EXILE IN BABYLON 597 to 538
The theme of this period was
a struggle to understand what was essential to their faith.
Ezekiel
Torah (first five books put
together largely as we have them now)
Many think most of Job
written during this period
Most scholars think Isaiah
40-55 written during this period
POST-EXILIC PERIOD WITH
PERSIA AS THE DOMINANT WORLD POWER
Cambyses (530-522) One could
read Ezra 1-4 at this point.
Darius 1 Hystaspes (522--486)
One could read Ezra 4:24-6:22 at this point.
Most scholars think that
Isaiah 56-66 were written at this time.
Haggai
prophesied from August 29, 520 BC to December 18, 520 BC. Zechariah (name means
“The Lord has remembered”) 1-8 represents prophecies from February 15, 519 to
December 7, 518.
Darius I
(the Great) ruled the Persian Empire from 522 to 486 B.C., strengthening and
enlarging its administrative infrastructure that his more military minded
predecessors, Cyrus and Cambyses, had neglected. Although the biblical
references to his support for the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple may glow
more than the historical reality behind them, it would not have been entirely
out of character for Darius to support the restoration of the civic, religious
and social institutions that gave meaning — and contentment — to the client
populations of the Persian Empire. Antiquity knew Darius for having supported,
for example, the reorganization of scribal schools in Egypt, which was part of
his empire’s vast reach.
Soon after the decree of Cyrus,
which allowed not only for the return of the Jewish exiles to their homeland,
but which also ordered, according to biblical tradition, the rebuilding of the
Jerusalem temple (Ezra 4:3), work began under Sheshbazzar to rebuild the
physical structure and restore the worship of Yahweh in it. The effort
languished, however, apparently from a number of causes — natural hardships,
lack of enthusiasm, active opposition from rival religious and political
factions — until the prophet Haggai, as part of the second generation of
returning exiles, injected new life into the endeavor.
Klaus Koch
will say that Haggai and Zechariah usher in the post-exilic age. He disagrees
with the judgment of many scholars that they are narrow-minded, political
nationalists, exclusive, and focus on the absolutism of the law that leads to
righteousness by works. Yet, as Elizabeth Achtemeier points out, we hear a
strange message here, since many prophets had been critical of worship in the
temple. We do not know what to do with either prophet. The pre-exilic prophets
(those who preached before the exile and while Solomon’s temple was still
standing) also cherished God’s house. Nevertheless, they chided the people for
relying too much on temple attendance and on the religious rituals practiced
there — including animal sacrifices, tithing and festivals — while ignoring the
weightier matters of justice and mercy. Jeremiah, for example, warned the
people, “Amend your ways and your doings ... Do not trust in these deceptive
words: ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of
the Lord”(Jeremiah 7:3-4). Haggai, on the other hand, urges the people to get
serious about rebuilding the temple.
The
intellectual world of Haggai depends on the priestly dichotomy between a holy
world and an unclean world. They encouraged the people to rebuild the temple,
concluding that project in 515 BC. Political realities had changed so that they
could do this, but they make no mention of this, for their focus is on the
authority of the Lord. In the opinion of some, they do so out of their desire
to restore the symbol of their national pride. However, this accomplishment did
not have the result these prophets had hoped. Rogern N. Carstensen (
Interpreter’s Bible) notes that the
people experienced hardship because of disease in crops. The prophets suggested
this would continue as long as there was no visible symbol of the presence of
God. Their messages culminate in the approaching coming of the Lord and the
imminent establishment of the reign of God that they closely connect to the
rebuilding of the temple. The point was that while the temple is in ruins, the
people lived in their own homes. The message is close to saying that with
Zerubbabel as a world-wide ruler and Joshua as high priest, all they need to do
is rebuild the temple, and they would set in motion end-time events. In other
words, Haggai and Zechariah name the coming anointed one. He would defeat the
powers of the world through the spirit of the Lord rather than military might.
Of course, Zerubbabel did not become the worldwide king that they expected. Von
Rad
suggests the establishment of the kingdom must await the rebuilding of the
Temple.
Koch will say that in viewing
essential eschatological saving figures as people they know, they go beyond all
previous prophecy. Of course, one could say that 500 years later, some Jewish
people would proclaim another person, Jesus of Nazareth, as that figure. Haggai
rejects Samarian help in rebuilding the Temple.
He also envisions an imminent time when all nations shall worship the
Lord.
