Speaking to you today:

The Book of Haggai From The Amplified Bible 1987 ZonderVan

Introduction: The Hebrew name Haggay means “festal.” Haggai was a prophet who, along with Zechariah, encouraged the returned exiles to rebuild the temple.

The date of his ministry can be fixed accurately. The second year of Darius during which Haggai’s messages are dated is the year 520 B.C. His first message is dated the fourth day of Elul (August - September) and his last, the twenty-fourth day of Chisley (December - January) of that same year. Eighteen years had passed since the Jews had returned from exile after Cyrus king of Persia issued his edict in 539 B.C. Hindered in their effort to rebuild the temple, the people became preoccupied with building their own homes. Haggai, however, aroused the people to action so that under the leadership of Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest, the temple was rebuilt during the years 520-516 B.C.

Haggai assures the people that if they would give priority to God’s work, they would prosper; he points out that God has withdrawn His blessing because they are so concerned with building comfortable mansions for themselves.

When the rebuilding project is actually underway, the prospects for a beautiful building are rather dim for those people who have memories of the magnificent Solomonic temple that was destroyed in 586 B.C. Haggai assures them that the glory of the temple they are building will be greater than that of the former , even though the building itself will be less impressive. Ultimately all nations will be shaken by GOD, so that peace and prosperity will finally prevail.

“In the second year of Darius king of Persia in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by means of Haggai the prophet [in Jerusalem after  the Babylonian captivity] to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest saying. 2 Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say, The time is not yet come that the Lord’s House should be rebuilt [although Cyrus had ordered it done eighteen years before].[Ezra 1: 1-6; 4: 1-6, 24; 5: 1-3]. Then came the word of the Lord …. saying,

21 Speak to Zerubbabel [the representative of the Davidic monarchy and Covenant and in direct line of the ancestry of Jesus Christ] governor of Judah, saying. I will shake the heavens and the  earth [Hag. 2:6; Matth. 1:12, 13.]

22. And I will [in the distant future] overthrow the throne of kingdoms of the [ungodly] nations, and I will overthrow the chariots and those who ride in them, and the horses and their riders shall go down, every one by the sword of his brother.

23 In that day, says the Lord of hosts, will I take you, O Zerubbabel, My servant …. and will make you [through the Messiah, your descendant My signet ring: For I have chosen you [as the one with whom to renew My Covenant to David’s line], says the LORD of hosts [II Sam. 7:12, 16]