Series:   The Minor Prophets for Beginners
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Zephaniah / Haggai

By: Mike Mazzalongo     Posted: Thu. May 30th
Mike reviews the work of the last prophet to serve before the destruction of Jerusalem (Zephaniah) and the first prophet to speak to the exiles who returned home after 70 years of captivity (Haggai).

In this chapter we'll be looking at one of the last prophets to minister to the Southern Kingdom before its exile (Zephaniah), and a man who was called to ministry while living during the Jewish return from exile (Haggai).

Zephaniah

1. The Prophet

The name Zephaniah means "Jehovah hides" or "he whom Jehovah has hidden."

The word of the Lord which came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah:
- Zephaniah 1:1

The first verse of this chapter traces his ancestry back for four generations. He was the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son Amariah, the son of Hezekiah (or Hizkiah, KJV). Since this is the only prophet to trace his ancestry in this fashion, it is generally believed that the Hezekiah specified was none other than the good king of Judah who reigned in the days of Isaiah and Micah. This would mean that Zephaniah was not only a prophet, but also a prince.

Zephaniah was familiar with the conditions in Jerusalem and referred to that city in such a way as to make it likely that it was his home. There is no information given concerning his occupation or other details of his life.

This prophet's ministry was carried out during the reign of Josiah (640-609 BC). The prophecy of this book was likely given during the period just prior to the reforms begun by Josiah in 621 BC. His preaching likely served to help bring about these reforms.

Like other minor prophets, Zephaniah's message includes a description of sin and unfaithfulness; a call to repentance and a promise of redemption, however Zephaniah focused on the "Day of the Lord" as judgment more than others and he not only speaks about judgment on the Southern Kingdom, but on other nations, as well as a final universal judgment to come.

"Therefore wait for Me," declares the Lord,
"For the day when I rise up as a witness.
Indeed, My decision is to gather nations,
To assemble kingdoms,
To pour out on them My indignation,
All My burning anger;
For all the earth will be devoured
By the fire of My zeal.
- Zephaniah 3:8

2. The Prophet's Time

Good King Hezekiah had been followed to the throne by his wicked son Manasseh. He reintroduced idolatry into the land and set out to undo the things that his father had done in the land. Amon, who succeeded Manasseh to the throne, also followed in his father's wicked steps. His reign was one of great wickedness. Manasseh and Amon turned the people away from their God.

When Amon was assassinated, his eight-year-old son came to the throne. This son, Josiah, was the last good king to reign over Judah. At sixteen, he began to seek after God. At the age of twenty, he began to purge the land of the trappings of idolatry. In the process of having the temple in Jerusalem repaired, a copy of the long-forsaken "book of the law" was found (II Kings 22:3-10). This book was taken to the king and read before him. Upon hearing its teachings and exhortations, Josiah set about to establish an extensive series of religious and social reforms. Idolatrous priests were slain, and purity in worship was restored (See II Kings 22-23 and II Chronicles 34-35 for the Biblical account of these events).

Zephaniah's prophecy evidently occurred just prior to these reforms, for he addresses himself to a corrupt, carnal and cruel people. Idolatry was still in the land and the nation deserved punishment.

1Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled,
The tyrannical city!
2She heeded no voice,
She accepted no instruction.
She did not trust in the Lord,
She did not draw near to her God.
3Her princes within her are roaring lions,
Her judges are wolves at evening;
They leave nothing for the morning.
4Her prophets are reckless, treacherous men;
Her priests have profaned the sanctuary.
They have done violence to the law.
5The Lord is righteous within her;
He will do no injustice.
Every morning He brings His justice to light;
He does not fail.
But the unjust knows no shame.
6"I have cut off nations;
Their corner towers are in ruins.
I have made their streets desolate,
With no one passing by;
Their cities are laid waste,
Without a man, without an inhabitant.
7"I said, 'Surely you will revere Me,
Accept instruction.'
So her dwelling will not be cut off
According to all that I have appointed concerning her.
But they were eager to corrupt all their deeds.
- Zephaniah 3:1-7

3. The Prophet's Message

A. This book has judgment as its theme.

It looks to the coming of the "day of the Lord". Its pronouncements are clear and unsparing. Judah had been a sinful nation, and its day of grace has passed. Doom was in the offing. The Babylonians would strike soon - in 605 BC.

