Week 36, August 31–September 6: Zechariah 4–14; Micah 1–4; Job 1–6; Psalms 100–106

• Sun      Aug 31 Zech. 4–6        Ps. 100
• Mon     Sep 1  Zech. 7–8        Ps. 101
• Tue      Sep 2  Zech. 9–11      Ps. 102
• Wed     Sep 3  Zech. 12–14    Ps. 103
• Thu      Sep 4  Mal. 1–4          Ps. 104
• Fri        Sep 5  Job 1–3           Ps. 105
• Sat       Sep 6  Job 4–6           Ps. 106

We began reading Zechariah last week and will finish it with this week’s reading. As mentioned before, Zechariah prophesied during a similar time period to that of Haggai, in the time of the Persian king Darius. Some of the Judahites who had been exiled out of the Land were returning to Jerusalem to help with the rebuilding efforts there. Zechariah’s message comes in that context. Zechariah’s name means “the Lord (Yahweh) remembers,” and his message is more hopeful than some of the other Minor Prophets.

There is a two-part structure to the book, with chapters 1–8 focusing on issues that relate to the current generation of those seeking to restore the community in Jerusalem. Specific historical figures from that time period are mentioned, like Joshua and Zerubbabel. While the immediate frame of reference is on the historical context of that generation, and particularly those two characters, they are presented in a way that suggests Zechariah’s meaning, and the Lord’s, is about the future too. This first “half” of Zechariah consists of Zechariah’s night visions.

The second part of the book, chapters 9–14, is more apocalyptic and clearly eschatological. Here Zechariah envisions the more distant future. The oracles of these latter chapters speak of coming judgement, and salvation, for the nations, and salvation for Israel.

The overall message of this largest entry in the Book of the Twelve is a call to repent and turn back to the Lord (Zech. 1:3), and a hopeful encouragement to those who do repent. God’s promises are sure, and he will look with favor on his people if they turn back to him. This book is a book of hope. In Christ, God has delivered on his promises through the prophets. And as we await Christ’s second coming, we wait with certainty and hope in anticipation that he will again bring all peoples to himself. He will be our God and we will be his people.

Christmas is still a few months away, but it is never too early in the year to rejoice in the first coming of Christ as we await his second coming. The Christmas hymn “Let all Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” captures the wonder and awe of the Incarnation, and its title reflects the language of Zech. 2:13 (and Hab. 2:20).

Let all mortal flesh keep silence

and with fear and trembling stand

Ponder nothing earthly minded

for with blessing in His hand

Christ our God to earth descending

comes our homage to demand

 

King of kings yet born of Mary

as of old on earth He stood

Lord of heaven now incarnate

in the body and the blood

He will give to all the faithful

His own self for heav’nly food

 

Rank on rank the host of heaven

Spreads its vanguard on the way

As the Light of light descending

From the realms of endless day

That the pow'rs of hell may vanish

As the darkness clears away

 

At His feet the six-winged seraph

Cherubim with sleepless eye

Veil their faces to the presence

As with ceaseless voice they cry

Alleluia Alleluia

Alleluia Lord Most High

The last of the Minor Prophets, the final entry in the Book of the Twelve, is Malachi. This short book also closes the OT canon in the order represented in our English Bibles. In the Hebrew Bible order, Malachi is followed by Psalms and the third section of the Hebrew Bible (Tanak), called the Writings. (See the post from week 23 for more explanation about the Tanak/Hebrew Bible order.)

Unlike some of the other Minor Prophets, there is no indication of the time period or historical setting of Malachi’s prophetic ministry. Malachi’s name means “my messenger,” and this title refers not only to Malachi himself, but also to another messenger to come. Malachi looks ahead to the return of the prophet Elijah, who will come and prepare the way for the coming of the Lord himself (Mal. 3:1; 4:5–6). In the Gospels we see Malachi’s prophecies fulfilled in John the Baptist, a new Elijah who prepared the way for Jesus, the promised Messiah (Matt. 11:13–14; Luke 1:17).

Malachi includes an emphasis we have seen all through the reading in the OT, especially at the key transition points at the end of one canonical section and the beginning of the next (See also Josh. 1:8; Ps. 1:2). Malachi, like many of the other biblical authors, calls God’s people to remember what he has said to them through his written word. For those who fear God, he has a “book of remembrance” written for them. He wants them to remember that they shall be his. (Mal. 3:16–18). And the final word in Malachi is a word of hopeful anticipation. The day of the Lord is coming, the sun of righteousness is coming with healing in its wings, and Elijah will come and prepare a way for the great and awesome day of the Lord. As his people await this glorious day, the day when the Lord of hosts will act, they are to remember the Torah, the word of God he gave to them through Moses (Mal. 4:1–4).

Psalms follows immediately after Malachi in the Hebrew Bible order. Since this reading plan has Psalms spread throughout the year, we move to Job after finishing Malachi and the Prophets. Nevertheless, it is worth noting the significance of the order as we transition from the Prophets to the Writings, the final section of the Tanak. Keeping in mind the themes near the end of the Malach (as well as at the beginning of Joshua, the first book in the Prophets section of the Hebrew canon), it is probably not coincidental that Psalm 1 opens the Psalter and the Writings by declaring blessing on the one who delights in the Torah and meditates on it day and night (Ps. 1:1–3). The sections of the OT canon appear to have been intentionally stitched together, and the thread used for the seam is the theme of Scripture.

We know very little, if anything at all, about the date of the events of Job or the date the book was written, or even who wrote it. However, we really do not need to know those things to understand the book. In fact, the anonymity of the author and the unknown time period in which it was written and in which its events take place all provide an openness for us as readers to see the book as relevant to us no matter what our context is in the world and in history.

The message of the book of Job is a message God’s people have found to be deeply meaningful in what it communicates about God and about how he relates to his people. It is a book that speaks to the vastness of our Creator God, and our relative smallness in comparison. It also speaks to the unseen realm in which the Lord sovereignly operates. And it sheds light on the sometimes-mysterious ways we fit into his cosmic plans.