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When God gives a task, the faithful move with speed and diligence to complete the work assigned. While it is sometimes simple to begin, it is not always easy or convenient to finish. Time moves on, and procrastination is a thief of time.
So it was with ancient Judah. When Cyrus, king of Persia, gave permission for the Jews to return from exile in Babylon, he also granted that the city walls and sacred temple of Jerusalem be rebuilt. The returning Jews went to work almost at once. But a good start is not necessarily a good finish. The work on the temple lagged until the Lord sent Haggai and Zechariah to encourage the people. With their encouragement, the people began in earnest to finish the temple. Although never as magnificent as the temple of Solomon, the second temple became a symbol of devotion and obedience to those who sacrificed to build it for the Lord.
1. Use Notes and Commentary below to help you as you read and study the book of Zechariah.
2. Complete Points to Ponder as directed by your teacher. (Individual-study students should complete all of this section.)
Zechariah was the son of Berechiah, who was “the son of Iddo the Prophet” (v. 1). Iddo was one of “the priests and the Levites” who accompanied Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, home from exile in Babylon (see Nehemiah 12:1, 4, 7).
Some confuse Zechariah with the Zacharias mentioned in the New Testament (see Matthew 23:55; Luke 11:51). The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, however, that they are two different individuals (see Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 261).
Zechariah told the people who came out of exile from Babylon that they were witnesses to the fulfillment of the word of God that He gave through the prophets to their forefathers (see Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33). C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch suggested that Zechariah said: “Your fathers have indeed been long dead, and even the prophets do not, or cannot, live for ever; but notwithstanding this, the words of the earlier prophets were fulfilled in the case of the fathers. The words and decrees of God uttered by the prophets did reach the fathers, so that they were obliged to confess that God had really done to them what He threatened, i.e., had carried out the threatened punishment.” (Commentary on the Old Testament, 10:2:226.)
Zechariah pleaded with the people not to resist the words of the prophets as their forefathers had done.
This is the first of seven visions given to Zechariah. “The occasion of the visions is the growing impatience of the returned exiles. They could perceive no sign of God’s presence, or of His interest in their labours and difficulties. Haggai had assured them that in ‘a little while’ God would ‘shake the kingdoms’ and fill His house with glory (Haggai 2:6, 7). But time passed and there was no sign of this. The people began to lose faith in God. These visions of Zechariah thus came at a most important crisis. To his countrymen they were a bright panorama of hope, revealing the marvellous providence of God, and His love for His people.
“The first vision assures them that God knows every detail of their circumstances. His messengers are ever on the alert, bringing tidings to their King from all parts of the earth.” (J. R. Dummelow, ed., A Commentary on the Holy Bible, p. 601.)
“A man riding upon a red horse is probably the angel of the Lord (cf. v. 11; see also Introduction to Exodus, p. 116). In this scene, enacted in the valley bottom, he is the protector of God’s people. Aspects of the divine providence are represented in the colours of the heavenly scouts. Red depicts battle and bloodshed (cf. Rev. 6:4); white represents victory and peace (cf. Rev. 6:2); sorrel [speckled in the King James Version], i.e. reddish brown, is the aftermath of confusion in the unsettled period after the end of hostilities (cf. Rev. 6:5–8).” (D. Guthrie and J. A. Motyer, eds., The New Bible Commentary: Revised, p. 789.)
“The riders sent out by God now return and report that the earth is by no means shaken and in motion, but the whole world sits quiet and at rest. We must not, indeed, infer from this account that the riders were all sent for the simple and exclusive purpose of obtaining information concerning the state of the earth, and communicating it to the Lord. For it would have been quite superfluous and unmeaning to send out an entire troop, on horses of different colours, for this purpose alone. Their mission was rather to take an active part in the agitation of the nations, if any such existed, and guide it to the divinely appointed end, and that in the manner indicated by the colour of their horses; viz. according to [Revelation 6], those upon the red horses by war and bloodshed; those upon the starling-grey, or speckled horses, by famine, pestilence, and other plagues; and lastly, those upon the white horses, by victory and the conquest of the world.” (Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 10:2:234.)
For seventy years Jerusalem lay in ruins after the terrible destruction by the Babylonians at the time of King Zedekiah, king of Judah. Zechariah now prophesied of a time when the land of Judah would again prosper. Cities would cover the land, and Jerusalem would be rebuilt and be adorned with a temple. The Lord will yet accept His people and own Jerusalem. Here again was a dualistic prophecy. Jerusalem was rebuilt under Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah and again became the capital of the Jewish nation. But in A.D. 70 Rome destroyed Jerusalem and the Jews as a nation. Not until 1948, when Israel once again became an independent nation, did Jerusalem again become the seat of government for a Jewish nation. On 13 December 1949, the Israeli government announced that “Jerusalem was and would remain Israel’s eternal capital” (Encyclopaedia Judaica, 9:1486).
This was a way of saying that the city would be measured and built accordingly (see Jeremiah 31:38–40).
“The horn is a symbol of power [compare Amos 6:13]. The horns therefore symbolize the powers of the world, which rise up in hostility against Judah and hurt it. . . . The four horns which are seen simultaneously [may] represent nations which succeeded one another. This is shown still more clearly by the visions in [Daniel 2 and 7], in which not only the colossal image seen in a dream by Nebuchadnezzar [Daniel 2], but also the four beasts which are seen by Daniel to ascend simultaneously from the sea, symbolize the four empires, which rose up in succession one after the other. It is to these four empires that the four horns of our vision refer. . . . Zechariah sees these in all the full development of their power, in which they have oppressed and crushed the people of God, . . . and for which they are to be destroyed themselves.” (Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 10:2:238–39.)
It is not clear which four empires are meant in this prophecy. If the prophecy referred to the empires of the past that engaged in the scattering, they would be Assyria, Babylonia, Persia, and Media. But if Zechariah was also looking to the future, as Daniel did, the four empires would be Assyria, Babylonia, Greece, and Rome. Persia and Media would be omitted, since they were responsible for the return of the exiles.
The Lord told Zechariah that the builders would “fray” and “cast out” the four horns. As Keil and Delitzsch noted: “The vision does not show what powers God will use for this purpose. It is simply designed to show to the people of God, that every hostile power of the world which has risen up against it, or shall rise up, is to be judged and destroyed by the Lord.” (Commentary, 10:2:241.)
“Jerusalem is in future to resemble an open country covered with unwalled cities and villages; it will no longer be a city closely encircled with walls; hence it will be extraordinarily enlarged, on account of the multitude of men and cattle with which it will be blessed [compare Isaiah 49:19–20; Ezekiel 38:11]. Moreover, . . . Jerusalem will then have no protecting wall surrounding it, because it will enjoy a superior protection. Jehovah will be to it a wall of fire round about, that is to say, a defence of fire which will consume every one who ventures to attack it [compare Isaiah 4:5; Deuteronomy 4:24]. Jehovah will also be the glory in the midst of Jerusalem, that is to say, will fill the city with His glory [compare Isaiah 60:19].” (Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 10:2:245.)
Not until modern times has the city of Jerusalem grown beyond its walls.
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Modern Jerusalem extends beyond its walls. |
“The apple of the eye (lit. the gate, the opening in which the eye is placed, or more probably the pupil of the eye, pupilla, as being the object most carefully preserved), is a figure used to denote the dearest possession or good, and in this sense is applied to the nation of Israel as early as [Deuteronomy 32:10].” (Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 10:2:248.)
Most scholars agree that the Joshua referred to here was the high priest of the time. But in typical prophetic fashion, there is dualism in this chapter. Joshua (Hebrew Yeshua, Greek Hee-ay-sous, English Jesus) was a type of Jesus Christ, the great High Priest (see Hebrews 4:14). The chapter is messianic.
“From the promises of a glorious future for the city and people of God, Zechariah turns to the means by which they are to be achieved. God will raise up a perfect priestly Mediator, of whom Joshua and his fellow-priests are a foreshadowing.” (Guthrie and Motyer, New Bible Commentary, p. 790.)
This is “perhaps a proverbial expression. Israel as a nation had been rescued from the furnace of Babylon . . . to become a torch to enlighten the nations.” (Guthrie and Motyer, New Bible Commentary, p. 791.)
“Joshua is opposed by Satan [see Zechariah 3:1], . . . not on account of any personal offences either in his private or his domestic life, but in his official capacity as high priest, and for sins which were connected with his office, or for offences which would involve the nation [Leviticus 4:3]; though not as the bearer of the sins of the people before the Lord, but as laden with his own and his people’s sins. The dirty clothes, which he had on, point to this [Zechariah 3:3].” (Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 10:2:251.)
The garment of filthiness represents sin. Changing the garment symbolizes doing away with the old and putting on the new—which would be robes of righteousness.
See Notes and Commentary on Isaiah 11:1. This is a messianic reference.
The candlestick represents Judah, who had returned from exile in Babylon (see Dummelow, Commentary, p. 603).
The two olive trees represent Joshua and Zerubbabel (see Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:510).
Joshua and Zerubbabel can be seen as messianic types, “who as Spirit-filled men convey blessing from God to church and state, and are a type of the Messiah as Priest and King” (Guthrie and Motyer, New Bible Commentary, p. 791). The same imagery was used by John in Revelation 11:4.
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Two olive trees |
The mountain represents the obstacles that stood before Zerubbabel as he tried to complete the temple. The mountain became a plain; that is, the obstacles were removed, and Zerubbabel was able to complete his work on the temple (see Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 10:2:270–72).
