Malachi

Merry Christmas! Class will resume on January 5, 2022. We will study the Come Follow Me schedule.

READING

Matthew 1; Luke 1

ZECHIRIAH

The answer to your query is found in the first chapter of the writings of the prophet Zachariah. There he explains that his prophecy and visions were focused on the reestablishment of the city of Jerusalem in his own time (520-518 BCE). This was near the end of the first exile, that is after the destruction of the first Temple (586 BCE), and at the end of their exile in Babylon.

A bit of history: Nebuchadnezzar, ruler of Babylon, conquered Judea/Israel - similar in sentiment and brutality to the terrorist Vladimir Putin in our time; Jerusalem was sacked, the usual and customary horrors were meted out to women and children, the Temple was reduced to rubble, and the surviving wealthy and intellectual population was carried off to Babylon, leaving behind peasants and rabble. In short order, the Babylonians got their comeuppance when the Persians overran them, and were amicable to the Jewish exiles. Persian monarchs were seriously concerned about the welfare of the land of Israel, because without the Jewish people in situ, the untended land had become nearly completely desert wilderness, gangs were roaming the land and – most importantly – the new Persian landlords could not collect taxes from the myriad caravans which traversed that narrow span of land with spices and silks from the Far East, nor from merchant ships that docked at the ports. So they dispatched many of the Jews back to Israel, with funding and protective cavalry, to rebuild the cities. As incentive they encouraged the reestablishment of Jerusalem as the capital and the rebuilding of the Temple (ushering in the second 500-year kingdom in what became known as the Second Temple Times). Zachariah was livid that the returning people weren't taking their job of reestablishing Jerusalem as the capital and rebuilding the Temple with the same urgent zeal that he felt. It was in that social/historical/political setting that he raged against the slackers, promising that all was going to be ok if they threw themselves with full vigor into "G-d's" work; G-d would look favorably on them and the Kingdom would flourish.

This was in the few years around 520 before the common era (BCE). He had neither concern nor concept of things to occur over 500 years later: he was a politically astute man with a current, urgent mission from G-d.

EZRA

A famous priest and scribe who brought back part of the exiles from captivity (Ezra 7–10; Neh. 8; 12). The object of his mission was “to teach  in Israel statutes and judgments.” In 458 B.C. he obtained from Artaxerxes an important edict (Ezra 7:12–26) allowing him to take to Jerusalem any Jewish exiles who cared to go, along with offerings for the temple with which he was entrusted, and giving to the Jews various rights and privileges.

Religious values in the book of Ezra are found in the teaching that (1) the  promises of the Lord through His prophets shall all be fulfilled (Ezra 1:1; see also Jer. 25:13; 29:10; D&C 1:37–38; 5:20); (2) discipline and patience are born of disappointment, as one expectation after another was frustrated; (3) there is eternal significance in everyday life; (4) preparation is needed for the rule of Messiah, the law being the schoolmaster to bring men to Christ. 

Bible Dictionary

NEHEMIAH

 “A Jew (either a Levite or of the tribe of Judah) who held the important office of “cupbearer” at the court of Artaxerxes, from whom he obtained a royal commission authorizing him to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. The book of Nehemiah (which is a continuation of Ezra, the two being regarded by the Jews as forming one book) contains an account of the progress and difficulties of the work and its final completion.”

Bible Dictionary

WHO WILL ABIDE THE DAY OF THE COMING OF THE LORD

“Malachi’s revelation drew a stark contrast between those who are humble and receptive to the Lord’s will and those who are not. Some speak against God, find no value in doing his will, and even question his justice. But those who revere the Lord can rejoice that their righteousness is recorded in God’s ‘book of remembrance.’ Their reward is sure, ‘They shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels.’ The relevance of this section of Malachi to Jesus’ audience seems clear. Those who did not trust the prophetic announcements of his coming—and thus did not prepare—were cut off. Yet those who were faithful enjoyed the Savior’s presence, even then. Later Jesus rejoiced that they would not be lost.” (3 Nephi 27:30-31)

Kent P. Jackson, Studies in Scripture, Volume 8

MALACHI QUOTED

“I restore you unto your fathers and your fathers unto you”

“That bestowal language changes the way I read Malachi 4, 5 and 6 as this is what God wants to give me. God wants to bestow upon me a heart that turns to my fathers. That word restore is important because it suggests that my heart was there once. I once had my heart turned unto the fathers.”

“to return the hearts of the fathers to the children and restore the tribes of Jacob.”

“From this author we have a completely different understanding that branches out. This is not just a lineal line of these turning of hearts. But there is also this idea of restoring the tribes of Jacob, the gathering of scattered Israel. We know how important that phrase is when it comes to the resorted gospel. And especially in our day with President Nelson where there is nothing more important happening in the earth today than the gathering of scattered Israel. We have this text within a temple context talking about restoring the tribes.”

Josh Matson, The Scriptures Are Real Podcast

NAMES OF THE SAVIOR INCLUDED IN MALACHI

SON OF RIGHTEOUSNESS 

RULER

REFINER 

MESSENGER OF THE COVENANT 

JUDGE OF ISRAEL

Haggai and Zechariah

 “Joshua the High Priest and the Council of the Gods in the Book of Zechariah: A Post-exilic Jew in King Yahweh’s Court”

Roger D. Cook

The trial proceeds as Satan, standing to the right of Joshua as his accuser, claims that Joshua is guilty of misdeeds. God, however, exonerates Joshua from all guilt and condemns Satan: “And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, 0 Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” (3:2). The imagery of a brand being plucked from a fire could be interpreted in several different ways. It could refer to a great test that Joshua has passed, or it could mean the effectiveness of a red-hot fire for accomplishing work in the ancient world. Joshua, in the second interpretation, would be compared to a glowing brand drawn from the center of a fire. Intense heat, such as that found in the glowing coals of a fire, could be applied to some work such as the smelting of ore. Regardless of the reason, Joshua’s righteousness and ability to faithfully serve in his priestly office is vindicated. Instead of being in the most uncomfortable spot in the celestial world, Joshua now finds himself commended for his righteous stewardship.

Fair Conference 1999

https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/conference/august-1999/joshua-the-high-priest-and-the-council-of-the-gods-in-the-book-of-zechariah-a-post-exilic-jew-in-king-yahwehs-court

“. . . . it is now time that we each implement extraordinary measures—perhaps measures we have never taken before—to strengthen our personal spiritual foundations. Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures.

