Category: Bible Index

Haggai was the first prophet to speak the Word of God to Israel after they returned from Babylonian captivity. His message to the returning Israelites encouraged both the spiritual and moral reconstruction of Solomon’s Temple, which had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. The Book of Haggai is part of “The Restoration Period” (536-420 B.C.) that is spoken about in detail in the books Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther.

In 536 B.C., Priest Zerubbabel led the remnant Israelites numbering almost fifty thousand back to Jerusalem to begin construction of the new Temple, referred to later as the Temple of Zerubbabel. Building on the same site as the first Temple, work ceased after about ten years of reconstruction because of political pressures and problems. Persian King Darius, the ruling monarch in 521 B.C., was interested in law, which led to him granting permission to the Jews to start the rebuilding project once again.

In 520 B.C., Haggai delivered the words of the LORD to stir the Israelites to start the building the Temple. Haggai spoke to the remnant about their spiritual and religious needs that were centered upon the rebuilding of the LORD God’s House. His ministry, lasting for just four short months, generated enthusiasm and motivated the Israelites to continue the rebuilding project. The Temple of Zerubbabel was finally completed in the sixth year of Darius’ rule in 516 B.C.

In the beginning of the rebuild, as the less spacious and less magnificent Temple of Zerubbabel began taking shape before the Israelites eyes, they were perplexed. To re-inspire their effort, Haggai promised them that the LORD God was with their efforts and predicted the future Temple would have more splendor than the former house of the LORD God. His prophecy would later support not only Israel’s religious restoration, but proclaim the shadow of Jesus Christ, as he restored believers through the most perfect tabernacle through his being.

The identity of “Haggai the Prophet”, author of the “Book of Haggai,” is uncertain. Nothing is known of his personal history, except for brief mention in Ezra 5:1 and 6:14. Although some suggest that Haggai 2:3 hints that Haggai was one of a group of Israelites that had seen Solomon’s Temple in its former glory (“Book of Haggai Introduction”, King James Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1988. 1356.), there is not enough evidence to support this claim. Although his age or origin in Biblical history is unknown, Haggai’s ministry as a prophet was raised perfectly in the specific time and place to move God’s people forward, rebuild His Temple, and accomplish His Will.

Haggai 1

1:1-15 The people urged to build the temple by Haggai

Haggai 2

2:1-9 The glory of the new temple
2:10-19 Unfaithfulness reproved by Haggai
2:20-23 The Lord’s promise to Zerubbabel

The prophecy of Zephaniah was used in the providence of God to prepare Judah for the reforms and revival under King Josiah. Through the prophecy the nation of the prophet’s day was faced with it’s sin, reminded of coming judgment, and instructed concerning the ultimate glory that will one day come to Israel. Zephaniah sets what forth the day of the Lord will mean to ungodly Judah, to the world powers and to the godly remnant. His theme is the day of the Lord, which will destroy the false remnant of Baal, destroy the God-rejecting nations and purify the true remnant belonging to Him.

Zephaniah 1

1:1-18 The day of the Lord’s wrath

Zephaniah 2

2:1-15 The scope of divine judgment

Zephaniah 3

3:1-8 Jerusalem’s sin and redemption
3:9-20 Ultimate supremacy of Israel

The prophecy of Habakkuk is unique among all prophetic literature for the Hebrew poetry contained within. The first two chapters contain a dialogue between the prophet and the LORD God concerning the invasion of the Chaldeans and their destruction. Chapter 3 is a psalm with instructions given to the musicians for its rendering. In the first two chapters the prophet contends with the LORD GOD, and in the third chapter, he submits to Him.

Most commentators date Habakkuk’s prophecy during the reign of King Jehoiakim. Nothing is known about the author Habakkuk. Because he is known to us only by name indicates the relative unimportance of the prophet, and the major importance of the prophecy. The theme of prophecy is judgment on Judah and Chaldea (Babylon).

