Haggai and Zechariah with Marvin Sweeney

Dr. Marvin Sweeney (Claremont School of Theology) guides us through Haggai and Zechariah. We discuss:

• The historical context of Haggai and Zechariah in the Persian period
• The major themes of Haggai and Zechariah.
• How Haggai and Zechariah fit in the Book of the Twelve including how they each take up Isaiah 2:4, “He shall judge between the nations and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more.”
• The significance of Zerubbabel in both Haggai and Zechariah
• The reasons for the delay in rebuilding the temple (Hag 1:2–15)
• The splendor of the rebuilt temple (Hag 2:1–9) and what it means for wealth from the nations to be brought to the temple in Jerusalem.
• The importance of the Temple to be rebuilt given its central role in creation (Hag 2:10–23)
• The significance and symbolism of Zechariah’s 8 night visions (1:1–6:8): the horsemen, the horns and the blacksmiths, the man with the measuring line, Joshua and the satan, the lamp stand and olive trees, the flying scroll, the woman and the basket, and the four chariots.
• The promises of the future restoration of Zion (Zech 8)
• Zechariah’s contrast between a coming king and the corrupt shepherds/leaders of Judah (9:9–17; 10:3; 11:4–17)
• The coming day of the LORD (ch 14) and if it is eschatological

Works by Dr. Marvin Sweeney

• The Twelve Prophets. Liturgical Press, 2000.
• Jewish Mysticism from Ancient Times through Today. Eerdmans, 2020.
• Isaiah 41–39. Eerdmans, 1996.
• Isaiah 40-66. Eerdmans, 2016.
• Reading Prophetic Books: Form, Intertextuality, and Reception in Prophetic and Post-Biblical Literature. Mohr Siebeck, 2014.
• Reading Ezekiel. Smyth and Helwys, 2013.

Marvin Sweeney Recommends

• The American Western TV show “1883”

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This episode is co-sponsored by Samford University and the Alabama Humanities Alliance, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance, the National Endowment for the Humanities or Samford University.