Transcript Prophet, priest, and king

Haggai and Zechariah
When one reads the book of twelve, you
cannot help but be overjoyed at the thought
of the restoration of Jerusalem.
 Israel and Judah were severely punished by
the Assyrians and Babylonians. After their
punishment, God brought them home and
promised to restore their kingdom, king,
temple, priest, military, and economic
prowess.
 The Jews in the centuries leading up to the
birth of Christ sought eagerly for such a
restoration.
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In hindsight, we obviously understand the
restoration of “the new Jerusalem” in light
of the church and a kingdom not of this
world.
But for the Jews that lived while the postexilic prophets taught, they had no such
benefit of having seen Jesus.
They saw the words of the prophets as the
physical (earthly) restoration of Jerusalem’s
former glory.
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As you read through these books, we need to
try not to see them either from the Jews
incorrect perspective or through a postresurrection and ascension standpoint, but,
rather, see Jerusalem the way Jesus did in
Luke 19.41-2
“As he came near and saw the city.” Jesus
began weeping over Jerusalem and said, “If
you, even you, had only recognized on this
day the things that make for peace! But now
they are hidden from your eyes.”
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Jesus wanted the inhabitants of Jerusalem to
take part in the promises found in the
prophets.
The Jews lack of understanding, however,
condemned them to destruction.
Jesus was heartbroken over their
incomprehension.
We find in these writings demands for
faithfulness, justice, love, and mercy.
Unequivocally, the prophets teach, the
righteous will live by faith.
Anshan
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A Persian king from the city of Anshan
Defeated the Median king Astyages in 550 BC
 Likely with help from Babylon
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By 546, he conquered Lydia, now controlling
land from the Persian Gulf to the Aegean Sea
539, the Persians prevailed at the battle of
Opis on the Tigris River
A few weeks later, Cyrus walked into Babylon
liberating the oppressed Babylonians without
a fight
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On a clay barrel called the Cyrus Cylinder,
Cyrus boasts of his feats in Babylon. He:
 Abolished slavery
 Improved housing
 Returned sacred images to their peoples
 Rebuilt sanctuaries
 Returned exiles to their homelands
 Instituted freedom of religion
 Abrogated Assyro-Babylonian policy of deportation
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Ezra 1:2-4 (Hebrew version) and 6:3-5
(Aramaic version)
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“In the first year of Cyrus the king, cyrus
the king issued a decree: Concerning the
house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be
rebuilt.”
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Persian Period
 Rise of Cyrus to the coming of Alexander the
Great
 538 – 333 BC
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Historical sources
 Ezra-Nehemiah—covers 538 to 400 BC
 From the first return to Jerusalem to the end of
Nehemiah’s second term as governor of Judah
 Earliest Greek and Hebrew manuscripts have
Ezra-Nehemiah as a single book
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Ezra 2—approximately 50,000 returned to
Judah after the Cyrus edict
 Likely over several generations
 Josephus claims that many were loath to leave
their established positions in Babylon
 In Babylon, the Jews, the name by which the
people then became known, built houses, planted
gardens, married, and raised families (Jer. 29.4-9)
 Consequently, the ones that left Babylon were
zealous for a Judean revival and rebuilding the
temple
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Sheshbazzar (538)
 Returned with temple vessels that
Nebuchadnezzar had removed (Ezra 1.7)
 Laid foundation of temple only (Ezra 5.16)
 Unknown fate
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Zerubbabel (520)
 Likely Sheshbazzar’s nephew; grandson of
Jehoiachin, a direct descendant of David
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Ezra (458)
Nehemiah (445)
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Samaria, just to the north of Judah, was
inhabited by a people settled initially as
exiles during the Assyrian empire.