The time of the Messiah would be a
time of universal religion.
He
designates Zerubbabel, a descendent of David, to be the anointed one, the
grandson of Jehoiachin.
The reality was
that he never came to the throne.
Haggai raises the question of who
can worship in the temple, and suggests that they must not throw open the doors
of the sanctuary to anyone felt drawn to it. Rather, they must offer worthy
sacrifices. He did this, recognizing the prophecy of Isaiah and the warning
against foreign alliances. Given the historical reality that whatever Israel
experienced at this time occurred in Jerusalem, it is little wonder that the
Zion tradition was especially meaningful for these prophets. They are part of a
long Zion tradition that looked forward to a time when the nations would come
to Jerusalem and worship Yahweh.
The way Zechariah puts it, the
reign of God will come when they rebuild the temple. The rebuilding of the
temple is the dawn of salvation. He records eight visions, a different medium
than most prophets. God does not speak directly to him. Rather, God has
intermediaries, angels in particular, who will talk with the prophet. We might
speculate that if the remoteness of God became a theme, they developed a way
for representatives of God to communicate. He has a brief appearance of Satan
in 3:1-2.
Haggai 1:1-15 has the theme of the restoration of the
temple. It was Sukkoth, the Feast of Booths, commemorating the flight of Israel
from Egypt, when the people lived in temporary dwellings in the wilderness of
Sinai (Leviticus 23:42-43). On August 29, 520 BC the word of the Lord came
through Haggai to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the high
priest. In Ezra 5:1-2, Haggai is among those who helped rebuild the Temple.
According to Ezra 10:18, some of the descendants of Joshua would marry foreign
women. It seems the people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house
of the Lord. Joyce Baldwin says that it was harvest time, so they may have
thought they could not both harvest and build the temple. They may also have
thought that God would build the temple that Ezekiel described. The prophet
wonders, however, if the time is ripe for them to live in their paneled houses,
while the house of the Lord is in ruins. He asks them to consider how they have
fared, and in doing so, is challenging their priorities. They were putting the
palace for the governor and their homes before the House of the Lord. They have
sown much, and harvested little. They eat, but they never have enough. They
drink, but never have their fill. They clothe themselves, but they are not
warm. The earn wages, but the bags into which they put the money has holes.
Again, consider how they have fared. The Lord invites them to go up to the
hills, bring wood, build the house, so that the Lord may take pleasure in it,
and receive honor. Baldwin says this is the central message of Haggai. By
obeying, they will turn their backs on indifference. They will bring glory to God
by this work. They have looked for much and it came to little. The reason for
all this is that the house of the Lord is in ruins, while they built homes for
themselves. Therefore, they have received no rain and little fruit from the
land. The Lord has called for a drought. The prophet is making a connection
between the plight of the people and their failure to build the temple. We now
hear the response to the prophet. With these words from the prophet,
Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the Lord
through Haggai, as the Lord sent him. The people feared the Lord. Then Haggai,
the messenger of the Lord, said to the people that the Lord is with them,
offering a comforting and encouraging word. The Lord stirred up the spirit of
Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the remnant of the people, working in a quiet way among
them and in them, to the point that they worked on the house of the Lord. 23
days, September 21, 520, would lapse between the prophecy and the beginning of
the work.
Haggai 1:15b-2:23 are oracles of
encouragement. He receives a new word from the Lord on October 17, 520. He
delivers the message in the last ordinary day of the Feast of Booths. He addresses the two leaders, Zerubbabel the
secular leader and Joshua the high priest, but this time he addresses the
remnant as well. Do some of them remember the House of the Lord in its former
glory? How does it look to them now? It seems as nothing. The elders must have
spoken nostalgically about that. The
verse may refer not just to the physical structure but also to the political
realities of a Judean kingdom vs. the little province of Yehud. Yet, the
leaders and the people are to take courage. The Lord is with them. For Haggai,
the bottom line for a place of worship was not about how it was constructed or
how it looked, but who was there. Strength comes from the presence of the Lord.
The prophet knows this, for the Lord promised that when the Lord brought them
out of Egypt, the Lord would be with them. Therefore, the key architectural
criterion for sacred space is that it is a place where God’s “spirit abides
among you.” They could take courage in that reality. It will not be long until
the Lord will shake the heavens, earth, sea, and dry land. The Lord will shake
the nations. It will not be long before the Lord shakes all creation. The whole universe will experience an
"earthquake." The gentiles
will bring their treasures to Jerusalem.
