Beyond Exile

The voice of the prophets came about after the people of Israel cried out to God for an earthly king like those of the surrounding nations. In order to help the kings rule justly, God spoke through the prophets. As the kings became more corrupt, they surrounded themselves with false prophets so that the true prophets of God were pushed out to the fringes of Hebrew society. Many lost their lives trying to warn Israel to repent lest they fall to the judgment of God.

The Northern Kingdom fell to the Assyrians, and soon after, Judea was destroyed along with the Jerusalem temple, and the land enjoyed seventy years of rest while the people were exiled to Babylon. After the time of exile had ended and Israel had begun the difficult task of rebuilding, God spoke through Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. It would be more than four hundred years after the final words in Malachi that the Lord would speak through the angel, Gabriel, to announce the coming of the Messiah and His forerunner.

This daily study interprets these difficult passages in light of Jesus and the New Testament apostles. If you enjoy studies about the end of days, you may find this book to be an insightful introduction to the subject of eschatology.