But when the appropriate time had come, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we may be adopted as sons with full rights (Galatians 4:4).

Life in the Promise Land was hard, very hard. The Persians still ruled their homeland, crops were failing, and locust plagues ravaged the land (Malachi 3:11). 80 years ago, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah had promised blessing, but the prosperity never came. Even after Ezra’s profound reforms and Nehemiah’s amazing success, most of the people were discouraged and doubtful of God’s goodness and care.

The Jews had been living in exile in Babylonia for 70 years. They had not been able to practice their formal worship as the Mosaic Law prescribed, because the Babylonians had destroyed their Temple and they had no authorized altar for sacrifices. They were forced to settle for private and public prayers while facing toward Jerusalem (Daniel 6:10). They gathered in synagogues to hear the Law read and worship God in exile.

Sixteen years later, God called Haggai and Zechariah to expose their misplaced priorities and challenge them to rebuild the Temple, because God had greater plans for them than they ever imagined. In 520 B.C. Haggai delivered four short messages in four months. His message was simple and focused: Rebuild the Temple, because God has chosen you to glorify Him worldwide.

Zephaniah was the great grandson of godly King Hezekiah of Judah. His name, “Yahweh hides,” probably means that he was one of the descendants of David hidden from the atrocities of evil King Manasseh. As royalty, Zephaniah lived in Jerusalem and spoke primarily to the leaders and the privileged of Jerusalem during the reign of his relative, King Josiah.

Habakkuk spoke to the generation of Judeans who lived under the reign of evil King Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim and the leaders of Judah were leading the nation toward disaster. Wickedness and unrighteousness were everywhere. Few everyday Judeans followed the law, and the rich and powerful ignored the law’s command that they treat one another justly. In the face of the growing threat of the ascending Babylonians, Judah had put her faith in unrighteous treaties with Assyria and Egypt, rather than her God.

The Lord is good – indeed, he is a fortress in time of distress, and he protects those who seek refuge in him (Nahum 1:7).

Micah’s message alternates between threat and hope—threat of judgment due to disobedience to the Mosaic Covenant, and hope of restoration due to God’s promises to His people. Like Amos, Micah exposed the people’s failures in social justice. Unlike Amos, Micah encouraged the believing remnant with exciting insights into the career and kingdom of its coming King.

Jonah was the prophet of Israel’s last chance. After the ministry of Elisha, God gave the northern kingdom one more opportunity to repent, seeing whether prosperity would accomplish what affliction had not (2 Kings 14:23-29).

Obadiah’s message to Israel/Edom: To our enemies, God says—Vengeance is mine says the Lord, as you have done, it shall be done to you! To His people, God says—Entrust yourself to the Perfect Judge —The Kingdom will be the Lords!