lord" in which
suffering will come upon all nations with which the prophet is
familiar, Jerusalem and all Judea included. Converts would be won from
all parts of the world and these could worship Jehovah, "every one
from his place".
Analysis.
I. The Coming Day of Wrath. Ch. 1.
1. The destruction of all things, 1-6.
2. The severe punishment of Judah, 7-18.
II. Judgment Upon Evil Nations, 2:1-3:7.
1. A plea for repentance, 2:1-3.
2. The doom that shall engulf the nations, 2:4-end.
3. Judah's obstinacy in sin, 3:1-7.
III. Promised Blessing for the Faithful Remnant, 3:8-20.
1. Because of Israel's sin, the nation will be cleansed by
punishment and converted to God, 3:3-10.
2. Purified Israel shall be honored in all the earth, 3:11-20.
For Study and Discussion, (1) Gather a list of all that is said to
induce repentance or the turning away from evil. (2) What sins are
condemned in Judah and other nations. Make a list of them. (3) Name
the special classes that are condemned, as princes. (4) Make a list of
the blessings promised for the coming Messianic days. (5) The purpose
of the Lord's judgments.
Haggai.
The Prophet. Haggai was born in Babylon and was one of those who
returned from captivity, under Zerrubbabel, according to the decree of
Cyrus. He prophesied during the period of the rebuilding of the
temple, as recorded in Ezra and he was the first prophet called to
prophesy after the Jews returned from the captivity in Babylon. He
began his teaching sixteen years after the return of the first band to
Jerusalem.
The Conditions Out of Which Grew the Prophecy. Under the decree of
Cyrus. King of Persia, Zerrubbabel, a descendant of King David, had
led a company of captives back to Jerusalem. They had set up the altar
and work on the temple had been begun, but the work had been
interrupted by the hostile Samaritans and others and for about
fourteen years almost nothing had been done. These years of inactivity
had dulled their zeal and they were rapidly becoming reconciled to the
situation and by reason of their weakness, compared with the great
task before them, they were beginning to despair of seeing their
people and beloved city and Temple restored to that glory pictured by
former prophets.
The Prophecy. Its purpose was to restore the hope of the people and to
give them zeal for the cause of God. This was accomplished by means of
four distinct visions, each of which shows their folly in not
completing the work, mid promises divine blessing. They hear God say,
"I am with you, and will bless you." The result is seen in that they
are enabled, in spite of opposition, to finish and dedicate it in
about four years.
Analysis.
I. The Appeal to Rebuild the Temple, Ch. 1.
1. The appeal, 1:11.
2. The preparations to build, 12-15.
II. The New Temple, 2:1-19.
1. The superior glories of it, 2:1-9.
2. The blessing of its holy service, 2:10-19.
III. The Messianic Kingdom, 2:10-23.
For Study and Discussion, (1) The rebukes uttered by the prophet. (2)
The encouragements he offers. (3) The historical confirmation of the
facts of this book found in Ezra. (4) False content and discontent.
(5) Basing conclusions upon the comparative strength of the friends
and enemies of a proposition, while leaving God out of the count.
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