Bible

In the Bible room today, we are reading the summaries of the two chapters of the book of Haggai.

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Haggai

Introduction to Haggai:

Writer: Haggai.

Scope: In 522 b.c. Haggai and Zechariah are among the exiles in Babylon when Darius the Great becomes king of the Persian Empire. Two years later, 520 b.c., Haggai hears the word of the Lord. His ministry covers only a few months during which the Lord directs Zerubbabel and Joshua to take a remnant of His people back to Jerusalem to complete rebuilding the temple.

Chapter 1. Listening

Haggai’s prophecy begins in the second year, sixth month of Darius’s reign:

• Zerubbabel is the governor of Judah, and Joshua is the high priest;
• The Lord tells the prophet to preach to Zerubbabel and Joshua;
• He begins the word of the Lord by asking them a pointed question:
• “How can you live in fine houses while the temple lies in ruins?”
• The Lord tells them to think about what they have been doing;
• They have been spending their time doing meaningless endeavors;
• He tells them they should be gathering materials for the temple;
• The Lord says He is not going to let them rest easy in their homes;
• He is going to make changes in their lives to get them to move;
• Zerubbabel and Joshua are listening to the prophet;
• The Lord reassures His uncertain people: “I am with you”;
• Twenty-four days later the stage is set for the trip to Jerusalem.

Chapter 2. Blessed

Through the prophet, the Lord tells His people they will be blessed:

• Three weeks into their work on the temple, the Lord speaks again;
• He asks how many of them saw the temple before it was destroyed;
• And how they feel about what’s left of it now, nearly nothing;
• He says they will need to be strong, and not get discouraged;
• The Lord reassures them He will be with them in their work;
• Just as He was with them when they came out of Egyptian slavery;
• Now, they can work on building the temple and not be afraid;
• There will be a time when the Lord will shake up the nations;
• And they will come to see the new, greater, glory-filled temple;
• In that day there will be peace over the land;
• For his final sermon, Haggai receives the word of the Lord;
• It is now three months plus twenty-four days after he first spoke;
• This time the Lord reminds His people that they are all unclean;
• He recounts how He has punished them for their disobedience;
• But the Lord says from now on He will bless His people;
• Then the Lord tells Haggai to speak to Zerubbabel;
• He is to tell him the Lord will destroy all the Gentile kingdoms;
• Tell him the Lord calls him His special servant;
• And He has chosen him to be like His signet ring.

End of the summary of the book of Haggai.