Saturday, February 25, 2012

The Book of Haggai

During a four month period in 520 BC, Haggai delivered the four brief but firm messages recorded in this book. These messages had two primary purposes: 1. to encourage Zerubbabel and Joshua to get the people moving toward rebuilding the temple and, 2. to challenge and motivate the people to rearrange their lives and priorities in order to revive their spiritual concerns. It was time to restart the work on God's temple. If they renewed their devotion to God and His purposes, they would see the return of His presence and His blessings.


The book contains four messages, each of which is introduced by the phrase, "the word of the Lord." Haggai first issued a harsh challenge to the former exiles for being preoccupied with their own concerns. He pointed out how beautifully they had finished their own houses while God's house remained in ruins. Twice the prophet urged them to "give careful thought "to their ways." He then made it clear that much of the difficulty they had encountered recently was a result of God having withdrawn His blessing from them because of their spiritual neglect. In response to Haggai's message, Zerubbabel, Joshua and all the people were overcome with a godly fear; as a result, they restarted the work on God's temple.


Four major features characterize the book of Haggai. 1. It was the first clear prophetic message heard in Judah following the Babylonian exile. 2. It is the second shortest Old Testament book; Obadiah is the shortest. 3. The phrase "this is what the Lord almighty says", and its variations, occurs 29 times, pointing out the urgency of the message for those who had returned to Jerusalem. 4. It contains one of the boldest prophecies in the Old Testament about God's presence among His people. This prophecy has two main applications. The first, was in reference to the time when Christ Himself would come to the earthly temple, making God's presence in the place more evident than ever before. The second application has to do with the time when Christ will return to earth to judge the nations and reign among His people.

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