HaggaiSummary of the book:
There are four messages within the book of Haggai. The first message starts in chapter 1 with a call to begin. The prophet rebukes the people for waiting to build the temple and calls them to resume the work on the temple. After this construction begins 23 days later. The second message was that the workers were encouraged. By this point they had been working on the temple for three weeks. They did feel discouraged because the temple was poor compared with Solomon's, some were alive to see both and were disappointed it was not the same. The third message was promise of blessing. God will bless the people for working and on the temple. The last message in the book is honor in future. The prophet tells the people that glory will return to them whenGod shakes other nations. |
Location: JerusalemHistorical Context:The Babylons destoryed Jerusalem on August 14, 586 BC. Jerusalem lost the temple, capital, independence, and thousands of people were either killed or exiled. About two hundred thousand people were exiled, but their economy was desotyed and they had hostile neighbors. When they finally returned from exile in 538 BC it was not what they expected and they had to start building the land back up. Haggai's ministry was very short, it was less than four months. It was during the reign of Darius, who ruled Persia from 522-486 BC. There are clearly four oracles. The first one was August 29, 520 BC, the second was October 17, the third and fourth were December 18th.
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How Can You Apply This To Your Own Life?
Applications: We need to make sure that our priorities are correct. God and his will should be our first priority. When we do know God's will, we also need to make sure that we obey his commandments and his wishes for out life.