September 16, 2025

How Was Life for the Israelites Post-Exile?

Haggai 1-2

Avinash Joseph
Tuesday's Devo

September 16, 2025

Tuesday's Devo

September 16, 2025

Tuesday's Devo

September 16, 2025

Tuesday's Devo

September 16, 2025

Big Book Idea

God should come first.

Key Verse | Haggai 1:3-5

Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, "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."

Haggai 1-2

Chapter 1

The Command to Rebuild the Temple

1 In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest: 2 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.” 3 Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? 5 Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. 6 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. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.

7 Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD. 9 You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.”

The People Obey the LORD

12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD. 13 Then Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, spoke to the people with the LORD's message, “I am with you, declares the LORD.” 14 And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.

Chapter 2

The Coming Glory of the Temple

1 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet: 2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, 3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? 4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts, 5 according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. 6 For thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. 7 And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the LORD of hosts. 9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts.’”

Blessings for a Defiled People

10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, 11 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Ask the priests about the law: 12 ‘If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment and touches with his fold bread or stew or wine or oil or any kind of food, does it become holy?’” The priests answered and said, “No.” 13 Then Haggai said, “If someone who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?” The priests answered and said, “It does become unclean.” 14 Then Haggai answered and said, “So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, declares the LORD, and so with every work of their hands. And what they offer there is unclean. 15 Now then, consider from this day onward. 1 2:15 Or backward; also verse 18 Before stone was placed upon stone in the temple of the LORD, 16 how did you fare? When 2 2:16 Probable reading (compare Septuagint); Hebrew LORD, since they were. When one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten. When one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were but twenty. 17 I struck you and all the products of your toil with blight and with mildew and with hail, yet you did not turn to me, declares the LORD. 18 Consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day that the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid, consider: 19 Is the seed yet in the barn? Indeed, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have yielded nothing. But from this day on I will bless you.”

Zerubbabel Chosen as a Signet

20 The word of the LORD came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, 21 “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the heavens and the earth, 22 and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow the chariots and their riders. And the horses and their riders shall go down, every one by the sword of his brother. 23 On that day, declares the LORD of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, declares the LORD, and make you like a 3 2:23 Hebrew the signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the LORD of hosts.”

Footnotes

[1] 2:15 Or backward; also verse 18
[2] 2:16 Probable reading (compare Septuagint); Hebrew LORD, since they were. When
[3] 2:23 Hebrew the
Table of Contents
Introduction to Haggai

Introduction to Haggai

Timeline

Author and Date

The book of Haggai contains messages delivered by the prophet Haggai, and thus it is reasonable to consider Haggai its author. Nothing is known of his genealogy. The specific mention of the “second year of Darius” (1:1) places the book in the year 520 B.C.

Historical Background

Haggai ministered among the Jews who had returned to Judea after some 70 years of exile in Babylon. The Persian ruler Cyrus the Great captured Babylon in 539 B.C. In 538 he permitted the Jews to return to Jerusalem so that they might rebuild the temple (Ezra 1–2). The work of rebuilding stalled, however, when opposition arose (Ezra 3:1–4:5). Haggai prophesied in an effort to motivate the people to renew their work of temple restoration.

Theme

The work of temple restoration highlights the Lord’s desire to renew a covenant relationship with his people (1:13; 2:4–5).

Key Themes

  1. The restoration of God’s house. A decaying temple signifies a decaying relationship with the Lord. It brings weakness rather than holiness to the people (2:14).
  2. The prophetic word is the divine Word. The prophecy is delivered “by the hand of Haggai” (1:1, 3; 2:1, 10; see 2:20) but it is God’s word (e.g., 1:2, 9, 12, 13).
  3. The Lord is sovereign. The phrase “LORD of hosts” occurs 14 times in the 38 verses of this short book (see 1:2). The Lord gives the divine word, controls the fortunes of his people (1:9; 2:17, 19) and nations (2:6–8), directs nature (1:10), motivates his people to action (1:14; 2:4), and establishes and removes kingdoms (2:20–23).
  4. The people must work. A restored house will bring pleasure and glory to the Lord (1:8) and blessing to the people (2:19), but there is work to be done. Physical labor is urged (1:7–8; 2:4–5). But there is also “heart” work to be done (1:5–7; 2:15–19).
  5. The restoration of David’s house. Zerubbabel, the heir of David, is promised high status (2:23). The Lord, who removed the “ring” of the Davidic house (see Jer. 22:24–27), now promises that he will restore David’s house. The Messiah will come.

Outline

  1. Introduction: Reluctant Rebuilders (1:1–2)
  2. Consider Your Ways: Fruitless Prosperity (1:3–12)
  3. Promise and Progress (1:13–15a)
  4. The Former and Latter Glory of This House (1:15b–2:9)
  5. Consider Your Ways: Holiness and Defilement; Repentance and Blessing (2:10–19)
  6. Zerubbabel: The Signet Ring (2:20–23)

Jerusalem at the Time of Haggai

c. 520 B.C.

Haggai prophesied to the people of Jerusalem after they had returned from Babylon in 538 B.C. The walls and temple of Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. Within a year after returning from Babylon, the people had laid the foundation for the new temple, but by Haggai’s time they had still not completed it. Haggai, together with Zechariah, called upon the people to stop focusing on their own economic well-being and complete the temple.

Jerusalem at the Time of Haggai

The Global Message of Haggai

The Global Message of Haggai

“I am with you, declares the LORD” (Hag. 1:13; also 2:4). In a fallen world, in which it is often difficult to feel God’s presence amid “trials of various kinds” (James 1:2), the message of Haggai to the global church is the promise of the presence of God.

