Introduction to the Prophetic books, or the Books of the Prophets

The biblical prophets in these prophetic books, are not “ordinary” fortune-tellers, shamans, medicine men, or seers, such as those found in every tribe and culture since the dawn of our species and in isolated regions of our world right up to the present day.

Their practices include, among many other things, interpreting weather, clouds, dreams, and other signs, as well as divining the future from the entrails of sacrificial animals and casting symbols made of bone, wood, or stone.
As civilizations emerged, this subsequently gave rise everywhere and independently of one another to “organized” priestly castes or “clergy,” who viewed their activities more as “work for a living” than as a calling.

A profession that was learned and led to a “spiritual-social status” that could ultimately be passed down through generations.

The books of the prophets that we can read here, on the other hand, come from people from the most diverse social classes and professional groups.
The crucial thing about these “prophets of the Scriptures” in the Bible was that they all had a message from God to deliver in a specific situation!

These revelations could have been directed at a single person, the Northern Kingdom of Israel, the Southern Kingdom of Judah, or the whole of Israel—and Jonah was even sent on an “international” mission from God to Nineveh (near modern-day Mosul in northern Iraq), the last and most powerful capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire!

First and foremost, these prophets hold up a mirror to their contemporaries—they expose hypocrisy and godlessness and call for repentance. The issues they address concern all areas of life—political, social, and religious.

The first of these prophets appeared when Israel was still a powerful and prosperous nation; they had much to preach about the coming judgment.
Judgment for the behavior that was common among the people and often among the rulers as well.

It was only after all power had vanished from all the tribes of Israel (following the Babylonian Exile) that the prophets began to comfort the people and give them hope.

In the prophecies of the Bible, all hope is always accompanied by the recognition of one’s own powerlessness and by trust in, and turning toward, God.

Alongside this relentless criticism, the warnings, and the calls to turn back—“to repentance” – and the announcements of the coming “judgments” for individuals, nations, and all of humanity – all these prophetic books also consistently speak of the promise of a Messiah –
God’s promise of an “Anointed One,” a Savior for Israel and ultimately for all people who accept the call of the God of the Bible, everywhere in the world.

Often, a distinction is made among the prophetic books between the so-called “major prophets”:
Isaiah, Jeremiah and his Lamentations, the prophet Ezekiel, and Daniel —
and the twelve “minor prophets”: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi — the so-called “Book of the Twelve Prophets.”

Personally, I find a classification based on the location of their ministry—which simultaneously provides us with a rough chronological overview of these “prophets of the Scriptures”—to be more meaningful.
Here is a brief overview—but God has infinitely more to say through the prophets themselves.

Primarily in the Northern Kingdom, before the fall of Israel in 722 B.C.

Amos: His warning that persistent sin must be followed by divine judgment

Hosea: Speaks primarily of God’s love for Israel

Jonah: His message to the ruling Assyrian Empire: Repent! Jonah himself wanted exactly the opposite – Here we see God’s love for the Gentiles already evident in the Old Testament.

In Judah, the Southern Kingdom, during the long years of decline

Joel: Speaks of the “Day of the Lord”—the second coming of Jesus Christ after the “time of grace” in which we still live—and of the judgment upon the nations

Obadiah: Prophecies the judgment upon Edom (in the southern highlands of present-day Jordan)

Isaiah: Has much to say to us; he speaks extensively of the coming Savior of the world, the Messiah—the Christ and, at the same time, the coming King of Israel

Micah: He, too, has news for us about the coming King of Bethlehem and his kingdom.

In Judah during the final years before the exiles to Babylon, from about 634 to 606 B.C.

Jeremiah: Proclaims judgment upon Jerusalem, but he also speaks of its coming glory

Nahum: Proclaims God’s final judgment upon the Assyrian Empire and its capital, and its coming end

Habakkuk: Speaks of God’s kingdom and of how His people will triumph

Zephaniah: Prophecies that a remnant will be saved and blessed by God

The Prophets of the Scriptures during the Babylonian Exile through the Persian Rule, from about 606 to 538 BC

Daniel: Foretells the coming world empires and speaks at length about “the times of the Gentiles” as well as the coming messianic kingdom for Israel. Daniel’s vision, spanning his long life, extends to the end of this “world age.”

