September 20: Haggai 1-2

September 20, Haggai 1-2

Haggai is one of the 12 minor prophets. Background real quick - 50,000 Jews have just returned to Jerusalem from exile. They started to build the temple and were stopped for about 15 years because of oposition. King Darius is now in charge and God is working through him to accomplish His will. Haggai encourages the Jews on their hearts and labor. Haggai is very much about the Sovereignty of God. The term, ‘Lord of Hosts’ occurs 14 times in this short 2 chapter book. Haggai is a prophet of the Lord for just the right time…

Haggai 1 The command and the work on the temple begins/continues. God spoke to Haggai and the thrust of his prophetic message was that God was not blessing His people because they were not building Him a Temple. They were building their own places and doing their own thing, but they were not for God. “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm…” They have lost sight of what is most important - God. They are to go to God first, as are we. God brought a drought on the land to remind them. If they people had opened their eyes, they would have seen that God is not blessing them. Very soon after that, the people obeyed and got back to work as God stirred in them and their leadership.

Haggai 2 The Messianic Vision! God told Haggai to go and talk to the governor, the high priest and the remnant. He tells them that the reconstructed Temple will be greater than the first temple and he encouraged them by reminding them that God’s Spirit was with them, and they should have no fear. God’s Glory will be present in this Temple. Haggai’s mind was on the Temple in front of them, but the Lord’s mind was on the future Temple. Haggai is clearly referring to a future Temple where it will be about souls not stones. “Haggai closes with a vision of Zerubbabel’s crowning day. Zerubbabel represented David’s Family.” Halley’s Bible Handbook. What God has promised will come to pass. 

To sum it all up: 

• An interesting note from chapter 1 - when the people feared the Lord they obeyed Him. Fear the Lord = obedience to His Word & Will
• The future Temple - will you be with me there? No sin. All of God’s Glory. Do what you need to do to prepare now for your eternal destination. Repent and return to God and show the world that you are for Him and not against Him.