We are going from Hosea to Haggai – from impending captivity to freedom in rebuilding our temples for God’s glory. I don’t know about you guys but I am thrilled!!! I think it is a definite WOO-HOO!!!
Nine of the twelve Minor Prophets lived and preached before the Jews captivity in Babylon took place. They warned God’s people against the impending judgment. The last three however – Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi - lived and preached after the Jews return out of captivity. Haggai was the first prophet who ministered to the exiles after they had returned to Palestine from Babylon and his God-given focus was on rebuilding the temple. Interestingly, any time God calls a soul out of “captivity”, “Egypt”, bondage to sin, His desire is for us to focus on the buildings of our temples. When one becomes a believer, unfortunately, they do not automatically become like Billy Graham (or any other saint you would like to name.) Our Christlikeness and faith is built one obedient step at a time. It is a process of continuing to do the next right thing. We are all works in progress. God desires for us to be conformed to the image of His Son through the power of the Holy Spirit and therefore our desire should be to fill His house (our vessels) with His glory. We are to prepare our temples. Paul tells us:
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV)
The precise dates given for each of Haggai’s prophetic messages enable the events of this book to be dated more accurately than perhaps any other book in the whole Bible. Haggai ministered between the months of August and December in 520 B.C. – just four months. Certain statements indicate that Haggai was likely born before the temple built by Solomon was destroyed in 586 B.C. This would indicate that he was very old at the time he prophesized, and perhaps his death may account for the brevity of his ministry.
Haggai’s name means “my feast” or “my festival”. I love that as it should give us much joy to prepare our temples for our Lord. Uniquely among the Minor Prophets, Haggai’s message was directed almost exclusively to two people: Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest.
In 586 BC Nebuchadrezzar overran the Middle East besieging and capturing Jerusalem, destroying the temple and carrying off most of the city’s inhabitants to Babylon. Seventy years later, as God would have it, the exile ended in a remarkable way. By then Babylon had been declining in power and had been overthrown by Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire. Finding that he had to control countless foreigners who had been uprooted from their homelands and held in exile in Babylon, he issued a decree allowing them to return home and reinstate their national gods. Yet Cyrus’ surprising decision was not merely politically useful, it was the fulfilment of an astonishing prophecy made by Isaiah two hundred years earlier:
24 “This is what the Lord says-- your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself, 25 who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense, 26 who carries out the words of his servants and fulfills the predictions of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘It shall be inhabited,’ of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be built,’ and of their ruins, ‘I will restore them,’ 27 who says to the watery deep, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up your streams,’ 28 who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please;’ he will say of Jerusalem, ‘Let it be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Let its foundations be laid.’” Isaiah 44:24-28 (NIV)
Cyrus was serving God's purposes as if he were God's shepherd. He was simply a pawn in the hand of Almighty God. The Jews deliverance was in God’s plan long before Cyrus arrived on the scene.
“Cyrus stepped onto the world stage without any idea of the only God whose tool he was to be.” J. A. Motyer
Two verses come to my mind making me pause and give thought to my life and ways and the very purpose for which I am here – and it is not merely to take up space and entertain myself to death. There is a plan for my life and I am to walk in it both for my good and God’s glory. We are studying the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s words below:
10 This is what the Lord says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity. Jeremiah 29:10-14 (NIV)
10 The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. 11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. 12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance. 13 From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; 14 from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth-- 15 he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. 16 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. 17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. 18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, 19 to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. 20 We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. 21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you. Psalms 33:10-22 (NIV)
Sadly, not all the Jews wanted to accept Cyrus’ offer. Babylon had become their home and almost all had been born there. Comfortable in the known they kept put. I wonder how often we miss God’s best for our lives because of comfort. We don’t want to force ourselves out of our comfort zones and end up missing why we are even here. God does not need me – any old rock will do! His plans will be accomplished. I am the one who misses out if I choose not to do His bidding. Comfort can be quite a foe against God’ best. It is hard to blame them as their homeland would have been in a pretty sorry state at this point – yet it was still their homeland. Some 50,000, however, jumped at the offer to return with Zerubbabel, who had been the governor of Jerusalem at the time of the exile, and joined also by the High Priest Joshua son of Jehozadak.