Haggai in Redemptive History

God’s presence in Eden. “And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden” (Gen. 3:8). In Eden, God originally dwelt with mankind in happy fellowship and unhindered harmony. Following the fall into sin, however, that fellowship was fractured and God withdrew (Gen. 3:22–24). The rest of the Bible is the story of God restoring mankind to himself by his own grace and initiative, renewing his presence with them.

God’s presence in the Old Testament. The primary way in which the Lord achieved this renewing in the Old Testament was through the tabernacle and then the temple. The tabernacle was a miniature Eden, complete with sky-blue roof (Ex. 26:31–33) and a lampstand that looked like a flourishing tree, perhaps representing the tree of life in Eden (Ex. 25:31–40). After carrying the tabernacle around with them throughout their wilderness wanderings, Israel finally entered the Promised Land and, under Solomon, built a temple. The temple, like the tabernacle, was God’s house (Hag. 1:9). It was where he dwelt—where fellowship with his people, once fractured, could be restored.

Yet due to Israel’s faithlessness God allowed foreign armies to conquer them and destroy the temple. To ancient Jews the destruction of the temple was the same as if their relationship with the Lord had ended, for it was through the temple and its priesthood that this relationship was maintained.

God’s presence renewed. Remembering all this, we come to Haggai. There we find God calling Zerubbabel and Joshua to rebuild the temple. In his great mercy, God was determined to live among his people once more. The temple would be restored; Governor Zerubbabel, God’s chosen agent for this task, would see to that (Hag. 2:4–5, 21–23). In the course of reassuring his people of his covenant love for them, the Lord says that he is once more going to fill the temple with glory (see 2 Chron. 7:1). What is striking about Haggai’s prophecy is that this will be a glory made up of a multinational extension of his people, as the Lord shakes “all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in” to the temple (Hag. 2:7; compare Rev. 21:24).

God’s final presence. In Christ, God’s presence came one final time, not in a temple built with human hands but in the temple of a human body (John 2:19–22). We no longer enter into a temple of wood and stone to meet with God; God has entered into a temple of flesh and blood to meet with us. Fellowship has been restored. In Christ, the resounding promise of Haggai—“I am with you” (Hag. 1:13; 2:4)—is decisively fulfilled. Indeed, the final promise of Christ to his followers is this very thing: “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20).

Universal Themes in Haggai

The global dimensions of God’s restored presence. In Isaiah’s vision, as he saw the Lord high and exalted in the temple, the seraphim declared that “the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isa. 6:3). This harks back to the original mandate given to mankind—to multiply and to subdue and rule over the whole earth in such a way that the glory of God would be spread across it (Gen. 1:26–28; Isa. 43:6–7). In Haggai we then read that the restored temple-presence of God would be adorned with the treasures of all the diverse cultures of the world (Hag. 2:7). The global display of God’s glory, lost at the fall, will be recovered when God restores his temple-presence among his people. In Christ, who extends mercy to both Jew and Gentile, this international restoration comes to fruition (Matt. 12:18; Luke 2:32).

God’s mighty sovereignty over all things. God is called “the LORD of hosts” fourteen times in Haggai, despite the short length of this prophetic book. “Hosts” here is a military term, referring to armies. Regardless of the seeming sovereignty of the Babylonian army in conquering much of the known world, including little Judah, Babylon is not sovereign; God, “the LORD of hosts,” rules over all. He determines the state of his people (Hag. 1:9; 2:17, 19) as well as of the nations of the world (2:6–8). He oversees nature (1:10; 2:19), compels his people to action (1:14; 2:4), and raises up and brings down whole kingdoms (2:20–23). His mighty arm reaches into every corner of the globe, doing all that he pleases for his great name and for the welfare of his people.

The Global Message of Haggai for Today

The chaos of the modern world—morally, politically, economically—can easily erode the church’s sense of God’s mighty presence and providence. Yet as we trace the biblical story of God’s presence with his people—from Eden to the tabernacle and temple to Christ himself and ultimately to the new earth—we see that what seems like the silence of God is not the absence of God. The Lord has always graciously walked with his people, even when his ways are hidden and difficult to understand.

The supreme example of God’s mercy in the midst of painful circumstances is the cross of Christ—where, at the very moment when the forces of hell seemed most victorious, they were being decisively defeated (Col. 2:14–15).

Believers all around the world today can take heart in God’s determined resolve to be present with his people. “I am with you,” we read in Haggai. In Jesus and in the gift of the indwelling Spirit, these words are decisively fulfilled. Even now he is creating for himself a people from every tribe and nation. They will bring their treasures into the new earth, to that final paradise where no temple is needed, the restored Eden (Hag. 2:7; Rev. 21:22–24)—in everlasting, perfect fellowship with him.

Haggai Fact #2: Temple

Fact: Temple

The temple was the means through which God dwelt with his people in meaningful fellowship (1:13; 2:4–5). It also brought glory and pleasure to God (1:8). Jesus said that he was the final temple, restoring fellowship once more between God and his people (John 2:19–22; Eph. 2:19–22).

Haggai Fact #1: paneled houses

Fact: paneled houses

The paneled houses described in 1:4 probably had walls and ceilings covered with cedar wood. Such decoration was a sign of prosperity in a land where wood was scarce. The people were spending freely on their own homes while neglecting the rebuilding of the temple.