The inhabitants of Samaria had become an
eclectic nation, descendents of mixed
marriages between the people settled
during the Assyrian empire and the Judeans
who had escaped exile after the Babylonian
deportation
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Zerubbabel rejected the Samaritans offer
to help rebuild the temple in Jerusalem
Consequently, Samaria’s initial offer to help
turned to open hostility, doing everything
they could to stop the building of the
temple
With a bitter economic and political rival
just to the north, the work of the temple
came to a halt by the time Cyrus died (530)
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The second year of the reign of Darius I
(522-486 BC)
The word of the LORD came by Haggai to
Zerubbabel the governor and to Joshua the
high priest on August 29, 520 BC
At a time of economic hardship and
drought, the people did not feel it was
appropriate to build a temple
“Is it time for you to dwell in your paneled
houses while this house lies desolate?” 1.4
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Before giving devotion to God’s house (1.6)
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Sowing much, harvesting little
Eating, but not satisfied
Drinking, but not enough to become drunk
Putting on clothes, but never warm
Earning money, but can’t afford a bag without
holes to put it in!
Misplaced priorities
 What seemed right to a people under hard
economic conditions was completely wrong
 Only by putting God first would the people regain
God’s blessing
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The people responded to Haggai’s first message
and started rebuilding the temple
However, disappointment had set in when the
older generation compared the new temple to the
first temple
Take courage, v. 3, “my spirit is in your midst”
The new temple will be filled with glory,
exceeding that of the former house; v. 7, “I will
shake all the nations; and they will come with the
wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with
glory.”
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Interpretation
 If coming glory was greater than former glory
and “glory” is counted in physical terms, then
this promise of God was never fulfilled
 If “glory” is God’s glory, then why would his
glory be greater now than formerly?
▪ Because “all nations,” not just the Jews, would be
included starting in Jerusalem and then spreading out
to all of the world
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Uncleanness is more contagious than
holiness (2.11-13)
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Message delivered on the day the
foundation was laid, prompting the LORD
to declare, “From this day on I will bless
you” (2.19).
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Directed to Zerubbabel (2.20-23), whom
God calls his “servant.”
God is about to “overthrow the thrones of
kingdoms.”
Again, if interpreted from a physical
kingdom standpoint, it didn’t happen
If, however, Zerubbabel, as a branch of
David, if representative of Christ the
Messiah, then the spiritual kingdom has
been and continues to be established.
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Completed by 515 (Ezra 6.14-15)
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The people listened and followed through
with the message and encouragement of
Haggai and Zechariah
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No record of what happened to Haggai
after delivering his message
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Worship is to be performed the way God
has authorized when physically possible
 Obedience is not optional
 Build you life around the house of God!
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Putting God’s purposes before your own
material needs ensures that those needs
are well-supplied (Matt 6.25-33)
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As a contemporary of Haggai, his message
revolved rebuilding the temple
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Chapters 1-8 comprise an elaborate literary
arrangement with intriguing symbolism
and powerful meaning
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Four horses and peace
Four horns/craftsmen and interpretation
Measuring line and call to return from north
Satan accuses; Joshua cleansed; the Branch
Two anointed ones (priest and king)
Measured flying scroll
Woman in ephah and interpretation
Four chariots and peace
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High priest crowned (Zech 6.11)
The Branch will build the temple (6.12)
Jesus prophesied, “Destroy this temple,
and in three days I will raise it up” (John
2.19)
He is our high priest (Heb 3.1)
He is our King of kings and Lord of lords
(Rev 19.16)
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Jesus undoubtedly has patrolled the earth
Defeated powers and principalities (Eph 1.21)
Called us to return from captivity of sin
Been challenged by Satan and prevailed
Anointed Branch into which all may be
grafted
Sent forth his word
Contained wickedness
Sent the Comforter to maintain peace
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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8.
Jesus undoubtedly has
patrolled the earth
Defeated powers and
principalities
Called us to return from
captivity of sin
Been challenged by
Satan and prevailed
Anointed Branch into
which all may be grafted
Sent forth his word
Contained wickedness
Sent the Comforter to
maintain peace
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Four horses and peace
Four horns/craftsmen
and interpretation
Measuring line and call
to return from north
Satan accuses; Joshua
cleansed; the Branch
Two anointed ones
(priest and king)
Measured flying scroll
Woman in ephah and
interpretation
Four chariots and peace