Habakkuk 1

1:1-4 Why does God permit injustice?
1:5-11 God’s use of the Chaldeans
1:12-17 Why should God use the wicked?

Habakkuk 2

2:1-4 “The just shall live by his faith”
2:5-20 Judgment of the unrighteous

Habakkuk 3

3:1-19 A prayer of Habakkuk

The prophecy of Nahum the Elkoshite is dominated by a single idea, the doom of Nineveh. He delivers a message of judgment and destruction against Nineveh and gives comfort to Judah to know that Assyria is doomed and constitutes a threat no longer. The prophet’s name means “Consolation” which gives an indication of the purpose of the poetic prophecy. Nahum’s mission was to comfort the kingdom of Judah following the destruction of Israel by Assyria, by announcing God’s coming judgment on Nineveh, the capital of Assyria.

Nahum was born in Galilee, but during Israel’s defection moved to Judah and in Jerusalem took up his ministry in behalf of Judah against Nineveh.

Nahum 1

1:1-15 God’s majesty in mercy and judgment

Nahum 2

2:1-12 The siege and destruction of Nineveh
2:13 The overthrow of Nineveh

Nahum 3

3:1-19 The overthrow of Nineveh (continued)

Micah’s prophesy dates according to the southern kings Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. These kings of Judah reigned from about 752 to 697 B.C. One of the most wicked kings of all Judah’s history, King Ahaz, is the focus of much of Micah’s prophesy. While the dark picture presented by Micah’s prophecy reflects the reign of King Ahaz, the brighter aspects reflect the godly rule under King Hezekiah.

One of Micah’s most important prophecies concerns the preexistence and human birth of the Messiah at Bethlehem, and affords a demonstration of the accuracy and certainty of the fulfillment of prophecy through God’s Will. The purpose of Micah’s prophecy is to face the people with their sins and the word of God’s judgment that must come upon them as a result of their persistent sinning, and to speak of the future restoration after the Babylonian captivity as well as ultimately, the restoration at the Millennium.

Micah 1

1:1-16 Judgment on Samaria and Jerusalem

Micah 2

2:1-11 Woe to the oppressor of the poor
2:12-13 The promise to the remnant

Micah 3

3:1-4 Judgment on Israel’s leaders
3:5-12 Judgment on the prophets

Micah 4

4:1-13 Swords into plowshares

Micah 5

5:1-15 The deliverers from Bethlehem

Micah 6

6:1-5 The Lord’s contention with Israel
6:6-16 The requirements of the Lord

Micah 7

7:1-7 The moral sins of Israel
7:8-20 God’s concern for his people

Jonah was a prophet whose message was fulfilled during the reign of Jeroboam II, who reigned from 793 to 752 B.C. The prophecy was given when Assyria was becoming a great world power and imminent threat to Israel. The purpose of Jonah’s prophecy is to show the sovereignty of God at work in the life of an individual, and his concern for a heathen nation. Jonah’s struggles and mistakes made in carrying the message to an unbelieving people, exemplifies the commitment necessary to truly walk the walk of Christ as a person belonging to the LORD GOD as He leads His Words and Way to be spread where He Wills.

Jonah 1

1:1-2 Jonah commissioned
1:3 Jonah flees from God
1:4-17 The storm at sea and swallowed by the great fish

Jonah 2

2:1-10 Jonah’s prayer and God’s answer

Jonah 3

3:1-4 Jonah’s second commission
3:5-10 Nineveh repents

Jonah 4

4:1-3 Jonah’s displeasure
4:4-11 God’s lesson to Jonah

Obadiah’s prophecy was written in Hebrew poetry, and delivered with intense emotion. The authorship and the date of prophecy are unknown. The purpose for the prophesy of Obadiah is to pronounce God’s judgment on Edom (Esau) because of his actions toward his brother Judah (Jacob). This pronouncement leads to the eventual doom when Jesus Christ executes judgment of God on Edom and her allies.

