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The Twelve Minor Prophets

Haggai
Rebuilding of God's House


Haggai is the first Postexilic Prophet in our consideration, the book bearing his name being the second shortest in the Old Testament. Haggai is most interesting, as along with Zechariah, he saw a prompt response to the message that he delivered from God.
​
Haggai! Pithy, Pointed, Personal… A book for the hands… Labouring for God!
 
Returning from Babylon. The Chronology!
  • First Return under Zerubbabel & Joshua!
538 BC. Cyrus king of Persia issues a decree for the Jews to return and for the house of God at Jerusalem to be built (Ezra 1:1-4). Around 50,000 exiles returned from Babylon under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua.
536 BC. Having arrived in Jerusalem, they began by laying the foundation of the Temple (Ezra 3:8-13).
535 BC. Discouraged by their adversaries (Ezra 4:1-5) the work ceases until the second year of the Reign of Darius king of Persia (Ezra 4:24). This period of inactivity is addressed by Haggai and Zechariah.
520 BC. The second year of Darius king of Persia (Ezra 4:24) is also the date for the ministry of Haggai and Zechariah (Ezra 5:1, Haggai 1:1 & Zechariah 1:1). Haggai and Zechariah minister and the work recommences (Ezra 5:1-2). Further adversaries try to hinder the work, but a new Decree issued by Darius advances the building of the house of God at Jerusalem (Ezra 5 & 6).
516 BC. The people prosper through the ministry of Haggai and Zechariah and the work of building the house of God is finished in the sixth year of Darius (Ezra 6:14-15).
  • Second return under Ezra!
458 BC. Ezra the priest and scribe goes up to Jerusalem with Levites, Singers and Priests etc (Ezra 7:6-7, 13).
  • Third return under Nehemiah!
445 BC. Nehemiah goes up to Jerusalem to build the walls of the city (Neh 2:1, 11).
 
Returning from Babylon. The people Involved!
  • The Gentile Monarchs!
Cyrus. King of Persia who issued the decree to return and build the house of God at Jerusalem (Ezra 1:1-4).
Darius. King of Persia who issued a new Decree to advance the building of the house of God (Ezra 5 & 6).
Artaxerxes. King of Persia. Assisted Nehemiah in returning to build the walls of Jerusalem (Neh 2:1,6).
  • The Faithful Jews!
Zerubbabel. The Governor, grandson of Jehoiachin... See Matthew 1:12. Royal line preserved in captivity.
Joshua. Son of the high priest Jehozadak at the captivity (1st Chron 6:15). Priestly line preserved in captivity.
Ezra. The priest and a scribe (Ezra 7:1). Went up to Jerusalem in the reign of Artaxerxes.
Nehemiah. The king’s cupbearer (Neh 1:11). Went up to Jerusalem in the reign of Artaxerxes.
  • The Godly Prophets!
Haggai. Pithy, Pointed, Personal… A book for the hands… Labouring for God!
Zechariah. Pictorial, Prophetic, Panoramic… A book for the eyes… Looking for Christ the Messiah!
Malachi. Prophecy of Propriety – A book for the heart… Losing ground that has been gained!

Returning from Babylon. The ministry that was needed!

Outline: The four messages and their recipients!

  • The First Message (1:1-11)!
V 1. Date: Second year of Darius; sixth month, first day of the month.
Recipients of the Message: Zerubbabel, Joshua (1:1-2) and the people (1:3-11).
The Message:
V 2. “This people say (not: my people), the time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built”.
Vs 3-5. The Rebuke for their Delay. Their cieled (panelled houses) the house of the Lord lies waste. "Consider your ways"! This is the first of seven mentions of this word: Consider 1:5, Consider 1:7, Consider 2:15, Laid 2:15, Consider 2:18 (twice), [And] will make 2:23.
V 6. The Resulting Disappointments. So much… so little!
Vs 7-8. Their ways to be considered. What the Lord required, to bring Him pleasure and glorify Him.
Vs 9-11. The Reason for the Dearth. My house is waste… every man runs to his own house. Divine intervention, “I did blow… I called for a drought”.

