Context Matters: Understanding Post-Exile Prophets

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We explore the historical context of the final three prophets of the Old Testament—Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi—who spoke during the post-exile rebuilding period. Understanding when these prophets spoke and the conditions they addressed transforms their seemingly disconnected messages into powerful, relevant wisdom for our own seasons of waiting and spiritual rebuilding.

• God warned Israel in Deuteronomy and Leviticus that disobedience would lead to exile
• The exiles returned to Jerusalem in three distinct waves spanning nearly a century
• First wave (538 BC): Zerubbabel led 50,000 exiles to rebuild the temple but faced opposition
• Second wave (458 BC): Ezra focused on spiritual renewal and covenant recommitment
• Third wave (445 BC): Nehemiah rebuilt Jerusalem's walls in just 52 days
• Haggai (520 BC) challenged misplaced priorities when temple rebuilding stalled
• Zechariah encouraged spiritual renewal with his "not by might, nor by power" message
• Malachi addressed growing religious routine and spiritual drift after the temple's completion
• These prophets responded to real challenges, discouragement, and spiritual drift—issues still relevant today

Don't forget to follow us on your favorite podcast app so you won't miss what's coming next as we dive deeper into Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Until then, keep reading, keep seeking, and keep growing in your faith.

References

• Hoffmeier, J. K. (2021). The prophets of Israel: Walking the ancient paths. Kregel Academic.
• MacArthur, J. (Ed.). (NIV ed.). The MacArthur study Bible. Thomas Nelson.

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Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.

Episode Transcript

Jacqui (00:12):
Greetings listeners.
Have you ever opened your Bible, landed in a book like Haggai
or Malachi and thought wait,what's happening here?
The names sound familiar, theverses even feel powerful, but
without knowing the bigger storythey can seem out of place.

(00:33):
That's where many of us getstuck reading without context.
Today we're pausing to set thestage for the final three
prophets of the Old TestamentHaggai, Zechariah and Malachi,
because once you know when theyspoke, why they were sent and

(00:55):
the conditions of their society,their messages come alive with
surprising relevance for our ownseasons of waiting,
discouragement and spiritualdrift.
Well, welcome everyone.
I'm your host, Jacqui Adewole,and this is the Bible Basics
Podcast, where, weekly, we breakdown the basics of the Bible

(01:19):
into understandable, bite-sizedchunks.
Understandable, bite-sizedchunks.
Before we get into thepost-exile period, let's zoom
out and remember where we are inthe bigger story of the Bible.
Back in the books of Exodus,leviticus and Deuteronomy, god
gave his people clearinstructions for how to live in

(01:42):
the land he was giving them, andalong with those instructions
came a serious warning Quote ifyou turn away from me, if you
worship other gods, ignorejustice or oppress the
vulnerable, I will remove youfrom the land.

That's in Deuteronomy 28 (01:59):
36- 37, 63, and 64, and Leviticus,
chapter 26, verse 33.
These weren't empty threats.
They were covenant consequences, and God repeated those
warnings through the prophetsfor generations, prophets for

(02:29):
generations.
One of those prophets, Jeremiah, put it like this in Jeremiah,
chapter 25, verses 5 and 6.
Turn now, each of you, fromyour evil ways and your evil
practices and you can stay inthe land the Lord gave to you
and your ancestors forever andever.
Do not follow other gods toserve and worship them.
Do not arouse my anger withwhat your hands have made, Then

(02:51):
I will not harm you.
Unquote.
But the people didn't listen.
So, just as God had said,judgment came.
Jerusalem was conquered, thetemple was destroyed and the
people were taken into exile inBabylon.
Even then, god didn't stopspeaking Through prophets like

(03:14):
Ezekiel and Daniel.
He gave both warning and hope,promising that one day he would
bring his people home.
That day finally came.
In 539 BC, the Persian Empireconquered Babylon.
The Persian Empire conqueredBabylon.

(03:43):
Then, in 538 BC, god movedthrough King Cyrus of Persia.
He issued a decree allowing theJewish exiles to return to
their homeland.
We see this in 2nd Chronicles,verses 22 and 23,.
Ezra, chapter 1, verses 1through 4, and Isaiah, chapter
44, verses 28, to chapter 45,verse 1.

