Bridging the gap : Haggai's use of tradition to secure the future

The prophet Haggai addresses the people of Judah in a situation of hardship and discomfort, but points them to a better future that Yahweh is envisioning for them. To bridge the gap between their current situation and the realization of an ideal future, Haggai applies traditions from their religious...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Wessels, Willie 1953- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Interlibrary Loan:Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany)
Published: 2005
In: Old Testament essays
Year: 2005, Volume: 18, Issue: 2, Pages: 426-443
Online Access: Volltext (kostenfrei)
Description
Summary:The prophet Haggai addresses the people of Judah in a situation of hardship and discomfort, but points them to a better future that Yahweh is envisioning for them. To bridge the gap between their current situation and the realization of an ideal future, Haggai applies traditions from their religious past. Three of these traditions are investigated. The first is the temple tradition, which incorporates the 'glory' tradition. The second is the Exodus tradition, which is used to emphasise the presence of the Spirit of Yahweh on whom they can rely. The third is the royal tradition involving the person of Zerubbabel. The promise is that the Davidic kingship will be restored. By engaging these traditions, the prophet not only manages to defy their feeling of alienation from their past as the people of Yahweh, but also to propel them into the future where this notion of being his people will once again be experienced as real. This study focuses on the appropriation of these traditions as a catalyst for motivating the people of Judah to reach out to the envisioned future.
ISSN:2312-3621
Contains:Enthalten in: Old Testament essays
Persistent identifiers:HDL: 10520/EJC85678