SUMMARY
The closing oracleAn oracle is a divine utterance of guidance, promise, or judgment delivered to humans through an intermediary (who is often also called an oracle). In the Bible oracles are given by Balaam (in the book of Numbers) and by David (in 2 Samuel). A number... More of the book, chapters 12-14, constantly repeats the phrase “on that day.” The passage looks toward the day of Jerusalem’s final victory.
ANALYSIS
The history of the Israelites has been a centuries-long history of suffering and strife–slavery in Egypt; warfare with the neighboring Philistines, Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, Amalekites, etc.; obliteration of the northern tribes by the Assyrians; and exile by the Babylonians. Now they look for restoration. These late Jewish prophets not only speak of the restoration of the exiles returning to their land, when the enemies of Jerusalem will be struck down, but to a glorious future when “the LORD will become king over all the earth; on that day the LORD will be one and his name one” (14:9).
