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Zechariah--Messianic Prophecy

Today in our journey through the 66 books of the Bible we are visiting the book of the minor prophet, Zechariah.   Author   Like Jeremiah (1:1) and Ezekiel (1:3), Zechariah was not only a prophet (1:1) but also a priest. He was born in Babylonia and was among those who returned to Judah in 538 BCE under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua. Zechariah’s grandfather, Iddo, is named among the returnees in Nehemiah 12:4. At a later time, when Joiakim was high priest, Zechariah apparently succeeded Iddo (1:1,7) as head of that priestly family. (See Nehemiah 12:10-16). Since the grandson succeeded the grandfather, it has been suggested that the father, Berekiah (see 1:1,7), died at an early age. There is also a reference to Zechariah’s death in Matthew 23:35 where Jesus refers to Zechariah being murdered between the temple and the altar.   Zechariah was a contemporary of Haggai (Ezra 5:1; 6:14) but Zechariah continued in ministry long after Haggai. (Compare 1:1 and 7:1 with Haggai 1:1. Se
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Haggai--Three Terrific Truths

Today in our journey through the 66 books of the Bible we are visiting the book of the minor prophet, Haggai.   Author   The book of Haggai gives us no personal information about the prophet whose name the book bears. Were it not for references to the prophets Haggai and Zechariah in the book of Ezra, we would not even have reason to link these two contemporary figures. Neither prophet mentions the other, though their work must have brought them together in the small town that was postexilic Jerusalem.    Haggai’s name is derived from a Hebrew word that means “to make a pilgrimage”. The goal of his life seemed to be that of rebuilding the Temple that was the destination of all ancient Jewish pilgrimage.   So, what do we know about Haggai from the book of Ezra? We know that Haggai was a prophet who, along with Zechariah, encouraged the returned exiles to rebuild the temple. (See Ezra 5:1-2; 6:14.) Haggai 2:3 suggests that the prophet may have witnessed the destruction of Solomon’s Templ

Zephaniah--Wait on the Lord

Today in our journey through the 66 books of the Bible we are visiting the book of the minor prophet, Zephaniah. Handling the "waiting rooms" of life is one of the hardest things there is in human experience. Zephaniah speaks to us of "waiting on the Lord". This perspective can transform our waiting experiences...   Author   According to Zephaniah 1:1, the prophet was a descendant of Hezekiah, a notable king of Judah from 715 to 686 BCE. Zephaniah’s utterances suggest a familiarity with court circles and current political issues. Zephaniah was probably familiar with the writings of such prominent eighth-century prophets as Isaiah and Amos, whose utterances he reflects. But for almost a century after Isaiah and Amos, we have no record of any great prophets among God’s people. Then, Zephaniah explodes on the scene.    Date   According to Zephaniah 1:1, Zephaniah prophesied during the reign of Josiah who was King of Judah from 640 to 609 BCE. After Zephaniah there foll