The Prophet Joseph Smith changed this phrase to “servants of the Lord” (see JST, Zechariah 4:10; compare Revelation 4:8; D&C 77:4).
The roll was a scroll or book, which Zechariah saw flying through the air. “The flying scroll appears to represent the main provisions of the law, both moral and religious, and symbolizes the divine standard of holiness. Its flight in the heavens shows from which quarter judgment comes and also the speed of its execution. Two particular sins are condemned, one on each side of the scroll, according to the force of the Hebrew. The curse lights upon every thief and perjuror, theft and lying being typical sins of a poor community (cf. 7:9, 10; 8:17). So penetrating and permanent is the penalty that it enters and consumes the very structure of the house of the wrongdoer as though the building were defiled by leprosy (cf. Lv. 14:45).” (Guthrie and Motyer, New Bible Commentary, p. 792.)
To understand this vision it is necessary to understand several symbols:
Ephah. A round vessel that was one of the largest measures of capacity among the Jews.
Talent of lead. The talent was the largest measure of weight. A talent of lead suggests a very weighty matter.
Woman. A symbol of Israel and her sins.
Shinar. A symbol of Babylon or the world (see Genesis 10:10).
Zechariah saw in the vision the woman being put in an ephah, covered with a lid made of lead, and carried away into Babylon. Babylon was “regarded as the counterpart of Zion and the proper home of all that is evil, especially of sins such as fraud and false swearing. The vision is remarkable. God not only forgives the sins of His people, but carries them altogether away from their land, that they may deceive them no more.” (Dummelow, Commentary, p. 604.)
The Prophet Joseph Smith changed the phrase “four spirits” (v. 5) to read “four servants” (JST, Zechariah 6:5). This major change is vital to an understanding of these verses. Servants of the Lord are priesthood holders who labor to bring about the purposes of God.
The servants came from between two mountains (two places where the Lord will judge the nations) which were made of brass (a symbol of firmness; see Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 10:2:286–87). The four servants went throughout the earth in chariots drawn by horses of different colors (see Notes and Commentary on Zechariah 1:8). The black horses, the only ones not previously mentioned, seem to represent death or mourning.
John the Revelator also spoke of the four servants, or angels, who stood at the four corners of the earth (see Revelation 7:1–3). On 6 December 1832, the Savior told the Prophet Joseph Smith that these angels were crying unto Him day and night for permission to reap down the earth and burn the tares (see D&C 86:4–7). Zechariah 6:7 states that the angels could not go forth upon the earth until given permission by the Lord.
Sixty-one years after the revelation in section 86 of the Doctrine and Covenants was given, President Wilford Woodruff declared that the Lord had released those destroying angels and they were then upon the earth separating the tares from the wheat in preparation for the burning that would soon take place: “God has held the angels of destruction for many years, lest they should reap down the wheat with the tares. But I want to tell you now, that those angels have left the portals of heaven, and they stand over this people and this nation now, and are hovering over the earth waiting to pour out the judgments. And from this very day they shall be poured out. Calamities and troubles are increasing in the earth, and there is a meaning to these things. Remember this, and reflect upon these matters. If you do your duty, and I do my duty, we’ll have protection, and shall pass through the afflictions in peace and in safety.” (“The Temple Workers’ Excursion,” Young Woman’s Journal, Aug. 1894, pp. 512–13; emphasis added.)
President Joseph Fielding Smith said:
“Now I want to make some comments in regard to the statement by President Woodruff and this parable [the parable of the wheat and tares in D&C 86].
“The Lord said that the sending forth of these angels was to be at the end of the harvest, and the harvest is the end of the world. Now, that ought to cause us some very serious reflections. And the angels have been pleading, as I have read it to you, before the Lord to be sent on their mission. Until 1893 the Lord said to them no, and then He set them loose. According to the revelation of President Woodruff, the Lord sent them out on that mission.
“What do we gather out of that? That we are at the time of the end. This is the time of the harvest. This is the time spoken of which is called the end of the world.” (The Signs of the Times, pp. 11–21.)
“A party of Jews had just come from Babylon. Zechariah is instructed to take part of the silver and gold which they have brought for the Temple, and to make a set of circlets for Joshua, the high priest. Thus he will more fully be a type of One to come, who is both Priest and King to His people.” (Dummelow, Commentary, p. 605.)
This chapter contains the explanation of why the Lord refused to hear the prayers of Judah and permitted Nebuchadnezzar to scatter the Jews from their homeland for a time. It begins with the question of whether the Jews who had returned from Babylon should continue to observe the feasts and fasts that they had observed while in exile as memorials of the burning of Jerusalem and the temple at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. “Zechariah’s answer, which is intended to reach the ears of all the people (v. 5), is of special significance when we remember his profound interest in the Temple; it shows that he, like the former, i.e., the pre-exiles, prophets . . . , cared infinitely more for righteousness than for ritual. Their fasting, he reminds them, like their eating and drinking, did not in any way affect God, but only themselves. His demand, voiced by those prophets, was for something very different—for true justice (cf. Amos 5:24), kindness (cf. Hos. 6:6) and pity in their social relationships, and for the temper which would scorn to exploit the defenseless members of society or to harbor malicious designs against them (vv. 9b–11). This prophetic law (v. 12), i.e., instruction, though it had been mediated by the divine Spirit, they had willfully rejected, turning a stubborn shoulder (v. 11) like an animal that refuses to bear the yoke, with the result that Jehovah was indignant (v. 12), scattered them among strange nations (v. 14a), and abandoned their lovely land to desolation (v. 14b).” (Frederick Carl Eiselen, ed., The Abingdon Bible Commentary, p. 824.)
While the Jews were in captivity in Babylon, they celebrated four different feasts in remembrance of events that took place when Babylon attacked and destroyed Jerusalem.
One feast was celebrated in the tenth month, the month in which the Babylonians laid siege to Jerusalem (see Jeremiah 39:1).
A second feast, celebrated in the fourth month, commemorated the destruction of Jerusalem (see Jeremiah 39:2; 52:67).
A third feast, held in the fifth month, marked the destruction of the temple (see Jeremiah 52:12–14).
A fourth feast was celebrated in the seventh month to commemorate the assassination of Gedaliah, the puppet king placed over Judah by the Babylonians after they destroyed Jerusalem (see 2 Kings 25:25).
Zechariah reminded the people that they had set up the feast days to remind them of tragedies, but not once did they remember the Lord through feasts while in captivity.
Looking at Jerusalem as he saw it during the period when God’s people were scattered on the earth, Zechariah spoke of a broken city, denuded of both the very old and very young. The vision given to him by the Lord permitted him to see a future day in which Jerusalem shall be “a city of truth and the mountain of the Lord” (the temple) and shall stand once again. “Old men and old women” shall “dwell in the streets of Jerusalem” and “the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof” (vv. 4–5).
“Like Joel, and the other prophets, Zechariah vigorously condemned Israel’s sins, yet he foresaw a restoration of God’s favors as a reward for repentance and adherence to His laws. . . . He was an optimist who loved to linger on the bright and beautiful things of life, though not afraid to recognize and make known the ills that needed to be corrected. He liked to think of Jerusalem restored to her one-time glory, filled with many families of happy children and with prosperity and peace abounding all around; with hate and selfishness banished and God’s tender care and love guiding His children. . . .
“Too often are people prone to consider the gloomy side of the messages of the prophets. A little care will lead to the realization that the bright side overshadows the darker one and reveals a hope for the future in which God and right will triumph and the world emerge in righteousness as He wills. Zechariah was one whose visions of light excelled many others.” (Roy A. Welker, Spiritual Values of the Old Testament, pp. 308–9.)
The Lord promised to gather Judah (see JST, Zechariah 8:13 in footnote 13b) and restore the people to the land of Jerusalem. The heavens would no longer be sealed, and the thirsty land would become productive. As the promises of punishments were fulfilled to their forefathers, just as surely will the promises of blessings be fulfilled (see vv. 14–15).
The Lord will require then, as always, that His people keep His commandments and walk in continual righteousness (see vv. 16–17).
A time will come in the history of the earth when the work will spread from city to city. Many people will then come to the tribe of Judah to obtain from them the knowledge of these blessings. This prophecy will be fulfilled when the tribe of Judah turn their hearts to the God of Israel, accept the responsibility of the priesthood, and keep the commandments. Then peace will come to a troubled land and to the people.
It is possible that the word Jew is used here to refer to Israelites in general and not just a descendant of the tribe of Judah (see Romans 2:28–29; 9:6; 2 Nephi 30:2).
Many Bible scholars interpreted these verses as having been fulfilled at the time of Alexander the Great. It is true that Alexander the Great in approximately 332 B.C. destroyed these cities with his army. But the meaning of these verses is broader than that. “Of these the prophet simply refers to Damascus and Hamath in general terms; and it is only in the case of the Phoenician and Philistian cities that he proceeds to a special description of their fall from their lofty eminence, because they stood nearest to the kingdom of Israel, and represented the might of the kingdom of the world, and its hostility to the kingdom of God, partly in the worldly development of their own might, and partly in their hostility to the covenant nation. The description is an individualizing one throughout, exemplifying general facts by particular cities. This is also evident from the announcement of salvation for Zion in vers. 8–10, from which we may see that the overthrow of the nations hostile to Israel stands in intimate connection with the establishment of the Messianic kingdom; and it is also confirmed by the second half of our chapter, where the conquest of the imperial power by the people of God is set forth in the victories of Judah and Ephraim over the sons of Javan. That the several peoples and cities mentioned by name are simply introduced as representatives of the imperial power, is evident from the distinction made in this verse between (the rest of) mankind and all the tribes of Israel.” (Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 10:2:325–26.)
