Haggai This Is a Guideline

Haggai

This is a guideline and template only. Please do not use as a final turn-in paper.

Much speculation appears in resources concerning who Haggai was, but what we think we know is that he was a man of influence in his time. He was probably born in Babylon during the time of the captivity of the Jews, and, later, became a prophet of the temple in Jerusalem, according to the NIV Bible. His ability to communicate his message seems to be extraordinary. We can place his text, and prophecy, to a specific period of short duration -- late August to late December, 520 B.C. Haggai probably returned to Jerusalem as part of the first release of Jews from the Babylonian captivity in about 536 B.C.

He was the first of three prophets, also including Zechariah and Malachi, whose ministries took place after the return from the captivity in Babylon. He was a pastor to the Jewish people and, evidently, tuned to their hearts. He continually tried to assure his flock of the presence of the Lord, and to encourage them. The historical setting is that, in 538 B.C., Cyrus, King of Persia, decreed that the Jews in captivity in Babylon could return to Jerusalem to rebuild Solomon's temple. Approximately 50,000 Jews were released and began work on the temple. Two years later, they had completed the foundation and found cause to rejoice and celebrate. The celebration angered their neighbors, the Samaritans, among others, who were afraid of a Jewish-built temple in Jerusalem. They protested to the King of Persia and were able to put off the work until Darius the Great became King in 522 B.C.

However, Darius was interested in religions of the world and allowed the Jews to finish the temple after hearing the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah, which put an end to the laziness and inactivity of the Jews, and the temple was completed in 516 B.C. This is the importance of, and the reason for, Haggai's writings -- his exhortations to the religious leaders and the Jews to rebuild the temple.

Haggai's messages consisted of a call to rebuild the temple of God, encouragement to do so, and promises from Yahweh (God) that He would bless them if they completed it. His audience was the people, Zerubbabel, who led the first contingent of Jews out of the Babylon captivity, and Joshua, son of Nun and the man Moses appointed his assistant. He encouraged the people to stop wasting time and build the temple. They were convinced that it was not the right time to build the temple. However, their response was obedience.

Haggai's last message was more specifically for Zerubbabel from God. It said that God is going to overthrow the nations of the earth, and, when he does, He will make Zerubbabel a ruler under Him.

Before Haggai' first message, the people were suffering because God was not blessing them. Their relationship with God was not close. They had lost their faith, had a bad attitude and were putting off His work of building the temple. They were disobedient. They were not growing enough crop to live and did not have much to eat or drink. They had little clothing and not enough money. Haggai explained to them that Yahweh was working against them because they preferred going to their own homes and resting rather than building God's temple.