. . . . to each of you who has made temple covenants, I plead with you to seek—prayerfully and consistently—to understand temple covenants and ordinances. Spiritual doors will open. You will learn how to part the veil between heaven and earth, how to ask for God’s angels to attend you, and how better to receive direction from heaven. Your diligent efforts to do so will reinforce and strengthen your spiritual foundation.”

President Russell M. Nelson

“The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation”

October 2021

“It is significant that the Savior chose to appear to the people at the temple. It is His house. It is filled with His power. Let us never lose sight of what the Lord is doing for us now. He is making His temples more accessible. He is accelerating the pace at which we are building temples. He is increasing our ability to help gather Israel. He is also making it easier for each of us to become spiritually refined. I promise that increased time in the temple will bless your life in ways nothing else can. . . .My dear brothers and sisters, may you focus on the temple in ways you never have before. I bless you to grow closer to God and Jesus Christ every day. I love you. May God be with you until we meet again, I pray in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

President Russell M. Nelson

“Focus on the Temple”

October 2022

Sperry Symposium 2017

https://rsc.byu.edu/prophets-prophecies-old-testament/old-wine-new-bottles

Old Wine in New Bottles

Exploring the Use of the Old Testament in the Doctrine and Covenants

Nicholas J. Frederick

Significantly, while the two passages from Zechariah have been combined to form one (inverted) allusion in D&C 45:48–52, the two Zechariah passages actually originate in two separate prophecies. The first one, Zechariah 14:4, is an eschatological prophecy of a time in the future where Yahweh will descend from heaven and stand as a warrior upon the Mount of Olives. The result of his arrival will be the cataclysmic splitting of the mount in half, creating a valley of refuge for Israel. This eschatological arrival of Yahweh “stresses Yahweh’s power over history and the peoples of the world. He will fight against the nations. The nations are undifferentiated here. The Mount of Olives will split and a valley will be formed across it from east to west so that the rest of the people in Jerusalem can find refuge and a way of escape.”[31]

The second prophecy, Zechariah 13:6, is also likely eschatological but is a difficult passage to contextualize. The chapter begins with a general denunciation of false prophets and shifts to a farmer who explicitly claims, “I am no prophet,” apparently seeking to distance himself from the group of false prophets condemned in the previous verses. The farmer is then asked about wounds that he has received, wounds that could identify him as a prophet, since self-flagellation and cutting were often signs of non-Israelite prophets.[32] The farmer responds that he “was wounded in the house of my friends,” claiming that his wounds were received in a setting other than a prophetic setting.[33] The point of Zechariah’s prophecy seems to be that at some future time, false prophets will be sought out and condemned, driven to offer alternative explanations for their prophetic marks.[34]

One of these prophecies from Zechariah seems to refer to the future coming of Yahweh, and one seems to refer to a future rejection of false prophets. In D&C 45, these two verses are skillfully appropriated and woven together into a description of the eschatological appearance of Jesus to the Jews gathered in Jerusalem. The Book of Mormon teaches that the era of the Gentiles will end when the Gentiles have heard the restored message of the gospel but then “shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations” (3 Nephi 16:10). At this point, the fulness of the gospel will be taken away from the Gentiles, “and then will I remember my covenant which I have made unto my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my gospel unto them” (3 Nephi 16:11). D&C 45 describes how Jesus’s appearance on the Mount of Olives and his revelation that he, the crucified Jesus, is the long-awaited Messiah, the warrior of Zechariah 14, will be a major step in the commencement of the gathering of the Jewish nation. What D&C 45 does is expand upon Zechariah 13:6 and 14:4 by maintaining the language but drastically shifting the context so that Zechariah’s words have a new application and meaning.[35]

Eight Visions Explained

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/manual/old-testament-seminary-student-study-guide/the-book-of-zechariah/zechariah-1-6-eight-visions-of-zechariah?lang=eng

A vision of horses (see Zechariah 1:7–17), which teaches about the merciful way the Lord will deal with Jerusalem

A vision of four horns and four carpenters (see Zechariah 1:18–21), which is about the powers (horns) that scattered Judah and what will happen to these powers

A vision of the man with a measuring line (a surveyor; see Zechariah 2), which testifies of the Lord’s protective power over His people

A vision of the high priest (see Zechariah 3), which symbolizes how Judah can overcome Satan and be cleansed through the power of Jesus Christ (“the Branch” in v. 8)

A vision of a lamp stand and olive trees (see Zechariah 4), which symbolizes how the Lord would give power to His people by His Holy Spirit

A vision of a flying scroll (see Zechariah 5:1–4), which taught that those who were dishonest in the land were condemned

A vision of a woman in a basket (see Zechariah 5:5–11), which testifies that wickedness would be removed from the people

A vision of four chariots (see Zechariah 6:1–8), which symbolizes spreading the Lord’s power over the whole earth

Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah

 READING FOR DECEMBER 8

Haggi; Zechariah 1-3; 7-14

Jonah—Date: 793-753 BC Audience: Northern kingdom of Israel with a proclamation delivered to the city of Nineveh (capital of Assyria) Theme: Jehovah uses Jonah’s actions and words to communicate the fact that his compassion extends beyond Israel.

Micah—Date: 700-650 BC (contemporary to Isaiah) Audience: Israel and Judah, especially the oppressive land-grabbers who supported Israel’s corrupt political and religious leaders Theme: God would judge Israel for covenant breaking by sending them into exile, yet he would restore a remnant of his people.

Nahum—Date: shortly before 612 BC Audience: Judah Theme: God will judge Nineveh for its endless cruelty

Habakuk—Date: 605-580 BC (contemporary to Lehi) Audience: The people of Judah struggling to comprehend the ways of God Theme: In the midst of the evil that exists within both Judah and their enemies, Habakkuk’s strength and joy are found in God alone

Zephaniah—Date: 640-609 BC Audience: Judah Theme: Announcement of the coming day of the Lord, when God will judge and humble the nations including Judah, but will yet be merciful to His people by fully restoring them

JONAH AND HABAKKUK

Read the following with these questions in mind:

1. How are these prophets similar? Different?
2. How do they misjudge Jehovah at points in their lives?
3. What do we learn about Jehovah from these two accounts?
4. How do these messages translate into our lives and current situations?

