The timing is very important in this book. In Ezra, we read about the opposition from the enemies of the land. We read about Haggai and Zechariah who were sent by God to encourage the people. We left Ezra while the people were celebrating Passover and were full of the Spirit of the Lord. Then we read about the enemies that wanted to "help" with the temple reconstruction. Well, in this book, we see that the people weren't just discouraged, they had developed bad priorities. Essentially, they had just let the temple go. No work on the temple had been done for 10 years..the people had moved on not just to building their own homes, but to make them luxurious, while the temple lay in ruin.
We see that God is going to call a drought in 1:11 to get the people's attention and call them back to Him. The people did listen. They began construction again, after only 23 days of Haggai's message. How cool....many prophets were ignored, as we have read in the past. God immediately blesses them.
Chapter 2: 6-9 is pretty cool, because it talks about the Messiah. He is going to walk in this very temple.
Look what comes up from the depths of the sea.
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From my bible:
ReplyDeleteA newlsy returned group of Jeck back in the holy lnad began rebuilding the temple, but had not finished 16 years after starting, they had not finished it. They let their personal affairs interfere with God's plan, so God withheld his natural blessing. Haggai therefore preached to get them to finish the temple. He called them to renewed courage in the Lord, renewed holiness of life, and renewed faith in God who controls the future. Haggai was called the "prophet of the temple".
I love the line1:7 "Consider your ways!"
Then 1:13 where Haggai delivers the Lord's message saying "I am with you".
I notice a mention of the Holy Spirit.....2:5 "According to the word that I coventanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you, do not fear."