Zephaniah not only foretells judgment of his own people but also speaks of the fate of the surrounding nations.

B. History of Destruction of Jerusalem

The destruction of this great city was not accomplished with a single blow but was eventually realized in a series of events over a 19–20 year period.

1. Battle of Carchemish

In 605 BC the Babylonians, led by Nebuchadnezzar II, decisively defeated the Egyptian and Assyrian forces at the Battle of Carchemish. This victory solidified Babylon's control over the region north of Israel.

2. Subjugation of Judah

After the Battle of Carchemish, Nebuchadnezzar II naturally turned his attention to Judah. Judah was a vassal state of the Babylonians, and its king, Jehoiakim, had initially been loyal to Egypt, placing it between the two great powers of that day, Egypt to the south and Babylon to the north.

3. First Deportation

Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem and during this time he took select members of the royal family and nobility as captives to Babylon. Among them were Daniel and his friends, who later became prominent figures in the Babylonian court. – 605 BC.

4. Establishment of Babylonian Rule

Following the invasion, Nebuchadnezzar placed Jehoiakim under tribute and Judah became a vassal state under Babylonian control.

5. Prophetic Context

The events of this period are prophesied in the Bible, particularly in the books of Daniel and Jeremiah, as well as the book we are looking at here, Zephaniah. These prophets warned about the impending judgment and exile due to the disobedience of the people of Judah.

6. Later phases of Babylonian Conquest

The invasion of 605 BC was just the beginning of Babylon's actions against Judah. Subsequent invasions occurred in 597 BC and 587 BC, leading to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and the beginning of the mass exile of the Jewish population to Babylon.

7. Fall of Babylon

The Babylonians themselves were defeated by the Medo-Persian Empire led by Cyprus the Great in 539 BC. The following year, 538 BC Cyrus released the first wave of Jewish exiles led by Zerubbabel and Joshua to return to Jerusalem (67 years after the original exile). In the year 458 BC a second wave returned with Ezra. In the year 445 BC Nehemiah, a Jewish exile who served as cup bearer to the king was sent to rebuild the protective wall around the city of Jerusalem.

C. Warning

Zephaniah's book warns about the judgment in the form of the Babylonian Invasion of 605 BC. However, the book does not paint a totally bleak picture. A clear promise of mercy and restoration is also set forth. The Lord desired to have a purified people and accomplished this transformation with the terrible defeat and captivity the Jews suffered at the hands of the Babylonians. These events, however, eventually looked forward to the hope of bringing of a remnant of the Jewish people back to their homeland (under Zerubbabel and Ezra) and, ultimately, the establishment of the reign of the Messiah with the coming of Jesus.

Zephaniah's prophecy about the judgment, exile, and eventual return from Babylonian captivity originally spoken of by Jeremiah (70 years) and now by Zephaniah will set up the ministry of Haggai which will take place during the return of the exiles in a little less than a century.

4. The Prophet's Book

The book of Zephaniah may be outlined briefly as follows:

  1. The Day of the Lord (1:1-2:3)
    1. Superscription (1:1)
    2. God's righteous judgment upon the word (1:2-6)
      1. Upon the entire earth (1:2-3)
      2. Upon Judah and Jerusalem in particular (1:4-6)
    3. Sinners of every land to be judged (1:7-13)
    4. The Day of the Lord is near (1:14-18)
      1. A terrible time of wrath (1:14-17)
      2. No escape by carnal means (1:13)
    5. An appeal for men to seek deliverance from God (2:1-3)
  2. The Judgment of Nations (2:4-3:8)
    1. Judgment against all nations (2:4-15)
      1. Small nations nearby (2:4-11)
      2. Great nations afar off (2:12-15)
    2. If the heathen are punished, Judah cannot escape either (3:1-8)
      1. Woe to the polluted city of Jerusalem (3:1-7)
      2. Its rejection of God demanded punishment (3:8)
  3. Salvation for the Remnant (3:9-20)
    1. A righteous remnant to be gathered from among the heathen (3:9-10)
    2. The remnant to be cleansed and sanctified (3:11-13)
    3. Israel exalted before all (3:14-20)

