The Strand Study Bible

HAGGAI

Author : Haggai Theme : Doing God’s Work is Truly Prosperous Book’s Main Characters : Haggai, Zerubbabel and the Remnant in Jerusalem

About the Author: Haggai, whose name means “festival,” was a prophet to the remnant in Jerusalem 16 years after the captivity ended (536 BC) (Ezra 1:1-3). He began his ministry in September of 520 BC, during the reign of Darius I (King of Medo-Persia). Haggai was a contemporary of Zechariah (Ezra 5:1). About the Book : God called upon Haggai (and Zechariah) to warn and motivate Zerubbabel, Joshua (the High Priest), and the Jewish people to finish rebuilding the Temple. The completion of the Temple had been delayed for fifteen years. The book of Haggai covers 4 months (from September - December, 520 BC). Helpful Background : Both Haggai and Zechariah were among the 49,897 Jews to return to Jerusalem after the captivity ended (Ezra 1-3 - 536 BC). Immediately after their arrival in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel (the governor) and the returning Jews began rebuilding the Temple that had been destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar back in 586 BC. Within a year, because of persecution, the work on the Temple had ceased. Only the foundation was finished. For the next 15 years, the Temple would lie incomplete. God then called upon Haggai and Zechariah to motivate the people to finish the work. Notes of Interest :

1. Haggai is quoted in the NT 1 time (Heb 12:26) 2. Prophecies are referred to 8 times in Haggai 3. Prophecies concerning CHRIST are referred to 7 of those 8 times 4. There are no inset maps used in the book of Haggai

Outline of Haggai :

1. Rebuilding God’s house (Hag 1-2)

ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages 9 to put it into a bag with holes. 7 Thus saith the LORD OF HOSTS ; Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD. 9 Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. 10 Therefore 10 the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.

1. Ezra 4:24 & Zech 1:1 2. that is, “Darius I (Hystaspes), the Great” Note - Darius ruled Medo-Persia from 522-486 BC. 3. or, “September” 4. Ezra 5:1 & 6:14 Note - Josedech was Israel’s high priest at the time of the Babylonian invasion. 8. Hag 1:7 & 2:16,18 9. Lk 12:33 & Mt 6:19-33 10. Deut 28:23-24 & I Ki 8:35-36 5. Ezra 2:2 & 5:2 6. Ezra 3:2 & 5:2 7. I Chro 6:15

Haggai 1 A warning to Zerubbabel, Joshua,

and the people of God - “Consider your ways”

(Note - Haggai’s prophecy took place in the 2nd year of King Darius’ reign) Date Written - Sept 1st, 520 BC/AM 3480

1 In the 1 second year of 2 Darius the king, in the 3 sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by 4 Haggai the prophet unto 5 Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to 6 Joshua the son of 7 Josedech, the high priest, saying, 2 Thus speaketh the LORD OF HOSTS , saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD’S house should be built. 3 Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? 5 Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; 8 Consider your ways. 6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little;

11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands. 1:1 The phrase ( by Haggai ) means that Haggai is speaking for the LORD here. This is why some of the “words” of the LORD OF HOSTS are not in blue within the book of Haggai. 1:4 Sadly, God’s people seem to always be more concerned with their comfort ( ceiled houses ) than God’s Kingdom (house of God; Temple), i.e., more concerned about their own sacrifice than CHRIST’S sacrifice . 1:9 Because Israel cared more about her work than God’s work, God “blew” upon the little that Israel was able to reap. Sadly, God’s eternal work of redemption, which was pictured through the sacrifices within the Temple, had become secondary to Israel’s own personal comfort. 1426