BOOK OF HAGGAI
 

The author is the only person named Haggai in the Old Testament. His name means “festive” or “festal.” He is mentioned by Ezra (Ezra 5.1; 6.4), but nothing is known of his personal life. Haggai was the first post-exilic prophet who ministered to the remnant that had returned from the Babylonian captivity. His prophecy is clearly dated in 520 BC, the second year of Persian King Darius.
Haggai was sent by God to awaken the people from their lethargy to undertake the restoration of the temple in Jerusalem after Persian King Darius gave them permission to return and rebuild. His prophecy begins with the restoration of the temple, but goes on to describing the Lord Jesus Christ, the future establishment of God’s kingdom, the judgment of God on ungodly world powers, and the blessing awaiting nations that willingly return to God. When reading the prophets we should always try to understand them in their historical (that time), personal (our lives), and prophetic (future) context.

1. Rebuke of Indifference 1.1-6 - The people are urged to build the temple, call to serious reflection.

In the second year of Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel, the Governor, and Joshua, the High Priest. The Lord sees that the people in the land think the time has not come to rebuild the temple. They are comfortable in their own homes while the House of God lies in ruins. The Lord tells them they have sowed much and reaped little, eaten without being satisfied, clothed themselves but are not warmed, and what they earn does not purchase much.

The year is 520 BC, it is the sixth month, the month of Elul, and it is the first day of the month. In ancient times kings issued decrees on the new moon, or the first day of the month. It is interesting to note that the month of Elul is an important month on God’s calendar. This is a month of reflection and the sounding of the warning shofar (trumpet) that the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah) and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) are approaching. Prophetically the month of Elul is a preparatory month for the festivals that occur in the next month--Tishri--The feasts of Trumpets and Day of Atonement, serious end time rehearsals. In the month of Elul the shofar is blown each day as a warning that the Feast of Trumpets is approaching.

The fact that this word comes to Haggai at this time is prophetically important in the historical and prophetical context. The Lord, through Haggai, is warning the people that they are too comfortable and need to wake up to the work the Lord has for them to do. Their religious life and culture cannot function properly without the temple services. They have been complacent. The trumpets of Elul are a wake up call. God cannot return to their lives without a temple. Note that Solomon’s Temple was dedicated at the Feast of Tabernacles 1 Kings 8.

Today the Lord is calling His people to rebuild their temples. We are His temple, He lives within us. We need to seek the Lord in a deeper way so that His temple (our bodies) will be holy and consecrated to Him. God is restoring all things and the trumpets of Elul should be recognized as a wake up call to prepare ourselves. Momentous times are directly ahead of us. Prophetically in our day the Laodicean church is an example of the church today. Rev 3.14-22.

2. Israel’s chastening from God 1.7-11

The Lord continues to chastise His people. “Go up to the hills, get timber, rebuild my house and I will look on it with favor and be glorified,” they are told. They have been expecting much, but doing little. The Lord says he has “blown” on what they have labored for--blown it away in the wind. The Lord’s House is in ruins while they all run to the comfort of their own homes. That, they are told, is why it does not rain and drought conditions are in the land.

The Lord is chastising His people for their lack of motivation. He is using the weather to chastise them. Now He has sent His word through the prophet Haggai. The trumpets of Elul are blowing! In our personal lives we often get comfortable with things the way they are. Sometimes we get caught up in the cares of life and our spiritual life suffers. The Lord knows this happens and sends us someone or something to rouse us up and return us to Him. “Rise up, my fair one, and come away!” Prophetically the exhortation to the Laodicean church (Rev 3.18-22) is what the Lord is saying to His church today. The temple service must be restored for the people to prosper. So our temple must be in order.

3. Obedience of the nation 1.12-15

Zerubbabel, Joshua, and all the people respond to the word Haggai is giving. “I am with you declares the Lord”, he tells them. The people are aroused and begin to work on rebuilding the temple on the twenty fourth day of the month of Elul, just before the beginning of the month of Tishri.

The people respond and begin to work! This is what the Lord desires of us. When we hear Him call get up and get to work. There is much to be done. Ask the Lord how you can prepare for the work He is calling you to do. Prophetically we see how the Philadelphia church in Revelation acted as an example for us today. Rev 3.7-13

4. Encouragement for building 2.1-5 - The glory of the new temple

On the twenty-first day of the seventh month (Tishri) another word from the Lord is given to the people through Haggai. He asks them who among them saw the glory of the first temple? How does this temple compare? It must seem as nothing compared to the first temple. Zerubbabel, the Governor, Joshua, the High Priest, and all the people are exhorted to be strong and take action! The spirit of the Lord is in their midst--God is with them in this endeavor.