5. The Prophet's Message

The first section of the book (1:1-2:3) announces a universal and consuming judgment against the earth. Judah and Jerusalem - without excuse in their sinfulness - are especially singled out for wrath. All of this will come on the day of the Lord. The only hope on that day will be to turn to God in repentance.

The second section (2:4-3:8) makes it clear that no nation would escape judgment on the day of the Lord. The sins of the heathens and the despicable idolatry of Judah demanded that God, in his holiness, punish men. The prophet makes it clear that this punishment was not to be viewed as an end in itself but as a means of bringing men to salvation through chastisement.

The third section (3:9-20) presents the glory which the penitent and purified people would receive after the judgment already described. The restoration of the Jews to their land under Zerubbabel and Ezra is envisioned here. But, beyond that, the salvation of the Messianic era is foreseen. This is regarded as Messianic prophecy.

Lessons for Today

1. All men and nations are within the power of God and are accountable to Him, then as well as now.

Even today, nations including our own can face God's chastisement for its evil (abortion, political corruption, sexual immorality). God didn't ignore the corporate sins of the nations then and He doesn't and will not leave unpunished the godlessness, depravity, and arrogance of nations today.

2. The Day of the Lord (as the term was used in the Minor Prophets) was the day on which a nation received its just due for sin.

These times in history all foreshadow the ultimate day of the Lord when all men will be judged before the Lord Jesus Christ.

30Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."
- Acts 17:30-31

In other words, there have been many instances of God's judgment coming in various ways (floods, famines, military defeats, economic disasters, etc.) referred to as "the day of the Lord". However, there will be a final "day of the Lord" or final judgment when Jesus returns to judge everyone, the living and the dead and set into motion an eternity of joy or an eternity of suffering.

The lesson here is that there is no excuse for not being ready. We've seen examples of warning being fulfilled; we've heard the gospel ourselves, and we've been taught to be ready at all times for the Master's return. We've even been told that He will come when we least expect Him to appear. So, there is no excuse! We need to be ready for the Lord's coming for us in death or His sudden arrival at the end of the world.

The core lessons of Zephaniah are related:

  1. Repent if you need to.
  2. Be ready at all times because God's judgment is coming and is sure.

Haggai

We now move on to the three minor prophets who served after the Jews were returned to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel. The first of these was Haggai and his prophecies were given around 516-515 BC and directed at Zerubbabel and the people he led (Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi).

2. The Prophet

A. The name Haggai means "festival of Jehovah". We know practically nothing about the prophet himself. He is mentioned not only in the book bearing his name but also in Ezra 5:1 and Ezra 6:14.

B. Haggai had been a captive in Babylon and had returned to his homeland with the remnant under Zerubbabel. He and Zechariah were contemporaries and worked toward the common goal of rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. They grew up during the time of the initial return to Jerusalem with the first wave of people freed from exile.

C. The ministry of this prophet is easily dated from the first verse of the book. The "second year of Darius the king" would have been 520 BC From the four dates given in the book (1:1, 2:1, 2:10, 2:20), it would appear that his primary work among the people was done in a period of only four months. But as brief as his ministry may have been, it was effective.

  1. Haggai 1:1 – Second year of Darius (520 BC) – Day 1: Month 6
  2. Haggai 2:1 – Second year of Darius (520 BC) – Day 21: Month 7
  3. Haggai 2:10 – Second year of Darius (520 BC) – Day 24: Month 9
  4. Haggai 2:20 – Second year of Darius (520 BC) – Day 24: Month 9

2. The Prophet's Time

In undertaking to see this book in its correct historical setting, we must understand that a full hundred years had passed after the work of Zephaniah when Haggai undertook his mission for Jehovah. Many important things had happened in this century.

