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LEVEL 3A REMNANT RETURNSg) Prophets who saw the times of CaptivityJEREMIAHThe young king Josiah began to reform Judah. The following year, the priest, Jeremiah, began his prophetic ministry, which continued through the reign of the good king Josiah and four short reigns of wicked kings, - Zedekiah (21:1-10), Shallum (22:10-12), Jehoiakim (22:13-19) and Coniah (22:24-30) - until after the destruction of Jerusalem. He predicted the final ruin, and so was persecuted. He discerned man's heart to be etched with sin, deceitful above all things, unchangeable by nature (17:1,9), like the Ethiopian's skin and the leopard's spots (13:23; 5:3; 6:28). He predicted that Babylon would rule for 70 years (25:11; 29:10) and that subsequently God would "fulfil his gracious promise" to bring a remnant of Israel back to the land (29:10,11; 31:1-14 etc.). But the most "gracious promise" of all was that of the future coming of Messiah (33:14-17) and of a new and everlasting covenant, which would change hearts (31:31-34; 32:38-41). God's people, not the ark in the temple, would be the centre of blessing, and hearts of Gentiles too would be changed (3:16,17). All nations would be blessed if Israel was obedient (4:1,2). There would be innumerable kings and priests, sons of David and Levi (33:17-22). (Revelation 5:9,10 and 7:9-17 teach us to see in this the true Christian Church.) EZEKIELEzekiel, in captivity in Babylon with the elite of Judah, had a vision of God, and gave many dramatic signs, parables and exposures of the sin of the far-away people of Jerusalem. He predicted that the city would fall and that the Jews already in Babylon would approve of its fate, when they saw how perverted were the latest captives who were to arrive from Jerusalem (14:21-23). Like most of the prophets, Ezekiel closes his Book with comforting promises. In 36:25-27, God promises to put his Spirit in them, cleansing them from idols and impurities, removing their heart of stone and giving them a heart of flesh. The vision of the resurrection of the dry bones, in chapter 37, speaks of their national restoration. God's sanctuary will be "over" them forever (37:27, literally translated, cf. Rev.7:15),). The battle of Gog and Magog, in chapters 38 and 39, will seemingly take place after the millennium (Rev 20:7-9). The temple in the last 9 chapters is radically different from other shrines in the Bible. It was a lesson, shown them in order to be immediately built "if" they were ashamed of their past, but they were not (43:10,11; 44:6-8; 45:8-10). DANIELEvents and visions of chapters 2 to 7 lead into the Persian Empire, and are in Aramaic, not Hebrew. They will be treated later as "The Manifesto of the Saints".. In chapter one, Daniel and his three friends are led to Babylon but remain faithful to God. Chapters 8 and 11 predict the abominations of Antiochus Epiphanes, who prefigured Antichrist. Chapter 9 contains the important time-table of all prophecy (See my book). Chapter 12 has a promise of final salvation and resurrection which necessarily applies to believers in the present age, since Paul preached it to Agrippa in Acts 26:6-8. h) Jewish struggles in the Persian EmpireEZRAIn the Book of Ezra God acts on hearts. He "moved the heart" of Cyrus, king of Persia to order the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem, inspired 42,360 Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild it, influenced the will of Darius to reaffirm the original decree to rebuild it and later moved king Artaxerxes to commission Ezra to beautify it. The semi-pagan people of the land opposed the Jews (Ezra 4:4,5), stopping the rebuilding the temple for about eighteen years. Two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, got the Jews back to work to complete it (Ezra 5). In chapter 7, Ezra came from Babylon with another group of Jews, authorized by Artaxerxes to do everything necessary to restore the temple in its beauty and its operation. Ezra was a descendant of the high priest Aaron, and is called a "scribe" (7:6), one who studied and taught the Law of God. Ezra found the returned remnant ungrateful to God for all He had done for them. They had disobeyed his law and intermarried with the pagans, who were leading them into idolatrous practices. The Book ends with a list of transgressors who repented. ESTHERThe story of Esther occurred between chapters 6 and 7 of Ezra. Although Cyrus had released a little group of Jews to return to Palestine to build a temple, the vast majority of the Jews was still hated and persecuted, scattered through the Medo-Persian empire (3:8,9), from India to upper Egypt (1:1). However, the scattered people