Introduction

Haggai (meaning festive one), worked with Zechariah in calling the people to resume the rebuilding of the temple. The foundation of the temple had been laid 16 years before with great excitement (Ezra 3:12), but after experiencing some persecution from neighboring people (Ezra 4:1-5), the Jews gave up hope. This prophecy(520BC) consists of four brief messages delivered within four months!

Rebuilding The Temple (Hag.1:1-15)

Haggai communicated clearly that his message was from God. In his brief book of 38 verses, he says 26 times something like “God declares”! He accomplished the task given to him, the temple was rebuilt in four years (Ezra 6:15). The people were eager enough to build their own houses, but allowed the house of God to be in ruins (v4). God reminded them that their hard times were because of their misplaced priorities (v.5-11). It took over three weeks for them to put this message into action (v15). What are our biggest priorities?

Future Glory Greater Than Former Glory (Hag.2:1-9)

The second message was to call people to the truth that God was indeed with them. The older people who remembered the first temple were very disappointed with the new one (v3). But God reminded them that He was with them as before (v5). God reminds them that rebuilding the temple was in the plan to bring the Messiah (v9), which means that its spiritual glory would be even greater!

Difficulties As Divine Discipline (Hag.2:10-19)

God was calling the people to have their hearts holy and not complacent God uses an illustration. Consecrated meat could not pass on consecration to whatever it touch, but defiled people could pass on their defilement to whatever they touched. In other words, contact with a healthy person cannot make an unhealthy person well. But contact with a sick person can make another person sick. So God’s point was holy activities cannot make them holy! But if their hearts were holy they can do holy activities. Doing good works doesn’t save us. On the other hand, we do good because we are saved.

Ultimate Blessing Is The Coming Of The Messiah (Hag.2:20-23)

Zerubbabel is pictured as a type of Chirst. He is also in the lineage of Jesus (Mt.1:12-13). This prophecy closes, having accomplished its purpose of motivating the people to rebuild the physical temple, in order to pave the way for the building of the ultimate temple - the Church of Jesus Christ!

Application :
What/where are you investing your time and money into?

Matthew 13:44
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.