Book of Haggai - Bible Survey
Answered from the commentary of Frederick W. Grant, F. B. Hole, J. N. Darby and 9 others
Haggai is a message of rebuke, instruction, and encouragement, centred on the house of the Lord: the returned remnant had neglected it while tending to their own houses, and were called to consider their ways and resume the work. Their selfish indifference brought chastening and loss, but when they heeded the word, feared the Lord, and worked, He assured them, “I am with you,” and promised, “From this day will I bless you”. The book is commonly set out as four messages: rebuke and a call to build; encouragement in view of the house’s future glory; instruction that uncleanness defiles and that holiness cannot be passed on by contact; and a promise that kingdoms will be overthrown and Zerubbabel, as a type of Christ, will be like a signet. One outline divides the first message into two addresses and thus counts five.
The remnant’s work appeared small beside the former house, but they were told to be strong and work because the Lord was with them and His Spirit remained among them. The greater glory and peace promised for the house lie in the future: most passages understand the “desire of all nations” as Messiah, whose coming follows the shaking of the nations and brings the promised glory. One passage says the phrase points instead to the blessings the nations desire, which Christ will bring at His coming. The closing promise presents Zerubbabel as a type of Christ, through whom God will overthrow the kingdoms and establish His purposes.
Verses: Haggai 1:1, Haggai 1:2, Haggai 1:3, Haggai 1:4, Haggai 1:5, Haggai 1:6, Haggai 1:7, Haggai 1:8, Haggai 1:9, Haggai 1:10, Haggai 1:11, Haggai 1:12, Haggai 1:13, Haggai 1:14, Haggai 1:15, Haggai 2:1, Haggai 2:2, Haggai 2:3, Haggai 2:4, Haggai 2:5, Haggai 2:6, Haggai 2:7, Haggai 2:8, Haggai 2:9, Haggai 2:10, Haggai 2:11, Haggai 2:12, Haggai 2:13, Haggai 2:14, Haggai 2:15, Haggai 2:16, Haggai 2:17, Haggai 2:18, Haggai 2:19, Haggai 2:20, Haggai 2:21, Haggai 2:22, Haggai 2:23
The above is AI generated summary based on the writers below.
What the commentators say
The passages the answer is drawn from, the most direct first, with the words that bear on the question marked.
Haggai has, as it were, the mark of the new section which it opens in the four messages of which it is made up. The first reproves the people for their leaving the building of the Lord's house to build their own. As soon as they give heed, Jehovah declares that He is with them. The second declares the shaking of the nations, and the coming of the Desire of all, and consequently the latter glory of the house to be greater than all before. The third reasons with them that holiness cannot sanctify what is evil; but evil, on the other hand, defiles what is holy. Their previous state had hindered blessing; now, they would find it. While the fourth announces once more the shaking of the heavens and the earth, but the abiding of Christ, (typified by Zerubbabel,) the seal of a new condition.
The two chapters contain five addresses. The first address in chapter 1:1-11 is one of reproof and warning, to arouse the remnant from the apathy into which they had drifted in the building of the temple. The second address in chapter 1:12-15 was made when the people responded to his appeal, assuring them of the presence of the Lord in their obedience. The third address in chapter 2:1-9 contrasts the glory of the first house with the greater glory of the second house and introduces the distinctively Messianic glory. The fourth address in chapter 2:10-19 contains moral instructions and the assurance of blessing. The last address, the conclusion of the message of Haggai, points still more prominently to the day of the Lord, when heaven and earth is to be shaken and the kingdoms of the nations will be overthrown. In the last verse, Zerubbabel, the servant of Jehovah, is a prophetic type of our Lord.
Haggai's message was a very plain word of rebuke, of instruction, of encouragement. They had stopped building the house and were engaged in building nice houses for themselves all too willingly. He told them to recommence work on the house of God, and encouraged them by predictions of future glory, though warning them that they must not imagine that anything they did was perfect. The searching eye of God could perceive uncleanness in all the works of their hands.
Haggai ("My feasts") was written after the Jews' return to Jerusalem from the captivity. It subject is the temple, once destroyed, but its foundations built again on a smaller scale. The prophet presses upon the people the shame of their laxity in reference to the house of God and its building, urging them to consider their ways. A true prophet, he seeks to "shake" them from their selfishness in running every man to his own house, while God's house was neglected. For very soon the Lord would shake everything in heaven and earth; and "the desire of all nations." That is, Christ, the great Messiah, would come, through whom God's house would be filled with glory.