Zephaniah had indicated that Judah's day of grace had passed, and that Jehovah's judgment was inescapable. This judgment came at the hands of the Babylonians who, under Nebuchadnezzar, first invaded Judah in 605 BC. An ill-fated revolt against the Babylonians brought an even worse invasion in 586 BC. Jerusalem was burned, the temple was destroyed, and more captives were taken. Daniel and Ezekiel prophesied among the exiles in Babylon and sought to keep hope alive among the people.

After Nebuchadnezzar's death in 562 BC, a series of weak kings followed. The Babylonian Empire deteriorated to the point that in 539 BC, King Cyrus of Persia captured the city of Babylon.

Cyrus showed a benevolent attitude toward the Jewish exiles in Babylonia. In 538 BC, he made a decree allowing them to return to their native land. (See II Chronicles 36 and Ezra 1 for the biblical account of this decree.) In 536 BC, the first group, numbering about forty thousand, made their journey home. Led by Zerubbabel, they began rebuilding the city of Jerusalem. The foundation of the temple was laid. But then, because of threats made by various tribes in the area, work on the temple was halted. Nothing more was done until fifteen or sixteen years later when Haggai and Zechariah began their ministries.

The Jews were obviously dispirited and wretched when these two prophets came among them. Jerusalem and the other cities of Judea were in ruins. The walls were torn down. The land had not been worked and was thus poor and unproductive. People now living in the area were hostile to the returning Jews.

The enthusiasm and hope of the early settlers had dissipated because they had abandoned their primary task of rebuilding the temple and as a consequence the other parts of their lives had been negatively affected as well. Both Haggai and Zechariah had been witnesses to this decline as they grew up during this time period.

3. The Prophet's Message

Haggai has been described as a man with a single idea. His primary message was this: Build the temple. He attributed the people's lack of success in all areas of their lives to the single fact that they had abandoned the task of rebuilding the House of God (The Temple).

3Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4"Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?" 5Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, "Consider your ways! 6You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes."
7Thus says the Lord of hosts, "Consider your ways! 8Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified," says the Lord. 9"You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?" declares the Lord of hosts, "Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house. 10Therefore, because of you the sky has withheld its dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. 11I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what the ground produces, on men, on cattle, and on all the labor of your hands."
12Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him. And the people showed reverence for the Lord. 13Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke by the commission of the Lord to the people saying, "'I am with you,' declares the Lord." 14So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God, 15on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king.
- Haggai 1:3-15

Note that the leader and the people responded to Haggai's preaching in less than a month! He preached on the 1st of the 6th month and the people responded on the 24th of the 6th month.

4. The Prophet's Book

The book of Haggai may be outlined briefly as follows:

  1. First Message: Rebuke for Neglecting the Temple (1:1-15)
    1. The prophet and his commission (1:1)
    2. The selfish indifference of the people (1:2-4)
    3. The curse resulting from their attitude (1:5-6)
    4. God's displeasure with the people (1:7-11)
    5. The response of the people (1:12-15)
    6. Second Message: Glory of the New Temple (2:1-9)
  2. God's blessing to abide with the builders (2:1-5)
    1. The glory of the new temple to exceed that of the former temple (2:6-9)
  3. Third Message: Condition of Future Prosperity (2:10-19)
    1. The present uncleanness of the people (2:10-14)
      1. Two questions about uncleanness (2:10-13)
      2. Application to the people (2:14)
    2. A change of heart would result in a change of their material circumstances (2:15-19)
  4. Fourth Message: A Glorious Future (2:20-23)
    1. Surrounding nations to be overthrown (2:20-22)
    2. The promise of the Messiah to be vouchsafed through the preservation of Zerubbabel (2:23)

5. The Prophet's Message

The first message (1:1-15) brought a stinging rebuke to the people for building their own houses and looking to establish their material prosperity before looking to their spiritual obligations. Unless God's work is put first in one's life, everything else to which he puts his hand will eventually fail him. The people were brought to repentance by this straight-forward challenge.

