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Divinity for Advanced Secondary Schools
Activity 7.3 society at large. In this section, we will
analyse the concept of responsibility
Walk around the school compound and in relation to the characters in the
identify two issues Prophet Zechariah books of Haggai and Zechariah. The
could rebuke. characters in these books include God,
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the two prophets, Joshua, the high
priest, Zerubbabel, the governor, and the
Exercise 7.3
people of Judah and Jerusalem.
1. Explain the differences between
the prophecies of Haggai and The responsible God
Zechariah. What would you learn God acts responsibly on different
from the two prophet? occasions in the two books. He planned
and executed the release of the exiles
2. How does the indifference of the in Babylon. The release and return of
people in Haggai’s time manifest in the Israelites to Jerusalem are wholly
your society today? attributable to God. It is God who
initiated the release of the exiles through
The prophecies of Haggai and King Cyrus. In Isaiah (45:1), King Cyrus
Zechariah: A call to responsible living is highly esteemed as ‘anointed of God’.
As noted above, the books of Haggai and In the face of the indifference of the
Zechariah were written in the context people to continue rebuilding, God acts
of people who had displeased God dutifully in punishing them with poor
in different ways. These people were crops, unsatisfying wages, and ‘blowing
desperate and faced the consequences off’ the little they brought home (Hag.
of their bad decisions and deeds. The 1:9). To show that his punishment was
prophets gave messages which reflected meant to correct and not absolutely
God’s disappointment with what his condemn, God asks his people to
people did. However, God did not end ‘consider’ how they have fared (1:5).
up condemning the people who angered He further tells them what to do to evade
him. He showed his concern by giving the consequences; “Go up to the hills
the prophets a message of hope to his and bring wood and build the house,
people. God’s concern for his indifferent that I may take pleasure in it so that I
people is shown in the warnings, call may appear in my glory” (verse 8). In
to reflection and repentance, and his rebuilding the temple, God encouraged
promise to be with his people. the people concerned about the quality
of the work (2:8-9).
Considering the resemblance of the
context of the prophets Haggai and The book of Zechariah reveals God’s
Zechariah to the contemporary context, responsibility in many instances. The
the books are of relevance to the life visions discussed above show God’s
of today’s Christians and members of concern for his people. The visions show,
Form Five Student’s Book 105
