Haggai— First Things First
11.16.22
“Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,” says the LORD; “and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,” says the LORD, “and work; for I am with you,” says the LORD of hosts. (Haggai 2:4)
Haggai is among what are called the ‘post-exilic prophets.’ This also includes Zechariah and Malachi. They prophesied to the 50,000 or so people who had returned to the land of Israel after the completion of the seventy-years in the land of Babylon. Haggai encouraged the people to rebuild the Temple. Zechariah saw many visions regarding Israel’s future. Malachi, about 100 years after the other two, tried to correct the moral and spiritual problems plaguing the nation.
Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian empire had taken the Jewish nation captive in 605 and again in 586 BC. He wanted to amalgamate the Jews into his country and culture. To prevent them from returning home, he destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. The Jews were captives in Babylon for seventy years.
Haggai was likely born during those seventy years of captivity. He returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel and Ezra and the first group of Jews. Persia had conquered Babylon and the Emperor Cyrus commanded the Jews to return to their land. Haggai means ‘festive.’
We know for certain that he wrote in 520 BC for he tells us that he wrote during the second year of the Persian leader Darius. His prophecies, given over a four-month period, are set against the backdrop of Ezra 5, 6. His is the second shortest book in the OT.
Zerubbabel, who was in the Davidic line, had been appointed the governor of the former Jewish region by Darius. Joshua was their spiritual leader. Together they reinstated the feasts and laid the foundations of the Temple. But because of indifference and opposition [clearly presented in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah], the work on the Temple had ceased. After fourteen years had passed, God raised up Haggai and Zechariah to encourage the people to finish the task of completing the temple. The key verse above expresses this well.
Why was the temple so important? For at least three reasons. One, it was Israel’s national symbol. Two, it was her place of worship. Most important, it was the place where it was prophesied that Jesus would one day enter and minister.
The command, “consider your ways” is repeated twice (1:5; 1:7). The remnant who had returned was selfishly pre-occupied with their own affairs, their own dwellings, at the expense of failing to finish restoring the house of the LORD. The work had ceased for fourteen years. The foundations were littered and had begun to grow over with weeds.
The people were quite discouraged. Living in the Promised Land had not lived up to their romantic imagination. It involved the rigors of pioneer life. Haggai offers sharp rebukes for the neglect to rebuild the temple, coupled with cheering exhortations and promises for those undertaking the work (2:4).
His message is ‘first things first.’ Jesus stated the same principle: But seek ye first the kingdom and God and his righteousness; and all these things will be added unto you (Matt 6:33).
Christ is seen as the restorer of the temple’s glory (2:4-9), and the one who will sit one day upon David’s throne in Jerusalem, pictured by the signet ring given to Zerubbabel (2:22, 23)! He alone is worthy of our love, submission, and worship