Ezekiel: Also prophesies far beyond the coming restoration of Israel, as a land and as a nation

During the time of the restoration of Jerusalem and Israel, through the returnees from the Babylonian exile, in the years from around 538 to the 4th century B.C.

Haggai: Foretells the restoration of the temple in Jerusalem and that of the kingdom for Israel

Zechariah: Speaks at length again about the coming Savior as the Messiah, the “Branch,” and the King-Priest

Malachi: As the last prophet of the Scriptures, Malachi laments the cold heart of the people of Israel.
He also issues the final warnings to the people regarding the coming judgment for their apostasy from the living God.
But even the last prophet to speak “directly” in God’s Word announces the coming of the Messiah—and even of his forerunner, John the Baptist!

In closing, a few thoughts that do not strictly pertain to the prophetic books themselves, but which I believe are nonetheless important to the topic of God’s prophets.

The Bible tells us about many other prophets. Some of them, such as Samuel or the kings David and Solomon (who also foreshadow the “royal priesthood” to which all of God’s children in Jesus Christ are entitled), left behind several books—although their writings have found a very different place in the Bible.

But many other prophets of God are mentioned only in passing in the Bible.
Their messages were perhaps just as important as those we can read—but these messages from God were not intended for all of us!

The regulations and criteria that apply to a prophet of God are listed in Deuteronomy, chapter 18, verses 9 through 22, the so-called “Law of the Prophets.”

Incidentally, there are just as many women among the prophets as there are men—and not just in the New Testament!
Miriam—Moses’s older sister—is already mentioned as the “first prophetess” ever.
Moses, her younger brother , is then also listed as the “first prophet”…
Or Deborah, who is not only referred to as a prophetess, as a “nebi’a”—a called one—but who also simultaneously held the office of “judge,” the spiritual and secular leader of the people of Israel in those times.
We can read about Deborah in the Book of Judges starting in chapter 4…

The prophets of the Old Testament were all filled with God’s Spirit, the “Ruach ha Kodesh,” who gave them their messages and missions—divine prophecy is one of the gifts of God’s Spirit!
This special anointing, the “filling with the Holy Spirit,” became available to all followers of Jesus on Pentecost in the year 32 A.D.—but that by no means means that everyone immediately becomes a prophet as a result.

Introduction to the Five Poetic Books

The poetic books of the Bible include the Book of Job, the Psalms, the Book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs.

They are written in the literary form of poetry, although in Hebrew poetry—unlike in our European culture—it does not matter whether the verses rhyme with one another.
The basis of this poetry is what is known as parallelism, in which a single meaning is reinforced by two different, consecutive statements.
These two statements can complement each other, intensify the meaning, continue the thought, or even express a contrast.
The goal here is certainly also to encourage readers to engage with the subject matter on their own.
To this end, Hebrew poetry often employs highly figurative descriptions or comparisons.

The Book of Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes are also frequently referred to as wisdom literature, as these books convey practical experiences and wisdom intended to help readers lead happier and more fulfilling lives.

Of course, we also find many songs and poems in the Bible outside of these poetic books —even if we often cannot perceive them as such in our translations of the Scriptures.

“Historical books“

The following books are considered “historical books” in the Bible:

As the name suggests, the historical books continue to tell the story of the people of Israel.

It begins in the Book of Joshua with the entry of the 12 tribes into the promised land — after their 40-year journey through the desert — which God had promised to the patriarchs, the forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (or Israel), as an inheritance for their descendants.

This is followed by the period of the Judges, during which the people still consisted of a loose confederation of the 12 tribes of Israel. Each tribe lived in its own region of the land and was united solely by their belief in one God.
During this 400-year period, which the Book of Judges covers, the Israelites were repeatedly attacked, plundered, and oppressed by neighboring peoples because of their apostasy from the God of their fathers.
The Book of Ruth, which follows the Book of Judges, also takes place during this time.

