Sermon Tone Analysis

I. Contemporary Relevance of Haggai

I. Historical Background

The Persian Empire

The Persian Empire

A. Babylon and the Destruction of the Temple

Babylon and the Destruction of the Temple

Historical Background

The sixth-century B.C. holds great historical importance not only for biblical history in particular but for the history of influential ideas in general

.

Biography of Haggai

This century produced philosophical and religious thinkers such as Confucius, Zoroaster, Buddha, and several of the ancient Greek philosophers

B. The Influence of Persia

Babylon and the Destruction of the Temple

Taylor, R. A., & Clendenen, E. R. (2004).

Haggai, Malachi (Vol.

21A, p. 28).

Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.. Biography of Haggai

Century that 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

.

Biography of Haggai

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.)

Taylor, R. A., & Clendenen, E. R. (2004).

Haggai, Malachi (Vol.

21A, p. 29).

Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Biography of Haggai

In reality very little is known concerning the biography of this leader of the postexilic Jewish community.

The details of his family background and activity are not elaborated in the Old Testament or in other ancient literature.

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.

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 (; ; ).

His place in the postexilic community seems to have been a conspicuous one, and according to Jewish tradition he was known as a prophet in Babylon during the exile.

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.

In reality very little is known concerning the biography of this leader of the postexilic Jewish community.

The details of his family background and activity are not elaborated in the Old Testament or in other ancient literature.

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.

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.

In reality very little is known concerning the biography of this leader of the postexilic Jewish community.

In reality very little is known concerning the biography of this leader of the postexilic Jewish community.

Author.

Haggai was among the Jewish colonists at Jerusalem in the year 520 bc.

when his prophetic words were recorded (, ; ).

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).

The details of his family background and activity are not elaborated in the Old Testament or in other ancient literature.

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.

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.

A few times we find this individual referred to simply as “Haggai” (1:13, 14, 15).

Once, in 1:13, he is called “the Lord’s messenger” (malʾak YHWH), an expression intended to remind Haggai’s readers that his at first unpopular message to them was one of divine origin and was not based merely on personal whim.

But there is no elaboration on Haggai’s family background to be found.

It would seem that the absence of family connection for the prophet is intentional, serving the literary purpose of underscoring the prophet’s divine commissioning as a representative of the Lord.

What was most important to the author of this book was not Haggai’s human connections or his line of family descent.

Rather, it was the divine authority that provided the basis of his urgent word to Jews who had returned from exile in Babylon.

Taylor, R. A., & Clendenen, E. R. (2004).

Haggai, Malachi (Vol.

21A, p. 38).

Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.III.

Significance of the Book

Taylor, R. A., & Clendenen, E. R. (2004).

Haggai, Malachi (Vol.

21A, p. 38).

Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.III.

Significance of the Book

“But seek first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” ().

With these words Jesus summarized the acceptable priorities of life for those who would follow him.

Such a view on life appears to have been for Jesus’ disciples an entirely new and unexpected concept, one both liberating in its potential but no less intimidating in its demands.

His disciples shared a natural inclination to worry about the basic necessities of life.

A significant portion of their waking hours was spent providing for such basic family essentials as food, clothing, and shelter.

But these concerns, if not balanced by a sense of urgency with regard to the service of God, can easily undermine a proper sense of what is actually most important in life, namely the advancement of the kingdom of God.

In fact, preoccupation with such concerns can lead to a type of personal decision making that focuses first on meeting temporal human needs and offers God only what is left over after essential matters of personal security and comfort have first been decided.

This is not, however, the path of authentic discipleship.

Jesus instead urged his followers to seek first the eternal priorities of the kingdom of God.

In so doing, they could rest assured that their Heavenly Father was not only aware of their temporal needs, but that he would bountifully supply those needs for his people.

In order to illustrate this truth, Jesus called attention to the natural order of creation.