  • The Response to the Message (1:12-15)!
V 12. Obeyed the voice of the Lord, and the words of Haggai. "The people did fear, (shewed reverence, NASB) before the LORD".
V 13. The encouragement, “I am with you”.
V 14. The work commenced again.
V 15. The date at the end of this chapter shows the prompt response to the prophet’s ministry.

  • The Second Message (2:1-9)!
V 1. Date: Second year of Darius; seventh month, twenty first day of the month.
V 2. Recipients of the Message: Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the Remnant of the People.
The Message:
V 3. The glory of the house of God! First glory! The comparison to what it is now!
Vs 4-5. The encouragements; "Be strong… I am with you… Fear ye not"!
Vs 6-9. The shaking. As God has intervened in the past, He will do it again in the future beyond Zerubbabel and Joshua’s day. What is "the desire of all nations"? Is this what they bring for the Temple, or, is this their desire realised in the coming Messiah? The house to be filled with glory. The glory of “this latter house” or is it “the latter glory of this house”?
Temples! Solomon’s Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians. The Temple built by Zerubbabel and later beautified by Herod, referred to as Herod’s Temple, was destroyed by the Romans. Temple in the Tribulation for the Man of Sin (Matt 24:15, 2 Thess 2:3-4)? Ezekiel’s Temple will be a Millennial Temple! Is the comparison here between Solomon’s Temple and the one that they were now building, or is it to Ezekiel’s Temple in the Millennium? Some homework here in these few verses! P.S. The only reason for linking men’s names to the various temples, is to distinguish them, by those who wrote about them or were instrumental in their building.

  • The Third Message (2:10-19)!
V 10. Date: Second year of Darius; ninth month, twenty fourth day of the month.
V 11. Recipients of the Message: The Priests.
The Message:
Vs 12-13. Question on holiness? Holiness is not contagious. Question on uncleanness? Uncleanness is contagious.
V 14. Application of the message! So, this people!
Vs 15-17. "Consider"! What they experienced in the past. Reason? See end verse 17.
Vs 18-19. "Consider"! What they are going to experience from now on. See end verse 19.

  • The Fourth Message (2:20-23)!
V 20. Date: Second year of Darius; ninth month, twenty fourth day of the month.
V 21. Recipient of the Message: Personally, for Zerubbabel.
The Message:
Vs 21-22. A shaking. An overthrowing. A destroying. Notice the four “I will” expressions.
V 23. "In that Day"! Day of the Lord. Millennial scene. "Zerubbabel, My servant". Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, of the Royal Line. "Will make thee as a signet"! Are these all references to the coming Messiah of whom Zerubbabel is a representative. See Jer 22:24-30 (ref to signet) for the failure of those who went before in the Royal Line!