This is followed by the era of the kings, during which the nation first rises to become a united great empire, but is then split into two separate kingdoms due to false advisors and godlessness.
The southern kingdom of Judah, comprising the tribes of Simeon, Judah, and parts of Benjamin, and the northern kingdom of Israel, which was formed from the remaining 10 or nine and a half tribes.

The Northern Kingdom of Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 B.C., and a large portion of the population was taken into exile and resettled in other countries. The Assyrians settled other peoples, whose territories they had conquered, in this region. From this ethnic mix emerged the Samaritans (named after the former capital of the kingdom, Samaria), who are frequently mentioned in the New Testament because they lived between the Jews residing in Galilee (in the north) and Judea (in the south).

The Southern Kingdom of Judah lasted until the second conquest of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 587 B.C.; following this, too, a portion of the people and most of the surviving upper class were taken into captivity.

The approximately 500 years of the monarchy are recounted in the two Books of Samuel (Samuel being considered the last of the judges of Israel), the two Books of Kings, and the two Books of Chronicles.

The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah tell the story of the return from exile in the Babylonian Empire thanks to the generosity of the Persian ruler Cyrus, and the reconstruction of the Temple and the city walls of Jerusalem.

The historical books conclude with the story of Esther, a Jewish woman who rose to become queen of Persia and used her position to save the Jewish people remaining in exile from extermination.

Introduction to the „Books of the Law“

The Books of the Law, the Jewish Torah, also known as the Pentateuch (meaning “five scrolls”), consist of the five books of Moses.

In addition to the laws of the Old Covenant for the Jewish people, these five books contain the creation of the universe and the world, the creation of humankind, and the history of the nation of Israel, from its origins up to shortly before the immigration into the Promised Land.

Although all five books were written by Moses himself up until his death, each of these books has its own distinct content and character.
That is why each one deserves its own introduction.

• Genesis “Creation,” the 1st Book of Moses
• Exodus “Exodus,” the 2nd Book of Moses
• Leviticus “Levitical,” the 3rd Book of Moses
• Numbers “Numbers,” the 4th Book of Moses
• Deuteronomy “Second Law,” the 5th Book of Moses

The old testament – Gods covenant with Israel

Our Old Testament consists of the holy scriptures of Judaism, which makes it clear that we as Christians cannot separate ourselves from our Jewish roots without losing everything—and that we worship the same God as devout Jews.

Most of these writings, called the Tanakh in Judaism, were written in Hebrew, with only parts of the Book of Daniel and the Book of Ezra available in Aramaic. Aramaic, also a Semitic language, is closely related to Hebrew and served as the lingua franca throughout the Near East since at least the Persian rule around 500 BC.

The division of the Jewish Tanakh differs from that of our Old Testament. While Christianity primarily used a chronological arrangement, the rabbis divided the Tanakh thematically into three main parts, consisting of a total of 24 books:

1. The Law – Hebrew Torah (meaning guidance): the five books of Moses
   ^.
2. The Prophets – Hebrew Nevi’im, 8 books, here first the former or early prophets:
   Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings
   then the latter prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel
   and finally the so – called 12 minor prophets, which in Judaism are counted as a single book.
   ^.
3. The Writings, also called Psalms – Hebrew Ketuvim, 11 books
   a) the 3 poetic books: Psalms, Proverbs, Job
   b) the 5 scrolls (Hebrew Megilloth): Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, Esther
   These five books are also called festival scrolls because each one is read aloud on a specific Jewish holiday to this day.
   c) 3 prophetic-historical books: Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, Chronicles

The term Tanakh, as the name of the Hebrew Bible, is composed of the first letters of these three parts—Torah, Nevi’im, Ketuvim.