After issuing a threat of judgment on the wicked nations surrounding Judah, Zechariah recorded a passage that both Matthew and John saw as having been fulfilled by Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey’s back (compare Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:1–11; and John 12:12–15).
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Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem |
Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained: “It was of these that Zechariah prophesied when as part of a longer Messianic utterance, he spoke of ‘prisoners of hope’; it was of these that he gave assurance that ‘the Lord their God shall save them.’ He gives the Messianic message in these words: ‘By the blood of the covenant’—that is, because of the gospel covenant, which is efficacious because of the shedding of the blood of Christ—’I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.’ (Zech. 9:11–16.) ‘Wherein is no water’—how aptly and succinctly this crystallizes the thought that the saving water, which is baptism, is an earthly ordinance and cannot be performed by spirit beings while they dwell in the spirit world. Did not Paul say in this same connection, ‘What shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?’ (1 Cor. 15:29.)” (The Promised Messiah, p. 241.)
There will come a day when Judah and Ephraim will be one—all Israel will be united. The Lord will defend His people Israel against Greece (the world). In that day, Israel will become as a crown of precious stones and an ensign to all people. (See Notes and Commentary on Isaiah 11:13–14.)
Jesus Christ is the true shepherd of our souls (see John 10:7–15). He has control over the elements of nature and the power to save us eternally. Still there were those who preferred to rely on false shepherds. They turned to soothsayers and idols for rain. But those who do will find themselves without a real shepherd (see vv. 1–2). Those who follow Christ, on the other hand, will find a God who cares for His people (see v. 3), who uses them to carry out His purposes in the earth (see vv. 4–5), and who will restore both Judah and Ephraim to their rightful place before the Lord (see vv. 6–12).
“Out of them is repeated four times in this verse. Judah will provide the corner-stone for security. In Is. 28:16 this is a figure for the Davidic king. The tent peg, or nail, was the hooked peg built into a wall to hold the implements of war as well as the household utensils. This is the attribute of reliability (cf. Is. 22:23). The battle bow refers to effective power in leadership (cf. Ho. 1:5). Every ruler (lit. ‘oppressor’); usually the word is employed in a bad sense, but here it is used positively. Their prince-leader will not oppress by unjust taxation or impose crushing burdens too great for the poor to bear, but will exact tribute from their vanquished enemies. Oesterly ascribed the above titles to Simon, Judas, and Jonathan Maccabeus, but each one of the four is undoubtedly Messianic. The ultimate reference is to the Lion of the tribe of Judah, by whose aid His people will conquer every foe.” (Guthrie and Motyer, New Bible Commentary, p. 796.)
“Egypt, as we have already shown at [Hosea 9:3; compare 8:13], is rather introduced in all the passages mentioned simply as a type of the land of bondage, on account of its having been the land in which Israel lived in the olden time, under the oppression of the heathen world. And Asshur [Assyria] is introduced in the same way, as the land into which the ten tribes had been afterwards exiled. This typical [symbolical] significance is placed beyond all doubt by ver. 11, since the redemption of Israel out of the countries named is there exhibited under the type of the liberation of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt under the guidance of Moses. . . . The Ephraimites are to return into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; the former representing the territory of the ten tribes in the olden time to the east of Jordan, the latter that to the west [compare Micah 7:14].” (Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 10:2:351–52.)
Zechariah 11–13 deals with the battle of Armageddon and its attendant horrors (see Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 74, 324–25; Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 3:46–47). Ezekiel also referred to this battle (see Ezekiel 38–39). This battle will take place before the Second Coming of the Savior.
Zechariah 11 is a preface to chapters 12–13, in which Zechariah prophesied of the battle of Armageddon (see Enrichment I).
“The cedars and cypresses of Lebanon and the oaks of Bashan are simply figures denoting what is lofty, glorious, and powerful in the world of nature and humanity, and are only to be referred to persons so far as their lofty position in the state is concerned. Consequently we get the following as the thought of these verses: The land of Israel, with all its powerful and glorious creatures, is to become desolate. Now, inasmuch as the desolation of a land also involves the desolation of the people living in the land, and of its institutions, the destruction of the cedars, cypresses, etc., does include the destruction of everything lofty and exalted in the nation and kingdom; so that in this sense the devastation of Lebanon is a figurative representation of the destruction of the Israelitish kingdom, or of the dissolution of the political existence of the ancient covenant nation. This judgment was executed upon the land and people of Israel by the imperial power of Rome. This historical reference is evident from the description which follows of the facts by which this catastrophe is brought to pass.” (Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 10:2:356–57.)
“Flock of slaughtering, is an expression that may be applied either to a flock that is being slaughtered, or to one that is destined to be slaughtered in the future” (Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 10:2:358).
Keil and Delitzsch then explained the significance of the phrase:
“But although a flock is eventually destined for slaughtering, it is not fed for this purpose only, but generally to yield profit to its owner. Moreover, the figure of feeding is never used in the Scriptures in the sense of making ready for destruction, but always denotes fostering and affectionate care for the preservation of anything; and in the case before us, the shepherd feeds the flock entrusted to him, by slaying the three bad shepherds; and it is not till the flock has become weary of his tending that he breaks the shepherd’s staves, and lays down his pastoral office, to give them up to destruction. . . . Israel was given up by Jehovah into the hands of the nations of the world, or the imperial powers, to punish it for its sin. But as these nations abused the power entrusted to them, and sought utterly to destroy the nation of God, which they ought only to have chastised, the Lord takes charge of His people as their shepherd, because He will no longer spare the nations of the world, i.e. will not any longer let them deal with His people at pleasure, without being punished. The termination of the sparing will show itself in the fact that God causes the nations to destroy themselves by civil wars, and to be smitten by tyrannical kings. . . . These smite them in pieces, i.e. devastate the earth by civil war and tyranny, without any interposition on the part of God to rescue the inhabitants of the earth, or nations beyond the limits of Israel, out of their hand, or to put any restraint upon tyranny and self-destruction.” (Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 10:2:360–61.)
The true Shepherd, the only one who could save Israel from the impending judgments, would be sold for thirty pieces of silver by His own people.
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Betrayed for thirty pieces of silver |
“The chapter foreshadows the terrible afflictions of the Jews, subsequent to their rejection of the Messiah, and the ultimate downfall of their overlords. That this ruler is spoken of as my shepherd offers significant light on the sovereignty of the divine rule over history. He is where he is by divine appointment (v. 16) and the scandalous acts which his wicked heart teaches him to perform are the Lord’s dread judgment on a people which rejected the true shepherd.” (Guthrie and Motyer, New Bible Commentary, p. 798.)
“Those nations that take in hand to capture and rule Jerusalem will find it difficult. Probably the idea is that of raising and carrying a boulder that is too heavy for a man’s strength.” (Dummelow, Commentary, p. 610.)
“In vers. 11, the depth and bitterness of the pain on account of the slain Messiah are depicted by comparing it to the mourning of Hadad-rimmon. Jerome says with regard to this: ‘Adadremmon is a city near Jerusalem, which was formerly called by this name, but is now called Maximianopolis, in the field of Mageddon, where the good king Josiah was wounded by Pharaoh Necho.’ . . . The mourning of Hadad-rimmon is therefore the mourning for the calamity which befell Israel at Hadad-rimmon in the death of the good king Josiah, who was mortally wounded in the valley Megiddo, according to [2 Chronicles 35:22–24], so that he very soon gave up the ghost. The death of this most pious of all the kings of Judah was bewailed by the people, especially the righteous members of the nation, so bitterly, that not only did the prophet Jeremiah compose an elegy on his death, but other singers, both male and female, bewailed him in dirges, which were placed in a collection of elegiac songs, and preserved in Israel till long after the captivity [2 Chronicles 35:25]. Zechariah compares the lamentation for the putting of the Messiah to death to this great national mourning.” (Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 10:2:390.)
There will be great mourning in that day for at least three reasons: (1) many Jews will have been killed by the besieging armies; (2) families will be scattered and unable to contact one another; (3) the saved Jews will realize that He whom they have long rejected and whom their forefathers persecuted and killed is truly the Messiah for whom they waited for so long.
President Joseph Fielding Smith said: “Then they will accept Him as their Redeemer, which they have never been willing to do. Then is the time as spoken of in this passage from Zechariah when every family will go and mourn apart; the house of David, the house of Nathan, the Jews. They will fall down. They will rend their garments, and they will mourn and they will weep because they were not willing to accept the Son of God but accepted the teachings of their fathers and rejected their Redeemer and Messiah. Then they will fall down at His feet and worship Him. After these days will come their redemption and the building of Jerusalem. They will be given their own land again, and every man ‘will live under his own vine and his own fig tree and they will learn to love the Lord and keep his commandments and walk in the light, and He will be their God and they will be His people, and that is right at our doors.’” (Signs of the Times, pp. 171–72.)
Zechariah still was viewing the last great battle. The explanation for these verses is found in Enrichment I.
The Shepherd of Israel is Jesus Christ. The sheep are those who know His voice, that is, members of the Church (see James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 609).
