Graphics of Haggai


Contents

  1. 1 Vital statistics
  2. 2 The Rulers and Prophets of Haggai's Time 
  3. 3 Short-Term Consulting, Long-Term Results
  4. 4 Haggai  2:6-7 & 2:21-22
  5. 5 Haggai
  6. 6 The Blueprint



Haggai's Time

 Babylon overthrown by CyrusCyrus's decree allowing the exiles to return Temple construction begins Temple work hated  Haggai. Zechariah become prophets; Temple work resumedTemple completed 
539 B.C. 538  536 530520  516






Vital statistics



 Purpose: To call the people to complete the rebuilding of the Temple  
 Author: Haggai
 Original audience: The people living in Jerusalem and those who had returned from exile
 Date written: 520 B.C. 
 Setting: The Temple in Jerusalem had been destroyed in 558 B.C. Cyrus had allowed the Jews to return to their homeland and rebuild their temple in 538 B.C. They had begun the work but had been unable to complete it. Through the ministry of Haggai and Zechariah, the Temple was completed (520-516 B.C.) 
 Key verse: "Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins?" (1:4)  
 Key people: Haggai, Zerubbabel, Jeshua 
 Key place: Jerusalem
 Special features:  Haggai was the first of the postexilic prophets. The other two were Zechariah and Malachi. The literary style of this book is simple and direct. 





The Rulers and Prophets of Haggai's Time 


570560550540530520510500490480470460450440430420410

Kings of Persia

Cyrus     539-530

Cambyses 530-521         
Smerdis         

Darius the Mede 539-525

Darius I Hystaspes     521                 486

Ahasuerus (Xerxes)486     464

Artaxerxers I                     464                  423

 
 

Three Returns from the Exile

 Fall of Babylon 539Temple w resumed520Vashty deposed 483 2 Ezra returns 458 
 1 Zerubbabel returns begins 536 Esther Queen 478  3 Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem and rebuilds the walls in 52 days.  445
  Temple work stopped 534 Feast of Purim 473 
    Temple finished 516    
   

Book of Ezra         538 516

    

Book of Ether         483 473

 Ezra457  Chapters 7-71Book of Nehemiah445    415  
          
          
   

Chapters 1-6

            
                 

Daniel and 70-years Jewish Captivity

 

HAGGAI 520 505

      

Malachi      435 415?

  
         
 

 520    Zechariah    489

        
             
570560550540530520510500490480470460450440430420410





Short-Term Consulting, Long-Term Results


1:15 Consulting tends to involve short-term assignments. A consultant signs on to a project, completes the work specified in the contract, and then moves on. In this sense, the prophet Haggai acted like a “consultant” for God in helping the stalled project of rebuilding the temple to get going again. His entire “contract” called for about four months of work, as follows:
Date
Description of Service
August 29, 520 b. c.
Presented a status report of the situation and helped the people see why failure to complete the temple was a problem (Hag. 1:1–11).
September 21, 520 b. c.
Reaffirmed the Lord’s commitment to help the people; construction was restarted (Hag. 1:12–15).
October 17, 520 b. c.
Reviewed the long-term significance of the project, promising that the new temple would have greater glory than the old; this message brought hope and encouragement to the project team and its leaders (Hag. 2:1–9).
December 18, 520 b. c.
Announced that God would start blessing the people again in light of the work being accomplished (Hag. 2:10–19).
December 18, 520 b. c.
Presented a message to Zerubbabel concerning God’s plan to “shake heaven and earth, ” and the news that Zerubbabel was chosen as a part of God’s purposes (Hag. 2:20–23).
Word in life study Bible . 1997, c1996 (electronic ed.) (Hag 1.15). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.




Haggai  2:6-7 & 2:21-22


Salvation
(Hag. 2:6–7)
Judgment
(Hag. 2:21–22)
“Once more … I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory. ”
“I will shake heaven and earth. I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I will destroy the strength of the Gentile kingdoms. I will overthrow the chariots and those who ride in them; the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. ”
Word in life study Bible . 1997, c1996 (electronic ed.) (Gn 1.1). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.





Haggai


Served as a prophet to Judah about 520 B.C., after the return from exile.
 
 CLIMATE OF THE TIMES


   The people of Judah had been exiled to Babylon in 586 B.C., and Jerusalem and the Temple had been destroyed. Under Cyrus, king of Persia, the Jews were allowed to return to Judah and rebuild their Temple. 

 
 MAIN MESSAGE

 
  The people returned to Jerusalem to begin rebuilding the Temple, but they hadn't finished. Haggai's message encouraged the people to finish rebuilding God's Temple.

 
 IMPORTANCE OF MESSAGE

 
  The Temple lay half-finished while the people lived in beautiful homes. Haggai warned them against putting their possessions and jobs ahead of God. We must put God first in our lives.
  
  
 CONTEMPORARY PROPHET

 
  Zechariah (52-480 B.C.)






The Blueprint



   1) THE CALL TO REBUILT THE TEMPLE (1:1-15)

  2) ENCOURAGEMENT TO COMPLETE THE TEMPLE (2:1-23) 		 
   When the exiles first returned from Babylon they set about rebuilding the Temple right away. Although they began the right attitudes, they slipped back into wrong behavior, and the work came to a standstill. We need to be on guard to keep our priorities straight. Remain active in your service to God and continue to put first things first.