In the first century, during the lifetime of the apostles, the Jewish historian Josephus counted only 22 books in the Tanakh, corresponding to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Originally, the books of Judges and Ruth, as well as Jeremiah and Lamentations, were also combined into one book each.

However, the three-part structure of the Tanakh already existed at the time of Jesus, who himself refers to the Hebrew Bible in Luke chapter 24, verse 44 as “the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms.”

The extent to which Jewish writings have been incorporated into our Old Testament varies depending on the Christian denomination.

While the Reformers, and thus Protestantism, divided the 24 books of the Tanakh into 39 books, the Orthodox and Catholic Churches added further books (the so-called Apocrypha) from more recent copies of the Septuagint.
Thus, the Catholic Bible canon comprises 46 books and the Orthodox canon, depending on the church organization, up to 51 books in the Old Testament.

The Septuagint (Latin for seventy, because according to legend, 72 scholars translated the Torah in 72 days) is the first translation of the Hebrew texts into Greek. It was begun around 250 BC in Alexandria, Egypt, for the Jewish population of the Greek-speaking Mediterranean region.

Because these writings lack references to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit, among other things, most theologians do not recognize them as inspired by God, as the rest of our Bible is, but rather consider them to be historical books of Judaism.
Another indication of their non-authenticity is that although the apostles, and even our Lord Jesus Christ himself, very often quote from the canonical books of the Old Testament, nowhere in the New Testament is a single passage from any of the apocryphal writings quoted.

500 years ago, Martin Luther commented on these apocryphal writings, which means hidden, occult, secret, and which are also called late writings:
“These are books that are not considered equal to Holy Scripture, but are nevertheless useful and good to read.”

But even in Judaism itself, these apocryphal books never belonged to the canon of the sacred writings of the Tanakh, but were merely added to later copies of the Greek translation.

Introduction to the prophet Malachi

The 39th book of the Bible and the conclusion of the Old Testament in 3 chapters
God’s last prophet in the Old Testament — a final voice before the long silence

The name Malachi means “My Messenger” or “Messenger of the LORD.”

A hundred years had already passed since the first Israelites had returned from the Babylonian exile when Malachi was called to be a prophet in the last third of the 4th century B.C.
The Second Temple had also long since been completed, and the last turning of the people to God—which had persisted after Ezra and then Nehemiah had rectified the abuses—had faded away.

Nevertheless, the prophet’s rebuke begins with a declaration of love for his people, who, however, show Him no gratitude.

This is followed by God’s rebuke and accusations against the religious Jews and especially the priests.
The hypocrites who, through their actions, show contempt for Him, the Almighty.
Outwardly, everything maintains the appearance of order; the religious festivals can be observed, and the priestly service and sacrificial ceremonies can be performed regularly.
But within the people of Israel, social and religious abuses are spreading more and more, and God’s law is being shamelessly disregarded.

This is followed by prophetic visions of the future; Malachi reports on events from the New Testament up to the coming Day of Judgment — the “Day” of the Lord.
Malachi calls the people of Israel to repentance one last time: “Fear of God” — that is, respect and obedience toward Him and His Word — is always followed by blessing, but disobedience and selfishness must be followed by judgment!

For the people of Israel, a long silence now follows — complete silence from God — everything has been said regarding this covenant based on the commandments of Moses.
Until, nearly half a millennium later, John the Baptist and Jesus, the Christ Himself, appear!

All of Malachi’s prophecies concerning the first coming of Jesus have long since been fulfilled — and have laid the foundation for our faith!
Only the Jews, who reject Him as the Messiah, continue to pray and wait for Him to this day—or at least for another prophet, a messenger of God.

I think, however, that this last of the “minor prophets” from the covenant God made with the people of Israel should remind us—at least everyone who calls themselves a Christian—above all of the second coming of Christ and its significance.

And that all piety, all sacrifices, all deeds that do not come from a joyful, honest, and grateful heart—are worth nothing before God.
But also that a return to God and HIS Word is possible for every person as long as they live—
and our loving Creator is waiting only for our repentance toward HIM!

