Zephaniah

Zephaniah opens with some of the bleakest imagery in the Bible, describing a "de-creation" where God sweeps away everything because the people have become complacent.

But the tone flips at the very end. He portrays God not as a destroyer, but as a warrior who has won the battle and is now singing a lullaby over his rescued people. Zephaniah looked at the big picture, but after the exile, the people needed practical instructions for rebuilding. This brings us to the specific task found in Haggai.