As soon as they had settled back in Jerusalem this remnant began the mammoth task of rebuilding the temple. At first, everything went well. In about two years the foundations were laid, the altar was built and worship services were reinstated, but trouble was looming. Opposition began from the outside making the people loose heart and get preoccupied with their own affairs. This grinded a halt to the project for about 16 years. Ezra tells us:
1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, 2 they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, "Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here." 3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, "You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us." 4 Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building. 5 They hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia. Ezra 4:1-5 (NIV)
It was during this time that God raises up His prophets Haggai and Zechariah to join with Zerubbabel in both encouraging the Jews and reigniting the people’s enthusiasm to revive the good work and drive it on to completion. This work had been both impeded by its enemies and neglected by its friends. So often many distractions keep us from doing what God has set forth for us to do. Pressures, demands, expectations, and tasks can push in from all sides assaulting our schedules soon leaving us with little left to give. It’s the tyranny of the urgent over the important. To be sure, God is always desirous of our firstfruits. He is to be our first priority.
Read Christ Tiegreen: January 2
On priorities, Dr. Richard Swenson suggested the following principles (of which I have salt and peppered a bit!) in establishing and guarding priorities:
“Your days never fail to betray your priorities.” Ann Voskamp (Neither will your checkbooks or day-timers for that matter!)
“Your relationship with God ought to bring you more joy, satisfaction, and pleasure than any other relationship, activity, or material possession you have. God places this important requirement for those who pray: that we seek His priorities and make them our own. As we find joy in the Lord, we will see what is truly important, and we will long for these things as the Father does.” Henry Blackaby, Richard Blackaby
“Which aspects of your thoughts, priorities and actions declare that you exist for God’s service and glory?” Francis Chan
Remember:
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
“When Jesus is the axle around whom all the spokes of your priorities revolve, when He is the very center of your life, all other priorities will fall into place as everything begins to revolve around Him. When Jesus is at the center of the priority wheel, we will give Him the first fruit of the day—not the rotten, leftover fruit of our time and energy. We will make decisions with His will in mind rather than our own.” Michael Youssef
We must beware as our actions often belie our words. We may say God is number one, but then we relegate Him to a lesser number on our “to-do” lists. Our actions will demonstrate our priorities. We will discover as we put Him first, all things under Him line up. When we forget our purpose we will lose our priorities. Remember Jesus’ Words in the Sermon on the Mount at the end of His discussion about not worrying:
31 “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:31-34 (NIV)
We are to put Him first and He will take care of the rest. Haggai was used to call this remnant back to God’s values and priorities. God has a rightful claim on our lives and our priorities. Four years after Haggai’s prophecy the temple was completed and dedicated.
Haggai began his prophecy about two months before Zechariah yet, as stated, his was a short prophetic period - his prophecies recorded were delivered within four months in the second year of King Darius. It was King Darius who removed the prohibition for the rebuilding of the temple allowing the Jews to go back. Zechariah, however, continued on about two years longer at the work. Both of these prophets held a great honor in that they prophesied of Christ. Haggai spoke of Him as the “glory of the present house” and Zechariah as “the man” “the branch”. In them the light of that morning star shone more brightly as they now began to see Christ’s day approaching.
Haggai’s ministry focused upon urging God’s people to be obedient, especially in the rebuilding of the temple. His words are a reminder to us as well that we are to complete the work we have received in the Lord. Colossians tells us:
17 Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord.” Colossians 4:17 (NIV)
God expects us to complete what He has given us to do. Paul states:
24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. Acts 20:24 (NIV)
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (NIV)
Even Jesus stated “It is finished” at the end of His sojourn here.
Haggai is the second smallest book in the Old Testament but the prophet’s message was urgent, clear and uncompromising. It also came with ultimate authority. Haggai uses the phrases “Thus says the Lord of hosts”, “The word of the Lord came” and similar terms over twenty times in thirty-eight verses. There can be only a few passages in the Bible in which the divine authority of the human writer’s words is more constantly emphasized. Haggai is a clear reminder to us that the authority of the Bible comes not from the caliber of its human authors but from the character of its divine Author.
“The shortest road to an understanding of the Bible is the acceptance of the fact that God is speaking in every line.” Donald Grey Barnhouse
I love that about God! Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians bring this lowly girl much hope when he states:
26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (NIV)
The effect of Haggai’s message was dramatic. Both leaders and people alike obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and God blessed their obedience. This made Haggai and Zechariah two of very few prophets who saw obvious and outstanding results from their ministries.
These are Beth’s personal notes, due to this fact sources are not often stated.