The silver and gold belongs to the Lord. The manifestation of that
divine power will be the convulsions of nature and culture. Such are typical
reactions to the march of the divine warrior that is rooted in the earliest
layers of Israel’s religious imagery. Prosperity will come to all nations. The
result of that divine intervention is that vast foreign wealth will flow to the
rebuilding effort, yielding a temple surpassing Solomon’s for splendor. The
Lord will give them prosperity, the word here being shalom, the blessing of the
Messianic age. That the eventual product fell far short of the prophetic vision
is unremarkable in the long interplay between prophetic vision and historical
reality in the Old Testament. The Lord owns all wealth.
Haggai 2:10-23 continue with
oracles of encouragement. Verses 10-19 focus on the blessing typified by their
present harvest. A new word from the Lord comes on December 18, 520. Haggai is
to ask of the priests for an official ruling on a matter of Torah. If one
carries consecrated mean in the fold of one’s garment, and the fold touches
bread, stew, wine, oil, or any kind of food, does it become holy? The priests
answer no. In contrast, ritual defilement was passed on by contact. Meyers
& Meyers say that Haggai is using this ruling as a way of saying that the
rebuilding of the temple has a relation to the fortunes of the people. Haggai
responds that so it is with this people and nation to the Lord. The Lord finds
that what the people offer is unclean. The point is that Israel had been set
apart for the Lord, but now experienced defilement. The ruined temple was like a
corpse in their midst. There was no cleansing available except free acceptance
by God. He asks them to consider what will happen. Before people laid one stone
upon another for the temple, how did they fare? Things had worsened. The grain
yielded only have of what was supposed to do. The Lord struck them and their
work, the latter with mildew and hail. Yet, they did not return to the Lord.
This refers to Amos 4:9, where the Lord has the power to withhold harvest. They
are to consider from this day onward, with the foundation of the temple laid,
whether there is any seed left in the barn. Do the vine, fig tree, pomegranate,
and olive tree still yield nothing? From this day onward, the Lord will bless
them. The prophet is predicting an abundant harvest. One can compare this with
Ezra 3:10-13, which speaks of a foundation-laying ceremony of which this book
seems unaware. In verses 20-23, we find the last prophetic word of Haggai
addressed to Zerubbabel, on December 18, 520, the same day as the previous
oracle. The Lord is about to shake the heavens and earth, to overthrow the
throne of kingdoms. The Lord is about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms
of the nations, the chariots and their riders, the horses and their riders.
They shall fall by the sword of a comrade. In the last days, God will act and
Judah will not need to fight. On that day, the Lord will take Zerubbabel, “my
servant,” and make him like a signet ring, for the Lord has chosen him. He
expects the new age to begin. The sentence pronounced in Jeremiah 22:24 finds
its reversal here. The Lord renews the election of the Davidic king.
Zechariah 1:1-6 is the
introduction. In November-December 520,
the word of the Lord came to Zechariah. His father here is Iddo, but in Ezra
5:1, 6:14, and Nehemiah 12:16 he is the grandfather. In Nehemiah 12:14 he is
part of the priestly group that returned in 538. The Lord is angry with their
ancestors, referring to pre-exilic Judeans. The exile was punishment for their
sins. The prophet calls on the people present to return to the Lord, and if
they do, the Lord will return to them. They are not to be like their pre-exilic
ancestors. We can assume that returning to Judea and starting the rebuilding of
the temple were not enough. They had prophets who urged them to turn from their
evils ways and deeds. Yet, they did not hear or heed the Lord. We find these
words in II Chronicles 30:7 as well. Where are their ancestors? Where are the
prophets? Do they live forever? Such ironic questions are to stimulate them to
learn from the past. Yet, the words and statutes of the Lord overtook them.
Therefore, they repented and said the Lord of hosts has dealt with them in
accord with their ways and deeds, just as the Lord planned to do, a reference
to Jeremiah 25:4-5 and 35:15. Ezekiel 33:11 is also a close parallel. To return
to the Lord means they must adhere to the prophets and to the Law. Zechariah is
immediately connecting himself with these prophets. It provides some
legitimizing of his words. He encourages reflection on the covenant. The word
of the Lord now has a close connection to the Law, a process begun in the
Deuteronomic tradition, as noted by Meyers &Meyers. The return to the Lord
that Zechariah envisions is similar to that of Haggai, as they dedicate
themselves to building the temple. The concern of Zechariah, according to
Meyers & Meyers, is the significance of the work already begun on the
temple. He has established the tone of his work.