Jonah 1:1-3; 3:4-5; 3:10, 4:1-10 Habakkuk 1:1-6; 1:12-13; 2:1; 3:16-19

GRACE AND JUSTICE

“According to the logic of original sin, the purpose of the law is punishment. The law’s purpose is to judge what is deserved. The law is a divine mechanism for judging who deserves to suffer or not and to what degree. The point of the law is accusation.”

“The logic of grace, on the other hand, takes the purpose of the law to be love. The law’s purpose is still to judge, but now judge what is needed. The law is a divine mechanism for judging what is needed to relieve suffering and liberate sinners. The point of the law is grace.”

“The contrast between these two logics is sharp. For sin reasons backwards about whether someone’s suffering is deserved, grace reasons forwards as to how best to respond to that suffering. Where sin understands God’s law as a tool of condemnation, grace understand God’s law as a discipline of compassion. Where sin uses the law to command suffering, graces uses the law to command succoring. Sin begins from the original assumption of guilt and concludes that suffering is deserved. Grace begins from the original reality of suffering and concludes that redemption is needed. Sin uses God’s law to ask what is deserved; grace uses God’s law to ask what is needed.”

“Being a sinner harms others and ourselves. The consequences are real and natural. Those things that follow sin are not a moral obligation required by justice. God is not invested in making sure that we suffer. The law requires that we receive whatever good is needed in order to stop harming ourself and others. What we need may be difficult and painful. That difficult process is God giving us what we need to become good.”

Adam Miller, Faith Matters Podcast, 130

NAHUM

“Though the Lord is said to be good and slow to anger in the first chapter, only unrestrained violence and destruction is shown to Nineveh with no call to repentance or chance at redemption. For many Christians, this doesn’t line up with their New Testament view of deity.

Nahum is a perfect illustration of how prophetic literature is in a large part a reflection of emotion. This will help people cope with the reality of the violence of the book of Nahum. These are not the exact words of God. These are the prophet’s words expressing a revelation he has received by unknown means. We don’t know in what form Nahum received this revelation. We only get how he is expressing it. His expression is going to be colored by his emotions and the general emotion of the people. The brutality of Assyria surpassed that of what any other nation had done or seen up to this point. It was unspeakable. And the prophetic literature is an outlet for the extreme fear and oppression that had been laid upon the people. And it reflects the brutality of Assyria back onto them. Even though the revelation may have been an objective view of the eminent future, a tone of celebration and revenge was added in the delivery of the oracle. The point being that a lot of prophetic literature in the Bible are the words of God combined with the feelings of people.”

Truman Cowans, Maxwell Institute Podcast

Amos; Obidiah

HAPPY THANKSGIVING--No class next week

DECEMBER 1 READING--Jonah; Micah; Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah

OUTWARD MINDSET

“We start by asking questions to help ourselves see others as people, looking at their hearts. If we address behavior through the encouragement of behavior changes, we tend to treat people like objects, problems to be moved out of the way, corrected until they get it right.

Truly seeing a person is something that is taught in our church, especially within the context around our ministering efforts. The ability to see a person as a child of God allows us to look past their shortcomings and love them as the Savior would. When people fail to meet our expectations, however, it can be easy to see them as a problem that is blocking us from meeting our own objectives. The book describes it as seeing someone ‘like an object’.”

“When to a leader a person becomes an object, or a problem to be solved, the leader will invariably do things to treat them like an object. This can be seen in instances where individuals get a calling, but are complaining about one thing or another, are not as responsible as we would like, or seem to be ruffling some peoples’ feathers in the ward. Instead of considering the needs, objectives, and challenges of the individual by establishing a relationship, listening, and spending time with the individual, some leaders turn their focus on finding a solution that involves releasing a person from their calling, or getting them to 'have a talk’ with the bishop where some correction is given.

President Monson said it best, ‘Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved’. When our focus is on seeing the individual, we figure out ways to understand them better and have more of a relationship of trust, thereby helping us better adapt to the needs of the individual and the needs of the calling. This requires us to not only ask questions to get to know them, but when a potential conflict surfaces, or even just a simple difference in preference, we approach it with a focus on putting ourselves in their situation. We begin to ask questions, repeating back our understanding, seeking to understand until we feel like we have come alongside them and are walking with them. It has been my experience that people are more willing to listen to your advice when you have spent some time trying to understand where they are coming from.”

“A quote from the book summarizes this:

‘To be outward does not mean that people should adopt this or that prescribed behavior. Rather, it means that when people see the needs, challenges, desires, and humanity of others, the most effective ways to adjust their efforts occur to them in the moment. ... They naturally adjust what they do in response to the needs they see around them. With an outward mindset, adjusting one’s efforts naturally flows from seeing others in a new way.’”

Cory Shirts, The Outward Mindset—Seeing Beyond Ourselves, https://leadingsaints.org/the-outward- mindset-seeing-beyond-ourselves/

Hosea 1-6; 10-14; Joel

NEXT WEEK'S READING - AMOS & OBADIAH

INTERPRETATIONS

“Verse 23: In the last verses of this chapter, the names of Hosea and Gomer’s 

children are important. For example, verse 19 ends with a reference to mercy or compassion, 

the name of their daughter (Ruhamah, 1:6). As we saw, verse 22 ends with the mention of their 

first son, Jezreel, and if we remember the meaning of the first son’s name, verse 23 begins 

with a mention of him. Then this verse mentions their daughter, Ruhamah, and finally, 

it mentions their second son, Ammi. So if we recognize the connection of the names to 

the meanings of the names, verse 23 mentions each child in order of birth and could be 

translated like this:

Then I will sow her (Jezreel) unto me in the earth and I will have mercy on 

She-Who-Did-Not-ReceiveMercy (Lo-Ruhamah); and I will say to 

He-Who-Is-Not-My-People (Lo-Ammi), Thou art my people; and they shall say, 

Thou art my God.”