(04:05):
But this return didn't happenall at once.
It happened in waves overseveral decades.
Waves over several decades.
Let's look at each of the threewaves.
The first return was 538 BC.
Led by Zerubbabel, a descendantof David, and Joshua, the high

(04:30):
priest, about 50,000 exilesreturned to Jerusalem to rebuild
the temple.
We see that in Ezra, chapter 2,verses 1 and 2.
They started strong.
The altar was built, sacrificesresumed and the temple
foundation was laid with greatemotion.
We see that in Ezra 3.
But the work soon stalled dueto opposition and discouragement

(04:54):
.
That's Ezra, chapter 4, verses1 through 5, and Haggai, chapter
1, verse 2 through 4.
Now, almost 80 years later, ezraled a second group back.
This was about 458 BC.
As a priest and scribe, he camenot to build structures but to

(05:18):
rebuild hearts, calling thepeople to obey God's law and
renew their covenant with him.
We see that in Ezra, chapter 7,verses 6 through 10.
The third return was about 445BC, led by Nehemiah, who served

(05:38):
as a royal cupbearer in Persia.
He heard of Jerusalem's brokendown walls and led a third
return to restore and fortifythe city.
That's in Nehemiah, chapters 1and 2.
Nehemiah, chapters 1 and 2.
With prayerful determinationand strategic leadership, he

(06:07):
rallied the people to rebuildthe walls in just 52 days.
That's in Nehemiah, chapter 6,verses 15 to 16.
Now here's a side note aboutEsther.
Not all Jews returned toJerusalem.
Many remained scattered acrossthe Persian Empire.
The story of Esther takes placeduring this time in the Persian
capital of Susa and shows howGod protected his people even

(06:33):
far from the land.
While prophets and leaders wererebuilding in Jerusalem, god
was still at work behind thescenes, preserving his people
everywhere.
So who were the prophets duringthis rebuilding season?
Haggai was the first to speak In520 BC, when the people had

(06:57):
stalled in rebuilding the temple.
He called them out in Haggai,chapter 1, verse 4.
Quote Is it a time for youyourselves to be living in your
paddled houses while this house,meaning God's temple, remains a
ruin?
Unquote His message.
Rebuild God's house, refocusyour priorities.

(07:20):
Then there was Zechariah.
He prophesied alongside Haggai,but his words zoomed out
further.
He spoke of spiritual renewaland future glory, urging people
not to give up.
In the book of Zechariah,chapter 4, verse 6, quote not by

(07:42):
might, nor by power, but by myspirit, says the Lord Almighty.
Unquote His message.
Don't give up.
God's plan is bigger than youcan imagine Now.
Malachi came later.
By then the temple was rebuilt,but worship had grown routine

(08:05):
and the people were growingcareless.
God's love was still reachingfor them.
We hear in Malachi, chapter 3,verse 7, quote.
Chapter 3, verse 7, quotereturn to me and I will return
to you, says the Lord Almighty.
Unquote His message.
Return to God, give him yourwhole heart.

(08:29):
Now, these three prophets.
They spoke into a criticalmoment when the temple finally
stood again.
But the people were stillstruggling to live in faithful
relationship with God.

(08:49):
And their words, well, theystill echo in our lives today.
Now, why this matters?
You might be wondering why wetook the time to discuss the
post-exile period.
Well, here at Bible Basics, webelieve that understanding the
Bible means more than studyingindividual verses or favorite

(09:10):
stories.
It means walking through timeand observing the interactions
between God and his people.
It means seeing the big picture.
Each book of the Bible fitsinto God's larger story and when
we understand where aparticular chapter, person or

(09:35):
prophecy lands in that story, itopens our eyes to what God is
really doing and saying.
That's why episodes like thismatter, when we recognize that
Haggai, Zechariah and Malachiweren't just scattered voices,
but the messengers in a specificmoment, after the exile, during

(10:00):
the rebuilding.
It deepens our understanding oftheir message.
These prophets weren't writingin isolation.
They were responding to realchallenges, real discouragement
and real spiritual drift.
And if we want to read thesebooks with wisdom and faith

(10:21):
today, we need to read them intheir context.
So here's one way you canengage right now Take a moment
to flip ahead in your Bible andmark the start of Haggai,
Zechariah and Malachi In themargins or on a sticky note jot

(10:42):
down post-exile, after thereturn, during rebuilding.
It's a simple step, but ithelps you read with the big
picture in mind Every time youcome to those books in mind.
Every time you come to thosebooks, you'll have some idea

(11:03):
about the context.
So where are we now in the story?
God's people have returned totheir land, but the real
rebuilding has just begun.
The temple's only partiallyfinished.
The people are tired, theirfaith is flickering and in that
space, god doesn't stay silent.
He sends prophets not to givenew laws, but to remind them of

(11:26):
who they are and who God is.
That's what we'll explore overthe next three episodes as we
walk through the books of Haggai.
As we walk through the books ofHaggai, Zechariah and Malachi,
We'll hear their challenges,uncover their hope and see how
God's messages through themstill meet us right where we are

(11:48):
today.
So if you've ever felt stuck ina slow season or like your
faith needs rebuilding, don'tmiss what's coming next and
don't forget to follow us onyour favorite podcast app so you
won't miss what's coming next.

(12:08):
Until then, keep reading, keepseeking and keep growing in your
faith.