Zechariah 1:7-6:8 contain several
night visions. Pannenberg,
in a discussion of the eternity of God, notes that heaven is the place where
God makes decisions about earthly events, and where resolve and execution are
the same thing for God. Thus, the future, and especially the future event of
salvation, is already present for God. We see in these visions that end-time
events on earth are already present in heaven. All of this suggests that heaven
expresses the thought that all times are present for the eternity of God.
Zechariah 1:7-17 is the first vision, that of
horses patrolling the earth. This vision is universal. We will see a steady
narrowing of the first three visions. On February 15, 519, the word of the Lord
came to Zechariah. In the night, he saw a man riding on a red horse, along with
other riders on white horses. Meyers 7 Meyers say that horses were not the
normal means of transportation, reserved for wealthy and the military. With no
chariots, the emphasis is on the swiftness. As the prophet continues, the man was
standing among the myrtle trees in the glen. An angel was with him, so he asked
what the vision meant. The Lord has sent them to patrol the earth. Meyers &
Meyers say that this might follow the pattern of Persian system of intelligence
and communication, which could be quite speedy and secret. The focus here is on
divine knowledge of human activity. They spoke to the angel of the Lord that
they had patrolled the earth thoroughly. The earth remains at peace. The angel
of the Lord asks the Lord of hosts how long will the Lord withhold mercy from
Jerusalem and Judah, with who the Lord has been angry for 70 years (see
Jeremiah 25:11-12, 29:10, although it refers to Judean rule)? The question
assumes that the anger of the Lord continues and that the Lord suspended the
love of the Lord toward Judah. The prophet is reinterpreting the 70 years for
his time. The Lord replied with gracious and comforting words to the angel.
Meyers & Meyers say that we are to imagine the Lord as emperor and the
angels as those who help the Lord control the realm as servant of the emperor.
The angel then told him to proclaim this message. The Lord is jealous for
Jerusalem and Zion. The Lord is angry with the nations that are at ease. The
point is that the political situation is stable. While the Lord was a little
angry, they made the disaster worst. The Lord is angry with the Persians
because they have not allowed Judea its independence. Therefore, the Lord has
returned to Jerusalem with compassion. The people will build the House of the
Lord. The Lord will stretch the measuring line out over Jerusalem. The cities
will again overflow with prosperity, will again comfort Zion, and will again
choose Jerusalem. The rebuilding of the temple means the end of the anger of
the Lord. Jerusalem will again become a religious and political center. The
prophet still has hope for political independence and Davidic rule.
Zechariah 1:18-21 is the second
vision, the four horns and the four smiths. This vision narrows from the
universal to Judah. The horns are a symbol of might, while four refers to the
ends of the earth. Combined, it refers to the might of the earth. Meyers &
Meyers suggest the vision is retrospective, interpreting the recent history of
Judah. Zechariah looked up and saw four horns, and he asks the angel what they
are. The angel answers that they are the horns (Assyria and Babylon) that have
scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem, referring to the exile. The Lord showed
him four blacksmiths, and he asked what they are coming to do. The Lord
answered that they are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no head could
rise. However, the blacksmiths (Persians), agents of the will of the Lord, have
come to terrify them, to strike down the horns of the nations that lifted up
their horns against Judah and scattered its people. The metalworkers will
reverse the policies of the nations in scattering Judah.
Zechariah 2:1-5 is the third
vision, the man with the measuring cord. This vision narrows further to
Jerusalem. Zechariah looks up, sees a man with a measuring line in his hand,
and asks what he is doing. The man answered that he is to measure Jerusalem for
its width and length. The angel previously referred to and another came forward
to meet him and said he is to run that young man (an official other than
Zechariah) and say that Jerusalem shall be inhabited like villages without
walls due to the people and animals in it. The Lord will build a wall of fire
all around it and the Lord will be the glory within it. Meyers & Meyers
stress that this measuring anticipates a Jerusalem that will be full with a
rebuilt city and restored temple. The boundaries are related to the restored
Davidic line. The messengers of God are in motion, suggesting the active role
of God in the world. All of this suggests to Meyers & Meyers that this
vision is eschatological. The eschatological vision has its grounding in the
Persian reality, but the prophet does not take the reduced role of Judah and
Jerusalem as permanent.