Dr. James Faulconer

The Old Testament Made Harder

https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1086&context=mi

“Those prophets often used literary devices to reach their readers (metaphor, simile, chiasmus, and especially typology). Hosea uses a powerful type to make his point. But his is more than a metaphor. It is a real event that serves as a type or shadow of the Lord’s relation to Israel: Hosea is called to marry an adulterous wife, and then, though she has been unfaithful and even had children by other men, he is commanded to buy her back and to love her. The point of this shocking type is that Israel (like an unfaithful wife) has gone whoring after other lovers (pagan gods), and the Lord, the husband who has entered into a covenant with her, will buy her back and love her and bring her to repentance. Some argue that Hosea did not actually marry the woman he talks about, that she is only a literary device. As with Jonah, it doesn’t matter for our purposes. Since the book of Hosea treats her as real, these notes do too.”

Dr. James Faulconer 

The Old Testament Made Harder

https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1086&context=mi

Some LDS scholars reject the literal union of Hosea to a wife of whoredoms because it “would be imputing to God a command inconsistent with His holy character.” Brent L. Top cautions against such reasoning, stating, “Rejecting the literal nature of this or any other scriptural episode that we find disturbing, illogical, or at odds with our own finite view of God and his dealings with man opens a Pandora’s box of issues surrounding the historicity of the scriptures” (“The Marriage of Hosea and Gomer: A Symbolic Testament of Messianic Love and Mercy,” in A Witness of Jesus Christ: The 1989 Sperry Symposium on the Old Testament, ed. Richard D. Draper [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1989], 227).

Dr. Aaron Schade

"The Imagery of Hosea's Family and the Restoration of Israel"

https://rsc.byu.edu/gospel-jesus-christ-old-testament/imagery-hoseas-family-restoration-israel#_edn37

COVENANTAL LOVE - HESED 

"Once we make a covenant with God, we leave neutral ground forever. God will not abandon His relationship with those who have forged such a bond with Him. In fact, all those who have made a covenant with God have access to a special kind of love and mercy. In the Hebrew language, that covenantal love is called hesed (חֶסֶד)."

President Russell M. Nelson

"The Everlasting Covenant"

March 31, 2022

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2022/10/04-the-everlasting-covenant?lang=eng

TO KNOW GOD

“Quite obviously since the Israelites have not appropriated these qualities and reproduced them in their lives, it demonstrates that they have no real commitment to God. Nor do they truly know him in a living, experiential knowledge of him. As [Terrence] Fretheim points out, “To know God is to be in a right relationship with him, with characteristics of love, trust, respect, and open communication.” Indeed, a firm reverential trust in God constitutes the basic foundation and fountain of true knowledge. Israel had been schooled in the knowledge of God and his standards as well as his goodness, but alas, they demonstrated no trace of them in their lives. Had they truly known him, it would have been reflected in their appropriation of God’s covenant standards for their lives. Therefore, they must face the consequences of their own actions.” 

Robert Alter

Hosea: An Exegetical Commentary

https://bible.org/seriespage/2-perspectives-unfaithful-israel-hosea-41-19

“The strength of your horizontal relationships is a sign of the strength of your vertical relationship.”

Dr. Kristian Heal

Maxwell Institute Abide Podcast

https://mi.byu.edu/abide-hosea-and-joel/

“Astonishingly, to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, it is clear that the Father and the Son are giving away the secrets of the universe!” 

Neal A. Maxwell, “Meek and Lowly” BYU Speeches, 1986

PROPHETS AND PROPHETESSES

Elder George Q. Cannon wrote: “The spirit of the Church of God is that manifested by Moses. … The genius of the kingdom with which we are associated is to disseminate knowledge through all the ranks of the people, and to make every man a prophet and every woman a prophetess, that they may understand the plans and purposes of God. For this purpose the gospel has been sent to us, and the humblest may obtain its spirit and testimony” (Journal of Discourses, 12:46).

President Heber C. Kimball stressed the reality that this gift is found in more than the First Presidency and Quorum of Twelve: “There is not a man or woman in this congregation,” he explained, “if they live their religion and have the Holy Ghost upon them, but what are prophets, every one of them. . . . I wish to God you, brethren and sisters, were all prophets and prophetesses; you may be, if you live your religion; you cannot help yourselves” (Journal of Discourses, 5:88).

“Prophets will be the last safe voices on earth.”

Sheri Dew, “Prophets Can See Around Corners,” BYU Hawaii, November 1, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuMlNeinGsc

Daniel

NEXT WEEK READING

Hosea 1-6, 10-14; Joel

 UNDERSTANDING THE VISIONS OF DANIEL

“[There is] perpetual relevance [here]. Any disciple of any age can see the internal conflict of right and wrong, light and darkness; the lamb verses the beast and know the we are caught in an eternal struggle and have eternal choices to make.”

Jared Halverson, Unshaken Podcast #193

BUT IF NOT . . .

“Centuries ago, Daniel and his young associates were suddenly thrust from security into the world—a world foreign and intimidating. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego refused to bow down and worship a golden image set up by the king, a furious Nebuchadnezzar told them that if they would not worship as commanded, they would immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. ‘And who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?’

The three young men quickly and confidently responded, ‘If it be so [if you cast us into the furnace], our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand.’ They demonstrated that they fully understood what faith is. They continued, ‘But if not, ... we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.’ That is a statement of true faith.

They knew that they could trust God—even if things didn’t turn out the way they hoped. They knew that faith is more than mental assent, more than an acknowledgment that God lives. Faith is total trust in Him. Faith is believing that although we do not understand all things, He does. Faith is knowing that although our power is limited, His is not. Faith in Jesus Christ consists of complete reliance on Him.”

Dennis E. Simmons, “But If Not,” General Conference April 2004

TEACHINGS OF DANIEL

Sir Isaac Newton said this of Daniel: “Daniel was in the greatest credit amongst the Jews, till the reign of the Roman Emperor. And to reject his prophecies, is to reject the Christian religion. For this religion is founded upon his prophecy concerning the Messiah.”

“The book of Daniel proves two things: God provides and God saves. He not only takes care of his people in their present affliction, but is bringing an everlasting kingdom of peace, which was only prophesied in Daniel’s day, but finds its fulfillment in Jesus the Messiah.”

Levi Bakerink, https://modernreformation.org/resource-library/web-exclusive-articles/the-mod-the-messianic- prophecies-in-the-book-of-daniel/

PROMISES FROM OUR PROPHET

“My dear brothers and sisters, so many wonderful things are ahead. In coming days, we will see the greatest manifestations of the Savior’s power that the world has ever seen. Between now and the time He returns ‘with power and great glory,’ He will bestow countless privileges, blessings, and miracles upon the faithful.

