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Subj: Biblical prophesy following the exile of the Hebrews from Babylon





Before the Babylonian exile, Biblical prophesy reached its highest

point. Prophets such as Jeremiah and Ezekiel changed and molded the

scope of Israelite religion. Their writings were intelligent,

insightful, well developed, and contained a great spiritual meaning.

Following the Babylonian exile, however, prophesy took a depressing

downward turn. There are many post exilic prophets, yet their writings

are usually short, mostly irrelevant, repetitive, and, for the most

part, anonymous.

Though this is the case for many of these prophets, their works

cannot be overlooked. Haggai and Zechariah were leaders in the cultic

reform of the Israelite people. Malachai calmed their fears, and

assured them of God's love. Still other prophets told of a new,

Messianic time when the word of the Lord would be held in its former

glory. These were the most important works, as post exilic Israel

needed not only protection, but spiritual guidance to sustain their

society.

The prophet Haggai was in integral figure in uniting the Israelite

people. Upon return to their homeland, the Israelites found most of the

infrastructure in a state of disrepair, with the people uncaring for

their moral and social responsibilities, to say nothing for their

religious practices. (OVC) Even the temple of the Lord had been

destroyed. Haggai emphasized the return to a more cultic society.

Through Haggai, God explained the plight of the Israelite people, as in

Haggai 1:6: "You have sown much, but harvested little; you eat, but
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