Who wrote the book of Haggai? Who was the author of Haggai?

Haggai is simply styled, "Haggai the prophet." We have nothing about him more than that. The word of the Lord was delivered by him on several distinct occasions; but all in the second year of Darius the king of Persia: and all was directed to this end, to set agoing and to further the building of the house of the Lord.

The book of Haggai is the first of the three post-exile prophets. Haggai was a contemporary of Zechariah. His name means “my feast(s)” or “festive”. We are not told anything else about Haggai. From Haggai 2:3 many have concluded that he must have seen Solomon’s temple before its destruction in 586 BC. In this case Haggai would have been much older than 70 years when he wrote his book.

Haggai probably had returned from the 70 year Babylonian captivity with the first group to return in 537/536 BC. King Cyrus of Persia had issued an edict in 538/37 BC for the Jews to return to Judah. 42,360 Jews returned and began to rebuild the destroyed temple in Jerusalem in 536 BC. These events that build the historical background of the book of Haggai are described in detail in the book of Ezra. This is where we learn that the work of rebuilding the temple was interrupted for around 14 years but taken up again as a result of the prophetic ministry of Haggai and Zechariah in the second year of King Darius. The building of the temple was then accomplished in Darius’ 6th year (Ezra 4:24; 5:1 – 2; 6:14 – 15).

Haggai means "my feast," or perhaps "the Festal one." Nothing is known of his personal history. He is mentioned in Ezra, chapter 5:1 and 6:14. The first verse of the book which bears his name gives us the date of his prophecy. It was in the second year of Darius the king. The king is Darius Hystaspes, and the year is 520 B.C. Two months later young Zechariah began to lift up his voice likewise. It seems that Haggai's prophetic office extended over four months only. Some have concluded from chapter 2:3 that he must have known the first temple. If he saw that temple he must have been at least 80 years old, if not older, when he prophesied. But the passage upon which this supposition rests does not necessarily imply this. He was probably born in the captivity, and a young man like his greater associate Zechariah.

The prophet Haggai was raised up by God at a time in Israel's history very similar to that in which we live. We know practically nothing of the prophet himself. His name means "festive," and Ezra refers to him simply as "Haggai the prophet." We know from Ezra's record that the Jews' enemies had written to King Artaxerxes, suggesting that the rebuilding of the temple constituted a threat to his authority. Consequently the work ceased until the second year of Darius' reign, when enquiries were made, the decree of Cyrus was produced, and the rebuilding was once more put in hand. It was easy to blame the enemies, and the political climate, for ceasing to work, but the real trouble was with the Jews themselves. That is why God raised up faithful men, Haggai and Zechariah, to encourage the people to carry out the task that had been abandoned.

It was written by the prophet.

The prophet Haggai has the distinction of being called "the LORD'S messenger," and of delivering "the LORD'S message to the people" in a day of ruin and outward weakness. His messages were addressed to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the high priest, clearly proving that the prophet was sent to the remnant of the Jews that returned to Jerusalem in the days of Cyrus, king of Persia, as recorded in the book of Ezra (Ezra 3:2).

The prophet Haggai has the distinction of being called "the LORD'S messenger," and of delivering "the LORD'S message unto the people" in a day of ruin and outward weakness. His messages were addressed to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the high priest, clearly proving that the prophet was sent to the remnant of the Jews that returned to Jerusalem in the days of Cyrus, king of Persia, as recorded in the book of Ezra (Ezra 3: 2).

"Then Haggai, the LORD'S messenger, spoke again in the LORD'S message unto the people." It is striking how it is made prominent that he did not speak of himself, but was the Lord's messenger and brought the Lord's message. Would to God that all those who claim the dignity of a minister of the gospel were all the Lord's messengers, and spake nothing but the Lord's message. The greatest curse in Christendom today is the man who claims to be the Lord's servant, but has no message from the Lord, for the reason that he has lost faith in the Word of God.

Another has pointed out the fact that Haggai is the one prophet who is directly called Jehovah's messenger. He is the least of the post-exilic prophets, yet the Lord puts this honor upon him. In spite of his inferior style, according to the critics, the Lord owns him by this title of distinction.

Haggai means "festive", suggesting that the prophet God had raised up at that time would encourage the people in realizing that they were living in joyous days, if they had faith and energy to respond to God's Word, which came to them as we read "by the prophet Haggai".

Under such conditions, the Spirit of God visits Haggai, and by him the word of the Lord addresses itself to Zerubbabel the chief of Judah, and to Joshua the high priest, and to the congregation of returned captives.