The second message (2:1-9) was designed to encourage the builders who had undertaken the task of rebuilding the temple. They were assured that God was with them in their work.

The third message (2:10-19) was designed to teach the people that their sacrifices and external rituals would be in vain if they did not purify their hearts. As surely as their impure hearts and disobedient lives had brought curses in the past, pure hearts and obedient lives would bring blessings in the future.

The fourth message (2:20-23) is a Messianic prophecy. Zerubbabel, the first ruler of restored Israel and a descendant of David, is allowed to symbolize the Messianic line. God had not forgotten His promise to send the Messiah (cf. Matthew 1:12; Luke 1:32-33). This was the "big picture".

The Uniqueness of Haggai's Preaching

Haggai's preaching is unique among the prophets primarily because of its focus on a specific practical task: the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. Here are some aspects of Haggai's preaching that distinguish it from the messages of other prophets:

1. Practical Emphasis: While many prophets delivered messages of judgment, repentance, and spiritual renewal, Haggai's primary concern was the physical rebuilding of the Temple. His preaching was focused on motivating and encouraging the people to prioritize this task.

2. Historical Context: Haggai's messages were delivered during a specific historical period, the early Persian period, after the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon. His preaching addressed the challenges and opportunities faced by the community at that time.

3. Directness and Clarity: Haggai's messages are relatively straightforward and direct. He presents clear instructions and challenges to the people, urging them to consider their priorities and commit to the task of rebuilding the Temple.

4. Immediate Response: Unlike some other prophets whose messages often faced resistance or were not immediately acted upon, Haggai's preaching resulted in an immediate response from the people. They heeded his call and began work on the Temple soon after his messages were delivered.

5. Encouragement and Hope: While Haggai's preaching contains elements of rebuke and admonition for the people's neglect of the Temple, it also offers words of encouragement and hope. He assures the people of God's presence and promises blessings for their obedience in rebuilding the Temple.

6. Divine Authority: Haggai's preaching carries the weight of Divine authority. He speaks as a mouthpiece of God, conveying God's will and purposes to the people. This aspect of his preaching underscores the importance and urgency of the task at hand.

Overall, Haggai's preaching stands out for its practicality, immediacy, and clear focus on a specific task related to the physical restoration of Jerusalem's spiritual center, the Temple. His messages played a crucial role in motivating the community to take action and prioritize the rebuilding of the Temple during a critical period in Jewish history.

One Lesson from Haggai for Today

1. There is a common connection between blessings and faithfulness.

I'm not saying that if you are faithful, you will be rich, healthy, and never have any problems. We all know that the opposite is often true for those who make a great effort to remain faithful. The blessings of faithfulness are not necessarily physical in nature, but the sure blessings of faithfulness are the following:

A. Assurance

  • We have confidence that we are doing God's will, and He is pleased with us.
  • We have confidence in our salvation because Jesus promises that those who are faithful to the end will be saved – Matthew 24:13.

B. Peace

  • Those who are faithful experience the peace that passes understanding (which means that our peace of mind is not based on human reasoning, mediation, or wealth, but rather is a gift from God) – Philippians 4:7.

C. Spiritual Vision and Insight

  • Only the faithful can hear God and see God as the Holy Spirit reveals Him through His word.
  • Non-believers and the unfaithful see only this world and this life – I Corinthians 2:12.

D. Faithfulness gives birth to and nourishes hope

We can bear hardship and we can avoid the seduction of wealth in this world because we have a secure hope for another life to come with Christ (Romans 15:13).

Haggai's preaching affirms the truth that God is faithful in His promise to bless us if we remain faithful – sometimes these blessings are material, sometimes spiritual, and many times they are both.

The key to building our ability to be faithful is to continually make spiritual matters a priority in life. This is how we exercise the faithfulness muscle.

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