Introduction to Haggai

The Jews who returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile began rebuilding the temple around 537 bc, but because of opposition they became discouraged and stopped. When Haggai’s prophetic career began in 520 bc, he challenged their decision to stop building God’s house while they continued building houses for themselves. Haggai aimed to convince the people and their leaders to finish the temple—to make sacrifices to obey God instead of focusing entirely on their own needs.

Background

The opening verse attributes the book to the prophet Haggai, whose name is related to the Hebrew word for “festival.” It also identifies the date as the second year of Darius I, the king of Persia (who reigned 522–486 bc). The precise dates provided in this book are between August and December 520 bc (Hag 1:1, 15; 2:1, 10, 18, 20).

Haggai’s prophetic activity is situated during the events narrated in the historical book of Ezra. The first exiles had come to Jerusalem shortly after an earlier Persian king, Cyrus the Great, allowed them to return (538 bc). They had begun to rebuild the temple at that time but had stopped because they encountered opposition from other inhabitants of the land (Ezra 4:1–5, 24; 5:16). Beginning in 520 bc, Haggai and another prophet, Zechariah, prophesied to the people (see Zech 1:1). They encouraged the people to begin the work again (Ezra 5:1; 6:14). Their preaching had the intended effect, and with the support of King Darius, the temple was finished around 516 bc (Ezra 6:6–15). Here, we see Yahweh using the power of persuasion and the leader of the international superpower of the time—the king of Persia—to rally support for His intended purposes.

Structure

The book of Haggai contains four dated messages. In the first message (Hag 1:1–11), the prophet declares that the time has come to honor Yahweh by rebuilding the temple. The governor Zerubbabel, the high priest Joshua, and the people of Judah respond positively to this message (Hag 1:12), and Yahweh reassures them of His presence (Hag 1:13). In the second message (Hag 2:1–9), Yahweh says that the restored temple will be greater than the previous temple that was destroyed. The third message (Hag 2:10–19) reveals that the people’s uncleanness—meaning the impurity that resulted from their sin and failure to keep God’s law—played a part in their difficulties. However, Yahweh will still bless them from that day forward: The return of Yahweh’s people to Him and the laying of the new temple’s foundation represents a critical juncture, one that will result in His blessing. In the fourth and final message (Hag 2:20–23), Yahweh announces that He will overthrow existing powerful nations and use Zerubbabel as a signet ring—a sign of Yahweh’s rule manifest through the servanthood of Zerubbabel.

Outline

• First message: God’s call to rebuild the temple (Hag 1:1–11)

• Response to first message (Hag 1:12–15)

• Second message: future glory of the temple (Hag 2:1–9)

• Third message: uncleanness and blessing (Hag 2:10–19)

• Fourth message: prophecy concerning Zerubbabel (Hag 2:20–23)

Themes

Haggai is about people making God’s priorities their priorities—a message that applies as much to our lives today as it did in the days of Zerubbabel and Joshua. The book affirms that, if the people of Yahweh devote themselves to His work, He will faithfully finish it.

A secondary theme in Haggai is the promised prosperity of God’s people if they will make Him their priority. But this promise is not about personal wealth; instead, it is an assurance that Yahweh will provide the necessary resources to accomplish His purposes. Yahweh’s presence itself guarantees that His work will be completed, even from beginnings that do not seem favorable according to human standards.

Haggai teaches us to make God the priority, to base our actions on faith, and to seek Yahweh’s presence (Hag 2:4–5, 10–19). Yahweh reveals His desire to be among His people in the temple-building project. Further, the story of the temple’s completion shows us that God is not concerned with the world’s standards of honor and wealth (Hag 1:8); instead, He seeks our dedication and best efforts, exerted via His Spirit’s outpouring.

Yahweh declares that He is with the returned exiles in Haggai (Hag 1:13; 2:4). And this is still true—God accompanies those who work for Him. When we rely on Yahweh for all things, He will act powerfully among us.

Further Reading

The Minor Prophets

Haggai, Book of CLBD

Haggai the Prophet CLBD