“The offending of the disciples took place when Jesus was taken prisoner, and they all fled. This flight was a prelude to the dispersion of the flock at the death of the shepherd. But the Lord soon brought back His hand over the disciples. The promise, ‘But after my resurrection I will go before you into Galilee,’ is a practical exposition of the bringing back of the hand over the small ones, which shows that the expression is to be understood here in a good sense, and that it began to be fulfilled in the gathering together of the disciples by the risen Saviour. This special fulfilment did not indeed exhaust the meaning of the verses before us; but they had a much more general fulfilment in the whole of the nation of Israel.” (Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 10:2:399.)
See the commentary on Armageddon in Enrichment I.
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: “While in conversation at Judge Adams’ during the evening, I said, Christ and the resurrected Saints will reign over the earth during the thousand years. They will not probably dwell upon the earth, but will visit it when they please, or when it is necessary to govern it. There will be wicked men on the earth during the thousand years. The heathen nations who will not come up to worship will be visited with the judgments of God, and must eventually be destroyed from the earth. (Dec. 30, 1842.)” (Teachings, pp. 268–69.)
Elder Bruce R. McConkie commented: “During the millennium, however, the Lord will use the forces of nature to turn people’s attention to the truth. ‘Whoso will not come up,’ said Zechariah, ‘of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.’ (Zech. 14:16–19.)” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 499.)
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The battle of Armageddon will center on Jerusalem. |
In beautiful imagery, Zechariah taught that in the Millennium peace and righteousness will prevail to a point where everything (symbolized by such trifles as the trappings on horses and earthen jars) shall be holy and pure and where “there shall be no more the Canaanite [the wicked] in the house of the Lord of hosts” (v. 21).
When the Jews returned from their Babylonian exile, they received permission to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple of the Lord. The people began earnestly, but their zeal soon waned, the work lagged, and soon it stopped altogether.
Suppose our Savior were such a poor finisher. Where would that leave us? But the Lord is a great finisher, even of distasteful tasks. He told us that while He shrank from drinking the bitter cup of the price for our sins, He nonetheless “partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men” (D&C 19:18). Speaking of His relation to the Father, Jesus said, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (John 4:34).
We must learn to finish our assignments as the Lord did His. He is our great exemplar. Only as we finish the preparations for His return do we manifest for Him the kind of love He manifest for us in making an atonement for our sins.
Elder Thomas S. Monson made this interesting analogy about those who complete their tasks:
“On sunlit days during the noon hour, the streets of Salt Lake City abound with men and women who for a moment leave the confines of the tall office buildings and engage in that universal delight called window shopping. On occasion I, too, am a participant.
“One Wednesday I paused before the elegant show window of a prestigious furniture store. That which caught and held my attention was not the beautifully designed sofa nor the comfortable-appearing chair that stood at its side. Neither was it the beautiful chandelier positioned overhead. Rather, my eyes rested upon a small sign that had been placed at the bottom right-hand corner of the window. Its message was brief: ‘Finishers Wanted.’
“The store had need of those persons who possessed the talent and the skill to make ready for final sale the expensive furniture that the firm manufactured and sold. ‘Finishers Wanted.’ The words remained with me as I returned to the pressing activities of the day.
“In life, as in business, there has always been a need for those persons who could be called finishers. Their ranks are few, their opportunities many, their contributions great.
“From the very beginning to the present time, a fundamental question remains to be answered by each who runs the race of life. Shall I falter or shall I finish? On the answer await the blessings of joy and happiness here in mortality and eternal life in the world to come.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1972, pp. 69–70; or Ensign, July 1972, p. 68.)
Elder Thomas S. Monson gave the following six marks of a true finisher:
“Times change, circumstances vary, but the true marks of a finisher remain. Note them well, for they are vital to our success.
“1. The Mark of Vision. It has been said that the doorways of history turn on small hinges, and so do people’s lives. We are constantly making small decisions. The outcome determines the success or failure of our lives. That is why it is worthwhile to look ahead, set a course, and at least be partly ready when the moment of decision comes. True finishers have the capacity to visualize their objective.
“2. The Mark of Effort. Vision without effort is daydreaming, effort without vision is drudgery; but vision, coupled with effort, will obtain the prize.
“Needed is the capacity to make the second effort when life’s challenges lay us low. . . .
“3. The Mark of Faith. Long years ago the psalmist wrote: ‘It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man: It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.’ (Ps. 118:8–9.) Recognize that faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other.
“4. The Mark of Virtue. ‘. . . let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly. . . .’ (D&C 121:45.) This counsel from the Lord will provide staying power in the race we run.
“5. The Mark of Courage. Courage becomes a living and attractive virtue when it is regarded not as a willingness to die manfully, but the determination to live decently. Have the courage—
“‘To dream the impossible dream;
To fight the unbeatable foe;
To bear with unbearable sorrow;
To run where the brave dare not go.“‘To right the unrightable wrong
To love, pure and chaste, from afar;
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star.’”
[Joe Darion, “The Impossible Dream.”]
—and you will thus become a finisher.
“6. The Mark of Prayer. When the burdens of life become heavy, when trials test one’s faith, when pain, sorrow, and despair cause the light of hope to flicker and burn low, communication with our Heavenly Father provides peace.
“These, the marks of a true finisher, will be as a lamp to our feet in the journey through life. Ever beckoning us onward and lifting us upward is he who pleaded, ‘. . . come, follow me.’ (Luke 18:22)” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1972, pp. 71–72; or Ensign, July 1972, pp. 69–70.)
Consider how these six marks of a true finisher could apply to your own life. You might list them in your journal and then set goals for each one.
Someday, we know not when, Christ will come again. It behooves us all to live faithfully and thus prepare ourselves for that grand event. May we be able to say with Paul, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give me . . . and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7).
The Second Coming of the Lord will be a dramatic finish to His work before the Millennium. Those who labor with and wait for His appearance will not be disappointed. But only finishers, those who endure to the end, will be there.
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On the evening of 21 September 1823, Joseph Smith sought the Lord in prayer for a remission of his sins. The Lord’s reply came in the person of a heavenly messenger, Moroni, who told the young man of important events soon to transpire on the earth. After telling Joseph about the sacred plates buried in the Hill Cumorah, Moroni began quoting prophecies from the Old Testament. Joseph Smith recorded that he quoted from Malachi (see JS—H 1:36–39).
When the passages Moroni quoted are compared with their counterparts in the King James Version of the Bible, it is evident that many changes were made. There is more than just passing significance in these changes. For example, Moroni spoke of “promises made to the fathers,” whereas the King James Version does not. What were these promises, and to which “fathers” were they made? What does it mean to be left with “neither root nor branch”? What did Elijah reveal by the priesthood—what keys and to whom? Why would the whole earth be “utterly wasted at his [the Lord’s] coming” if Elijah were not sent? How does Elijah’s coming help to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers? What does that mean?
In calling the people of Judah to repentance, Malachi uttered prophecies of great significance for this day and time. In studying this book, consider whether it is significant that the Old Testament closes with Malachi’s statement that Elijah would be sent. If so, what is that significance for modern Latter-day Saints?
1. Use Notes and Commentary below to help you as you read and study the book of Malachi.
2. Complete Points to Ponder as directed by your teacher. (Individual-study students should complete all of this section.)
As with so many of the prophets, little is known of the life of Malachi, apart from what can be learned in his book. Malachi lived after the prophets Haggai and Zechariah and is believed to have been a contemporary of Nehemiah. The book was probably written about four hundred years before the birth of Christ. Lehi and his family left Jerusalem in 600 B.C., nearly two hundred years before the time of Malachi. The Nephites, therefore, could not have obtained the words of Malachi except from the Lord. The plates of Laban could not have contained them.
The word hated in Hebrew means to be loved less than someone else, not to be disliked with bitter hostility (compare Genesis 29:31). Esau was the brother of Jacob, who became Israel, father of the twelve tribes. Students of the scriptures know that the Lord hates the sin rather than the sinner, but when people array themselves against the Lord as Esau and his descendants, the Edomites, had done for centuries, the Lord withdraws His blessings. In this sense, Jacob was loved and Esau hated.
So complete was the rejection of the Lord by Esau’s descendants that they came to symbolize to the prophets the wickedness of humanity in general (see D&C 1:36; see also Notes and Commentary on Isaiah 34:1–10). Before Malachi’s time they were known as Edomites, or Idumeans, and their place of habitation was known as Edom.
Jacob stood as a symbol for Israel or the chosen people while Esau (Edom) symbolized the world. This gives the Lord’s statement much broader meaning.
Edom was not alone in her wickedness. The people of Judah, and particularly the Levites living among them, were also polluted and corrupt. As the spiritual sons and servants of the Lord (see v. 6), their offerings to God had become common and worthless. Inasmuch as the sacrifices that they made for the people typified the coming sacrifice and Atonement of the Son of God, the only acceptable sacrifice was that which was spotless.
The priests and Levites of Malachi’s day were mocking God by offering sacrifices to the Lord with sick, blind, and lame animals and calling them acceptable (v. 8). They had no reverence for what they were doing. The Lord told them: “I have no pleasure in you, . . . neither will I accept an offering at your hand” (v. 10). They were selfish and worldly, and not one of them would kindle a fire on the hearth of the altar unless he were paid for it. The Lord had been insulted. The table on which the offering was made was polluted. The offering itself was “contemptible” (v. 12). Such action, Malachi promised, would result in cursing rather than blessing.