Nonetheless, we are presently living in what surely is a most complicated time in the history of the world. The complexities and challenges leave many people feeling overwhelmed and exhausted...

The reward for keeping covenants with God is heavenly power—power that strengthens us to withstand our trials, temptations, and heartaches better. This power eases our way. Those who live the higher laws of Jesus Christ have access to His higher power. Thus, covenant keepers are entitled to a special kind of rest that comes to them through their covenantal relationship with God.”

President Russell M. Nelson, Overcome the World and Find Rest, October Conference 2022

Ezekiel 1-3; 33-34; 36-37; 47

READINGS FOR NEXT WEEK

Daniel 1-12

Background:

• Audience: Jews who were taken captive to Babylonia in 597 B.C.
• He writes over 22 year period between 593 and 571 B.C.
• Theme: Ezekiel the priest assures his fellow Jews that God will one day return them to Jerusalem and restore the temple.
• Only prophetic book written from exile. 
• The Hebrew translation of his name is God will strengthen or God’s Strength. 
• On August 14, 586 B.C., the city of Jerusalem and the temple were burned.
• The book of Ezekiel contains more dates than any other OT prophetic book—they can date his prophecies with considerable precision.
• Ezekiel was married, a priest, and a prophet. “As a priest-prophet called to minister to the exiles (separated from the temple of the Lord with its symbolism, sacrifices, priestly work and worship rituals), his message had much to do with the temple and its ceremonies. 

Literary features: (major/minor prophets have to do with the length of the scrolls)

The three major prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel) all have the same basic sequence of messages: 

1. prophecies against Israel
2. prophecies against the nations
3. consolation for Israel. In no other book is this pattern clearer than in Ezekiel. 

Jehovah directed many prophets during this time: Ezekiel prophesied among the exiled community in Babylon, Jeremiah prophesied in Jerusalem, Daniel prophesied to the king of Babylon, Lehi left Jerusalem with his family and the records

Ezekiel began to prophesy only after arriving in Babylon, so prophets in Jerusalem, like Lehi and Jeremiah, may not even have known about Ezekiel.

Ezekiel’s Inaugural Vision  - Imagery

“The bible also works on a micro-level. . . often when we read the bible, the thing which strikes us, that moves us, that shapes us is a single verse or a single image that we can carry with us and that can really shape and form our mental framework, our religious world view . . . . Individual verses can sometimes contain individual images that can fire the imagination.”

Dr. Kristian Heal - Abide Podcast - Maxwell Institute 

Consider: As we work through Ezekiel, think about images that resonate with you.

Q: What is the Lord teaching here? How is the command not to mourn Ezekiel’s wife symbolic of the times?

“In chapter 24 we read that Ezekiel’s wife died on the very day Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem (see verses 1–2). Here was given the ultimate symbol or type of Jerusalem’s coming destruction. Isn’t that something? The Lord said in essence that the death of Ezekiel’s wife would serve as a type and symbol of Jerusalem’s destruction. When the people saw his wife die and saw that Ezekiel did not mourn, they asked why. In verse 22 the answer was given: “Ye shall do as I have done: ye shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men.” And then in verse 24, the Lord explained: “Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do.” Jerusalem was the bride of Jehovah, but there could be no mourning, for her tragedy was just and fully deserved.”     

Gerald Lund

Gerald N. Lund, “Ezekiel: Prophet of Judgment, Prophet of Promise,” in Isaiah and the Prophets: Inspired Voices from the Old Testament, ed. Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate Jr. (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1984), 75–88.

Transition Point of Ezekiel’s Prophecies

“As the fall of Jerusalem marked an important transition in the life of the Israelites, it also marked an important transition in Ezekiel’s prophecies. No longer did he call Jews to repentance to avoid being overthrown. He addressed instead the questions that must have been on their minds now that their nation was no more. What future did they have now that they had offended God so grievously that he had allowed them to be driven from their land? Was he still their God? Were they still his chosen people? And even if he were willing, could he gather people so widely dispersed as the Israelites were in Assyria, Babylonia, Egypt, and elsewhere throughout the world?”

Keith H. Meservy

https://archive.bookofmormoncentral.org/content/ezekiel-prophet-hope

The River of Life from the Temple - 40-47

“After twenty-five years in captivity, Ezekiel had a homecoming of sorts: the Lord gave him a vision of his native Israel and a glorious, complete temple in the midst of the land (Ezekiel 40–48). [3] In this vision, Ezekiel is not alone—he is guided on a tour of the temple by an angelic figure (Ezekiel 40:3) who measures the temple’s dimensions. Ezekiel then describes in detail the appearance of this temple, as well as its inner workings and its rejuvenating effects on the surrounding land. Finally, his temple vision concludes with the city of Jerusalem receiving the comforting new name of “The LORD is there” (Ezekiel 48:35).” 

Jacob Rennaker

https://rsc.byu.edu/ascending-mountain-lord/approaching-holiness-sacred-space-ezekiel-paper

The Glorious Vision of the Temple and the Waters Flowing Beneath - 47

In a vision, the prophet Ezekiel saw the house of the Lord, and as he approached the door of the temple, “behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward” (Ezekiel 47:1). A heavenly ministrant then brought Ezekiel through the waters until they reached his ankles and then his knees and eventually became “a river that [he] could not pass over” (Ezekiel 47:3–5).

The heavenly ministrant told Ezekiel, “These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. And it shall come to pass, that . . . everything shall live wither the river cometh” (Ezekiel 47:8–9).

I testify that this passage, in addition to being a geological prediction, is a sacred, metaphorical, and prophetic promise that all who drink of the living waters which issue from the holy temple can and will be healed. If the living waters issuing from the temple can heal the Dead Sea, the living waters can also heal an unhappy marriage, refresh a parched testimony, restore a broken heart, and mend a strained relationship with neighbors or family members. They can give us all a new heart.

Spencer Condie: Sperry Symposium 2017 - https://rsc.byu.edu/prophets-prophecies-old-testament/i-will-write-my-law-their-hearts

“But when the water departs, the salt is all left, and you still have a desert and you still have a place. So it's fascinating to me that he's not just describing the healing of the sea, but the desert around it, and everything about it, that it needs this healing. It's fun to think about what that water is. I mean there are so many things you could choose. The Word of God, or covenants, or temple relationships, and the eternal families, and the way God heals things.”

