Rebuilding of God's Temple

I. Background and Setting:

I. Background and Setting:

I. Background and Setting:

6th Century BC- This century produced philosophical and religious thinkers such as Confucius, Zoroaster, Buddha, and several of the ancient Greek philosophers

This century saw the rise of the influential Achaemenid Dynasty in Persia, with such illustrious rulers as Cyrus, Cambyses, and Darius

In terms of the history of Israel the sixth-century is especially remembered as the period of the exile to Babylon and the subsequent return and restoration to the ancient homeland

It was the time of prophetic figures such as Haggai and Zechariah, of civil leaders such as Zerubbabel governor of Judah, and of religious leaders such as Joshua the high priest. ()

It was also the time of the construction of the Second Temple, which was destined to serve the religious needs of the Jewish people for almost five centuries—from 515 B.C. until the extensive renovations of that temple that began in the eighteenth year of the reign of Herod the Great (ca. 20 B.C.) Ref: Taylor, R. A., & Clendenen, E. R. (2004). Haggai, Malachi (Vol. 21A, p. 29). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Taylor, R. A., & Clendenen, E. R. (2004). Haggai, Malachi (Vol. 21A, p. 29). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Taylor, R. A., & Clendenen, E. R. (2004). Haggai, Malachi (Vol. 21A, p. 29). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

II. Setting:

In 538 BC, as a result of proclamation of Cyrus the Persian (), Israel was allowed to return from Babylon to her homeland under the civil leadership of Zerubbabel and the spiritual guidance of Joshua the high priest ().

About 50,000 Jews returned.

In 536 BC, they began to rebuild the temple () but opposition from the neighbors and indifference by the Jews caused the work to be abandoned ()

Sixteen years later Haggai and Zechariah were commissioned by the Lord to stir up the people to:

Rebuild the temple

Reorder their spiritual priorities ()

As a result, the temple was completed four years later (516 BC, Ezra 6:15)

II. Haggai

Haggai (Person). Prophet whose book is the 10th in a series of 12 brief prophetic books concluding the OT. Haggai’s name probably came from a word for “festival.” We have no information concerning his family or social background. He is referred to merely as Haggai the prophet (; ; ).

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The major concern of his prophetic ministry was to encourage the people to rebuild the temple, which had been destroyed during the earlier years of the exile.

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6:14

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Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Haggai (Person). In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 1, p. 914). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

Haggai was among the Jewish colonists at Jerusalem in the year 520 BC. when his prophetic words were recorded (, 6:14). The four messages which the Lord gave to Haggai were to be directed to specific individuals. The first was to Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest (). The second was to Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the remnant of the people (2:2). The third was a word to the priests (v 11). The final message was limited to Zerubbabel (v 21). (Ref: Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Haggai, Book Of. In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 1, pp. 914–915). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.)

Author. Haggai was among the Jewish colonists at Jerusalem in the year 520 BC. when his prophetic words were recorded (1, 2 6:14). The four messages which the Lord gave to Haggai were to be directed to specific individuals. The first was to Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest (). The second was to Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the remnant of the people (2:2). The third was a word to the priests (v 11). The final message was limited to Zerubbabel (v 21).

Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Haggai, Book Of. In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 1, pp. 914–915). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Haggai, Book Of. In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 1, pp. 914–915). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

All we know about him must be pieced together from the contexts of the eleven times that his name is mentioned in the Old Testament. Nine of these references are found in the Book of Haggai itself (1:1, 3, 12, 13; 2:1, 10, 13, 14, 20). The other two references are found in the Book of Ezra (5:1; 6:14). These latter two references have very little to contribute to our understanding of Haggai’s personal life or prophetic career.