Four distinct messages are given in the book. The first comprises chapter 1 and gives solemn reproofs. Thankfully these produced good effects in leaders and people, in their being stirred to build. The second (ch. 2: 1â9) gives refreshing encouragement in its precious prophetic vision of Christ. The third (ch. 2:10â19) insists upon the purity and separation becoming to God's house, and urges godly consideration. The fourth (ch. 2:20â23) is prophetic of the overthrowing of all oppressing kingdoms, and of blessing established in the person of Jehovah's Servant, the Messiah, typified by Zerubbabel, ruler of Israel.
HAGGAI reproves the people for their lack of faith and zeal in building the house of Jehovah, and convicts them of His controversy with them for occupation on behalf of their own houses; comforts them with the assurance of the Spirit's permanency of action with them; declares that the latter glory of the house will be greater than the former when Messiah shakes all the nations, and assures of the overturning of all kingdoms when the heavens are shaken, but of the choice of Zerubbabel as representing Christ in that day, a signet for Jehovah.
The subject of Haggai is the temple. God having brought back the captives, they immediately seek their own ease without seeking to rebuild the house of Jehovah. Was it then a time to rebuild their own? There was tranquillity enough for the latter — it required no faith — the world made no opposition. The prophet exhibits the practical effect of this, the sensible chastisements of God even as to their temporal interests. And why these chastisements? They neglected God in neglecting His house. In truth, if they had thought of God, His house would have been their first object.
Scripture is silent as to the ancestors of this prophet. He stands as to date at the return from captivity, and his prophecy is mostly occupied with the house of the Lord, the temple at Jerusalem. About the year B.C. 535, by order of Cyrus, under God, the rebuilding of the temple had been begun; but in consequence of the opposition from without, and the Jews' lack of faith as to the purpose of God in restoring them to their land, the building was stayed. It had been lying for some fifteen years in that state when God caused Haggai to prophesy, and charge the Jews themselves with neglect of the house. God had been dealing with them in providence, withholding the fruits of the earth; but they understood it not, until the prophet bade them consider their ways. They had made excuses that the time had not yet come to build God's house; but they were building their own houses. The prophet bade them fetch wood and build the house, and God would take pleasure in it, though it might appear as nothing in their eyes.
Haggai has to reproach the Jews because of their indifference towards God on the second day of the sixth month to wake them up from their lukewarmness. In fact Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest were encouraged to take up the building work at the house of God together with the entire remnant of the people of Israel (chap. 1).
Readers will recall that consequent upon the writings of Jeremiah and the prayers of Daniel a small remnant of God's people returned from Babylon under the leadership of Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah. They were beset by many difficulties: strong enemies without and failing harvests and deep discouragement within. Ezra 4 tells us the sorry story of how the work of building the temple was made to cease. Under God, and doubtless also the exercise of godly men, the word of the Lord was brought to bear upon the situation. What was thought to be due to external pressure and circumstances was due to lack of heart amongst the people of God. Is it time for you to dwell in your own ceiled houses and the Lord's house to lie waste? (Haggai 1:4).
And yet, in the light of the prophecies uttered by the two prophets referred to at the start of chapter 5, especially Haggai, we learn that there were reasons beneath the surface. The people had actually lost interest in the house of God and started concentrating on their own houses. Haggai had to deliver a stern message, addressing the consciences. Only after this could he deliver a message of comfort, assuring the people of God's presence and support (Haggai 1).
So Haggai and Zechariah prophesied (v. 1), and the result was that the building work was resumed (v.2).
Verses
- Haggai 1:1–151In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, came the word of Jehovah by the prophet Haggai unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying, 2Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that Jehovah's house should be built. 3And the word of Jehovah came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4Is it time for you that ye should dwell in your wainscoted houses, while this house lieth waste? 5And now thus saith Jehovah of hosts Consider your ways. 6Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but are not satisfied; ye drink, but are not filled with drink; ye clothe yourselves, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages for a bag with holes. 7Thus saith Jehovah of hosts Consider your ways. 8Go up to the mountain and bring wood, and build the house, and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith Jehovah. 9Ye looked for much, and behold it was little; and when ye brought it home, I blew upon it. Wherefore? saith Jehovah of hosts. Because of my house that lieth waste, whilst ye run every man to his own house. 10Therefore over you the heavens withhold their dew, and the earth withholdeth its fruit. 11And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon man, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands. 12And Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all the remnant of the people, hearkened to the voice of Jehovah their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, according as Jehovah their God had sent him, and the people feared before Jehovah. 13Then spoke Haggai, Jehovah's messenger, in Jehovah's message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith Jehovah. 14And Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked at the house of Jehovah of hosts, their God, 15in the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.