Saturday 23 April 2016

65: REBUILDING A TEMPLE & A PEOPLE
Based on the books of Haggai (Hag) & Zechariah (Zech)…Read more there. [1]

HAGGAI
Set in the 6th C. BC, Hebrews who chose to return from Babylon are now back home. Haggai & Zechariah probably returned with Zerubbabel who had been appointed Governor of Jerusalem. Haggai exercises his role as Prophet briefly but effectively in BC.520. In CH.1 Haggai accuses the people of slacking in re-building the destroyed Temple. He tells them very stirringly the lean years they are experiencing are a penalty for putting building their own homes ahead of building God’s! Zerubbabel (descendant of King David & now Gover-nor of Jerusalem), Joshua the high priest, & a faithful remnant [2] lead a resurgence in faithfulness to YHWH [3] which leads in [CH.2] to a fore-telling of the future glory of the still incomplete Temple. Later in this chapter Haggai puts the priests through their paces as to their ritual duties, but turns the ‘clean-or-unclean’ concepts against those who don’t get his message. Haggai seems to see Zerubbabel as a Messiah in the making, but this is not to be.
Notes: [1] BTLTL 43 relating to Ezra & Nehemiah provides useful background here. [2] See Zeph 3:11+ in BTLTL 64 re this term. [3] “Seldom has a sermon had such a practical impact.” (J.B. Taylor, Minor Prophets, S.U., London, 1970 p.69). 


ZECHARIAH
Hot on Haggai’s heels, Zechariah [CH.1:4] [4] starts with a vision of horsemen (God patrolling a peaceful earth?) the 1st of 8 visions, reminiscent of Ezekiel [5]. We can at least get the gist of them, & they mark a stage in the development of post-exilic Judaism. CH.2 [4] has the 2nd vision: four horns (world powers?) & four blacksmiths (God’s powers?), & also the 3rd: a surveyor (Jerusalem will be so big it won’t need walls?). CH.3 starts with the 4th vision: the cleansing & clothing of the High Priest, Joshua. This may have been to deal with a rift over Joshua’s fitness for his role [6]. CH.4 opens with a 5th vision: a seven-lamp stand (God’s omni-presence among the community )[7] & two olive trees (Joshua & Zerubbabel the religious & civil leaders chosen by God). CH.5 contains vision 6: a huge scroll, a curse, flying through the air singling out evil-doers; & 7: a woman in a barrel, carried away by angels to Babylon (where idolaters belong?) There’s a big clean-up going on here in preparation for a whole new start back in Jerusalem! CH.6 opens with the 8th & last vision: 4 chariots drawn by horses of different colours patrol the earth for YHWH. This flows on to a crowning of Joshua as a kind of Messianic figure, though some think that in the original text both Joshua & Zerubbabel may have been crowned. If so, this may have led to political repercussions against the latter from the Persian over-lords. CH.7 is about fasting, & CH.8, a collection of prophecies. Some scholars - including those of the NJB - believe CH.9-14 reflect later conditions & testing times in the 4th C. BC under Alexander ‘the Great’ & need to be understood in that light. Apocalyptic, the revealing of things hidden (cf. Dan in the O.T. & Rev in the N.T.) dominates in these last chapters. Christians will find issues important to Jesus & His followers, e.g. faithful & unfaithful shepherding.

Just one more episode to come!…66: Malachi - My Messenger       

Notes: [4] Not all versions have the same numbering of verses. [5] Some later influenced the author of the N.T. book of Revelation. [6] Taylor, op.cit. in [N.3] above) p.75. [7] A seven-branched candelabra comes to be a symbol of Judaism & a feature in synagogues. 


Q:  What state is our own ‘temple’ (soul) in? Do we need re-furbishing, if not re-building?

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