Zechariah 2:6-13 is an expansion on
the themes of the first three visions. First, the prophet offers a call to the
exiles to leave their homes in Babylon and return to Zion. The Lord says they
must flee from the land of the north, the land from which invaders from Babylon
came, for the Lord has spread them abroad like the four winds of heaven. The
Lord is responsible for the exile, which is global. They are to escape to Zion,
if they live with “daughter Babylon.” Thus, this prophesy concerns only those
exiled to Babylon. Second, the prophet makes it clear that Judah still occupies
a special place in the plans of god in spite of Persian rule. The Lord of hosts
speaks to the prophet after “the glory,” the divine presence sent him,
regarding the nations that plundered them. The language is close to Jeremiah 50:9-16.
However, it could refer to Persia here. If so, it expresses the belief that all
foreign domination must cease. One who touches Judah touches “the apple of my
eye.” They are to look carefully, for the Lord is going raise a hand against
them, and they shall become plunder for their own slaves, the servant becoming
the master. The point is that God will arouse destructive action against anyone
who is against Judah. God is the one who ensures the well-being of Judah. Then
they will know the Lord has sent Zechariah. Third, the prophet envisions the
universal dominion of the Lord and the return of the presence of the Lord to
Jerusalem. Daughter Zion is to sing and rejoice, for the Lord will come and
dwell in their midst. Many (meaning all) nations shall join themselves to the
Lord on that day and shall be “my people.” This suggests a day when Judah and
the nations shall be equal before the Lord. The Lord will dwell in their midst.
The prophet envisions a time when the Lord will rule the world from Jerusalem.
All of this suggests an eschatological vision, using the terminology of
covenant. They shall know the Lord has sent them. The Lord will inherit Judah
as a portion belong to the Lord in the holy land (only occurrence in the Old
Testament), and will again choose Jerusalem. The people are to be silent before
the Lord, for the Lord has aroused from the divine holy dwelling.
Barth
will discuss the history of the Jewish people, acknowledging that if we look at
it seriously, it becomes an actual demonstration of the divine ruling or
governance of this world. Even after 70 AD, God did not abandon this people. In
fact, God turned toward them and accepted solidarity with them. While often
faithfulness, their election and covenant with God remains. This election finds
fulfillment in Jesus Christ, and therefore, the Jews stand in world history. He
thinks of this as the secret of their continued existence, a mystery of divine
faithfulness and grace. Their race, language, culture, or Law is not the source
of their preservation, but the faithfulness and grace of God. They often
disobeyed, and they scorned Jesus. Yet, because they are the people of God,
even when they did not want to be or choose to be, they remain within world
history. The Jews are this people, and therefore, they are the apple of the
Lord’s eye. No one can touch this apple. Therefore, the Jews are despised,
hated, oppressed, persecuted, and assimilated, but one cannot really touch them
or exterminate them. One cannot destroy them. They are the only people that
necessarily continue to exist, with the same certainty as that God is God, and
that what God has willed and said is not whim. The history of the Jews is the
embodiment of this theme of all world history. What confronts us is a trace of
divine world governance, a trace in which we recognize who it is that exercises
the divine control.
Zechariah 3:1-10 is the fourth
vision involving Joshua and the priestly vestments. Meyer & Meyer suggest
that it not be part of the numbered visions because it is so different from the
other visions. Meyers & Meyers suggest this vision may be part of the
historical installation service for Joshua. The also think the text shows some
nervousness among the people for not having a king. They think that we are to
imagine a scene at the heavenly court over which the Lord presides. The Lord
showed Zechariah the high priest Joshua standing before the angel of the Lord,
as Joshua is the issue before the court today. Satan stood at his right to
accuse him as a prosecuting attorney. The angel of the Lord is the defender.
The accuser, however, does not get a chance to speak. Having already decided
the case, the Lord rebuked Satan. The Lord chooses Jerusalem and rebukes Satan.
Joshua is a brand plucked from the fire, an image found in Amos 4:11 as well.