Contents of the Book of the prophet Malachi:

The prophet Malachi

• Malachi chapter 1
  • God’s people disregard His love – no gratitude
  • The people and their spiritual leaders offer inferior sacrifices – no reverence
• Malachi chapter 2
  • Rebuke and a call to repentance for the priests
  • Rebuke, admonition, and warnings regarding – marriages to women who worship idols, unfaithfulness, and divorce
• Malachi chapter 3
  • The Messenger and Forerunner of the Messiah – the Coming Judgment
  • Unfaithfulness, disobedience, robbing God of what is due to Him – blessings for obedience!
  • God is patient, just, and faithful – He will punish wickedness but preserve the righteous
• Malachi chapter 4
  • The coming Day of Judgment-the “Day of the LORD”
  • Israel will be prepared for this “Day of the LORD” by the prophet Elijah

The book of the Prophet Malachi, to listen to

Now it’s your choice: in the Classic King James Version of the Word of God

or the World English Bible, a translation in modern English,

and for all non-native speakers for the beginning, also in simple English with a British accent and a female voice. 

Introduction to the prophet Zechariah

The 38th book of the Bible, consisting of 14 chapters
The “great” among the Minor Prophets

With its 14 chapters, Zechariah not only contains by far the largest volume of the “Minor Prophets,” but the eleventh book also offers a wealth of prophecies that announce in great detail not only the first but also the second coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
A focus is on the city of Jerusalem, which for a long time becomes a playground for the respective world powers and is beset by suffering and misery, but which in the end is also elevated to the capital of the messianic world kingdom.

The name Zechariah means “God remembers.” Interestingly, in the introduction to his calling as a prophet, his father Berechiah (“God blesses”) and his grandfather Iddo (“At the appointed time”) are mentioned after him.

The prophet Zechariah appeared in the year 520 B.C., just two months after Haggai had begun to proclaim the word of God. And at least for a short time, these two messengers were able to witness the people of Israel turning back to their God.

Zechariah was still very young at that time; he came from a priestly family that had set out from exile in the Babylonian Empire on the journey back to their homeland of Israel following the edict of release issued by Cyrus the Great.
More details on the historical background can be found in the introduction to the prophet Haggai.

The Book of Zechariah can be divided into two or even three parts.

First, Zechariah begins with an introduction in the form of a reminder of the sins of the ancestors and a call to return to God.
This is followed by eight “night visions” or dreams, which are messages from God and whose interpretation Zechariah received assistance with from an angel.

After that, questions concerning fasting are addressed, along with promises for the future.

The final part of the book of the prophet consists of two prophecies, each dealing with the coming of the Messiah.
The first prophecy also describes Christ’s first coming—and the rejection and suffering He must endure.
The second prophecy describes Jesus’ second coming—as the King who judges the kingdoms of the world and establishes Jerusalem as the head among the nations.

Outline of the Book of Zechariah:

Content of the prophet Zechariah:

