Minor Prophets Part 2: Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

On today's episode...

We all made it to the 50th episode of the Cross Connections Podcast! Join us as we conclude our journey through the Old Testament. This week we discuss the final minor prophets - Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. We dive into each prophet’s context, main themes, and historical significance, especially as it relates to the writings and theology we’ll soon find in the New Testament.

Habakkuk and Zephaniah are both written about the period before the Babylonian exile while the other three are all written in the post-exilic return to Jerusalem. The Book of Ezra names both Haggai and Zechariah as prophets who insisted on the rebuilding of the Temple. Read next to each other, you see two very approaches to encouraging the community. The final text – Malachi – takes place even later, after the rebuilding of the Temple, and focuses on how the priests and people are living into this new Temple period. There are several Messianic allusions in Malachi, which is why it sits at the end of the Old Testament in Christian Bibles.

Once we get through these final five prophets, we take a bit of time to lightly discuss the “intertestamental period.” This is the span of about four centuries between the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem until the ministry of John the Baptist and Jesus as written of in our Gospels. During this time, the Jewish community goes through yet more changes and struggles and there are important developments that inform the New Testament. This includes the establishment of synagogues and the Maccabean Revolt, the end of which is remembered in the Feast of Dedication (more familiarly called Hanukkah). Come listen in to hear how these developments inform Christian liturgy to this day!

Cross Connections is a ministry of ⁠⁠St. David’s Episcopal Church in Wayne, PA⁠⁠. Season two, Cover to Cover is hosted by the Rev. Rick Morley, Elliot VanHoy, and Natalee Hill.

A full copy list of readings for 2025 may be found on our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stdavidschurch.org/crossconnections⁠⁠⁠ ⁠If you have questions for us, you can call us at 484.588.5656 and leave a voicemail with your name, where you’re from, and your question or comment. Please note, we may use your recorded voice in an upcoming episode of Cross Connections. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠[e-mail]⁠⁠⁠.

Logo graphic design and podcast production by Natalee Hill. Stock Media Music provided by Marscott and MoodMode / ⁠⁠Pond5⁠⁠.

You are welcome to learn more about all of St. David’s worship offerings and ministries at ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://stdavidschurch.org/⁠⁠⁠.