The 21^st of Tishri would have been the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). The Feast of Tabernacles is a joyous seven day feast that follows the Feast of Trumpets (Warning Blasts) and the Day of Atonement (Wrath, redemption, and judgment of God). The people have heard the trumpet, they have taken the word seriously as the times require, and they have celebrated the undertaking during Sukkot (Tabernacles).

This book is prophetic towards the end time. Historically the people have heard the warning trumpet (Haggai, the meaning of the month of Elul, and Yom Teruah), they have responded positively by taking the warning seriously (Feast of Trumpets), and have repented of their casualness (Day of Atonement), and then joyously celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles before beginning the work of restoration. This is a symbol or type of how the Lord wants His people to react and be prepared to endure the tribulation and persecution at the end of the age. Then His glory will be revealed to the world in His temple--we are the temple, His body!

5. Promise of future glory 2.6-9

The Lord promises in a little while He will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all the nations. The precious things of all the nations will flow here and fill His Temple with His glory! The silver and the gold belong to the Lord and this latter House will be greater than the former one declares the Lord.

Historically the Lord was promising His people blessing in this new temple. This temple would become the place where Jesus would be dedicated and teach during His ministry. The glory of all nations would come to hear Him. Prophetically it is a picture of the temple we are becoming in the Lord. All will be shaken at the end of the age and the Millennial Kingdom will be a time when the earth is filled with the knowledge and glory of the Lord. In the New Jerusalem the Lord becomes the temple. Rev 21 All governments and their systems are being shaken today!

6. Clean and unclean in Levitical matters 2.10-14 - Unfaithfulness reproved

On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month (Kislev) in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord again comes to Haggai. The Lord tells Haggai to get a ruling from the priests on some Levitical issues. The Lord is testing them on their knowledge of clean and unclean. Their answers are satisfactory and show proper knowledge. They have responded faithfully and are experiencing the Lord’s blessing on their efforts.

This divine communication comes on the 24^th of Kislev, three months to the day from when the people began the joyous work of rebuilding the temple after the Feast of Tabernacles. This date would later become significant as the eve of the celebration of Hanukkah which begins on 25 Kislev. This pronouncement would begin the purification of the temple or any altar that had been established prior to completion of the temple. The Lord desires our temple (bodies) are pure and dedicated to Him. We are not to tolerate sin in our lives--we are to be pure in heart.

Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights that would later celebrate the victory of the Maccabees over Antiochus in 167 BC.

This festival celebrates the Menorah burning for eight days with a one day supply of oil. Jesus is the light of the world and He was conceived by Mary on the 25^th of Kislev. God has an appointed time for every prophetic event. Jesus would later proclaim these truths in this physical temple. John 8.12; John 10.22-39

7. The application of these truths 2.15-19

Now the Lord tells the people to think back on how nothing they did prior to beginning the rebuilding of the Temple profited them. They were defiled because of their disobedience. They experienced no yield from all their labor--they were struck with mildew, blight, and hail. They are told from this day onward, the 24^th of Kislev, they will prosper because they are obeying. The temple service will bring their lives back into God’s proper balance. Their “dress rehearsals” (of the end time feasts) have brought them blessings!

This applies to our walk. If we are in tune and obeying the Lord and walking in His Torah, obeying His commands (1 John 5.1-3) we will be blessed and our lives will prosper. If we constantly kick against the pricks we will struggle. Our hearts must be pure and circumcised. If our hearts are right God will bless us in our work and lives. God desires to bless His people even in difficult times--we are to abide in Him and defeat sin in our lives through obedience to Him and the word. This as we know is an ongoing process.

8. God’s future blessing for Zerubbabel 2.20-23 - The coming of the ideal age

The word of the Lord comes a second time to Haggai on the 24^th of Kislev. He speaks to the Governor, Zerubbabel, telling him that the Lord is going to shake the heavens and the earth, will overturn the thrones of kingdoms, and destroy the might of the nations. God will overturn their chariots and drivers each by the sword of their brothers. On that day, Zerubbabel, the servant of the Lord, will be a signet--one chosen by God.

Historically the Lord is declaring that this temple will see or witness the shaking of the nations. As mentioned earlier this is where Jesus would teach, where He would be dedicated. This would be an earth shaking event. Zerubbabel’s faithfulness in rebuilding will make this all possible. Zerubbabel also represents the lineage of King David and our Lord Jesus Christ and His lineage with David. When we came to know the Lord it shook our world!

Prophetically in our time, a generation will see the shaking of the earth and the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom. The power of the nations will be overturned as they fight against each other and the Lord’s people at Armageddon. It’s not by might or by power, but by my spirit says the Lord. The end of the age will culminate in the return of God’s signet--the Lord Yeshua! All of this is what we rehearse when celebrating the fall feasts of the Lord: Trumpets (Yom Teruah), Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and Tabernacles (Sukkot). The sound of the last trumpet, the redemption of God’s people (and wrath on the wicked), and the wedding feast of the Bride and Groom.