Zechariah notes that Joshua wore filthy clothes, possibly the result of being
in exile. The angel told all those standing before him to take off his filthy
clothes. To Joshua, the angel said that he removes the guilt of Joshua and
clothes him with festal apparel. Zechariah wanted them to put a clean turban on
his head, so they did so, for which see Exodus 29:5-7 and Leviticus 8:7-9. The
angel assured Joshua that if he will walk in the ways of the Lord and keep the
requirements of the Lord, then he shall rule the House of the Lord and have
charge of the courts of the Lord. The Lord will give him the right of access
among those who stand there. These would appear to be expanded duties from the
pre-exilic times. The priest will have access to the divine council, whereas
before only prophets had such access. He is to listen carefully, for those who
are with him are an omen of things to come. The Lord is going to bring “my
servant the Branch.” Zechariah is trying to deal with David traditions of ideal
Israel. The branch or shoot is the first growth of a vine or tree. It may refer
to Zerubbabel. The agricultural background gives way to prophetic and Davidic
hopes. See Jeremiah 23:5 and 33:5. Such a notion would arouse Persian
authorities, for they would not allow him to be king. The Lord will set a stone
before Joshua with seven facets and engrave its inscription. The Lord will
remove the guilt of this land in a single day. “On that day,” which could refer
to the completion of the building of the temple or to the day of the Messiah,
they shall invite each other to come under the fine and fig tree.
Zechariah 4:1-14 is the fifth
vision, having the theme of the lampstand and olive trees. Revelation 11:1-14
likely uses the images here for the two witnesses at the last time. The angel
who talked with Zechariah came to him again, awakening him, the prophet
realizing that his visions give him a new grasp on reality, as different as
sleep is from being awake. He asked what he saw. Zechariah said he says a lampstand
all of gold, with a bowl on top of it. According to Meyers & Meyers, this
does not match the description of the lampstands in either Exodus or Kings.
Zechariah would never have seen them, since according to II Kings 25:15 the
Babylonians melted the gold objects. He might rely upon an oral tradition. He
identifies the lampstands with the pre-monarchy situation, even while he lives
in a non-monarchy situation. By it are two olive trees, one on the right of the
bowl and the other on its left, symbolizing the High Priest and the Governor.
The angel asked Zechariah what these things are. He said he did not know. The
angel the word of the Lord is that not by might, nor by power, but by the
spirit of the Lord. The prophet affirms the involvement of God and divine
control of world events, as well as affirms the status quo. Are you a great
mountain? Before Zerubbabel, you shall become a plain. Referring to Mount Zion,
Zerubbabel shall bring out the top stone (a stone from the old temple used in
the new construction, for which see Ezekiel 3:10-12) amid shouts of “Grace,
grace to it!” The word of the Lord is also that the hands of Zerubbabel have
laid the foundation of the House of the Lord. His hands shall also complete it.
The community needed a connection between the old and the new temple, and
Zerubbabel was that connection. Then they will know the Lord has sent Zechariah
to them. For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and
shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel. One can assume that since
Zerubbabel was a Persian appointee his legitimacy would be in question. All of
this suggests acceptance of non-monarchy reality, even while having the hope
for a dynasty in the future. These seven (important number in this vision,
possibly referring to the Year of Jubilee) are the eyes of the Lord that range
through the whole earth, emphasizing the omniscience of God. Zechariah asked
about the two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand. Further,
he wonders about the two branches of the olive trees that pour out the oil
through the two golden pipes. The angel marvels that he does know what they
are. The angel tells him they are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord
of the whole earth, suggesting the equality of the priestly and political
leaders. The affirmation provides a universal conclusion to the vision. They
are legitimate successors to leadership in post-exile Judah.
Zechariah 5:1-4 is the sixth
vision, which is that of the flying scroll. Meyers & Meyers do not think it
fits well with previous visions. The theme is the rule of law in the community.
The likelihood is that the scroll symbolizes the Torah. Zechariah looks up and
sees a flying scroll. The angel asked what he sees, and the prophet identifies
it as a flying scroll and its length as 20 cubits and its width as 10 cubits,
or 10 meters by 5 meters, giving the scroll the dimensions of a billboard. The
dimension would be suitable in heaven. The angel says the scroll is the curse
that goes out over the land, suggesting the curse embedded in the legal
contract of the time. The blessing of the covenant can occur only if the Law
takes hold. Of course, this curse appeals to the Ten Commandments, for which
see Jeremiah 7 and Hosea 4. Everyone who steals the Lord shall cut off, in
accord with the writing on one side of the scroll. Everyone who swears falsely
the Lord shall cut off, in accord with the writing on the other side of the
scroll. The Lord has sent it out and it shall enter the house of the thief and
the house of anyone who swears falsely. It shall abide in that house, consuming
it.
