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What similarities and differences do you see between the messages preached by Haggai and Zechariah?
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10 Replies
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They mostly delivered their messages in the same tone and stayed consistent with the order of events. The temple had to be built first and it was urgent, of course God always encourages and send reassurance when necessary. God was with these two and there is no way that they could have gone wrong. Zachariah used visions and predictions while Haggai used forcible prophesies, examples and illustrations.
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They both are side by side in their messages to Israel about their sinful ways, their need to turn back to God, the rebuilding of the Temple because God wants them to have a place to worship where He wants to dwell among them and their message of the coming Messiah.
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They both challenged the Israelites to put God first in their efforts to rebuild. Both prophets talked about the protection God would provide while also challenging them to be obedient and rebuild the temple.
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The similarities between Haggai and Zechariah: Both prophesied around 520 B.C. in Judah to the exiles who had returned. For both, their primary task was to encourage the people, with their leaders, to finish the building of the temple, since only the foundation was laid after 18 years.
But there were differences. Nothing is said about Haggai’s background, but we can deduce that Zechariah was a priest who also functioned as prophet. Nehemiah 12:16 lists Zechariah as the head of the priestly family of Iddo. Haggai probably prophesied for a shorter period; in fact his written prophecies were made in a span of only 3 months. Zechariah prophesied for a longer period. Compared to Haggai who spoke in a more direct manner, Zechariah’s prophecies were full of visions which were of apocalyptic genre and abounded with Messianic allusions. Haggai was concerned with the temple rebuilding, although he also addressed the purity of the people in their worship in Haggai 2:10-19). Although Zechariah also encouraged this temple project through sharing his visions of chapters 1-8, he had a wider theme than Haggai – it stretched beyond a rebuilt temple to a revived kingdom. Hence Zechariah preached judgment against the nations which had opposed the kingdom of God (chapter 9), he rebuked the weak leaders (shepherds) who had not led the kingdom well (chapter 10), he predicts the coming of the Messiah who, though struck and pierced, would open up a fountain of cleansing for his people and would usher in his kingdom (chapters 12-14). Haggai did not address these kingdom issues at length.
#Haggai-Zechariah
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The similarities of Haggai and Zechariah were to encourage the people to BUILD the temple. Haggai was encouraging them, reminding them that God was with them, and that He would provide and continue to be faithful. Zechariah, using allegorical symbolism was prophesying of the temple to be built by the Chief Cornerstone… the foundation of the temple where God’s Spirit would reside.