Dr. Jan Martin - Follow Him Podcast

Seeking the Presence of the Lord

The book of Ezekiel is full of visions and revelations from Jehovah. Joseph Smith advised we be prepared when encountering messages from God: “. . . because the things of God are of deep import, and time and experience, and careful and ponderous and solemn thoughts can only find them out, thy mind O man, if thou wilt lead a soul unto Salvation, must stretch as High as the utmost Heavens, and search into and contemplate the darkest abyss, and the broad expanse of eternity.”

https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-1838-1856-volume-c-1-2-november-1838-31-july-1842/86

“Our religion is one in which we are preparing to enter into the presence of God. Second, it’s clear that we are also invited to seek the Lord on a personal basis to cultivate our relationship, purify our lives and keep His commandments and as we do we, we are promised that he will appear to us. It seems that these experiences are deeply personal and sacred. As is that personal mystical journey back into the presence of our Heavenly Parents. So we want to cultivate an active spiritual life but I think one of the most wonderful guides and somebody worth spending time on this is Elder Richard G. Scott who really sought to help develop in the saints this experience of communing with God and of learning to receive revelation to act upon revelation and to receive more. Finally, we learn from this that we are not alone in this journey. Many of God’s children hear his voice and seek His face. Many believers desire to taste and see. So we are part of a community of seekers from many different traditions and to learn more about these fellow travelers we can read about their experiences of encountering God and that I think is worth doing.”

Dr. Kristian Heal - Abide Podcast - Maxwell Institute 

Jeremiah 30-33; 36; Lamentations 1:3

READING FOR NEXT WEEK

Ezekiel 1-3; 33-34; 36-37; 47

JEREMIAH

“We see a man haunted by his calling, wrestling with feelings of being battled by ridicule and shame and concerned that God might fail him. There’s a double edge to the lament, one that fears being let down while also expressing confidence and desire that God would not let him down.”

Kristian Heal, Abide, Maxwell Institute Podcast 

Canon Cook says of Jeremiah, “His character is most interesting. We find him sensitive to a most painful degree, timid, shy, hopeless, desponding, constantly complaining and dissatisfied with the course of events, but never flinching from duty. ... Timid in resolve, he was unflinching in execution: as fearless when he had to face the whole world as he was dispirited and prone to murmuring when alone with God. Judged by his own estimate of himself, he was feeble, and his mission a failure; really, in the hour of action and when duty called him, he was in very truth “a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole land” (Jeremiah 1:18). He was a noble example of the triumph of the moral over the physical nature. It is not strange that he was desponding when we consider his circumstances. He saw the nation going straight to irremediable ruin, and turning a deaf ear to all warnings. A reign of terror had commenced (in the preceding reign), during which not only the prophets, but all who were distinguished for religion and virtue were cruelly murdered. How could one who saw the nation about to reap the awful harvest they had been sowing, and yet had a vision of what they might have been and might yet be, help indulging in ‘Lamentations’?”

https://biblecentral.info/people/jeremiah/

“Born of a priestly family in Anathoth, and prophesied from the 13th year of Josiah till after the downfall of Jerusalem, a period of over 40 years, 626–586 B.C. After Josiah’s death he tried to stem, almost alone, the tide of idolatry and immorality, of self-deception founded on superficial reforms (Jer. 3:4–5; 7:8–10), and of fanatical confidence in the Lord’s protection, in which all classes were carried away. He had to face continuous opposition and insult from the priests (20:2), the mob (26:8–9), his townsmen at Anathoth (11:19), the frivolous and cruel (22:13; 36:23; 26:20), the king (36:19), and the army (38:4). After the fall
of Jerusalem the Jews who escaped into Egypt took Jeremiah with them as a kind of fetish (43:6), and at last, according to tradition, stoned him to death. The prophet dwells much on the inwardness of the Lord’s relation to the mind of His servants. External service is useless where there is no devotion of heart and life; superficial reforms were of no avail—a complete regeneration in the national life was required. He develops the idea of individual fellowship with the Lord (5:1, 7, 26–28; 9:1–6; 18); though the Jewish state falls, the Lord remains, and religion remains in the life of the individual.”

Bible Dictionary, Jeremiah

FALSE PROPHETS 

Read Jeremiah 28 and think about the following questions:
1. What did Hannaniah tell the people?
2. What was Jeremiah’s response?
3. What happened to Hanniniah?
4. What kind of prophet will the people believe?

“What turns the gifted person into a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal? Some of the factors are the same in essence as they were in Old Testament times. This act came home to me as I read a book about false prophecy in the Old Testament – or rather about conflict among the prophets, because the line between true and false is usually difficult to draw when you are in the situation, and a true prophet may become a false one, while a false prophet may speak an authentic word. Perhaps we all have the capacity for either. So what factors influence a prophet to speak false rather than true?”

John Goldingay, https://www.theologyethics.com/2016/05/29/jeremiah-what-makes-a-false-prophet-goldingay/

“False prophets—broaden the idea of that. You will find them today in the media, in politics, activists, conspiracy theorists, celebrities, experts. We just have to watch that the Hananiahs aren't coming and those phrases in Jeremiah 23 are not happening to us. There are good political leaders and activists, and there can be positive things, but we have to be careful.”

Michael Wilcox, Follow Him Podcast #43, Part II

LAMENTATIONS

“There’s also brilliant use of personification. Jerusalem is depicted as ‘Lady Zion,’ a widowed, childless, vulnerable woman who endured rape, exploitation, affliction, and starvation during the siege and
capture of the city. The narrator and Lady Zion begin to ‘dialogue' in chapter one, allowing us to hear her express her pain. She cries to all who pass by her, looking for comfort amidst her affliction, though none is found. She weeps with sorrow, her strength fails, she’s in distress, she groans continually, she cries to God, all to no avail. You can’t help but be moved by her pain and shame, even if it was the result of her sin.”

