Haggai

Notes from Bible study with Pastor Terry Gray

Bottom line

Haggai was sent to encourage his people to get back to completing God's work. "Consider your ways," Haggai urged his people 5 times throughout this book (KJV). Many obstacles had come between the Israelites and their willingness to continue to do God's work. From Haggai's sermons, we, too, should take heed of the warnings and consider our ways. Do not let anything come between us and doing God's work. If something has, we need to prayerfully reconcile that obstacle so that we can move forward doing God's work instead of being held behind by worldly bondages.

Brief History of Israel

- Israel started out as a united kingdom, with all 12 tribes under the same king: David, followed by Solomon.

- 931 BC: The kingdom split into the Northern Kingdom (called "Israel," consisting of 10 tribes) and the Southern Kingdom (called "Judah," consisting of 2 tribes with Jerusalem as its capitol city).

- 722 BC: The Northern Kingdom was destroyed by the Assyrian empire.

- 586 BC: The Southern Kingdom was destroyed by Babylon. The Temple was also destroyed, and the Israelite captives were taken into Babylon.

- 539 BC: Babylon was destroyed by Media Persia, led by King Cyrus

- 536 BC: Cyrus issued a decree allowing 50,000 Jews to return to Jerusalem, led by Joshua (their high priest) and Zerubbabel (their governor), along with two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah.

- Haggai and Zechariah also known as post-exilate prophets, who came and prophesied after the exile, when a group of Israelite remnants returned Jerusalem.

- This group started off very excited about rebuilding Jerusalem, the city of God. Soon after they started rebuilding the city and the Temple with great zeal, however, they met opposition from citizens of the Media Persian empire and stopped rebuilding (Remember, this area was still ruled by Media Persia during this time.)

- The rebuilding stopped for 16 years, leaving the Temple in ruins.

- During those 16 years, a new king of Persia came to power, King Darius. Two years into the reign of Darius, Haggai prophesied in Jerusalem.

Book of Haggai

- The 4 sermons Haggai gave to the Israelites are recorded in the Book of Haggai.

- The central message was to the Israelites living in Jerusalem. Haggai preached to get them to restart the rebuilding, to get back to work, to stop neglecting what God has commissioned them to do.

FIRST SERMON

Haggai 1:1-11

The Israelites have been so busy building their own mansions, living their own extravagant lives that they have been neglecting God's work (Haggai 1:4-6).

God is suppose to be first place on every area of our lives, financially and spiritually. Before Jesus, worship was done in the Temple. After Jesus, because He washed away our sins, we no longer need to speak to God through an intermediary. Jesus IS our intermediary! Hence, after the death of Jesus, our bodies are the Temple (1 Corinthians 6:19), housing the Holy Spirit. In order for our heart to remain focused on God, We ought to be building ourselves in the Spirit, not of materialistic things. And when we are focused on God, God provides.

What happens when we are focused only on ourselves and not on God's will? God giveth, God taketh away. And that's exactly what we see happening in Haggai 1:10-11.

Haggai 1:12-15

The Israelites heeded Haggai's warning and immediately got back to work (Haggai 1:12). 

When the Israelites return to God in heart, God immediately returned to them (Haggai 1:13).

Inspiration: God is always within reach. As long as we are willing to depart from our selfishness and pride and reach out to God, God is always right there by our side.

SECOND SERMON

Haggai 2:1-3

The Israelites who were old enough to see Solomon's version of the Temple were discouraged because the Temple they were rebuilding paled greatly in comparison.

Inspiration: One of the reasons why people stop doing God's work is being stuck in the past.

Many of us become our biggest obstacles because we either cannot, don't know how, or refuse to move forward. Comments such as, "If only we were still back then," or "If only I was 10 years younger," or "If only I didn't do this," etc.

This is not an easy obstacle to defeat. First of all, we have to recognize that we're our own obstacles. If we aren't willing to listen to family and friends, this could become a detrimental blind spot for a very long time. After we recognize we're the problem, we have to then reconcile our hurt or guild or whatever it is that's been eating us. If we need to forgive, then we need to truly forgive. If we need to be forgiven, then we need to seek forgiveness. None of this is easy, but pray sincerely, and let God guide us. "Be strong... and work. For I am with you," declared God (Haggai 2:4). At the end of this arduous journey, we must move on. Why? Because God has bigger purposes for us than to have us be drowned in misery! When we do not allow God to save us from ourselves, how are we suppose to listen effectively and move God's will forward? Hence, although moving forward may not be an easy thing to do, as God's children, we are loved, encouraged, and guided to do so.

Haggai 2:6-9

God says this Temple would be greater than Solomon's Temple. God has great plans for this Temple.

During Haggai's time, this Temple was not rebuilt completely. However, years later, King Herod would build one in as great a glory as Solomon's. This Temple was eventually visited by the then 12 years-old Jesus, who, in the Millenium, would become the desire of all nations (Haggai 2:7)!

Herod's version of the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD. There has not since then been another rebuilding of the Temple. The Temple does not stand there today. There is nothing but the Temple Mount.

Yet, God declared, "The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house... and in this place I will grant peace" (Haggai 2:9)

As with many prophecies, there is often a partial fulfillment around the present time followed by the complete fulfillment when Jesus returns to Earth (which has not yet happened to this day but will soon--Soon as in before the end of this generation).

Hence, one day, upon the return of Jesus, another temple will be rebuilt on the Temple Mount. Ezekiel 40-43 speaks of a temple that would exist during the Millennial Kingdom, a temple that will be desired by all nations. In that time, all will all desire Jesus, and it will be a time of peace.

THIRD SERMON

Haggai 2:10-19

Sin is contagious but holiness is not.

Instead of staying on the path of God, the Israelites fell into sin again. And because they continued in their sin, nothing they did pleased God (Haggai 2:14). God had given plenty of warnings to encourage Israelites to return to Him, but they refused to listen (Haggai 2:16-17).

Rebuilding the Temple was hard work, and opposition from Media Persians did not make the work any easier. The Israelites wondered why God's blessing was slow in coming, and many fell away because they got tired of waiting. However, blessing had not yet come because the time was not right. In God's analogy, seeds are still in the barn because no one plants during the winter (Haggai 2:19)! Just as there is a time for everything, so, too, is there a time for God's blessing to come. Work for the lord and be patient!

Inspiration: It's not easy to wait and wait and wait. At times like this, I find it useful to remember that God is just, God is faithful. I may not know God's timeline. I may hope and pray that God moves His timeline to meet mine. But, at the end of the day, it's God's timeline that matters. The world revolves around Him, not me. I don't have to understand everything that God does. I just need to trust Him that He will bless me (Haggai 2:19). Because God promised, and because God is faithful.

FOURTH SERMON

Haggai 2:20-23

God told Zerubbabel not to worry, that He has given him this project and will bless him as long as he continues to do God's work. As recorded history, Zerubbabel was indeed able to continue to oversee the rebuilding of the Temple, under God's protection.