The prophet Zechariah

• Zechariah chapter 1
  • A Call to Repentance
  • Zechariah’s First Night Vision – Report to the Angel of the LORD
  • God’s Promises Concerning Jerusalem and Israel
  • The Prophet’s Second Night Vision – Four Horns and Four Smiths
• Zechariah chapter 2
  • Zechariah’s Third Night Vision – A Man “Measures” Jerusalem in the Kingdom of the Messiah
• Zechariah chapter 3
  • His Fourth Night Vision – A High Priest Named Joshua (Hebrew: Yehoshua – “The LORD Is Salvation” – the name of Jesus
• Zechariah chapter 4
  • A fifth night vision – a golden menorah, a seven-branched lampstand, and two olive trees
• Zechariah chapter 5
  • The prophet’s sixth night vision – a curse in the form of a flying scroll
  • The seventh night vision – a measure of grain containing lawlessness
• Zechariah chapter 6
  • Zechariah’s eighth night vision – four chariots representing the four winds (or spirits) of heaven, which are sent out
  • The coronation of the high priest Joshua (= Jesus) and an announcement concerning the coming Messiah
• Zechariah chapter 7
  • God desires integrity and compassion from us – far more than fasting
  • The days of fasting are an outward matter, meaningless to God
  • From time immemorial, God has demanded only righteousness and love from His people through the prophets – yet in vain and to the people’s ruin
• Zechariah chapter 8
  • God loves His people and will bring them to great happiness, but He steadfastly upholds His moral demands (seven sayings)
  • In the future, days of fasting will be replaced by joyful celebrations, and even the Gentile world will share in the glory of God’s people
• Zechariah chapter 9
  • God’s judgment on the hostile nations of Syria and Phoenicia and His defense of Jerusalem
  • The entry and blessed reign of the Prince of Peace in Jerusalem
  • The liberation and return of the captive Jews, their victory and prosperity
  • The LORD will come and save His people
• Zechariah chapter 10
  • The LORD grants Judah victory and brings Israel back
    • God alone bestows every blessing; idols and false prophets bring only disaster
    • God raises up heroic leaders for His people – now entrusted to the care of bad shepherds – to lead them in victorious battles
    • The people scattered throughout the world will return, especially from Egypt and Assyria, and once again become a strong people of God
• Zechariah chapter 11
  • Judgment on Israel – Unfaithful Shepherds – The Good Shepherd
    • The Terrible Collapse of the Hostile World Power
    • The Prophet’s Calling as Shepherd of the Afflicted People
    • The Prophet’s Unsuccessful Ministry as Shepherd; His Disgraceful Rejection by the Owners of the Flock
    • The Prophet’s Renewed Call to the Office of Shepherd and the Threat Against the Worthless Shepherd
• Zechariah chapter 12
  • The nations’ attack on Jerusalem and its deliverance; the city becomes a burden to all nations; its enemies are destroyed
  • The outpouring of the Spirit upon Jerusalem – the people’s great mourning for the one they have pierced
• Zechariah chapter 13
  • The divine cleansing of the people; the removal of idolatry, false prophecy, and all impurity
  • The stricken shepherd and the scattered sheep – the purification and restoration of Israel
• Zechariah chapter 14
  • The Day of the LORD, His return to the Mount of Olives, battle and tribulation, but also salvation in Jerusalem
  • The miraculous events in nature on the Day of the LORD
  • Judgment upon the nations that waged war against Jerusalem
  • All nations will worship the LORD in Jerusalem
  • In Judah and Jerusalem, even the most ordinary everyday objects will then be sanctified

The book of the Prophet Zechariah, to listen to

Now it’s your choice: in the Classic King James Version of the Word of God

or the World English Bible, a translation in modern English,

and for all non-native speakers for the beginning, also in simple English with a British accent and a female voice. 

Introduction to the prophet Haggai

The 37th book of the Bible, consisting of only 2 chapters
God’s first prophet after the Babylonian exile

Haggai means “man of the feast” or “the festive one.” He is the first of the prophets to appear in Jerusalem after the return of the first Israelites from the Babylonian exile.
He wrote the tenth book in the “Book of the Twelve Prophets” among the “Minor Prophets,” and he is also mentioned in the Book of Ezra; otherwise, we know little else about him personally.

Haggai began his prophetic ministry when the rebuilding of the Temple had stalled, and it lasted only a little over four months in 520 B.C.
At this time, the prophet Zechariah also appeared at his side, whose ministry spanned a longer period.

Historically, the Persian King Cyrus had issued an edict in 538 BC allowing the Jews to return to their homeland in Israel.
Consequently, 42,360 people, including Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and Nehemiah, had returned to Israel from the Babylonian Empire and had erected an altar on the Temple Mount just one year later.
The following year, 536 B.C., the cornerstone was laid, and the people began building a new temple for their God in Jerusalem—we read about this in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

The building of this temple for the God of Israel, the God of the Jews, was boycotted by their pagan neighbors using every conceivable means—including political ones.
Work on it came to a complete standstill by 522 B.C. at the latest. This had caused frustration and a certain spiritual “lukewarmness” among the people.