Obadiah 1

1:1-9 Natural security for Edom
1:10-14 Judah’s misfortunes
1:15-16 Edom’s fate
1:17-21 Israel’s ultimate triumph

Amos pronounces judgment on Israel’s enemies, before delivering the main burden of judgment against Israel herself. His courageous and unusually stern prophesy was issued primarily at Bethel, the seat of idolatry in the northern kingdom. He attacks Satan’s stronghold, Bethel, and when he is opposed by the idolatrous priest, Amaziah, becomes even bolder in his preaching. Amos was God’s messenger to call the nation Israel to become responsible and accountable to the national sins she had committed against God.

Amos 1

1:1-2 Judgments on Israel’s neighbors
1:3-5 Damascus
1:6-8 Gaza
1:9-10 Tyrus
1:11-12 Edom
1:13-15 Ammon

Amos 2

2:1-3 Moab
2:4-5 Judah
2:6-16 Judgment on Israel

Amos 3

3:1-8 The lion roars
3:9-15 The condemnation of Samaria

Amos 4

4:1-3 The depravity of Israel
4:4-13 God’s punishments have not reformed Israel

Amos 5

5:1-27 A call to repentance

Amos 6

6:1-14 The judgment on Israel

Amos 7

7:1-3 The grasshoppers

7:4-6 The fire
7:7-9 The plumb line
7:10-17 Amos and Amaziah

Amos 8

8:1-3 The basket of summer fruit
8:4-14 The imminent judgment

Amos 9

9:1-10 The Lord’s judgments inescapable
9:11-15 The future restoration of Israel

Joel, the son of Pethuel, was one of the earliest prophets of Judah, the southern kingdom. He was a contemporary of both Hosea and Amos, ministers of the northern kingdom. His frequent calls to blow trumpet in Zion, to consecrate a fast, to proclaim a solemn assembly, and to gather the people together to come before the Lord lend credence to the view that the prophecy was issued from the temple court. Two great events are compared in the course of Joel’s prophecy: (1) the locust plague upon Judah in the days of the prophet, and (2) the far greater coming day of the Lord. The latter is patterned in the figure of the former.

Joel 1

1:1-12 The locust plague in Judah
1:13-20 Joel’s warning and intercession

Joel 2

2:1-17 Call to repentance and fasting
2:18-27 God’s response and promise
2:28-32 The outpouring of God’s spirit

Joel 3

3:1-21 Judgment on the nations

In a national call to repentance, Hosea’s prophecy gave Israel an example of its spiritual idolatry, yet portrayed God’s love for Israel in spite of her spiritual infidelity. He prophesied in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, and his ministry extended from about 770 to 725 B.C. Hosea, a weeping prophet, was a citizen of the northern kingdom like his counterpart Jeremiah to the south. Hosea’s prophesy is characterized by intense emotion as the prophet’s personal tragedy is transferred and applied to the nation. Because of the tragic details of his personal life, Hosea has been known as the brokenhearted prophet. His sorrow provides a good illustration of the brokenhearted Lord in His relationship with sinful mankind.

Hosea 1

1:1-11 Hosea’s unfaithful wife

Hosea 2

2:1-13 The Lord’s love for his unfaithful people
2:14-23 Israel is restored

Hosea 3

3:1-5 Hosea and the adulteress

Hosea 4

4:1-19 The Lord’s controversy with Israel

Hosea 5

5:1-14 God’s displeasure with Israel
5:15 Israel’s insincere repentance

Hosea 6

6:1-11 Israel’s reply to God’s admonishment

Hosea 7

7:1-16 Israel has rebelled against God

Hosea 8

8:1-14 Sow the wind and reap the whirlwind

Hosea 9

9:1-17 “The days of visitation are come”

Hosea 10

10:1-15 The punishment of Israel

Hosea 11

11:1-12 God’s love for faithless Israel

Hosea 12

12:1-14 Ephraim’s sins rebuked by God

Hosea 13

13:1-16 Ephraim’s destruction foretold

Hosea 14

14:1-9 Israel entreated to return to the Lord