The Hebrew Calendar

The Hebrew Calendar

The Hebrew calendar was composed of 12 lunar months, each of which began when the thin crescent moon was first visible at sunset. They were composed of approximately 29/30 days and were built around the agricultural seasons. Apparently some of the names of the months were changed after the time of Israel’s exile in Babylon (e.g., the first month of Abib changed to Nisan; for dates of the exile, see p. 31). The months of the Hebrew calendar (left column) are compared to the corresponding months of the modern (Gregorian) calendar shown in the center column. Biblical references (in the third column) indicate references to the Hebrew calendar cited in the Bible.

Hebrew Month Gregorian (Modern) Month Biblical References
First Month:
Abib (Preexile)
Nisan (Postexile) 		March–April Ex. 13:4; 23:15; 34:18; Deut. 16:1; Neh. 2:1; Est. 3:7 (compare Gen. 8:13; Ex. 12:2, 18; 40:2, 17; Lev. 23:5; Num. 9:1; 20:1; 28:16; 33:3; Josh. 4:19; 1 Chron. 12:15; 27:2, 3; 2 Chron. 29:3, 17; 35:1; Ezra 6:19; 7:9; 8:31; 10:17; Est. 3:7, 12; Ezek. 29:17; 30:20; 45:18, 21; Dan. 10:4)
Festivals:
14th/15th: Passover (Ex. 12:18; Lev. 23:5)
15th–21st: Unleavened Bread (Ex. 12:14–20; Lev. 23:6)
16th: First Fruits (Lev. 23:9–11)
Second Month:
Ziv (Preexile)
Iyyar (Postexile) 		April–May 1 Kings 6:1, 37 (compare Gen. 7:11; 8:14; Ex. 16:1; Num. 1:1, 18; 9:11; 10:11; 1 Chron. 27:4; 2 Chron. 3:2; 30:2, 13, 15; Ezra 3:8)
Festival:
14th: Later Passover (Num. 9:10–11)
Third Month: Sivan May–June Est. 8:9 (compare Ex. 19:1; 1 Chron. 27:5; 2 Chron. 15:10; 31:7; Ezek. 31:1)
Festivals:
4th: Pentecost [Feast of Weeks] (Lev. 23:15–16)
Fourth Month: Tammuz June–July Ezek. 8:14 (compare 2 Kings 25:3; 1 Chron. 27:7; Jer. 39:2; 52:6; Ezek. 1:1; Zech. 8:19)
Fifth Month: Ab July–August Not mentioned by name in the Bible (compare Num. 33:38; 2 Kings 25:8; 1 Chron. 27:8; Ezra 7:8, 9; Jer. 1:3; 28:1; 52:12; Ezek. 20:1; Zech. 7:3, 5; 8:19)
Sixth Month: Elul August–September Neh. 6:15 (compare 1 Chron. 27:9; Ezek. 8:1; Hag. 1:1, 15)
Seventh Month:
Ethanim (Preexile)
Tishri (Postexile) 		September–October 1 Kings 8:2 (compare Gen. 8:4; Lev. 16:29; 23:24, 27, 34, 39, 41; 25:9; Num. 29:1, 7, 12; 2 Kings 25:25; 1 Chron. 27:10; 2 Chron. 5:3; 7:10; 31:7; Ezra 3:1, 6; Neh. 7:73; 8:2, 14; Jer. 28:17; 41:1; Ezek. 45:25; Hag. 2:1; Zech. 7:5; 8:19)
Festivals:
1st: Trumpets (Lev. 23:24; Num. 29:1)
10th: Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:29–34; 23:27–32)
15th–21st: Booths (Lev. 23:34–40)
22nd: Solemn assembly (Lev. 23:36)
Eighth Month:
Bul (Preexile)
Marchesvan (Postexile) 		October–November 1 Kings 6:38 (compare 1 Kings 12:32, 33; 1 Chron. 27:11; Zech. 1:1)
Ninth Month: Chislev (Kislev) November–December Neh. 1:1; Zech. 7:1 (compare 1 Chron. 27:12; Ezra 10:9; Jer. 36:9, 22; Hag. 2:10, 18)
Festival:
25th: Dedication (John 10:22)
Tenth Month: Tebeth December–January Est. 2:16 (compare Gen. 8:5; 2 Kings 25:1; 1 Chron. 27:13; Ezra 10:16; Jer. 39:1; 52:4; Ezek. 24:1; 29:1; 33:21; Zech. 8:19)
Eleventh Month: Shebat January–February Zech. 1:7 (compare Deut. 1:3; 1 Chron. 27:14)
Twelfth Month: Adar* February–March Ezra 6:15; Est. 3:7, 13; 8:12; 9:1, 15, 17, 19, 21 (compare 2 Kings 25:27; 1 Chron. 27:15; Jer. 52:31; Ezek. 32:1; 32:17)

*Periodically, a 13th month was added so that the lunar calendar would account for the entire solar year.

Chronology of Ezra

Chronology of Ezra

Event Year Reference
Cyrus king of Persia captures Babylon 539 B.C. Dan. 5:30–31
First year of King Cyrus; issues proclamation freeing Jewish exiles to return 538–537 Ezra 1:1–4
Jewish exiles, led by Sheshbazzar, return from Babylon to Jerusalem 537? Ezra 1:11
Altar rebuilt 537 Ezra 3:1–2
Temple rebuilding begins 536 Ezra 3:8
Adversaries oppose the rebuilding 536–530 Ezra 4:1–5
Temple rebuilding ceases 530–520 Ezra 4:24
Temple rebuilding resumes (2nd year of Darius) 520 Ezra 5:2; compare Hag. 1:14
Temple construction completed (6th year of Darius) 516 Ezra 6:15
Ezra departs from Babylon to Jerusalem (arrives in 7th year of Artaxerxes) 458 Ezra 7:6–9
Men of Judah and Benjamin assemble at Jerusalem 458 Ezra 10:9
Officials conduct three-month investigation 458–457 Ezra 10:16–17
Zerubbabel

