An
Exegetical
Commentary
—
Haggai,
Zechariah,
Malachi

Eugene H. Merrill
Professor of Old Testament Studies
Dallas Theological Seminary

About the Author

Eugene H. Merrill is Distinguished Professor of Old Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary where he has served on the faculty since 1975. The author of scores of books and articles, mainly of a historical and exegetical nature, Dr. Merrill holds the PhD in Old Testament studies from Bob Jones University, the MA in Jewish Studies from New York University, and the MPhil and PhD in Middle Eastern Studies from Columbia University. He is an active churchman and preaches and teaches abroad on a regular basis.

Trademark and Copyright Information

Copyright © 2003 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. and the author. All rights reserved.

Scripture Quotations, unless otherwise noted, are taken from
The NET Bible®, New English Translation,
Copyright © 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.

Electronic Access to this Material

This work is available for use on the internet via an agreement with
the Biblical Studies Foundation, a non-profit foundation at:
www.bible.org

Works copyrighted by individual authors and the Biblical Studies Press are not shareware or public domain and may not be duplicated without permission.

Preface

The books of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi—composed as they were in the postexilic period of Israel’s history—were intended, among other purposes, to bring hope to a people whose national and even personal lives had been shattered by the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple and the subsequent deportation of much of the Jewish population. That hope centered not only on the return of the exiles and restoration of their religious and political community but pre-eminently in the eschatological promise of a messianic redeemer and ruler.

The foregoing reasons make these brief prophetic writings particularly relevant and beneficial to modern Christians, for they can see in them the covenant faithfulness of God to His ancient people—a faithfulness exhibited in the coming of Jesus Christ—and they can take heart in the realization that the God who restored Israel long ago can also restore them in times of spiritual decline and personal tragedy. This has been my experience, at least, as I have been confronted with the power and presence of the God of Israel and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The undertaking of a commentary on these books has proven to be more than a mere task. Instead, it has turned into an opportunity to be reminded in a fresh way of the perfection of God’s eternal purposes.

The successful completion of a project of this nature is dependent on many others besides the author. I wish first to thank Bruce Winter, David DeBoys, Iain Hodgins, and other staff members and colleagues at Tyndale House, Cambridge, for their hospitality and invigorating fellowship in the year 1989–90. Also, I thank the administration and faculty of Dallas ...