Chronological Bible Study – Sep 19
There is a short introduction available for the book of Haggai. You can read it here.
Key Themes (Haggai)
The book of Haggai is a prophetic work in the Old Testament that addresses the Jewish exiles who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. Written during a time when the rebuilding of the temple had stalled, Haggai’s message is a direct call to action, urging the people to prioritize the construction of the temple and to renew their commitment to God. The key themes include:
- Rebuilding the Temple: Haggai emphasizes the urgent need to rebuild the temple, which had been neglected as the people focused on their personal affairs. The prophet challenges the people to reconsider their priorities, highlighting that the temple is central to their relationship with God and must be restored as a place of worship and God's presence.
- Divine Presence and Blessing: The book underscores the connection between the people's obedience in rebuilding the temple and the presence of God among them. Haggai assures the people that as they prioritize the temple, God’s presence will return to them, and His blessings will follow. This theme emphasizes that God’s favor is contingent on their faithfulness and obedience.
- Call to Consideration and Repentance: Haggai repeatedly urges the people to "consider their ways," prompting them to reflect on their actions and the consequences of their neglect of the temple. The prophet calls for repentance and a return to covenant faithfulness, linking their hardships to their spiritual neglect.
- God’s Sovereignty and Future Glory: Haggai speaks of the future glory of the temple, prophesying that the latter glory will surpass the former. This theme highlights God’s sovereignty over the nations and His ability to bring about a greater future for His people. The promise of future glory serves as both encouragement and motivation for the people to complete the rebuilding.
- Encouragement and Assurance: The book of Haggai offers encouragement to the leaders and people, assuring them that God is with them as they undertake the rebuilding effort. Haggai’s message includes promises of strength, provision, and protection, reinforcing the idea that God supports those who are faithful to His commands.
The book of Haggai is a powerful call to prioritize God’s work and to trust in His promises. It connects the physical act of rebuilding the temple with spiritual renewal and divine blessing, emphasizing that obedience to God’s commands leads to His presence and future glory. Through Haggai, God urges His people to put Him first, assuring them that their faithfulness will be rewarded.
What I Noticed Today (Haggai)
Haggai
Haggai delivers four dated messages to the leaders and people of Judah to direct their spiritual lives and behavior. They must glorify God, remain committed to God’s plans, live holy lives, and serve God faithfully.
Haggai 1
Message 1. In verse 1, the word of the Lord came to Haggai in the second year of Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month (August 29, 520 B.C.).
In verses 2-6, Haggai addresses the leaders and calls on them to get busy rebuilding the Lord’s house. They have rebuilt their own houses, but the Lord’s house lies in ruins. The Lord challenges them to consider how they are living and why they never seem to have enough. It is clear they are not receiving the Lord’s blessings because they have not yet followed His instructions to rebuild the temple.
Note: In verse 2, the Lord addresses “these” people who have made excuses for not building the temple. They are not yet “His” people because their priorities are focused on themselves, not on God.
In verses 7-11, the Lord challenges them again to get started with the rebuilding of the temple. The people did not realize that the reason their harvest was poor, and they were not enjoying God’s blessing because they were not yet obedient to Him.
In verses 12-15, Haggai records the people responded to the Lord’s prompting and began to rebuild the Lord’s house on the 24th day of the sixth month of the second year of Darius (September 21, 520 B.C.). It began when the Lord had stirred the spirit of Zerubbabel, the son of the governor, and Joshua, son of the high priest, then the spirit of the remnant.
Note: Interestingly, Haggai calls out not the governor and the high priest as leading the people in the work, but the son of the governor and the son of the high priest as being stirred to begin the rebuilding.
Haggai 2
Message 2. In verse 1, the second message from the Lord came to Haggai on the 21st day of the seventh month of the second year of Darius (October 17, 520 B.C.).
In verses 2-5, the Lord tells Haggai to speak to Zerubbabel and Joshua and the remnant asking them three questions: 1) Who was alive and knew what the temple looked like before? 2) How does the temple look now? and 3) Does it seem to you like nothing?
Note: There were those who made comparisons between the glory of the old temple and the one to be rebuilt, and they were discouraged.
The Lord encouraged them to be strong (v. 4a), to work (v. 4b), and to fear not (v. 5).
In verses 6-9, the Lord says in a little while He will shake the heavens and earth and shake the nations so that the treasures will return and the glory of the Lord’s house will be restored. And the glory of this house will be greater than the former.
Note: The phrase “in a little while” does not suggest immediacy but that the event could happen at any time. The description of the restored temple and greater glory is a reference to the Lord who will inhabit His house in the Millennium.
Message 3. In verse 11, the third message of the Lord came to Haggai on the 24th day of the ninth month of the second year of Darius (December 18, 520 B.C.).
Note: In the two months since message 2, the prophet Zechariah began his prophetic ministry (Zechariah 1:1).
In verses 11-13, the Lord commanded Haggai to ask the priests about the laws governing clean and unclean ceremonial meat. The question is asked if the ceremonial clean meat is placed in an unclean bag does the bag become clean. Answer, no. If a ceremonially clean person touches a dead body, does he become unclean? Answer, yes. Haggai then draws a parallel to the people. If they are defiled, what they offer to the Lord is defiled, and the Lord cannot bless it.
In verses 15-19, Haggai reminds the people of how they had not experienced blessing before because of their defiled condition. The Lord had punished them (chastened), yet they had not returned to Him. Haggai challenged the people to think back three months when they started the work and realized their conditions were bleak, but from this point forward the Lord would bless them IF they remained faithful in rebuilding the temple.
Message 4. In verses 20, the word of the Lord came to Haggai a second time that day (same day as message 3).
In verses 21-23, The Lord tells Haggai to speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, and tell him the Lord was about to shake the nations, overthrow kingdoms, and destroy them. On that day, the Lord will make Zerubbabel a signet ring because the Lord has chosen him.
Note: The signet ring was a sign of royal authority (see Jeremiah 22:24-25).
All the notes for the book of Haggai have been compiled into a single pdf document. You can download it by clicking here.
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.