Haggai

Date:

The date of Haggai is one of the most precise books of prophecy. Looking at the timing provided in the opening verses and the correlation to the Gentile king Darius, the prophecy was written during about four months around 520-519 B.C.

Haggai and Zachariah were contemporaries and prophesied at the same time.

During the second year of Darius month 6, day 1 - Haggai’s 1st message 1:1-15

During the second year of Darius month 7, day 21 - Haggai’s 2nd message 2:1-9

During the second year of Darius month 8 - Zechariah’s 1st message

During the second year of Darius month 9, day 24 - Haggai’s 3rd message 2:10-19

During the second year of Darius month 9, day 24 - Haggai’s 4th message 2:20-23

During the second year of Darius month 11, day 24 - Zechariah’s 2nd message

During the forth year of Darius month 9, day 4 - Zechariah’s 3rd message

Characteristics:

Background information

536 - Return from Babylon

Altar built

Sacrifices offered

Feast of Tabernacles observed

535 - Foundations of the Temple laid, Oppositions of the Samaritans, the work stopped.

520-519 - Prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah

515 - Temple Completed

The issue at the heart of Haggai was that everyone had turned to repair, build, and beautify their own homes, all while the house of God was neglected.

The Israelites had no place of worship, and the older generation was upset that the new temple would not look like the old one.

Yet, God told them to move forward and that He (God) would pour out His Spirit.

The first temple was a place of beauty. It is estimated that the temple would have been valued at between 1-2 Trillion dollars, in precious metals alone, making it more valuable that the skyscrapers of the world combined. 183,000 workers, 3,400 tons of Gold ($662,528,160,000.00), 34,000 tons of silver ($102,635,640,000.00), and precious stones to many to count. Also a massive amount of quarried rock, and cedars from Lebanon. Yet, this massive number doesn’t even include the cost of salaries and expenses for the massive number of people over a 7 year period. In comparison, the most expensive man made structure is the international space station that cost 150 Billion dollars.

It is in the contrast of this temple, that the older generation complained that the temple lacked in the beauty and sophistication of the old. Yet, God told them that His glory would be greater in the later temple. Furthermore, God stated that He would bring peace.

Haggai 2:1–9 NKJV

1 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first of the month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying: 2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying: 3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing? 4 Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says the Lord; ‘and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,’ says the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ says the Lord of hosts. 5 ‘According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!’ 6 “For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; 7 and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts. 8 ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts. 9 ‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.”

Message:

G. Campbell Morgan said the message like this, “When they were lamenting the the departed glory, he told them that the God who came out of Egypt was still with them and was cooperating with them; consequently He declared that a larger glory should come to the second temple than that which had been lost. Then when they realized that the materials of the first temple had not arrived, they lamented. Yet, he told them that the ultimate victory of God and promised that God would bless them in His own way. from that day forth. Thus Haggai called for the people to follow God and recognize His presence from that day forward.”

Application:

We must guard our hearts against the sin of neglect.

This primarily applies to spiritual matters. If we are not careful, we can become so focused on ourselves or the past that we forget to seek God.

2. Don’t allow our church to become a empty cathedral or to be torn down and replaced with a shopping center or government building. Yes, we must continually maintain the buildings, but we should also pray for God to do something new, and then celebrate and follow Him when He works. I read this week of a church who in their business meeting had a deacon get up and complain that at an event they only had one person saved, then another deacon stood up and said that the one kid was their child and the event was worth every penny. Sometimes, all we need is a change of perspective.