Whitney Woollard, https://bibleproject.com/blog/lamentations-voice-of-grief/

“Although we can’t draw a one-to-one application from Israel’s circumstances to ours, Lamentations can teach us to hear and speak the biblical language of lament, which is crucial to dealing with grief. Lament allows us to fully face and name our pain, and it creates space for future resolution and hope without glossing over our trauma. It gives us permission to protest life’s difficulties, to scream, cry, vent, plead, and complain in he presence of God and others. It lets us ask the hard questions without
condemnation: Why did this have to happen? How could you allow it? Where are you in the midst of it? It allows weeping without explanation. It might be messy and uncomfortable, but it’s the first step towards healing.”

Whitney Woollard, https://bibleproject.com/blog/lamentations-voice-of-grief/

“We could benefit from incorporating both the individual and corporate elements of lament into our lives. For example, if you feel alone, forsaken, or abandoned by God, give honest expression to those feelings. If you’re exhausted by life’s blows, having lost all endurance or the will to go on, tell it to God. Really. The Bible wants you to do this. Cry out with the author, ‘My soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the LORD.’

If you’re not used to this kind of raw honesty in God’s presence, it might seem scary at first. That’s okay. Just know that lament isn’t irreverent; it’s biblical. Going to God in your grief is an act of faith all on its own.”

Whitney Woollard, https://bibleproject.com/blog/lamentations-voice-of-grief/

CONSEQUENCES AND COVENANTS

“The reward for keeping covenants with God is heavenly power—power that strengthens us to withstand our trials, temptations, and heartaches better. This power eases our way. Those who live the higher laws of Jesus Christ have access to His higher power. Thus, covenant keepers are entitled to a special kind of rest that comes to them through their covenantal relationship with God.”

Russell M. Nelson, Overcome the World and Find Rest, General Conference, October 2022

Jeremiah 1-3; 7; 16-18; 20

It was so great to be together again! Thank you for your incredible comments and insights. As a reminder class announcements plus a short message from the reading can be found on Instagram at Seek the Covenant Path. 

Reading for next week:

Jeremiah 30-33; 36; Lamentations 1:3 

A FAMILIAR VOICE

"And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the dust, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust."

Isaiah 29:4

“This is the Bible being a voice out of the ground speaking to us. I feel like this year this verse has been fulfilled more than ever before in those terms. I feel like that the Bible and our Israelite ancestors that we're reading about are speaking to us out of the ground with a familiar spirit out of the dust. They're coming to life again as it were for us, and we're learning the lessons that they would have us learn from their lives.”

Dr. Kerry Muhlestein, Follow Him Podcast Episode 38, Part II

THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH

“The book of Jeremiah is unique in many regards, but especially because the Greek tradition differs from the Hebrew tradition in this book more than any other. A major difference in the Greek tradition (the Septuagint) locates the ‘oracles against the nations’ not at the end of the book, but rather immediately following an appropriate reference to ‘this book’ in 25:13. This and other differences between the Hebrew and the Greek has convinced many scholars that the Greek tradition preserves earlier and better traditions concerning the oracles, the language of the text, and the character of Jeremiah. Both of these textual traditions are attested among the Hebrew biblical texts found at Qumran (the Dead Sea Scrolls), indicating that the book of Jeremiah had a fluid editorial history.”

The New Oxford Annotate Bible, New Revised Standard Version, pg. 1058

PURPOSE OF THE COVENANT

“The purpose of the covenant is not so that you will get blessings; it’s not so you will prosper. The purpose of the covenant is so that you will have a relationship with God and with each other.”

Avram Shannon, The Scriptures are Real Podcast, Episode 145

THE POTTER

“This is a parable that challenges our notions of inevitability. It challenges our notions of the set future; that things will only be a certain way. Only the past is inevitable.”

Dr. Kristian Heel, Abide Podcast, BYU Maxwell Institute

RITUALS

“[W]e need to beware . . . of shallow talk about ‘empty rituals.’ To be sure, rituals can indeed become empty, performed habitually and thoughtlessly, without regard to their meaning and the ethic that is supposed to be associated with them. The prophets of Israel were unstinting in their condemnation of just that sort of pro forma religion. But it is also important to remember that, like other habitual behaviors, rituals are hardy—like habits, difficult to break—and thus likely to survive the spiritual dry periods when faith and feelings are just not there.

The ritual without the theological truth to which it bears witness, the act without the affect, can come alive—the empty ritual can be filled up—when the dry period passes. Indeed, the very existence of the ritual can help the spiritual dryness pass from the scene. Conversely, when the ritual is no longer observed, the likelihood declines that the message with which it is associated will survive, and the likelihood that old practice will come to be associated with new meanings declines still further.”

Jon D. Levenson, The Love of God, pp. 32-33

“Rituals are a practice of the faith that provide the structure for our spiritual lives. Rituals are not beholden to our thinking but shape our thinking and, when necessary, step into the gap when our minds are tired and our feelings empty.

Sooner or later we all need that kind of help.”

Pete Enns, Ph.D.

Jeremiah Movie 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pL4FYXj0qQQ&feature=share

Welcome Back!

Hi Everyone,

I'm excited to be in class with you again soon! Our first class will be Thursday, October 13 from 9:30 to 11 a.m.  We will meet in the Relief Society room at the Old Gilbert building. The Thursday class time will help us better align with the timing of the Come Follow Me schedule.  

I'm thrilled to welcome Kim Wold this year. Kim is a deep thinker and excellent instructor. It will be wonderful to learn from her! We plan on teaching every other week. 

We will begin with the reading outlined in Come Follow Me for the week of October 10-16, which is Jeremiah 1-3; 7; 16-18; 20. For historical background of this time period see 2 Kings 21-15.

Please contact me with any questions. You can leave a comment here or email me at debratolman75@gmail.com. 

See you soon!

Esther

The events of the book of Esther took place while the Jews where living in Persia after the Babylonian exile. The story is remarkable and instructive. One commentator has said, "Readers who are satisfied that they know what Esther means would be well advised to examine it again in search of other dimensions." Jon Lavenson, Bible scholar, states, "It is the story of the assent of a woman, an orphan in exile, to the most powerful woman, perhaps the most powerful person, in the empire and arguably the world."

"The author's central purpose was to record the institution of the annual festival of Purim and to keep alive for later generations the memory of the great and providential deliverance of the Jewish people during the reign of Xerxes. The book accounts for both initiation of that observance and the obligation for its perpetual commemoration." (NIV Study Bible, pg 802.) This commemoration has continued through modern history. This is a story of redemption akin to the story of Joseph in Egypt. 