Elder James E. Talmage explained: “The atonement was plainly to be a vicarious sacrifice, voluntary and love-inspired on the Savior’s part, universal in its application to mankind so far as men shall accept the means of deliverance thus placed within their reach. For such a mission only one who was without sin could be eligible. Even the altar victims of ancient Israel offered as a provisional propitiation for the offenses of the people under the Mosaic law had to be clean and devoid of spot or blemish; otherwise they were unacceptable and the attempt to offer them was sacrilege.” (Jesus the Christ, p. 21; for the special requirements of a sacrifice under the law of Moses, see Leviticus 22:18–22; Deuteronomy 15:21; 17:1.)
The faithful priesthood bearer is a sincere worshiper. He acts as if he were in the Lord’s presence when upon the Lord’s errand. He is honest in all his dealings with others, and his speech is dignified and appropriate. He walks with the Lord with confidence and assurance and is comfortable in his role of blessing others and leading them into a better way of life. He is a student of the scriptures and has the capacity to teach the words of life to others. “He is the messenger [teacher, tool, representative] of the Lord of hosts” (v. 7).
The Lord’s promises are conditional. How could the priesthood of Malachi’s day enjoy the Spirit and find success in their labors unless they were worthy? In these verses the Lord reminded the priests and Levites that His representatives were men who formerly walked with Him in peace and equity and turned many away from iniquity (see v. 6). He then spelled out the sins of Judah and her priesthood. The latter, for example, had “caused many to stumble at the law” by rendering unjust and immoral decisions, thus bringing them to spiritual destruction and ruin (v. 8). When compared with the instructions to the Levites set forth in Deuteronomy 33:8–11, such conduct falls short of God’s intended standard. For this reason they were contemptible to the people rather than loved by them as the Lord had intended (see vv. 8–9). We are all children of the same God. When we mistreat a brother or sister, we offend our Heavenly Father as well.
As a result of the failure of the priests to judge and lead in righteousness, Judah had fallen once again into a serious sin. She “hath profaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange God” (Malachi 2:11). This passage calls to mind again the often used figure in the Old Testament of the husband (Jehovah) and the wife (Judah/Israel). As solemn a bond or covenant exists between Jehovah and Israel as exists between a husband and his wife. But Judah had chosen another partner, “the daughter of a strange God,” meaning that Judah had formed a temporal or spiritual alliance with a nation that did not regard Jehovah as the Lord of heaven.
“The master and the scholar” (v. 12) is he who teaches such doctrine (profaning the Lord by marrying women who worship idols) and he who follows it. They will both be cut off.
One of the gross sins among the ancient people of the Lord was unfaithfulness in marriage vows. Some of the Hebrew men, tiring of their wives and the mothers of their children, were seeking the companionship of younger women. The wives would come to the temple and make an appeal to God at the altar. In this unfaithfulness to marriage vows, the Lord declared, the men had dealt treacherously (see vv. 13–14). The Lord was angry with these men because they did not remain true to their wives, but He also expressed anger toward the priests for knowing the problem and not executing justice. He told the men to scrutinize their innermost feelings toward the women whom they had loved in their youth, who had borne their children, and who had loved and served them, and not to put away their wives (v. 15). For “the Lord . . . hateth putting away” (v. 16).
One of the messengers sent to prepare the way of the Lord at His first coming was John the Baptist. John’s mission was performed in the spirit and power of the priesthood of Elias (see Luke 1:17). Elias is a name for a forerunner, one who goes before or prepares the way for someone or something greater. In that sense the Aaronic Priesthood is the priesthood of Elias because it prepares and qualifies individuals for greater blessings. Joseph Smith explained: “The spirit of Elias is to prepare the way for a greater revelation of God, which is the Priesthood of Elias, or the Priesthood that Aaron was ordained unto. And when God sends a man into the world to prepare for a greater work, holding the keys of the power of Elias, it was called the doctrine of Elias, even from the early ages of the world.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 335–36.)
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John the Baptist was an Elias. |
Joseph Smith was also an Elias in that he was a forerunner, one who prepared the way, who laid the foundation for the Second Coming through the restoration of the gospel.
In the meridian of time the way was prepared by John for the Messenger of the Covenant Himself to come and bring the greater blessings (see Matthew 3:1–3, 11–12). He who was mightier than John and followed after him to baptize with fire and the Holy Ghost was Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He is called the Messenger of the Covenant because He mediates the gospel of salvation unto men. Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained: “Our Lord is the Messenger of the Covenant. (Mal. 3:1.) He came in his Father’s name (John 5:43), bearing his Father’s message (John 7:16–17), to fulfil the covenant of the Father that a Redeemer and Savior would be provided for men. (Moses 4:1–3; Abra. 3:27–28.) Also, through his ministry the terms of the everlasting covenant of salvation became operative; the message he taught was that salvation comes through the gospel covenant.” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 488.)
When He comes to earth a second time, He will make more than one appearance before He comes in the clouds of heaven for all flesh to see Him together (D&C 88:93; 101:23). At least one of those appearances includes a sudden visit to His temple, yet to be built, in Jackson County, Missouri. Elder McConkie stated:
“Malachi recorded the promise, speaking of latter-day events, that ‘The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple.’ (Mal. 3:1.) Certainly the Almighty is not limited in the number of appearances and returns to earth needed to fulfill the scriptures, usher in the final dispensation, and consummate his great latter-day work.
“This sudden latter-day appearance in the temple does not have reference to his appearance at the great and dreadful day, for that coming will be when he sets his foot upon the Mount of Olivet in the midst of the final great war. The temple appearance was fulfilled, in part at least, by his return to the Kirtland Temple on April 3, 1836; and it may well be that he will come again, suddenly, to others of his temples, more particularly that which will be erected in Jackson County, Missouri.
“In this connection it is worthy of note that whenever and wherever the Lord appears, he will come suddenly, that is ‘quickly, in an hour you think not.’ (D. & C. 51:20.) His oft repeated warning, ‘Behold, I come quickly’ (D. & C. 35:27), means that when the appointed hour arrives, he will come with a speed and a suddenness which will leave no further time for preparation for that great day.” (Mormon Doctrine, pp. 693–94.)
The Lord’s return to earth in glory will be a great and dreadful day. As John the Baptist told the Jews, the Savior will gather in the wheat (the righteous), and the chaff (the wicked) He will burn with “unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12). The only ones who survive will be those who have kept their covenants with the Lord or who are worthy of at least a paradisiacal, or terrestrial, glory. All wickedness will be destroyed from the earth.
President Joseph Fielding Smith said: “When Christ comes the second time it will be in the clouds of heaven, and it shall be the day of vengeance against the ungodly, when those who have loved wickedness and have been guilty of transgression and rebellion against the laws of God will be destroyed. All during the ministry of Christ wickedness ruled and seemed to prevail, but when he comes in the clouds of glory as it is declared in this message of Malachi to the world, and which was said by Moroni to be near at hand, then Christ will appear as the refiner and purifier of both man and beast and all that pertains to this earth, for the earth itself shall undergo a change and receive its former paradisiacal glory.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:11.)
There is more than one meaning for the “offering in righteousness” to be made by the sons of Levi at or near the Second Coming of the Lord. With regard to animal sacrifice, Joseph Smith said:
“It is generally supposed that sacrifice was entirely done away when the Great Sacrifice [i.e.,] the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus was offered up, and that there will be no necessity for the ordinance of sacrifice in [the] future; but those who assert this are certainly not acquainted with the duties, privileges and authority of the Priesthood, or with the Prophets.
“The offering of sacrifice has ever been connected and forms a part of the duties of the Priesthood. It began with the Priesthood, and will be continued until after the coming of Christ, from generation to generation. We frequently have mention made of the offering of sacrifice by the servants of the Most High in ancient days, prior to the law of Moses; which ordinances will be continued when the priesthood is restored with all its authority, power and blessings. . . .
“These sacrifices, as well as every ordinance belonging to the Priesthood, will, when the Temple of the Lord shall be built, and the sons of Levi be purified, be fully restored and attended to in all their powers, ramifications, and blessings. This ever did and ever will exist when the powers of the Melchizedek Priesthood are sufficiently manifest; else how can the restitution of all things spoken of by the holy prophets be brought to pass. It is not to be understood that the law of Moses will be established again with all its rites and variety of ceremonies; this has never been spoken of by the prophets; but those things which existed prior to Moses’ day, namely, sacrifice, will be continued.” (Teachings, pp. 172–73.)
At this point the Lord, through Malachi, engaged Judah in a series of questions and answers. He said they have strayed from His ordinances, and He begs them to return. “Wherein shall we return?” they ask (v. 7). He replies that they have robbed Him, even God. Again they question, “Wherein have we robbed thee?” to which He replies, “In tithes and offerings” (v. 8). Therefore, He says, they “are cursed with a curse” (v. 9). Elder LeGrand Richards said:
“In addition to giving ourselves, and giving our services, the Lord has asked us to give of our means and our substance. We have men in the Church who give their time, they will go when they are asked to preach, they will perform a public duty, but it is hard to do the little duty that is seen in secret by them and God alone and their presiding officers. And so we are asked to contribute our tithes and offerings, not only because the Church needs money to build itself, for before there was an organization of the Church, God introduced the principle of sacrifice in order that his servants and his children might be tested, that they should bring the best of their lands and of their herds. . . . They were burned upon the altar of sacrifice; but the giving sanctified the souls of those who gave. . . .
