Haggai

Haggai 1

Haggai is mentioned by name twice in Ezra (5:1,6:14). The timelines are intertwined.

• Ezra 3:8 In the second month of the second year after their arrival in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel and Joshua began to work on rebuilding the temple. This was during the reign of Cyrus.
• Ezra 4:6–23 During the reign of Xerxes, the people around the Jews accused the Jews of conspiracy to rebel. During the reign of Artaxerxes they sent a letter to him, and he issued an order for work to stop.
• Haggai 1:1 in the second year of Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, Haggai gave the word of the Lord
• Haggai 1:14-15 on the 24th day of the sixth month the people began work. 
• Ezra 5:1-2 At Haggai’s prophecy, work was restarted.
• Haggai 2:1 In the second year of Darius on the 21st day of the seventh month, Haggai spoke the word of the Lord
• Haggai 2:10 In the second year of Darius on the 24th day of the ninth month, Haggai spoke the word of the Lord
• Haggai 2:20 In the second year of Darius on the 24th day of the ninth month (the same day), Haggai received and spoke another word from the Lord
• Ezra 6:15 The temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar in the sixth year of the reign of Darius. Adar is the twelfth month of the Jewish calendar.

Haggai 1:1-2 The date of the first prophecy and its recipients, which align with the historical narrative of Ezra. Zerubbabel and Joshua are both mentioned as getting to work in response to Haggai’s prophecies. (Ezra 5:2)

Haggai 1:3-4 The Lord reprimands the people for living in comfortable and luxurious houses while His house lies in ruins. This is somewhat different than what David was told when he planned to start building a temple, and was told not to. David felt guilty for living in a palace while the Lord lived in a tent. (2 Samuel 7:1-2) The Lord spoke to David through Nathan the prophet that he was not to build it, but that His descendent would. (2 Samuel 7:4-16) In that prophecy, it is clear that the Lord had in mind Jesus building His church, that His throne would endure forever. (2 Samuel 7:13) 

Haggai 1:5-11 The result of prioritizing human activity is that it fails to deliver, because God was not being honored. But comparison with Isaiah’s words puts perspective on what God is really looking for. 

“Heaven is my throne,

    and the earth is my footstool.

Where is the house you will build for me?

    Where will my resting place be?

Has not my hand made all these things,

    and so they came into being?”

declares the Lord. (Isaiah 66:1-2)

This was quoted by Stephen just before he was stoned. (Acts 7:49-50) God takes pleasure in the Holy Spirit indwelling His people, and their response. 

There is a point here about sowing and reaping, and God using trials of life to get our attention. Perhaps this is related to God’s word about bringing the full tenth into the storehouse. (Malachi 3:10-11) It is not a matter of paying Him off. Rather, the point is that the source of true wealth is God, and that we need to show by our actions that we are looking to Him as the source of provision.

Haggai 1:12-15 The people responded in obedience and they began work.

Haggai 2

Haggai 2:1-5 Less than a month after the previous word of the Lord, Haggai brought another revelation. Construction of the second temple had just begun. He recalls the past  - the glory of Solomon’s temple, and the Law of Moses and associated promises He gave them during the Exodus. His Spirit, Ruach HaKodesh, remains with them.

Haggai 2:6-9 The Lord will shake the heavens and the earth, to remove the old and replace it with Jesus’ reign.  (Matthew 27:54, 28:2) This promise was repeated later in the New Testament so we know that it was not yet completely fulfilled, although Jesus’ death and resurrection established the foundation for His eternal kingdom. (Hebrews 12:26) But even before His death, the glory of Jesus’ physical presence graced this very temple that Shealtiel and Joshua were now building, albeit more than 500 years later. 

Haggai 2:10-19 Two months later, the prophet brought another word. First, there was an object lesson about transmitting holiness and uncleanness. The temple itself cannot make the people righteous, but their devotion to God can. It is for them, that by putting Him ahead of their own needs and wants, they will be blessed. And so, in a more general sense, laying bricks to build God’s kingdom yields blessing. Setting priorities in our lives of glorifying God and living as Jesus calls us will result in blessings on the more mundane aspects of life. They (and we) must be careful to align all of our actions with His priorities. The glory of Jesus is coming!

Haggai 2:20-23 Second, referring again to the prophesied shaking (2:6-7), when the nations and their armies are overthrown by God’s direct intervention, His faithful servants will be close to Him and act in His authority. The Lord’s authority is not focused on politics but ultimate spiritual realities. Being in God’s hand brings spiritual and moral truths to the governor’s life, to lead people by exhortation and example, with governmental power properly exercised.