​Gary Woods
Answers About God. Copyright © 2020, Aaron Colgan
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All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from
the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson,
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  • Home
  • Gospel Words
    • A Deadly Deed
    • Saving a President
    • The Death Zone
    • An Anchor of the Soul
    • Afraid Twice
    • Two Ways
    • Withering Grass & Fading Flowers
    • A Spider's Web
    • The Voice of the Son of God
    • Forgiven!
    • The Full Assurance of Hope
    • A Sinner's Prayer
    • A Present & Personal Saviour
    • The Great Supper
    • Judgment is Coming
    • A Closed Heart
    • "Iceberg Right Ahead!"
    • The Lamb of God
    • Truth & Certainty
    • 'Then the King Will Say'
    • The Testimony of the Chief of Sinners
    • The Testimony of the Lord's Prisoner
    • The Power of Christ
    • The Good Shepherd
    • 'Wonderful Words of Life'
    • Finding Wisdom
    • The Unchanging Person of Jesus Christ
  • Bible Answers
    • Remembering Our Creator
    • Was the Cross Necessary?
    • What is God Like?
    • Does the Resurrection Matter?
    • What's in a Name?
    • Why Must We be Saved?
    • "Who Art Thou, Lord?"
    • "The Unknown God" - Just Who is He?
    • "What is Truth?"
    • "Holy, Holy, Holy"
    • Knowing God
    • A Conversion Story
    • The Gospel according to Jonah
    • "Jesus of Nazareth, a Man Approved of God"
    • The Saviour of the World
    • A Chosen Vessel
    • Who is Jesus?
    • God's Mercy & Judgment
    • Does What I Think about the Son of God Matter?
    • 'How Shall we Escape if we Neglect so Great Salvation'?
    • What is Life Really All About?
    • The Rock of Ages
    • Easter Messages >
      • The Sufferings of Christ - Part 1
      • The Sufferings of Christ - Part 2
      • The Resurrection of Christ
      • Zion's King & God's Lamb
    • Christmas Messages >
      • Joseph, Mary & the Birth of Jesus
      • "A Savior who is Christ the Lord"
      • Hark the Herald Angels Sing
      • Covenant Promises & the Birth of Christ
  • Timeless Truths
    • Timeless Truths 1
    • Timeless Truths 2
    • Timeless Truths 3
    • Timeless Truths 4
    • Timeless Truths 5
    • Timeless Truths 6
    • Timeless Truths 7
  • Expository Messages
    • Topical Messages >
      • Spiritual Warfare
    • Psalms >
      • Psalms 84-88 >
        • Psalm 84 - The Courts of the LORD
        • Psalm 85 - 'Revive us Again'
        • Psalm 86 - Calling upon God in the Day of Trouble
        • Psalm 87 - The Glory of Zion, 'City of God'
        • Psalm 88 - Hands Stretched out in Grief
    • Minor Prophets - Study Notes by Gary Woods >
      • The Twelve Minor Prophets - An Overview
      • Hosea P1
      • Hosea P2
      • Joel P1
      • Joel P2
      • Amos P1
      • Amos P2
      • Obadiah
      • Jonah
      • Micah
      • Nahum
      • Habakkuk P1
      • Habakkuk P2
      • Zephaniah
      • The Post-Captivity Prophets - An Introduction
      • Haggai
      • Zechariah P1
      • Zechariah P2
      • Malachi
    • The Lord's Upper Room Ministry >
      • John 13:1-3 - The Omniscient Christ
      • John 13:4-17 - The Foot Washing Ministry of the Perfect Servant
      • John 13:18-38 - The Son of Man Glorified
      • John 14:1-3 - The Father's House P1
      • John 14:4-7 - The Father's House P2
      • John 14:8-14 - The Father's Visibility
      • John 14:15-26 - The Father's Gift
      • John 14:27-31 - The Father's Primacy
      • John 17 - The Lord's Intercessory Prayer
      • Excursus: The Passover & the Last Supper
    • Romans >
      • Romans - An Introduction
      • Romans - An Outline
      • Romans 1:1-7 - Paul's Salutation
      • Romans 1:8-17 - Visiting Rome & Gospel Debt
      • Romans 1:18-32 - Wrath Revealed & Why
      • Romans 2 - An Introduction to a Difficult Chapter
      • Romans 2:1-5 - The Hypocrisy of the Self-righteous P1
      • Romans 2:6-11 - The Hypocrisy of the Self-righteous P2
      • Romans 2:12-16 - The Hypocrisy of the Self-righteous P3
      • Romans 2:17-29 - The Guilt of the Self-confident
      • Romans 3:1-20 - 'All the World Guilty'
      • Romans 3:21-24 - The Heart of the Gospel P1
      • Romans 3:25a - The Heart of the Gospel P2
      • Romans 3:25b-31 - The Heart of the Gospel P3
    • 1 Corinthians >
      • 1 Corinthians 1:10-4:21 - Worldly Wisdom
  • Booklets