His message is above all an encouragement to Israel; Haggai appeals to the people’s conscience and calls them to love and devotion to the LORD—which is also reflected in their work for “God’s cause.”
Drought and hardship prevailed in the land—and Haggai admonishes the people that God desires to bless them if they place Him above their own concerns.

In doing so, this prophet—as one of the few—witnesses a turning back, a turning toward God among the entire people in response to his message, and as early as 515 BC, the Second Temple is dedicated in Jerusalem.

Although this temple was nowhere near as magnificent as its predecessor, King Solomon’s Temple, it was expanded and rebuilt many times over under King Herod the “Great,” 500 years later.
The “Wailing Wall” in Jerusalem, a holy site for devout Jews, consists of the remains of the western wall of the Temple Mount from the time of Jesus and the Gospels—before the Romans destroyed this temple as well in 70 AD.

The prophet Haggai prophesies the future destruction of the pagan empires.
He envisions and describes how the pagan nations will bring their riches to the temple in the Messianic Kingdom, whose glory will far surpass that of Solomon’s temple and all its predecessors.

Content of the prophet Haggai:

The prophet Haggai

• Haggai chapter 1
  • God’s Call to Rebuild His Temple
  • The People Heed God’s Call
    
• Haggai chapter 2
  • Prophecy about the Glory of the Coming Temple
  • Purity and Impurity in Service and Sacrifice to God
  • Encouragement to Work for God’s Kingdom – He Wants to Bless!
  • Prophecy to Zerubbabel – One of the Ancestors of Jesus Christ – about the Destruction of the Pagan World Empires

The book of the Prophet Haggai, to listen to

Now it’s your choice: in the Classic King James Version of the Word of God

or the World English Bible, a translation in modern English,

and for all non-native speakers for the beginning, also in simple English with a British accent and a female voice. 

Introduction to the prophet Zephaniah

The 36th book of the Bible, consisting of 3 chapters
God warns Judah one last time — the “Day of the Lord”

Zephaniah, the ninth in the order of the “Minor” Prophets, ministered immediately before and then simultaneously with Habakkuk.
Zephaniah’s ministry begins around the same time as that of the prophet Jeremiah, and at that time the prophet Nahum was also proclaiming the word of God.
It is the first half of King Josiah’s reign, around 640 B.C., when the prophet Zephaniah appears in Jerusalem.

Zephaniah describes himself as a descendant of Hezekiah. This presumably refers to King Hezekiah, who had ruled the Kingdom of Judah a century earlier and under whom the prophet Isaiah spoke on God’s behalf.
The name Zephaniah means roughly “God hides” or “the one whom the LORD has hidden.”

The coming “Day of the LORD”—as the second coming of the Messiah or Christ—is a central theme in biblical prophecy, and no other prophet in the Old or New Testaments mentions this event as often as the short book of Zephaniah.
This “Day of the LORD” can be interpreted as God’s impending judgment upon the whole earth—
at the return of the “Lamb” as the “Lion of Judah”—which simultaneously marks the end of the “Great Tribulation” and the transition to the “Millennial Kingdom.”

Zephaniah’s message includes a final call to the People of Judah to turn back to the Lord and repent—as well as threats against the leaders of the people.
As the second books of Kings and Chronicles tell us, this also brought about a revival under King Josiah—but this revival likely affected the king himself above all—the nature of the people changed little, and the judgment by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar struck Judah and Jerusalem—and brought an end to the Jewish monarchy to this day.

But the prophet Zephaniah also had to proclaim judgment upon the neighboring nations of the Kingdom of Judah.
This judgment extends in all directions: to the west, the Gaza Strip among the Philistines; to the east, northern Jordan, the Ammonites, and the southern part of the land among the Moabites; to the south, present-day Ethiopia and Sudan, the Cushites; and also to the north, all of “Greater Syria,” the Assyrian world power with its capital at Nineveh.