God accomplishes this all through an orphaned woman, living in exile on the margins of society. Esther and her actions teach many things that stand the test of time. Her account portrays a broader perspective if read through eyes to see.

"When you see the book of Esther, it is the book of Ishtar. It is the book of Asherah. It is the book of Hadassah. It is the book of Esther who has these two names, her Jewish name, and her Babylonian or Persian name. By functioning in this role of redemption, she is in some ways fulfilling her divine counterpart. Esther is just another powerful example how God works that deliverance. And it means something that he works it through a woman."  Dr. Ariel Silver, https://followhim.co/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/31-Ariel-Silver-ESTHER-followHIM-Podcast-SHOW-NOTES-ENGLISH.pdf 

"The God-fearing defiant women of the Exodus, and also Rahab, are models of how Israel should behave in adversity and the reward they can expect. Yael the apparently powerless tent-dweller is the archetype of those who conquer their powerful adversaries by faith and determination. Later, when once again there was no king, Esther became the model for the behavior and salvation of Jews in the diaspora, and Judith, like the much earlier Yael, rose to destroy the enemy of Israel. The women who were saviors of Israel, like the boy David who slew Goliath, all demonstrate the ability of the small and marginal to win by their will and the power of God." Frymer-Kensky, Tikva. Reading the Women of the Bible (p. 335). Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. 

"An outstanding feature of this book—one that has given rise to considerable discussion—is the complete absence of any explicit reference to God, worship, prayer, or sacrifice. This “secularity” has produced many detractors who have judged the book to be of little religious value. However, it appears that the author has deliberately refrained from mentioning God or any religious activity as a literary device to heighten the fact that it is God who controls and directs all the seemingly insignificant coincidences that make up the plot and issue in deliverance for the Jews. God’s sovereign rule is assumed at every point, an assumption made all the more effective by the total absence of reference to him. It becomes clear to the careful reader that Israel’s Great King exercises his providential and sovereign control over all the vicissitudes of his beleaguered covenant people." NIV Study Bible, page 804

 "There is another side to the story, God being hidden in this text, he is present. And I hope that our discussion has demonstrated the ways in which God was present in Esther's life, was present in Mordecai's life, was present in this text and in this story. But many people have suggested that the hiddenness of God, that figure is obscured slightly so that we can see what we might call the female divine.                         And I think our most comfortable corollary is a heavenly mother. I think it's worth mentioning that she really functions in much the way that Esther does. She's both hidden and she's revealed. There's not a lot that is said about her, her role remains a bit obscured, and yet we also affirm and reaffirm her presence. And we recognize that divinity is incomplete without her." Dr. Ariel Silver, https://followhim.co/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/31-Ariel-Silver-ESTHER-followHIM-Podcast-SHOW-NOTES-ENGLISH.pdf 

We are given the opportunity to watch Esther come to understand her purpose and grow into what it required of her. Often, we struggle with purpose day-to-day. Esther's story provides a guidepost for the growth we seek even in the midst of challenging and painful times.   

"[Biblical authors] mostly perceive exile as something to be endured, something to be survived, something for which we hope for a resolution. We don't really want this to endure longer than it has to. In the book of Esther, she sees it as an opportunity, even in the face of a really severe life-threatening situation where a decree against their lives has been placed, but she sees exile as an opportunity to develop capacities, to grow. And this is the other really interesting, one of the many other interesting things about this text is that the female character of Esther across the span of these 10 chapters changes, she evolves, she develops, she progresses. It's a heroine story. What they call a Bildungsroman, coming of age story. She comes into her own and as her purpose becomes more clear, her power and her knowledge and her understanding also grows, her capacity to act and to do things that are going to work toward her salvation personally, and toward the salvation of her people." Dr. Ariel Silver, https://followhim.co/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/31-Ariel-Silver-ESTHER-followHIM-Podcast-SHOW-NOTES-ENGLISH.pdf 

 

Huldah the Prophetess, Class Announcements, Instagram Page

Hi All,

Summer is coming to an end very quickly. I hope you have had some good family time! The first day of class this year will be October 13.  We will meet on Thursdays this year; it will better align our discussions with Come Follow Me schedule. The time and place will be the same: 9:30-11 am. at Old Gilbert Building. 

We have started an Instagram page where we will post quotes occasionally and class announcements. You can find it on Instagram as Seek the Covenant Path. We hope to see you there!

This week's reading includes the story of the Prophetess Huldah. Her story is found in 2 Kings 22:11-20 and 2 Chronicles 34:19-28. Her story appears at a pivotal moment in Jewish history, in about 624 BC. She was a contemporary of the great prophet Jeremiah and was an advisor to the righteous king Josiah. 

"Her name 'Huldah' means 'a burrowing animal.' Scholars, in their own way, burrow, seeking out and examining little pieces of knowledge/wisdom to nourish the mind and heart. Huldah was just such a scholar." https://womeninthebible.net/women-bible-old-new-testaments/huldah/

"Huldah, the wife of Shallum ben Tikvah, was one of seven prophetesses mentioned in Tanach who lived in different times. These seven prophetesses were: Sarah, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah and Esther." https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/112503/jewish/Who-Was-Huldah-the-Prophetess.htm

In her book, "Reading the Women of the Bible," Jewish scholar, Tikva Frymer-Kensky provides this insight into Huldah.

"Huldah is a pivotal figure. The last prophet in the Deuteronomic history, she provides closure to the period of the occupation of the land (introduced by Rahab), to the monarchy (proclaimed by Hannah), and to the throne of David (proclaimed by Abigail). But she marks not only an end. She is also the beginning of the new phase of biblical interpretation that becomes ever more important in Israel. Like the many interpreters who came after her, Huldah is a link, a triangulation point between herself, the words of the Book, and the world around her. She recognizes her own society in the dictates of the Book and in its failure to observe those prescriptions, and she applies the Book’s own curses to her own day. The king and his emissaries give her this authority on the basis of her own qualifications as prophet. Later, Israel, no longer inquiring of prophets, rested its interpretative behavior on the authority of the Book itself."

These women of the Dueteronomic history have much to teach us. Reading and pondering their scriptural accounts can provide direction we need in a confusing world. Courage, faith, inspiration and loyalty to Jehovah shine in their stories.