An Exegetical Commentary: Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi

by Eugene H. Merrill

The books of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi are 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. This exegetical commentary was written to confront the reader with the power and presence of the God of Israel. In a day of profound discouragement and misplaced priorities following the return of the Jews from Babylonian exile, the prophet Haggai sounded a clarion call of rebuke, exhortation, and encouragement to his contemporaries. They had begun to rebuild their own homes and businesses but had been derelict in tending to the construction of the temple and focusing on the Lord. The message of Haggai has an abiding relevance for all who fail to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Zechariah not only shared Haggai’s burden about the inertia of the postexilic community, but by vision and dream saw the unfolding of Divine purpose for all of God's people. Rich in apocalyptic imagery and packed with messianic prediction and allusion, Zechariah's writings became a favorite of the New Testament evangelists and apostles. No Minor Prophet excels Zechariah in the clarity and triumph by which he looks to the culmination of God's program of redemption. The burden of this, the last of the Old Testament prophets, was the glaring inconcinnity between the identity of the Jewish community as the people of God and the living out of all that this required of them. Theirs was not the problem of rebuilding the Temple and holy city, for that had long been done by Malachi's day; rather, it was the issue of holy living and holy service in the aftermath of all the external accomplishments. Malachi still speaks to the modern world about the need to bring performance into line with profession. His message is current, especially in light of the coming of the One of whom the prophet so eloquently spoke.

493 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1994

About the author

Eugene H. Merrill is a respected American Old Testament scholar known for his deep expertise in biblical studies and Semitic languages. He served for decades as Distinguished Professor of Old Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary, where he taught from 1975 until his retirement in 2013. He also holds a distinguished faculty position at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Merrill earned advanced degrees from Bob Jones University, New York University, and Columbia University, and completed post-doctoral research at Tyndale House, Cambridge. A former president of the Evangelical Theological Society, he is widely recognized for his academic contributions and faithful scholarship.