Zerubbabel

King Cyrus of Persia decreed that the Jewish exiles in Babylon should return to Jerusalem and rebuild the destroyed temple. Zerubbabel, whom the prophet Haggai refers to as “governor of Judah” (Hag. 1:1), was one of the first exiles to return. Along with the priest Jeshua, he rebuilt the altar of the Lord so that sacrifices could once again be made. The following year, under the guidance and supervision of Zerubbabel and Jeshua, work began on the temple itself. The foundations of the temple were laid, but opposition from local governors prevented its completion for more than 20 years. With the support of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, Zerubbabel and Jeshua resumed and completed the reconstruction of the temple during the reign of King Darius. (Ezra 5:2)

Haggai

Haggai

When the people of God returned from their lengthy exile in Babylon, Jerusalem was in ruins. Within a short time they laid the foundation for a new temple, but they quickly grew discouraged and began focusing instead on their own homes. By Haggai’s time, nearly 20 years later, the temple was still unfinished. God used Haggai to encourage the people to finish rebuilding the temple: “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” (1:4). Haggai encouraged the disheartened people of Judah with the message that the God of Israel had not abandoned them. His Spirit was still in their midst, and he would fulfill his promise to bless the whole world through them. (Haggai 2:4–9)

Study Notes

Hag. 1:1 second year . . . sixth month . . . first day. August 29, 520 B.C. It is three weeks after the anniversary of the destruction of the first temple (2 Kings 25:8). Zerubbabel was heir to the Davidic throne and governor of Judah (see Ezra 5:2). Joshua. High priest and son of Jehozadak, whose line is traced through Zadok to Aaron (1 Chron. 6:11–15; Zech. 3:1).

Zerubbabel

Zerubbabel

King Cyrus of Persia decreed that the Jewish exiles in Babylon should return to Jerusalem and rebuild the destroyed temple. Zerubbabel, whom the prophet Haggai refers to as “governor of Judah” (Hag. 1:1), was one of the first exiles to return. Along with the priest Jeshua, he rebuilt the altar of the Lord so that sacrifices could once again be made. The following year, under the guidance and supervision of Zerubbabel and Jeshua, work began on the temple itself. The foundations of the temple were laid, but opposition from local governors prevented its completion for more than 20 years. With the support of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, Zerubbabel and Jeshua resumed and completed the reconstruction of the temple during the reign of King Darius. (Ezra 5:2)

Study Notes

1:1–2 Introduction: Reluctant Rebuilders. The major problem that the book addresses is that the temple is in ruins and the people are doing nothing about it.

Hag. 1:2 LORD of hosts emphasizes the Lord’s universal rule as leader of heavenly or earthly armies (see note on 1 Sam. 1:3).

Study Notes

Hag. 1:4 paneled houses . . . ruins. The people focus on comfortable personal dwellings (see v. 9) while the Lord remains “homeless” (compare 2 Sam. 7:2).

Haggai Fact #1: paneled houses

Fact: paneled houses

The paneled houses described in 1:4 probably had walls and ceilings covered with cedar wood. Such decoration was a sign of prosperity in a land where wood was scarce. The people were spending freely on their own homes while neglecting the rebuilding of the temple.

Study Notes

Hag. 1:6 sown much . . . harvested little. Because of their preference for personal gain over temple rebuilding, God has not blessed the people’s labors. eat . . . drink. . . . clothe. . . . earns wages. They need to “consider their ways” (v. 5) because their self-focused efforts lead only to frustration.

Study Notes
Haggai Fact #2: Temple

Fact: Temple

The temple was the means through which God dwelt with his people in meaningful fellowship (1:13; 2:4–5). It also brought glory and pleasure to God (1:8). Jesus said that he was the final temple, restoring fellowship once more between God and his people (John 2:19–22; Eph. 2:19–22).

Study Notes

Hag. 1:9 busies himself with. The criticism of their misplaced priorities, implied in v. 4, is now made clear.

Study Notes

Hag. 1:10–11 Therefore. . . . drought. There is a direct connection between the ruin of the Lord’s house (vv. 4, 9) and the current hardship.

Study Notes

Hag. 1:3–12 Consider Your Ways: Fruitless Prosperity. In this second word to Haggai, the Lord asks his people to consider whether their wealth brings satisfaction. He encourages them to supply materials for “my house” (vv. 3–11). A general response follows (v. 12).

Hag. 1:12 Convicted by the criticism of vv. 3–11, the people respond fearfully. The remnant (v. 14; 2:2) is the same as the people addressed in 1:2; 2:4, 14.

Study Notes

Hag. 1:13 I am with you is the great promise of covenantal assurance (compare 2:4; Num. 14:9; Josh. 14:12; Judg. 1:19; Isa. 43:5; Matt. 28:20). The task before them will be undertaken with the promise of God’s help.

Haggai Fact #2: Temple

Fact: Temple

The temple was the means through which God dwelt with his people in meaningful fellowship (1:13; 2:4–5). It also brought glory and pleasure to God (1:8). Jesus said that he was the final temple, restoring fellowship once more between God and his people (John 2:19–22; Eph. 2:19–22).

Study Notes

1:13–14 The words messenger, message, and worked are a play on words in Hebrew. It shows the direct connection between the messenger (Haggai), the content of his message (a statement of assurance), and the desired effect upon the people (they resumed work on the temple).