III. Message: Rebuilding the Temple()

A. Man’s waywardness (v. 1-4)

“OBEDIENCE before BLESSING. “ In short, Haggai is saying, “Give God the supreme place in your life.” Or, as Jesus put it, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you” (). We all know this intellectually BUT:

A. Man’s waywardness (v. 1-4)

1. God’s displeasure is noted in his reference to them as “these people” and not “my people”. They wanted their wealth for themselves, not a temple. (v.2)

2. Though propelled by the opposition of their neighbors (, ) and the lack of economic prosperity (), the root of their reluctance lay ultimately in their selfish indifference to the Lord

C. Those who put their prosperity over God’s house misunderstood God’s chastening hand. (Haggai 1:6)

3. Selfish indulgence, revealed by the prophet’s rhetorical query (v.4), demonstrated their hypocrisy and misplaced priorities.

. Those who put their prosperity over God’s house never get satisfaction that they longed and expected.

Paneled houses- had walls and ceilings covered with cedar wood. Such decoration was a sign of prosperity in a land where wood was scarce. The people were spending freely on their own homes while neglecting the rebuilding of the temple

4. Those who put their prosperity over God’s house never get satisfaction that they longed and expected. (v. 6)

D. Those who put their prosperity over God’s house never get satisfaction that they longed and expected.

D. Those who put their prosperity over God’s house never get satisfaction that they longed and expected.

D. Those who put their prosperity over God’s house never get satisfaction that they longed and expected.

Significance: We, like the Jews, are putting our prosperity over the things of God.

Are we currently serving God using our God-given time, talents and treasure? Or are we like the the Jews, saying “It’s not yet the time”?

B. God’s chastisement (V.6)

1. Using five pairs of contrasts, each concluding essentially the same thing Haggai painted a vivid picture of their economic and social distress.

a. “You have sown much, and harvested little.’

a. “You have sown much, and harvested little.’

a. “You have sown much, and harvested little.’

b. “You eat, but you never have enough.”

c. “You drink, but you never have your fill.”

d. “You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm.”

e. “He who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.”

Are we building our own barns like the man in “The Parable of the Rich Fool” (Luke 12:13-21)?

2. Their selfish lack of concern for God’s house had only cause them more hardship. This was Solomon’s message in Ecclesiastes, restated, “All is vanity.”

C. God’s reproof and exhortation(V. 7,8)

C. God’s reproof and exhortation (V. 7-8)

1. “Consider your ways.”

Application: CONSIDER- ponder, examine and take corrective action

CONSIDER- ponder, examine and take corrective action

C- COMMIT your ways to the Lord. ()

O- OBEY His precepts. (, )

N- NEVER depart from God’s teachings. ()

S- STAY focused on Jesus. ()

I- INVOLVE God in everything you do. (, )

D- DEPART from sinful habits and DEVELOP godly habits. ()

E- ESTABLISH a consistent personal time with God . ()

R- RENDER a blessing to anyone and in any situation in every opportunity.

How’s your Christian walk?

b. Do you have the desire to know more about Jesus and to serve Him using your God-given gifts?

2. “GO up to the hills and bring wood and BUILD the house.” (Haggai 1:8)

Application: GO- Move and take the initiative

GO- Move and take the initiative

G- GIVE your everything to the Lord. ()

O- OBEY His leading. ()

Do you have the passion to go and tell others about Jesus?

BUILD- Take action

B- BELIEVE in His promises. (, Matthew 28:20)

U- UNDERSTAND His perspective. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

I- INTENTIONALLY follow HIs teaching. ()

L- LIVE your life as a child of God accordingly. (II Corinthians 5:17)

D- DELIBERATELY pursue the will of God in your life. ()

1. What have you done to contribute to the furtherance or building of His kingdom?

2. Are you willing to give your “everything for him.”

Conclusion: Give God the supreme place in our lives. Jesus said in (ESV)

IV. Conclusion: Give God the supreme place in our lives. Jesus said in (ESV)

A. To put God’s house above material prosperity requires deliberate and continual effort.

IV. Conclusion:

IV. Conclusion:

Give God the supreme place in our lives. Jesus said in (ESV)

A. WHEN WE PUT GOD’S HOUSE ABOVE OUR PROSPERITY, HE IS PLEASED AND GLORIFIED (1:8).

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

With God we have everything but without Him we are nothing.