Overview and Objectives
Lesson Overview
During the period of “return” and “rebuild” described in the Ezra and Nehemiah lesson, God raised up two prophets to encourage the returnees to rebuild with excellence. Although Haggai and Zechariah ministered to the same people at the same time, their styles and messages addressed different needs and took different forms.
Lesson ObjectivesWhen you complete this lesson, you should be able to do the following:
- Describe the historic setting of these prophets to more clearly understand their messages.
- List comparisons and contrasts between these contemporary messengers.
- Explain how God maintains His sovereign plan for redeeming His people.
- Integrate findings from this lesson with those from your study of Ezra and Nehemiah to deepen studies of all four books.
As you proceed through this lesson have the following question in mind.
How would you apply the challenging question of Haggai 1:4, “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” to the days in which we live? The book of Zechariah is known for its clear Messianic prophecies. How do you put together the pictures of the coming Messiah as both suffering servant and king (see Zechariah 3:8-9; 9:9; 12:10; 13:7; 14:9)?