Hag. 1:14 the LORD stirred up the spirit. Progress on the house is made only as God awakens in the people an intense desire to work at building it (compare Ex. 35:21, 26, 30–35). their God. The people claim God as their own (compare Jer. 24:7; 31:33).

See chart See chart
Chronology of Ezra

Chronology of Ezra

Event Year Reference
Cyrus king of Persia captures Babylon 539 B.C. Dan. 5:30–31
First year of King Cyrus; issues proclamation freeing Jewish exiles to return 538–537 Ezra 1:1–4
Jewish exiles, led by Sheshbazzar, return from Babylon to Jerusalem 537? Ezra 1:11
Altar rebuilt 537 Ezra 3:1–2
Temple rebuilding begins 536 Ezra 3:8
Adversaries oppose the rebuilding 536–530 Ezra 4:1–5
Temple rebuilding ceases 530–520 Ezra 4:24
Temple rebuilding resumes (2nd year of Darius) 520 Ezra 5:2; compare Hag. 1:14
Temple construction completed (6th year of Darius) 516 Ezra 6:15
Ezra departs from Babylon to Jerusalem (arrives in 7th year of Artaxerxes) 458 Ezra 7:6–9
Men of Judah and Benjamin assemble at Jerusalem 458 Ezra 10:9
Officials conduct three-month investigation 458–457 Ezra 10:16–17
Study Notes

Hag. 1:13–15a Promise and Progress. The people’s general response of fear (v. 12) prompts the prophet’s third statement.

Study Notes
Haggai Fact #2: Temple

Fact: Temple

The temple was the means through which God dwelt with his people in meaningful fellowship (1:13; 2:4–5). It also brought glory and pleasure to God (1:8). Jesus said that he was the final temple, restoring fellowship once more between God and his people (John 2:19–22; Eph. 2:19–22).

Study Notes

Hag. 2:3 Who is left. Some of those who had returned from exile could remember Solomon’s temple, which had been destroyed 66 years earlier (compare Ezra 3:12). Is it not as nothing in your eyes? The people could see that the rebuilt temple would be far inferior to Solomon’s temple.

Study Notes

Hag. 2:4 I am with you. As earlier, God’s presence forms the basis for their ongoing work in the face of discouragement (compare 1:13–14).

Study Notes

Hag. 2:5 The command Fear not is based on the assurance that My Spirit remains in your midst. This is one of the strongest OT statements of God’s ongoing presence among his people.

Haggai Fact #2: Temple

Fact: Temple

The temple was the means through which God dwelt with his people in meaningful fellowship (1:13; 2:4–5). It also brought glory and pleasure to God (1:8). Jesus said that he was the final temple, restoring fellowship once more between God and his people (John 2:19–22; Eph. 2:19–22).

Study Notes

Hag. 2:6 LORD of hosts (five times in vv. 6–9) emphasizes the Lord’s sovereign authority over all things.

Study Notes

Hag. 2:7 God promises to shake all nations so that they will yield the treasures of all nations to adorn the temple. Ultimately, the Lord will fill his house with glory—that is, with his own presence. Many see in this oracle a foreshadowing of events related to the incarnation of Christ (see John 2:20–21) and his second coming (see Rev. 21:22, 24).

Study Notes

Hag. 2:8 God ultimately owns all the wealth of all nations: the silver is mine, and the gold is mine. Therefore it should be used in obedience to him.

Study Notes

Hag. 1:15b–2:9 The Former and Latter Glory of This House. Comparing the temple’s past glory with the present ruins brought discouragement (2:1–3). In this fourth message the people are called to act based on the past (2:4–5). As God moved Israel to build the tabernacle, so he will now move among the nations to provide for the restoration of his house (2:6–9).

Hag. 2:9 The latter glory of this house. The rebuilt temple was later expanded and made quite beautiful by Herod the Great (74–3 B.C.). He used Roman wealth to pay for this project (see vv. 7–8). The fact that Jesus came to this temple also made its glory greater than that of Solomon’s temple.

Study Notes

Hag. 2:11 priests. Haggai directs questions to priests because it is their duty to give a ruling in matters of Mosaic ritual and law (Lev. 10:10–11).

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Hag. 2:13 dead body. One who has contact with a dead body pollutes all that he contacts (Lev. 22:1–9).

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Hag. 2:14 every work of their hands. All that they do is unclean (compare v. 17). there. The temple. It is unclean because they permit a “corpse” (the unfinished temple) to remain in their midst.

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Hag. 2:15 consider (literally, “set your hearts”; compare v. 18 [2x]). They should recall past experience, but also see what God is doing now.

Study Notes

Hag. 2:15–17 The Lord calls the people to reflect upon their economic situation prior to the start of reconstruction. The past lack of agricultural prosperity did not lead to repentance.

Hag. 2:17 I struck. A drastic action motivated by a Father’s love for his children, to encourage them to repent (Deut. 30:1–10; Heb. 12:7–11). to me. Compare Amos 4:9.

Study Notes
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The Hebrew Calendar

The Hebrew Calendar

The Hebrew calendar was composed of 12 lunar months, each of which began when the thin crescent moon was first visible at sunset. They were composed of approximately 29/30 days and were built around the agricultural seasons. Apparently some of the names of the months were changed after the time of Israel’s exile in Babylon (e.g., the first month of Abib changed to Nisan; for dates of the exile, see p. 31). The months of the Hebrew calendar (left column) are compared to the corresponding months of the modern (Gregorian) calendar shown in the center column. Biblical references (in the third column) indicate references to the Hebrew calendar cited in the Bible.