The comfort that Zephaniah has to proclaim for the future is God’s blessing for the remnant of Israel and for all the nations of the world—when the LORD dwells in the midst of His people and reigns Himself.

Content of the prophet Zephaniah:

The prophet Zephaniah

• Zephaniah chapter 1
  • The Coming Judgment
    • Judgment on Judah
    • The Great “Day of the LORD” Is Announced
• Zephaniah chapter 2
  • An Urgent Call for Repentance and Humility to Judah
  • Judgment on Israel’s Neighbors
    • First the Philistines in the West
    • Judgment on Moab and Ammon in the East
    • Judgment on Cush in the South
    • Judgment on the Great Power of Assyria in the Northeast
• Zephaniah chapter 3
  • Threat of Judgment on Godless Jerusalem
  • The God-fearing remnant of Israel will ultimately be restored and receive honor before all nations

The book of the Prophet Zephaniah, to listen to

Now it’s your choice: in the Classic King James Version of the Word of God

or the World English Bible, a translation in modern English,

and for all non-native speakers for the beginning, also in simple English with a British accent and a female voice. 

Introduction to the prophet Habakkuk

The 35th book of the Bible, consisting of 3 chapters
God must also judge Judah—but the righteous will live by faith

Habakkuk is the eighth of the so-called “minor” prophets, and chronologically, the order in the Bible—as the successor to Nahum in “God’s call”—is almost accurate.
During his lifetime, this prophet witnessed the rise of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, while injustice and lawlessness increased in his homeland of Judah.

He thus follows in the footsteps of Nahum and Zephaniah, and alongside him, the prophet Jeremiah also proclaims God’s word. Both witness the fulfillment of judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem and can be considered the last prophets in the Kingdom of Judah.
Toward the end of Habakkuk’s ministry, the first prophets of the Babylonian exile, Daniel and Ezekiel, are raised up—and with that, our knowledge of Habakkuk also comes to an end.

There are two different views on the meaning of the name Habakkuk—well, perhaps both are “correct.”
On the one hand, it can mean a herb that is cultivated—perhaps basil or mint.
But “one who embraces” or “one who clings to God” are also mentioned—and there are certainly plenty of plants that like to wind their way around something as they grow…

In some ways, the Book of Habakkuk reminds us of the books of Jonah and Job—these two men of God also had a “problem” with God’s ways—albeit for entirely different reasons.
Here we witness a “conversation” between God and the prophet; however, unlike most of his prophetic predecessors, Habakkuk does not speak from God to the people—but rather about the people to God.

First, Habakkuk laments that God permits all the injustice taking place among the people.
– God’s response consists of the announcement of judgment upon Judah by the Chaldeans.
Then the prophet complains a second time, asking for mercy and for another answer.
– This answer is that God will punish all the unrighteous—from all nations—but the righteous will be saved from all of this.

The final chapter of the book of Habakkuk consists of a psalm, a song of praise, and a preview of the judgment upon the nations at the coming of the Messiah; this ultimately comforts Habakkuk and fills him with joy, strength, confidence, and gratitude.

Content of the prophet Habakkuk:

The prophet Habakkuk

• Habakkuk chapter 1
  • Habakkuk laments to God about the injustice and misfortune surrounding him
  • The LORD answers him and announces judgment through the Chaldeans (Babylonians)
  • Habakkuk asks about justice and also pleads with God for mercy for the nations
• Habakkuk chapter 2
  • God’s response to the prophet:The righteous have proven themselves faithful and will live by their faith
  • The oppressors and the wicked, on the other hand, will fall under judgment
• Habakkuk chapter 3
  • Habakkuk’s psalm and prayer – a preview of the LORD’s coming to judge

The book of the Prophet Habakkuk, to listen to

Now it’s your choice: in the Classic King James Version of the Word of God

or the World English Bible, a translation in modern English,

and for all non-native speakers for the beginning, also in simple English with a British accent and a female voice.