Zechariah 5:5-11 is the seventh
vision, which is the woman in the bushel measure. The angel commands Zechariah
to look up and see what is coming out. The prophet asks what it is. The angel points
to the basket or barrel of grain, which he identifies as the iniquity in all
the land. Someone lifted the lead cover. A woman stood in the basket, reminding
that the dimensions are likely large, since the vision occurs in heaven. It
could refer to the statue of a goddess. The angel said that this is Wickedness,
which could refer to idolatry. The angel thrust her back into the basket,
pressed the cover down on its mouth. Then the prophet looked up and saw two
women coming forward. The wind was in their wings. The imagery suggests
cherubim. They had wings like that of a stork, also a female image. They lifted
up the basket between earth and sky. The prophet asked the angel where they
were taking the basket. The angel said to the land of Shinar, to Babylon, to
build a house for it. When someone prepares the house, the two women will set
the basket down on its base. The prophet is intentional in having wickedness go
to Babylon.
Zechariah 6:1-8 is the eighth
vision, which is that of four chariots. The first vision also had four horses.
The chariot suggests warlike purpose. Zechariah looks up, seeing four chariots
coming from between two mountains of bronze, seemingly signifying that they
come from God. The first had red horses, the second black horses (going north),
the third white horses (going west), and the fourth dappled gray horses (going
south). He asked the angel what they are. The angel answered that they are the
four winds of heaven going out. They have already presented themselves before
the Lord of all the earth, reminding us that God is in charge over what happens
on the world scene. They were impatient to patrol the earth. The angel told
them to do so. As they did so, the cried out to Zechariah that those who go
toward the north country have set my spirit at rest in the north country. We
should note that a universal divine presence begins and ends this vision. The
spirit of God is present and active in world events now. The spirit of God in
the north, which is either Babylon or Persia, gives legitimacy to what is
happening now. The Lord is policing the Persian system.
Zechariah 6:9-15 is an oracle
concerning the crowning. The word of the Lord came to Zechariah to collect
silver and gold from the exiles, identifying Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah. They
have arrived from Babylon. The passage is addressing the problem of the
relation between those still in Babylon and those who have returned. They are
also to go to Josiah, the son of Zephaniah, a priest taken to Babylon,
according to Jeremiah 21:1 and 52:74ff. With the gold and silver they are to
make a crown and set it on Joshua. He is to say to him that here is the man
whose name is Branch. He shall branch out in his place. He shall build the
temple of the Lord. He shall bear royal honor. He shall sit upon his throne and
rule. All of this suggests to Meyers & Meyers that the building of the
temple is a future eschatological event. A priest shall be by his throne, with
peaceful understanding between the two of them. The four men named shall care
for the crown, for it will be a memorial in the temple of the Lord. Those who
are far off shall help build the temple. Then they shall know the Lord has sent
Zechariah to Joshua. This will happen if Joshua diligently obeys the voice of
the Lord, suggesting that the result of obedience will be a Davidic dynasty.
Zechariah is dealing deliberately with the idea of a priest with some royal
responsibilities. It acts as a commentary on Jeremiah 33:17. While some think
this passage unites priest and royal authority into one, Meyers & Meyers do
not think so. They think the priest is to receive crown now, while the crown
for the king must await the future. They think Zechariah has accomplished much
by giving the Davidic king an eschatological role, while giving the priest a present
role, facing the present situation with some realism. The point is the present
situation is not permanent. The prophet restores the non-monarchic beginning of
Israel to the present post-exile situation, while the monarchic success of
David moves toward an eschatological vision of the future.
Zechariah 7:1-6 introduces a set of
oracles related to fasting. The word of the Lord came to Zechariah in the
fourth year of King Darius. Darius commanded the recording of the law of Egypt,
so he could easily have done so with the Jewish people as well. The situation
was that the people of Bethel, 12 miles north of Jerusalem, experiencing
destruction in either 480 or 460, had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech and their
servants to ask a favor of the Lord. They recognize the growing authority of
Jerusalem in this post-exile time. They asked the priests of the house of the
Lord and the prophets whether they should mourn and abstain in the fifth month
(the destruction of the temple), as they have done for so many years, suggesting
the institution of an official lament. We should also observe that the priests
were the natural leaders. In response, the answer transcends a cultic detail.