Hebrew Month Gregorian (Modern) Month Biblical References
First Month:
Abib (Preexile)
Nisan (Postexile) 		March–April Ex. 13:4; 23:15; 34:18; Deut. 16:1; Neh. 2:1; Est. 3:7 (compare Gen. 8:13; Ex. 12:2, 18; 40:2, 17; Lev. 23:5; Num. 9:1; 20:1; 28:16; 33:3; Josh. 4:19; 1 Chron. 12:15; 27:2, 3; 2 Chron. 29:3, 17; 35:1; Ezra 6:19; 7:9; 8:31; 10:17; Est. 3:7, 12; Ezek. 29:17; 30:20; 45:18, 21; Dan. 10:4)
Festivals:
14th/15th: Passover (Ex. 12:18; Lev. 23:5)
15th–21st: Unleavened Bread (Ex. 12:14–20; Lev. 23:6)
16th: First Fruits (Lev. 23:9–11)
Second Month:
Ziv (Preexile)
Iyyar (Postexile) 		April–May 1 Kings 6:1, 37 (compare Gen. 7:11; 8:14; Ex. 16:1; Num. 1:1, 18; 9:11; 10:11; 1 Chron. 27:4; 2 Chron. 3:2; 30:2, 13, 15; Ezra 3:8)
Festival:
14th: Later Passover (Num. 9:10–11)
Third Month: Sivan May–June Est. 8:9 (compare Ex. 19:1; 1 Chron. 27:5; 2 Chron. 15:10; 31:7; Ezek. 31:1)
Festivals:
4th: Pentecost [Feast of Weeks] (Lev. 23:15–16)
Fourth Month: Tammuz June–July Ezek. 8:14 (compare 2 Kings 25:3; 1 Chron. 27:7; Jer. 39:2; 52:6; Ezek. 1:1; Zech. 8:19)
Fifth Month: Ab July–August Not mentioned by name in the Bible (compare Num. 33:38; 2 Kings 25:8; 1 Chron. 27:8; Ezra 7:8, 9; Jer. 1:3; 28:1; 52:12; Ezek. 20:1; Zech. 7:3, 5; 8:19)
Sixth Month: Elul August–September Neh. 6:15 (compare 1 Chron. 27:9; Ezek. 8:1; Hag. 1:1, 15)
Seventh Month:
Ethanim (Preexile)
Tishri (Postexile) 		September–October 1 Kings 8:2 (compare Gen. 8:4; Lev. 16:29; 23:24, 27, 34, 39, 41; 25:9; Num. 29:1, 7, 12; 2 Kings 25:25; 1 Chron. 27:10; 2 Chron. 5:3; 7:10; 31:7; Ezra 3:1, 6; Neh. 7:73; 8:2, 14; Jer. 28:17; 41:1; Ezek. 45:25; Hag. 2:1; Zech. 7:5; 8:19)
Festivals:
1st: Trumpets (Lev. 23:24; Num. 29:1)
10th: Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:29–34; 23:27–32)
15th–21st: Booths (Lev. 23:34–40)
22nd: Solemn assembly (Lev. 23:36)
Eighth Month:
Bul (Preexile)
Marchesvan (Postexile) 		October–November 1 Kings 6:38 (compare 1 Kings 12:32, 33; 1 Chron. 27:11; Zech. 1:1)
Ninth Month: Chislev (Kislev) November–December Neh. 1:1; Zech. 7:1 (compare 1 Chron. 27:12; Ezra 10:9; Jer. 36:9, 22; Hag. 2:10, 18)
Festival:
25th: Dedication (John 10:22)
Tenth Month: Tebeth December–January Est. 2:16 (compare Gen. 8:5; 2 Kings 25:1; 1 Chron. 27:13; Ezra 10:16; Jer. 39:1; 52:4; Ezek. 24:1; 29:1; 33:21; Zech. 8:19)
Eleventh Month: Shebat January–February Zech. 1:7 (compare Deut. 1:3; 1 Chron. 27:14)
Twelfth Month: Adar* February–March Ezra 6:15; Est. 3:7, 13; 8:12; 9:1, 15, 17, 19, 21 (compare 2 Kings 25:27; 1 Chron. 27:15; Jer. 52:31; Ezek. 32:1; 32:17)

*Periodically, a 13th month was added so that the lunar calendar would account for the entire solar year.

Study Notes

Hag. 2:10–19 Consider Your Ways: Holiness and Defilement; Repentance and Blessing. In this fifth message, the Lord uses an analogy of ritual holiness and uncleanness to force the priests to think about the spiritual status of the people (vv. 10–14), about past agricultural failures (vv. 15–17), and about their experience since temple restoration began (vv. 18–19).

Hag. 2:19 Is the seed yet in the barn? Although God’s people had already planted their seeds, harvest is still months away. The Lord promises that a plentiful harvest will come. This day is the day when the Lord promised, I will bless you.

Study Notes

Hag. 2:21 The sovereign Lord warns of a coming destruction of nations. shake. Earlier this was for the purpose of gathering the wealth of the nations (vv. 6–7), while here it is tied to the impending destruction of the nations.

Study Notes

Hag. 2:22 chariots . . . riders. . . . go down. An allusion to the destruction of Pharaoh’s army (Ex. 14:22–29).

Study Notes

Hag. 2:20–23 Zerubbabel: The Signet Ring. The sixth and final message from the Lord to Haggai complements the previous word and comes on the same day (vv. 10, 18, 20). It is a vision of trembling creation, overthrown kingdoms, and perishing armies. Ultimately, the vision focuses upon the actions of the divine King. He wears, as a signet ring, the promise of David’s house restored in the person of Zerubbabel.

