Books 37 To 39 The Book Of Haggai, Zechariah, And Malachi
Who wrote Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi: Each of these books was written by the man it is named for.
Haggai was written around 520 B.C., Zechariah was written sometime around 500 to 480 B.C., and Malachi was written in the early 430s B.C.
Haggai
Haggai and Zechariah lived and prophesied at the same time. Haggai was most likely the older of the two men and from what we read in chapter two, he witnessed the destruction of The
Temple by the Babylonians.
This, combined with his deep faith and intimate relationship with God, was what drove Haggai to preach his message of determination and commitment to God and to the rebuilding of The Temple after King Darius allowed the rebuilding to continue after the job had been stopped due to opposition from neighboring kingdoms.
Haggai’s message is this: With disobedience comes punishment and with obedience comes great blessing.
Zechariah
Zechariah was both a priest and a prophet. His preaching prophecies begin shortly after those of Haggai, but because he was so much younger, they continue long after Haggai is dead.
Zechariah’s main concerns were for the rebuilding of The Temple and the spiritual renewal of the Hebrew nation. They had been given a golden opportunity following their release from Babylonian captivity after Babylon fell to the Persian Empire.
While the Persian Empire was definitely the power- force in the world, they were not opposed to the Hebrew people (Israelites) worshipping God as they saw fit nor to them having a city (Jerusalem) or a building (The Temple) for worshipping their God. Because of this, Zechariah’s messages to the people are strong and forthright:
- Listen and learn from the prophets before him
- Turn back to God with a heart of repentance and obedience
He predicts his rejection by the religious leaders, his betrayal of thirty pieces of silver, his second coming, and the establishment of eternal peace and prosperity for those who are saved through him.
Every prophecy made by Zechariah (and the rest of the prophets) that has already taken place has done so with precise accuracy, so there is no reason to doubt the things that have not yet happened will happen in the very same way—with precise accuracy.
Malachi
Malachi was written after the rebuilding of The Temple. During that time many of the people had experienced a time of spiritual revival. The hands-on experience of rebuilding The Temple and restoring their city had been a tangible reminder of who God is and what they meant to him. But it didn’t last long.
After The Temple was rebuilt the people experienced hardships due to famine and drought that ruined their crops. Instead of turning to God for help, however, the people blamed God for their troubles and once again treated him with disrespect. They turned to foreign gods and idolatry.
Micah’s message is a message of warning against such actions. Micha reminds the people of God’s holiness and how his holiness is capable of extreme wrath AND extreme mercy—but that it was up to the people as to which one they experienced.
Micha also prophecies about the second coming of Christ. He proclaims it the day when everyone on earth will give an account for their actions and receive the pronouncement of their eternal destiny.
From Malachi To Jesus Christ
As previously stated, Malachi’s prophecies take place after the rebuilding of The Temple during the reign of King Darius the Great of Persia. It is at this point that God ceases to audibly speak. No more conversations in a garden.
No more burning bushes. No more parting of the waters. No more manna. No more coming to people in dreams and visions. No more “Thus sayeth the LORD”’s.
Instead, the Jews lived under the rule of the Persian Empire until 330 B.C., followed by the 160 + period known as the Hellenistic Period—the time in which the Greeks and their culture and philosophies ruled and forever changed the world.
During the years of the Grecian influence, the Jews were allowed to worship and observe their cultural practices without any interference or opposition. In fact, Alexander the Great even granted them exclusion from paying taxes during the Sabbath Years. It was also during this time that some of the Old Testament was translated into the Greek language.
But just like every other truly great empire, the Greek Empire imploded on itself. The switch in power led to a short period in history (just a few years) called the Hasmonean Period in which Jews were severely persecuted and copies of the scripture were destroyed.
Many theologians have questioned whether or not some of the original scriptures were destroyed in their entirety (no copies left) during this time.
While it is possible that letters, manuscripts, and other documents of a Biblical nature were permanently erased from existence during this period of time, it is important to remember that everything God wants us to know is contained in the Holy Scriptures.
The brief period of persecution ended with the revolt of Jews led by Judas the Maccabee and the entry into Jerusalem by Pompey, the Roman general.
Pompey’s march into Jerusalem and the surrounding areas officially began the period of time in which the Jews were under the leadership and rule of the Roman Empire (as was most of the rest of the known world at that point in time).
The Roman government was not particularly opposed to the Jews worshipping God or observing their laws (the Mosaic Law) in regard to holidays, festivals, etc., but the Emperor made it very clear that everyone’s first allegiance was to Rome.
The Roman government appointed procurators to rule over the provinces of their vast empire. And it was the procurator over the entire land of Palestine, Herod the Great, who was in control in the year 30 A.D.—the year Jesus was born and the year we once again began hearing from God.
Why the centuries of silence? Simply put…God’s timing is perfect.