The word of the Lord becomes a question of whether for 70 years they have
fasted for the Lord. He wonders that when they eat and drink, do they do so
only for themselves. Assuming that the oracle came in the 70th year,
the year is 517 BC. We see Zechariah dealing with an authoritative legal
system, even as he has already dealt with the temple and the priesthood. The
focus of the oracle is on what their practices have accomplished in these 70
years. They have behaved in certain ways and sustained cultural identity
without monarchy.
Zechariah 7:7-14 is an address to
the delegation from Bethel, offering further retrospection on Divine justice.
The prophet asks about the words that the Lord proclaimed by earlier,
pre-exilic prophets. At that time, Jerusalem had people and prosperity, along
with the land around it, giving the oracle a political thrust. The word of the
Lord was that they are to render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to
each other, do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the foreigner, or the poor.
They are not to devise evil in their hearts against each other. All of this
suggests general social justice and not justice in the courts. It suggests that
justice and love need to complement each other. Yet, the people refused to
listen. They turned a stubborn shoulder. They refused to hear. They made their
hearts adamant so that they could not hear the Law or the words of the Lord
through the pre-exile prophets. Therefore, the anger of the Lord came upon
them. When the Lord called, they would not hear. Therefore, when they called,
the Lord did not hear. The Lord scattered them with a whirlwind among the
nations they had not known. The pleasant land they left became desolate. The
prophet shows knowledge of the Pentateuch, some prophetic materials, and even
the Deuteronomic History.
Zechariah 8:1-17 contains seven
oracles that relate to Zion and Judah restored. The first oracle is that the
word of the Lord came to Zechariah that the Lord is jealous for Zion with great
wrath. The commitment of the Lord to Israel is so intense that it reverses the
exile. The second oracle is that the Lord will return to Zion and dwell in the
midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be a faithful city (unique in the Old
Testament the phrase is City of Truth) and the mountain shall be holy. The
third oracle is that old men and women shall sit in the streets of Jerusalem,
each with staff in hand due to their old age. The streets of the city shall be
full of boys and girls playing. This oracle envisions the re-population of the
city. The fourth oracle is that even though it seems impossible to the remnant,
it becomes possible with the Lord. To question its possibility is to question
the power of the Lord. The fifth oracle is that the Lord will save “my people”
from the east and west country. The Lord will bring them to live in Jerusalem,
“They shall be my people and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in
righteousness.” Yet, we have no hint of people returning from Egypt. However,
the prophet clearly envisions the renewal of the covenant with God. The sixth
oracle is that they are to strengthen their hands. They have recently heard
words of prophets present when the people laid the foundation for the
rebuilding of the temple, the house of the Lord. Before then, people had no
wages. They hd no safety. The Lord set them against each other. Now, the Lord
will act differently with the remnant. They shall sow peace, the vine shall
yield its fruit, the ground shall be productive, the skies shall deliver rain,
and the remnant shall possess these things. They have been a curse among the
nations because the Lord cut them off. The Lord will save them and they shall
become a blessing. They are not be afraid. They are to strengthen their hands.
The prophet envisions a re-structured political and economic order with the
re-establishing of the covenant and the rebuilding of the temple. The seventh
oracle is that the Lord had the purpose of bringing disaster upon them, when
their ancestors provoked the Lord to wrath. The Lord did not relent. Yet, now
the Lord has a new purpose to do good to Jerusalem. Do not be afraid. They
shall speak the truth to each other (truth is to pervade the social order),
render true judgments in their gates, make for peace, not devise evil in their
hearts against each other, and love no false oath. The Lord hates these things.
The prophet shows acquaintance with the language of the Torah here.
Zechariah 8:18-23 contains three oracles
regarding Judah and the nations. The first oracle is that in Judah, the fast of
the fourth (when Judean leadership fled Jerusalem), fifth (destruction of
Jerusalem), seventh (death of Gedaliah), and tenth (siege of Jerusalem) months
is to become a festival of gladness and cheer. Therefore, they are to love
truth and peace. The second oracle is that peoples shall yet come from many
cities and seek a favor of the Lord. They shall seek the Lord in Jerusalem. The
third oracle is that “in those days” ten people from the nations of every
language shall take hold of a Jew and desire to go with them, for they have
heard God is with them. These visions are eschatological, to Meyers &
Meyers, referring to a time when the nations shall come to Jerusalem. The three
oracles have an ever-broadening circle of people. The nations will recognize
one God and Judaism as primary. The prophet envisions that the people of the
world will find their way to the Lord through those who already stand in
relation to the Lord.