Hag. 2:23 On that day. This phrase, common in prophetic writings, sets the Lord’s actions in an unspecified future, that is, “the day of the LORD” (Isa. 2:11–20; see note on Amos 5:18–20; see also The Day of the Lord in the Prophets). I will take. The Lord’s actions are underscored by repeating three times declares the LORD [of hosts]. my servant. A title given to individuals selected to accomplish God’s appointed task. It is particularly associated with David or an ideal Davidic king (2 Sam. 3:18; Ps. 89:3; Ezek. 34:23–24). signet ring. A ring that provided evidence of royal authority and ownership. God’s promise to bless his people and the whole world through the house of David still stands (see Matt. 1:1).

Introduction to Haggai

Introduction to Haggai

Timeline

Author and Date

The book of Haggai contains messages delivered by the prophet Haggai, and thus it is reasonable to consider Haggai its author. Nothing is known of his genealogy. The specific mention of the “second year of Darius” (1:1) places the book in the year 520 B.C.

Historical Background

Haggai ministered among the Jews who had returned to Judea after some 70 years of exile in Babylon. The Persian ruler Cyrus the Great captured Babylon in 539 B.C. In 538 he permitted the Jews to return to Jerusalem so that they might rebuild the temple (Ezra 1–2). The work of rebuilding stalled, however, when opposition arose (Ezra 3:1–4:5). Haggai prophesied in an effort to motivate the people to renew their work of temple restoration.

Theme

The work of temple restoration highlights the Lord’s desire to renew a covenant relationship with his people (1:13; 2:4–5).

Key Themes

  1. The restoration of God’s house. A decaying temple signifies a decaying relationship with the Lord. It brings weakness rather than holiness to the people (2:14).
  2. The prophetic word is the divine Word. The prophecy is delivered “by the hand of Haggai” (1:1, 3; 2:1, 10; see 2:20) but it is God’s word (e.g., 1:2, 9, 12, 13).
  3. The Lord is sovereign. The phrase “LORD of hosts” occurs 14 times in the 38 verses of this short book (see 1:2). The Lord gives the divine word, controls the fortunes of his people (1:9; 2:17, 19) and nations (2:6–8), directs nature (1:10), motivates his people to action (1:14; 2:4), and establishes and removes kingdoms (2:20–23).
  4. The people must work. A restored house will bring pleasure and glory to the Lord (1:8) and blessing to the people (2:19), but there is work to be done. Physical labor is urged (1:7–8; 2:4–5). But there is also “heart” work to be done (1:5–7; 2:15–19).
  5. The restoration of David’s house. Zerubbabel, the heir of David, is promised high status (2:23). The Lord, who removed the “ring” of the Davidic house (see Jer. 22:24–27), now promises that he will restore David’s house. The Messiah will come.

Outline

  1. Introduction: Reluctant Rebuilders (1:1–2)
  2. Consider Your Ways: Fruitless Prosperity (1:3–12)
  3. Promise and Progress (1:13–15a)
  4. The Former and Latter Glory of This House (1:15b–2:9)
  5. Consider Your Ways: Holiness and Defilement; Repentance and Blessing (2:10–19)
  6. Zerubbabel: The Signet Ring (2:20–23)

Jerusalem at the Time of Haggai

c. 520 B.C.

Haggai prophesied to the people of Jerusalem after they had returned from Babylon in 538 B.C. The walls and temple of Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. Within a year after returning from Babylon, the people had laid the foundation for the new temple, but by Haggai’s time they had still not completed it. Haggai, together with Zechariah, called upon the people to stop focusing on their own economic well-being and complete the temple.

Jerusalem at the Time of Haggai

The Global Message of Haggai

The Global Message of Haggai

“I am with you, declares the LORD” (Hag. 1:13; also 2:4). In a fallen world, in which it is often difficult to feel God’s presence amid “trials of various kinds” (James 1:2), the message of Haggai to the global church is the promise of the presence of God.

Haggai in Redemptive History

God’s presence in Eden. “And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden” (Gen. 3:8). In Eden, God originally dwelt with mankind in happy fellowship and unhindered harmony. Following the fall into sin, however, that fellowship was fractured and God withdrew (Gen. 3:22–24). The rest of the Bible is the story of God restoring mankind to himself by his own grace and initiative, renewing his presence with them.

God’s presence in the Old Testament. The primary way in which the Lord achieved this renewing in the Old Testament was through the tabernacle and then the temple. The tabernacle was a miniature Eden, complete with sky-blue roof (Ex. 26:31–33) and a lampstand that looked like a flourishing tree, perhaps representing the tree of life in Eden (Ex. 25:31–40). After carrying the tabernacle around with them throughout their wilderness wanderings, Israel finally entered the Promised Land and, under Solomon, built a temple. The temple, like the tabernacle, was God’s house (Hag. 1:9). It was where he dwelt—where fellowship with his people, once fractured, could be restored.

Yet due to Israel’s faithlessness God allowed foreign armies to conquer them and destroy the temple. To ancient Jews the destruction of the temple was the same as if their relationship with the Lord had ended, for it was through the temple and its priesthood that this relationship was maintained.

God’s presence renewed. Remembering all this, we come to Haggai. There we find God calling Zerubbabel and Joshua to rebuild the temple. In his great mercy, God was determined to live among his people once more. The temple would be restored; Governor Zerubbabel, God’s chosen agent for this task, would see to that (Hag. 2:4–5, 21–23). In the course of reassuring his people of his covenant love for them, the Lord says that he is once more going to fill the temple with glory (see 2 Chron. 7:1). What is striking about Haggai’s prophecy is that this will be a glory made up of a multinational extension of his people, as the Lord shakes “all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in” to the temple (Hag. 2:7; compare Rev. 21:24).