“The prophet Malachi declared that in the last days the Lord should send his messenger to prepared the way before him, and he called upon Israel, and I interpret that to mean latter-day Israel, to return unto him and promised that he would return unto them, and they said: “Wherein shall we return unto Thee?” And he said: ‘In your tithes and offerings . . . for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house.’
“And I want to say to you, my brethren and sisters, that we need the tithes of the Saints in order that the kingdom might go on, for it shall be builded just as rapidly as the faith of the Saints can build it, and it is retarded when there is a lack of faith.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1939, pp. 44–45.)
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Honest payment of tithes secures promised blessings. |
To Israel, ancient and modern, the Lord promised to “open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (v. 10). All material and spiritual things are His to give as He sees fit. Included in His “blessings from heaven” are revelations from Him in one’s personal life. All blessings are, of course, conditional (see D&C 82:10; 130:21; 132:5). He desires to bless His faithful children abundantly (see 1 Corinthians 2:9).
“The devourer” may mean locusts and other pests to agriculture, but it may refer to Satan as well. The Lord promised that the fruits of the ground and vine will not come forth ahead of their time when they would be of little or no value. The implication is that our efforts to provide for ourselves would be blessed and bear fruit in their season.
Because of the blessings that will come to the faithful, they will be recognized by the world around them, both individually and as a people.
One truth about covenant relationships is that both parties must observe their promises in order to keep the covenant in force. Sometimes when those lacking faith lose promised blessings, they blame the Lord (see D&C 58:29–33). But the Lord is God; He never breaks a promise (see D&C 82:10).
The difficulty, as described by Malachi, is that the critics of the Lord have twisted the truth. They question the profit stemming from observing the ordinances of the Lord and maintain that “it is vain to serve God” (v. 14). They see inequity when the wicked prosper and those who work evil are elevated, and they blame the Lord for permitting such things to exist. Thus, their words of criticism are “stout” against the Lord (v. 13). President Spencer W. Kimball said:
“Some time ago a sister said to me, ‘Why is it, Brother Kimball, that those who do the least in the building of the kingdom seem to prosper most? We drive a Ford; our neighbors drive a Cadillac. We observe the Sabbath and attend our meetings; they play golf, hunt, fish, and play. We abstain from the forbidden while they eat, drink, and are merry and are unrestrained. We pay tithing and other church donations; they have their entire large income to lavish upon themselves. We are tied home with our large family of small children, often ill; they are totally free for social life—to dine and dance. We wear cottons and woolens, and I wear a three-season coat, but they wear silks and costly apparel, and she wears a mink coat. Our meager income is always strained and never seems adequate for necessities, while their wealth seems enough to allow them every luxury. And yet the Lord promises blessings to the faithful! It seems to me that it does not pay to live the gospel—that the proud and the covenant breakers are the ones who prosper.’
“Then I said to her, ‘Yours is an ancient question. Job and Jeremiah made the same complaint.’ And I quoted for her the Lord’s answer through Malachi [Malachi 4:1–2].
“Then I said to the disconsolate sister, ‘But for many rewards you need not wait until the judgment day. You have many blessings today. You have your family of lovely, righteous children. What a rich reward for the so-called sacrifices! The blessings that you enjoy cannot be purchased with all your neighbor’s wealth.’” (Faith Precedes the Miracle, pp. 221–22.)
Those who devote themselves to the Lord earn for themselves the privilege of having their names recorded in the Lamb’s book of life. This sacred “book of remembrance” (v. 16) is kept in heaven and contains the names of the faithful children of Father in Heaven, or, in other words, those who are His precious jewels. (See D&C 128:6–7; Psalm 69:28; Revelation 3:5; 21:27.) They are those who will inherit eternal life, for this book contains “the names of the sanctified, even them of the celestial world” (D&C 88:2). Those whose names are written there and who afterwards return to sinful ways will have their names blotted from the book (see Revelation 13:8; 17:8; 22:19).
The book of life is the Lord’s book of remembrance, not unlike records that He has commanded the Saints to keep in all ages of the world. Elder McConkie explained:
“Adam kept a written account of his faithful descendants in which he recorded their faith and works, their righteousness and devotion, their revelations and visions, and their adherence to the revealed plan of salvation. To signify the importance of honoring our worthy ancestors and of hearkening to the great truths revealed to them, Adam called his record a book of remembrance. It was prepared ‘according to the pattern given by the finger of God.’ (Moses 6:4–6, 46.)
“Similar records have been kept by the saints in all ages. (Mal. 3:16–17; 3 Ne. 24:15–16.) Many of our present scriptures have come down to us because they were first written by prophets who were following Adam’s pattern of keeping a book of remembrance. The Church keeps similar records today (D. & C. 85) and urges its members to keep their own personal and family books of remembrance.” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 100.)
Malachi stated that “the day cometh” when there would be great destruction of the wicked (v. 1). Elder Theodore M. Burton said:
“When Malachi prophesied of the second coming of Christ, he spoke of ‘the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly.’ Of whom was he speaking? First, of those who rejected Christ because of the pride of their hearts, and second, of those who, having accepted Jesus, were not valiant in keeping his commandments.
“Malachi went on to say they ‘shall burn as stubble.’ This means that they shall be destroyed. By whom? Malachi explains, ‘They that come shall burn them, saith the Lord of Hosts.’” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1967, p. 81.)
Every corruptible and impure thing, including human and animal, fish and fowl, will be cleansed from the earth (see D&C 64:24, 101:24–25).
Each person belongs to a family tree. Our “roots” are the ancestors from whom we descend, and our “branches” are those who descend from us. To be “left with neither root nor branch” is to be cut off from one’s ancestry and posterity eternally. That is precisely the condition of those for whom the sealing blessings of the Melchizedek Priesthood have not been performed or for those who, having had the ordinances performed, fail to live worthy of claiming their blessings. To prevent this great catastrophe, Elijah was sent to earth in the latter days with the sealing powers (see D&C 110:13–16).
This earth has a destiny. Its purpose is to provide a place for people to work out their eternal salvation before the Lord. Part of that salvation depends on their acquiring the necessary ordinances, in righteousness, that will seal them to God and to each other for time and all eternity. But the ordinances are not for the living only. Otherwise, billions would have been denied these blessings simply because the necessary priesthood power was not available in the time or place they lived.
Joseph Smith was told by Moroni that Elijah would come. Moroni mentioned the “promises made to the fathers” (JS—H 1:39) in ancient times. These promises, Moroni said, would assist in turning the hearts of the children to their fathers. President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote: “What was the promise made to the fathers that was to be fulfilled in the latter-days by the turning of the hearts of the children to their fathers? It was the promise of the Lord made through Enoch, Isaiah, and the prophets, to the nations of the earth, that the time should come when the dead should be redeemed. And the turning of the hearts of the children is fulfilled in the performing of the vicarious temple work and in the preparation of their genealogies.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:154.)
Elijah came to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in fulfillment of the Lord’s promise recorded by Malachi. His visit occurred on 3 April 1836 in the Kirtland Temple. The priesthood keys Elijah brought were the sealing powers of the Melchizedek Priesthood, the means whereby that which is bound and sealed on the earth is also bound and sealed in the heavens. (See D&C 110:13–16.)
Commenting on the meaning of turning hearts, Joseph Smith said: “Now, the word turn here should be translated bind, or seal. But what is the object of this important mission? or how is it to be fulfilled? The keys are to be delivered, the spirit of Elijah is to come, the Gospel to be established, the Saints of God gathered, Zion built up, and the Saints to come up as saviors on Mount Zion.” (Teachings, p. 330.)
Elder Theodore M. Burton said: “This turning of hearts to family relationships means establishing and sealing patriarchal lineage within the sacred confines of the temple and carrying that family inheritance into our daily lives. That is why, even if we do build temples, if we do not keep the covenants made in them, we will be rejected as a people.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1967, p. 81.)
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“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet” (Malachi 4:5). |
To most people, the words tithing and genealogy come to mind first when the book of Malachi is mentioned. These subjects are treated extensively, and we can learn a great deal about them from Malachi, but did you learn anything else from this prophet? What should a priesthood holder be like, according to Malachi? Make a list of the things he teaches in chapter 2 about the model priesthood bearer.
Does the Lord ever declare that there is more expected of us in financial obligations than the payment of tithing? What of budget contributions, building fund, missionary fund, temple fund, and fast offerings? President Spencer W. Kimball said:
“Sometimes we have been a bit penurious and figured that we had for breakfast one egg and that cost so many cents and then we give that to the Lord. I think that when we are affluent, as many of us are, that we ought to be very, very generous. . . .
“I think we should . . . give, instead of the amount saved by our two meals of fasting, perhaps much, much more—ten times more when we are in a position to do it.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1974, p. 184.)
“Fast offerings have long constituted the means from which the needs of the Lord’s poor have been provided. It has been, and now is, the desire and objective of the Church to obtain from fast offerings the necessary funds to meet the cash needs of the welfare program; and to obtain from welfare production projects the commodity needs. If we give a generous fast offering, we shall increase our own prosperity both spiritually and temporally.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1977, p. 126.)
What will you do next month about fasting and contribution to the fast offering fund? Can you do more?