was not forgotten by God. His providential care for them shines through all the entwining circumstances, although his name is not mentioned. Haman sought to kill, not only his enemy Mordecai, but also all the Jews. Esther accepted the self-sacrificing role laid down by her uncle Mordecai, risked her life and saved her people, and the Jewish Diaspora won many proselytes. The Diaspora later became a stepping stone in reaching the whole world with the Gospel (Acts 13:14-42). NEHEMIAHAlthough Cyrus had permitted some Jews to return and rebuild the temple, the rebuilding of the city and its wall took place by permission of Artaxerxes (2:1-6) and was accomplished by Nehemiah. The importance of chapter two of Nehemiah is seen by comparing it with the Book of Daniel, chapter nine, which foretells a "decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem" (9:25). It would be rebuilt "in times of trouble", a prophecy fulfilled in the Book of Nehemiah by the opposition of Sanballat and his friends (2:19 etc.). That would prepare for the coming of Messiah (Dan 9:25,26). However, in Nehemiah's time the people remained "in great distress" (Neh 9:36,37). "Here we are, slaves today! And the land that You gave to our fathers, To eat its fruit and its good things, here we are, slaves in it! And it yields much increase to the kings You have set over us, because of our sins; Also they have dominion over our bodies and our cattle..." i) Prophets of the Repatriated RemnantHAGGAIThis Book describes the situation in Ezra 5:1, 2, when the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, persuaded Zerubbabel and the high priest Joshua to lead the people to restart the building of the second temple, stopped for eighteen years (Hag 1:12). God also promised them that His Spirit, who had accompanied Israel at the time of the Exodus, was still present with them in their work (2:4,5). Haggai encouraged them by promises of the future glory of the temple: "The glory of this latter house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts, and in this place will I give peace" (2:9). Jesus may have had this promise in mind when he wept, at that same place, and said; "If you had known, even you, at least in this your day, the things which belong to your peace!" (Lk 19:42). Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, who led in the reconstruction, was an ancestor of Jesus (Mt 1:12,13) and was assured, at the end of the Book, that he would be like God's own signet ring in the day when God would overturn the kingdoms of the earth (2:22,23). A signet ring was very precious to ancient rulers, serving as a signature to authenticate all their decrees. Zerubbabel was chosen and immortal, but the promise receives its full meaning in his descendant, Christ, the final King. ZECHARIAHChapters 1 to 8 of Zechariah reflect the same times of the rebuilding of the temple. He was then young (2:4). In the first six chapters are many symbolic visions which came to him in the same 24 hour period, to encourage the rebuilders. Chapters 7 to 8 took place two years later. Chapters 9 to14 foretell the times of the future Greek empire, established by Alexander the Great (9:13) and terminate with God's final kingdom. Zechariah 2:10-11 speaks of the coming one, Jahveh, sent by Jahveh of hosts, a passage only explainable by the Christian teaching of the Trinity. Other Messianic passages are 9:9, 11:13, 12:10, 13:7 and 14:3. In chapter four, Zechariah sees a lampstand before which are two candlesticks. The lampstand is "the Lord of all the earth", or the Spirit of God, before whom the prophets stand and by whom they are anointed (3:13,14,6,10). The Holy Spirit is also "the seven eyes of the LORD which range throughout the earth" (4:10; 3:9 cf. Rev. 5:6; 1:4,5) and "a spirit of grace and supplication" to be poured out (12:10). MALACHIThe name "Malachi" means "My messenger". Not only the prophet, but also three other messengers of God, are named in this Book (2:7; 3:1). Malachi teaches by the method of questions and answers, to bring out what the people were thinking. The members of the tribe of Levi once walked with God (2:4-7), but now they despise God's name by offering him diseased animals and showing partiality in judgment (1:6 to 2:9). Malachi contrasts with such impiety the future reverence of all nations for God. God's coming is described, in 4:1,2, as the rising of "the Sun of Righteousness". After holding out a glorious hope to those who fear the Lord (3:16,17), the OT terminates with a curse on those who do not heed God's future prophet (4:5,6). > Click on Next to move on to the Overview Section 4 or on Back to go to Section 2. |
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