God’s final presence. In Christ, God’s presence came one final time, not in a temple built with human hands but in the temple of a human body (John 2:19–22). We no longer enter into a temple of wood and stone to meet with God; God has entered into a temple of flesh and blood to meet with us. Fellowship has been restored. In Christ, the resounding promise of Haggai—“I am with you” (Hag. 1:13; 2:4)—is decisively fulfilled. Indeed, the final promise of Christ to his followers is this very thing: “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20).

Universal Themes in Haggai

The global dimensions of God’s restored presence. In Isaiah’s vision, as he saw the Lord high and exalted in the temple, the seraphim declared that “the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isa. 6:3). This harks back to the original mandate given to mankind—to multiply and to subdue and rule over the whole earth in such a way that the glory of God would be spread across it (Gen. 1:26–28; Isa. 43:6–7). In Haggai we then read that the restored temple-presence of God would be adorned with the treasures of all the diverse cultures of the world (Hag. 2:7). The global display of God’s glory, lost at the fall, will be recovered when God restores his temple-presence among his people. In Christ, who extends mercy to both Jew and Gentile, this international restoration comes to fruition (Matt. 12:18; Luke 2:32).

God’s mighty sovereignty over all things. God is called “the LORD of hosts” fourteen times in Haggai, despite the short length of this prophetic book. “Hosts” here is a military term, referring to armies. Regardless of the seeming sovereignty of the Babylonian army in conquering much of the known world, including little Judah, Babylon is not sovereign; God, “the LORD of hosts,” rules over all. He determines the state of his people (Hag. 1:9; 2:17, 19) as well as of the nations of the world (2:6–8). He oversees nature (1:10; 2:19), compels his people to action (1:14; 2:4), and raises up and brings down whole kingdoms (2:20–23). His mighty arm reaches into every corner of the globe, doing all that he pleases for his great name and for the welfare of his people.

The Global Message of Haggai for Today

The chaos of the modern world—morally, politically, economically—can easily erode the church’s sense of God’s mighty presence and providence. Yet as we trace the biblical story of God’s presence with his people—from Eden to the tabernacle and temple to Christ himself and ultimately to the new earth—we see that what seems like the silence of God is not the absence of God. The Lord has always graciously walked with his people, even when his ways are hidden and difficult to understand.

The supreme example of God’s mercy in the midst of painful circumstances is the cross of Christ—where, at the very moment when the forces of hell seemed most victorious, they were being decisively defeated (Col. 2:14–15).

Believers all around the world today can take heart in God’s determined resolve to be present with his people. “I am with you,” we read in Haggai. In Jesus and in the gift of the indwelling Spirit, these words are decisively fulfilled. Even now he is creating for himself a people from every tribe and nation. They will bring their treasures into the new earth, to that final paradise where no temple is needed, the restored Eden (Hag. 2:7; Rev. 21:22–24)—in everlasting, perfect fellowship with him.

Haggai

Haggai

When the people of God returned from their lengthy exile in Babylon, Jerusalem was in ruins. Within a short time they laid the foundation for a new temple, but they quickly grew discouraged and began focusing instead on their own homes. By Haggai’s time, nearly 20 years later, the temple was still unfinished. God used Haggai to encourage the people to finish rebuilding the temple: “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” (1:4). Haggai encouraged the disheartened people of Judah with the message that the God of Israel had not abandoned them. His Spirit was still in their midst, and he would fulfill his promise to bless the whole world through them. (Haggai 2:4–9)

The Day of the Lord in the Prophets

The Day of the Lord in the Prophets

The Day of the Lord in the Prophets

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Dive Deeper | Haggai 1-2

Have you ever felt compelled to change your thinking or behavior after a powerful sermon but never followed through? You decided to do it the next day, every day. It wasn't the right time. It required too much effort. It was too risky. God just needed to do more convincing. This was how the returned Israelite exiles felt, too.

At the very outset, the prophet Haggai presents the Lord's accusation against his people: "Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD." (Haggai 1:2) While it was God who initiated restoration for his people and brought them back, they in turn developed an attitude of negligence toward him. It's not that the Israelites did not want to rebuild the temple, they were just convinced it wasn't the right time. While they hesitated with God's dwelling place, they did not hesitate with their own (Haggai 1:4). Hence, God confronted their misplaced priorities. He called for immediate obedience. They desired to be obedient, but not yet.

Like the Israelites in Haggai, Jesus' followers in Luke 9:57-62 had more pressing matters than committing to God. And like Yahweh in Haggai, Jesus confronted them with their misplaced priorities and urged immediate obedience. They desired to be obedient, but not yet.

Today, the Bible confronts us with our misplaced priorities. We desire to be obedient, but not yet. We want to address sinful habits, but the Monday blues keep us away from re:generation. We want thriving marriages, but we'd rather pursue the promotion at work more than oneness with our spouse and participation in re|engage. We want to pray with our kids, but maybe it'll be less awkward tomorrow. We know God calls everyone to serve, but we wait for a personal invitation.

While God confronts his people's negligence, he always meets their obedience with his covenantal love, abiding presence, and future promise (Haggai 1:13; 2:4-9, 20-23). Will we make God's priorities, our priorities?

This month's memory verse

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (NIV)

– Matthew 11:28-30

Discussion Questions

1. What do you think are God's priorities for your life?

2. In what areas do you put off timely obedience to God? Why?

3. List one or two steps you will take today to respond to God's priority for your life. Share this with your community group or family.