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The Holy Land was ruled by three different political powers during the period between the testaments. |
For years Israel had denied, dishonored, persecuted, fought, and rebelled against the prophets. Malachi was the last of the true prophets in Israel in the Old Testament period of whom we have a record. God had desired that this nation be holy, His peculiar treasure. Upon them He had promised to heap His riches, glory, and power: “I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.” (Psalm 132:15–16.) Not only this, but He desired to have them sufficiently pure that He could make their cities His place of habitation. They were to become Zion, where the Lord declared He would make His abode forever. (See Psalm 132:13–14.) By rejecting the prophets, Israel forfeited the promises and potential of becoming like Enoch’s people.
After the Babylonian exile, the Jewish nation zealously taught and practiced the law and gathered and preserved the words of the prophets. This in itself was good, but by the time of Christ, the learning of scribes gained precedence over continuing revelation, and the oral tradition in many cases had come to overshadow the law. The temptation for the Jews during this period was to honor dead prophets over living ones. Dead prophets do not have power to say “no,” any more than did the false gods worshiped by the Israelites in earlier times. Dead prophets call only past generations to repentance, or so it seems to those who reject the living ones. The word of God to dead prophets can be falsified, misinterpreted, and bent to where it has lost its power to bring people to the Lord. Individuals are able to maintain a false sense of piety and righteousness even as they reject the living oracles. Christ criticized the people of His day for building the tombs of the prophets (Luke 11:48), and Samuel the Lamanite called the Book of Mormon people to repentance for the same sin (see Helaman 13:25–27). Elder Hartman Rector Jr., who was a member of the Seventy, said of those in our day: “Following the living prophet is the only way that we can follow the Lord God and do his will. You can’t do it by quoting the dead prophets or ignoring or throwing rocks at the living prophets” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1972, 172; or Ensign, Jan. 1973, 131).
The men who guided Israel during the period of Persian domination, unlike Moses, did not derive their authority from divine revelation but from the commission of a foreign emperor. A human king gave status and authority to the Torah, encouraged its codification, and threatened any offender of Mosaic precepts with fines, banishment, or death. In this way the law of Moses was established and made known to, even imposed upon, all Jewry under foreign rule. (See Elias Bickerman, From Ezra to the Last of the Maccabees, pp. 9–10.) Unfortunately, the human hand by itself can preserve only the letter of the law.
Being a part of the empires of the day was a blessing for physical, if not spiritual, Israel. Throughout Israel’s history the sedentary Israelites were continually pressured by the Arabic and Aramean nomads. The power of the Persian, and later the Greek, armies preserved the security of the Jewish population during those periods when the nation was too weak to defend itself. Had Judah not been part of the gentile empires, the nomads might have overwhelmed the inhabitants of Judea. They could have pushed the Jews into the sea. (See Bickerman, Ezra to the Last of the Maccabees, p. 10.) Thus, as in so many other things, the centuries of subjection brought Israel both blessings and problems.
When Judah returned from exile in Babylon, they brought back with them a number of things that were not a part of their original beliefs. If one of these things could be picked out to typify all the rest and symbolize what they meant, it would be the scribes. The scribes were originally educated men who made their livelihood keeping the records of the empire or as copyists of the scriptures (see Enrichment H). These they studied diligently, both to detect scribal errors and to understand the scriptures’ meaning. Eventually their role expanded. Not only did they supply copies of the scriptures to the growing number of synagogues, but they also became teachers of the law. As long as Israel had prophets, the scribes remained teachers and copyists. But when the prophetic voice ceased in Israel, these experts in the law of Moses began to fill the vacuum.
“Once the true prophet has been duly rejected and passed to his reward, swarms of experts descend upon his words to begin the learned business of exegesis [drawing meaning out of the written word]. The words of the dead prophets become the peculiar possession of armies of specially trained and carefully conditioned scholars.” (Hugh Nibley, The World and the Prophets, pp. 24–25.)
A major factor contributing to the escalation of the power of the scribes was the shift of the common language of the people from Hebrew to Aramaic. Though a sister tongue, Aramaic was still sufficiently different that it made the Hebrew of the scriptures hard to understand. So, the people had to rely on the scholars for their information and understanding. The titles the scribes took upon themselves reflected their growing importance: lawyers, doctors, elders, and rabbis. It should not be surprising that there was no unity of interpretation among these scholars, nor that they competed to bring people to their varying points of view. The result was the creation of such distinct religious sects in Judah as the Sadducees, the Pharisees, and the Essenes.
In the closing years of the fourth century B.C., a new power was preparing to force itself to the forefront of world history. The continual pressure of the Persian Empire served as a catalyst to unite a number of Greek city-states under one administrative head: King Philip of Macedonia. Under his direction the whole Greek peninsula was soon unified and prepared to challenge the supremacy of the Persians. Under Philip’s son Alexander a war of conquest began. In 334 B.C. he successfully attacked the Persian Empire and defeated it. From there he quickly swept through the entire Middle East, conquering all the nations that lay before him, including Judea. Behind him came hordes of Greek colonists—merchants, craftsmen, laborers—eager to impose the Greek culture. (See Everyday Life in Bible Times, p. 291.) Within a few years Alexander died, but the Hellenic, or Greek, influence was felt for centuries. With his conquest of the little Judean state, the Jewish world pivoted westward and came under the influence of the civilizations of Europe. In the past the Jews had been carried and scattered to the northeast and to the south; now it would be to the north and to the west. In the past their masters had been from the Oriental East, like themselves. Now the Occidental, or Western, peoples took over.
The Greeks were sure that their culture held the solution to the world’s problems. It was their goal, at least initially, to convert the youth of the world to a classical Greek viewpoint. To accomplish this objective, they established cities where learning was to take place uninhibited by old customs. Further, retired Greek soldiers were given land throughout the empire. In this way, the Greeks attempted to ensure the learning of Hellenic ideas. (See T. Edgar Lyon, “Greco-Roman Influences on the Holy Land,” Ensign, Sept. 1974, p. 20.) As a result, Greek became the new language of the empire and the Hellenic culture became the standard. Thus, new pagan influences and challenges faced the Jewish people. Greeks looked on the traditions, customs, and religion of the Jews as primitive, archaic, and barbaric; they set about to “enlighten” them. Even the surrounding peoples quickly accepted the Greek rule, and soon the Jews were an island in a sea of Greek influence. The crucial question arose about whether, against the force of this united front, the Jewish nation could hold its own or whether it would be subsumed culturally and religiously as it had been politically and thus lose its identity. (See H. H. Ben-Sasson, ed., A History of the Jewish People, pp. 196–97.)
The danger was real. The intoxicating influence of the heady Greek philosophy and materialism soon penetrated the upper strata of Jewish society. Even the prestigious Zadok family, which had dominated the high priest’s office and thus controlled both temple worship and the more political council of elders, succumbed to the pressure and abandoned part of the simple cloak of the Torah for the more elaborate garb of the Gentiles. Compromise, if not abandonment, was the order of the day. A number of the Hellenized Jewish elite entered the very profitable ranks of Greek tax collectors. Their open concessions to the way of the pagan caused many of the more pious to lump these opportunists with sinners in general—an association that would endure to the time of Christ.
About this time an interesting irony developed. Since the days of the captivity, Samaria had been a land in which Israelite blood had been greatly diluted by that of Gentiles. Even so, the inhabitants, to the days of Nehemiah, had looked to Jerusalem for their spiritual light. Only when the returning Jews refused to allow them to contribute to the rebuilding of the temple did the Samaritans revolt and lay the foundation of their own temple on Mount Gerizim. (See Ezra 4–5; Nehemiah 13:27–31; John 4:20; Bible Dictionary, s.v. “Gerizim.”) Mount Gerizim became for the Samaritans what the temple mount, Mount Moriah, was to the Jews. Under Greek pressure Samaria quickly adopted gentile ways and became a stronghold for Hellenic ideas.
Though the Jews at Jerusalem made concessions right and left, the seemingly wholesale abandonment of the ways of the fathers by the Samaritans caused dismay that eventually hardened into hatred. This enmity destroyed forever any possible union between Jerusalem and Samaria. By the time of Christ, the bitterness had become so entrenched that some Jews would take a lengthy detour around Samaria when traveling from Galilee to Judea rather than risk contamination by their so-called evil influence.
Wars swept over the entire east after the death of Alexander. His generals fought to gain control of the empire. Two of the generals finally came to dominate in the Holy Land. Seleucus (pronounced Sel-ay-ooh-cus) conquered Syria and the northern part of the Middle East. Ptolemy (pronounced Toll-oh-mee) took Egypt. Judea lay directly between the two rivals. The Holy Land changed hands several times during the next few years as Ptolemies and Seleucids fought for its control, causing disastrous results to the towns and population of Judea. In 301 B.C. it finally fell to the Ptolemies of Egypt, to whom it belonged for one hundred years. But during this entire time, the Seleucids contested their rule. Judea was for the Ptolemies, as it had been for many rulers of Egypt, Persia, and Assyria, of strategic importance. For the Egyptians it served as an advance defense base. In addition, it had great economic value because of the trade routes that crossed it. On the other hand, the Seleucids, who had firmly established themselves in Syria, did not want to have the Ptolemies rule a country so close to the heart of their land. Thus, Judea remained a point of contention between the two rival powers. It was not until 200 B.C. that the Seleucids were able to capture and hold Judea.
The change of administration from one Hellenic dynasty to the other caused more trouble for the Jews than the change from the Persians to Greeks. Under the Ptolemies, the Hellenizing pressures were subtle and were felt primarily by the wealthy. As long as the lower classes paid their taxes, there was little problem. During this period the Jewish population greatly increased, especially outside the Holy Land. The city of Alexandria in Egypt, for example, had the largest Jewish community in the world. There were also large colonies in Babylon and other cities. The Jews of the Diaspora outnumbered the Jews of Judea.
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The name of Pilate is inscribed on a stone at Caesarea. |
When Antiochus IV, a Seleucid king, came to power in 175 B.C., the relative tranquility of the Palestinian Jews came to an end. Antiochus decided the Greeks had been tolerant of what they considered Jewish narrowness and superstitious barbarity long enough. He attempted to destroy the religion of the Jews by imposing the Greek religion. He built a gymnasium in Jerusalem and introduced Greek philosophy, drama, and education. Most of the upper classes of the Jewish population accepted this change with little problem. They had the most to gain from friendly relations with the Gentiles and the most to lose should the wrath of their rulers be kindled. But most of the population saw these trends as alarming abandonments of their religion.
The word gymnasium comes from the Greek word gymnos, which means “naked.” The Greeks glorified the beauty of the human body and had the young men in the gymnasiums (schools or academies) participate in athletic contests in the nude. This practice was seen by the more conservative people as a great abomination. But to add to the shame, the families of the wealthy began to turn away from the law of circumcision since their sons would thus be different and easily distinguished in the gymnasiums. In some cases, the young men even underwent painful operations to hide the token of the Abrahamic covenant. (See Emil Schurer, A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus, p. 25.)
The pressure applied by Antiochus on the Jews to Hellenize came partly from his desire to make them “civilized,” but political reasons entered in as well. Rome was fast coming to world power. The Mediterranean areas had already fallen, as had Egypt and parts of Asia Minor. Antiochus saw that Syria and Judea were logical targets. He needed a strong, stable people under him to counterbalance the growing threat. The Jews were notoriously rebellious and difficult to govern, and obviously their attitude was closely related to their religion. To Antiochus, the answer was clear: Judaism had to go, and so he began to increase the pressures. (See Ben-Sasson, History of the Jewish People, p. 191.)
In 169 B.C. the temple was plundered under orders of Antiochus. Two years later his troops were sent into the holy city on the Sabbath. The Jews, interpreting the fourth commandment strictly, did not resist, and thousands were killed. Shortly thereafter the city’s walls were knocked down, and a garrison was established in a fortress built near the desecrated Temple Mount. The limited temple worship that did take place was soon suspended. Sabbath observance, celebrations, and circumcision were forbidden on penalty of death. Pigs, unclean under the Mosaic law and viewed as an abomination by the Jews, were offered in sacrifice as the troops of Antiochus stood watch. The people were forced to worship idols of Zeus and other false gods.
At this point in history two important Jewish groups emerged. Although there is quite a bit of disagreement concerning the origin and history of each group, many authorities agree that while their roots go back to the era of the Babylonian captivity, the Sadducees and Pharisees gained prominence when Judah was trying to cope with the strong Hellenizing efforts of the Seleucids. By the time the Hasmonean revolt (discussed below) was over, these parties had become powerful and rival sects.
The party from which the Pharisees evolved was probably the Hasidim, a name meaning “the holy ones.” This sect promoted the observance of Jewish rituals and the study of the Torah. Some of these took a vow to separate themselves from the impurities of those living around them and to follow strictly their interpretation of the law. The Hasidim not only maintained the validity of the Torah, the written scriptures, as the source of their religion, but they enlarged on this background. In an effort to adapt old codes to new conditions, they took a more figurative interpretation of the law. This interpretation became known as the oral law, since for the most part it was memorized and passed on by word of mouth. The Hasidim believed in a combination of free will and predestination, in the resurrection of the dead, and in a judgment resulting in reward or punishment in the life to come. (See Encyclopaedia Judaica, s.v. “Pharisees.”)
Deeply alarmed by the growing abandonment of the traditional values of Judaism, more and more of the population began to look with favor upon the Hasidim, who seemed to be the only ones interested in preserving the religion. A major group began to form around the Hasidim, dedicating themselves to the preservation of the Mosaic code. To counteract the Greek influences they turned to a strict, almost rigid, obedience to the law. Because of their attempts to keep themselves separate from the worldly taint of false ideas, this group began to be called the powrashim, from the Hebrew powrash, which means “to be separated.” Thus evolved the name Pharisees, which is the Greek transliteration of powrashim.
Because of their appeal to the majority of the population, the Pharisees constituted a much larger group than the Sadducees and had more support from the people, a fact that held true even until the time of the Savior.
While the Pharisees were primarily from the common people, the Sadducees were from the upper level of society: priests, merchants, and aristocrats. The name of the sect (Zedukim in Hebrew) is probably derived from Zadok, the high priest in the days of King David. Ezekiel entrusted Zadok’s family with control of the temple (see Ezekiel 40:46; 43:19; 44:10–15), and the descendants of this family controlled the temple hierarchy until about 200 B.C. Hence, the name Sadducees referred to those who were sympathetic with the Zadokites. (See Encyclopaedia Judaica, s.v. “Sadducees.”) It was largely among this wealthy class that acceptance of the Greek culture was taking place; thus, the Sadducees were not popular with the majority of the people.
This sect, on the whole, was conservative. Unlike the Pharisees, the Sadducees rejected the oral law as binding except for that part that was based strictly on the Torah. Further, they denied the afterlife and, therefore, the Resurrection. The purpose of keeping the law was for divine assistance in mortality. Their theology tended to bring God down to man, and the worship offered Him was not unlike the homage paid to a human ruler. His law was to be strictly interpreted. No symbolic or allegorical interpretation, a favorite of the Pharisees, was allowed.
In the power struggle between these two sects can be traced the inception of formal synagogue worship. The Pharisees sought to undermine the religious authority of the Sadducees, which was based on their exclusive priestly domination of the temple. To weaken this control, the Pharisees advocated taking certain ceremonies, previously associated exclusively with the temple, and practicing them in the home. In addition, formal places of worship, the synagogue, were set up that promulgated and perpetuated their doctrine. It was in this way that learned men of other than priestly descent began to play a role in national religious affairs.
The idea of separation from society to avoid religious impurity went so far with some people that it led to the formation of another sect, known as Essenes. The name is found only in Greek writings and probably means “the pious ones.” Interest in this group was acutely aroused in the late 1940s because of the discovery of their sacred writings, known as the Dead Sea Scrolls, at Qumran. This sect varied only in degree from the Pharisees, the main differences resulting from the extremes to which they went to practice their beliefs. The Essenes believed the Pharisees did not go far enough in their attempts to separate themselves from the world. They separated themselves literally as well as spiritually, setting up communities in such isolated areas as the shores of the Dead Sea, where they could completely escape the world.
Life in these communes was strict and highly structured. Members did not usually marry, because of the pollutions to which women were subject, according to the Mosaic law, and because of the idea that marriage was a hindrance to a devotional state of mind. They abstained from temple worship and those sacrifices associated therewith. They arose before sunrise and met together in common prayer, then carried out their respective duties until approximately 11:00 A.M. At that time they were all baptized, put on white robes, and ate a common meal. After the meal they would remove their sacred garments, don their work clothes, and labor until evening, when they would again partake of a common meal. They raised crops and tended flocks and were self-sufficient.
The efforts of Antiochus to stamp out Judaism became more and more brutal. His soldiers would surround a village and conduct a house-to-house search. If a male child was found that had been circumcised, the infant was killed and tied around the neck of the mother as a warning to others. Then the mothers were hurled off a high wall. (See 2 Maccabees 6:10.) In another case, a woman with seven sons was forced to watch each killed in a horrible way when they refused to eat the flesh of pigs. Exhorting each to keep the faith, she did not weaken and finally was herself put to death. (See 2 Maccabees 7.)
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A menorah, symbol of Maccabean independence and renewal |
The brutality and horror had the opposite effect to the one intended. The resistance stiffened, hatred for Antiochus and his Greek soldiers spread like wildfire, and rebellion smouldered in the hearts of the people. Finally, a spark was ignited that exploded into open revolt.
In 167 B.C., in a little village called Modin, the Greek soldiers gathered the people and demanded that Mattathias, an old priest of the Asmonean family, offer a sacrifice to the pagan god. Mattathias refused, even though he was threatened with death. Another priest stepped forward and agreed to do as the soldier demanded. As this weaker priest lifted the knife, an enraged Mattathias grabbed a sword and cut down both the priest and the Syrian officer. Mattathias and his five sons then fled to the hills and called on all of Judah to join them. (See 1 Maccabees 2:1–27.) The revolt had begun! It roared through the land, gathering support on every side as the Jews turned on the hated Greeks. By the time Antiochus took the revolt seriously, he faced an entire nation thirsting for freedom.
Since Mattathias was a priest seeking to defend the Mosaic code, the Pharisees threw their support to the Asmonean family (often anglicized to Hasmonean). Mattathias himself died shortly after the revolt began, but he had five sons. Upon his death, Judah took over. Judah was a military genius and again and again exhorted his vastly outnumbered and poorly equipped troops to have faith in God and the righteousness of their cause. Again and again he devastated forces two to four times the size of his own. (See Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, bk. 12, chap. 7, par. 3.) By 164 B.C. the city of Jerusalem had been reconquered and the temple cleansed of its impurities and rededicated to the worship of Jehovah. The Jews became independent of t
