From Jennifer:
On our first video gathering, I introduced you to my new favorite prophet, Haggai.
If you haven’t yet, read his book (yes, it’s Haggai). It’s only two chapters made up of 38 verses!
We discovered that our guy Haggai lived during the same time period as Confucius (Chinese philosopher) and Pythagoras (Greek philosopher). And, Zechariah prophesied about the same time Haggai did.
We stepped into the story of Haggai through the story of four kings.
Here’s your review.
1. King Solomon It’s 950ish BC and King Solomon builds a magnificent temple in Jerusalem. It is constructed of such expensive material that people come from throughout the ancient world to gaze upon it. The Jews regard it as their greatest national treasure. It is the heart and soul of the Jewish people. They revere the temple because it is the place where God dwells with man. In 1 Kings 6:12-13, God said to Solomon, “as for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, observe my laws, keep all my commands and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise I gave to David your father. And I will live among the Israelites, I will not abandon my people Israel.” 2. King Nebuchadnezzar It’s 586 BC in Jerusalem and something is wrong. The Jews, safe in their homes, are going about their business when they hear chariots and the hoofbeats of horses. We imagined that a young man named Haggai perks his ears; it’s really happening. Jeremiah was right. The Babylonians are coming. The Jews are scrambling; they’re shocked and terrified even though they shouldn’t be surprised. The prophet Jeremiah predicted it (Jeremiah 20 and 25; Daniel 9:1-11). King Nebuchadnezzar’s army defeats Judah, destroys the walls of Jerusalem, lays waste to the city, and utterly destroys Solomon’s temple. Nothing is left when the Babylonians are finished. The Jews are rounded up and taken into captivity in Babylon. The Babylonians taunt them, “sing us one of your songs of Zion.” There they “hung their harps on a willow tree” and wept for the city of Jerusalem (Psalm 137:2). Decade after decade slips away. They can’t go home. They’re stuck in slavery. And then God raises up another king. 3. King Cyrus It’s now 538 BC and King Cyrus of Persia defeats Babylon and permits the Jews to go back to their land (Ezra 1:1-4). They remove their harps from the willow trees, dry their tears, and sing the songs of Zion as they march back home. I imagine they exchange stories of how it used to be. They reminisce about their temple, their land, and their God. A man named Zerubbabel is to be the governor; 50,000 people follow him back to Judah. Haggai is older and wiser now as he returns home with a heart full of hope and anticipation. They finally arrive, but their nostalgia is replaced with reality. The city is still in ruins. Rubble. Disappointment. No temple. Nothing had changed . But King Cyrus told them to rebuild the temple, so they did. The Jews get busy. Within a year of getting home, the Jews have built the foundation and the altar is repaired. The Jews are fired up. But then their neighbors, the Samaritans, stick their noses into the Jews’ business. They complain. They taunt. They accuse. They oppose (Ezra 4:4-5). They’re like the egg-throwing teenagers who create trouble. They’re like the mean neighbor who complains to the neighborhood board that you leave your garbage can out too long and your bushes need trimming. The Jews are discouraged. They are getting opposition and accusations no matter what they do. So, they stop doing it. They quit (Ezra 4:24). They focus on their own houses instead of God’s house. Nobody built for 16 years or so. The temple lay in half-repair. Now it is 520 BC. This is when Haggai steps into the story and takes center stage. I can see him standing near the half-finished temple; he’s wrinkled and gray. He’s older now and maybe a little hunched. His shoulders curve forward no matter how straight he tries to stand. But he is God’s man for this time and he is tall on the inside (Ezra 5:1-2; 6:13-15). He preaches four sermons in four months. He challenges their priorities, encourages them in their disappointment, calls them to be faithful. And confirms God’s promises will be fulfilled. So, they listen to Haggai. The Lord stirs their spirits and they get to work. They keep doing the work, and in 515ish BC the temple is complete. This is now known as Zerubbabel’s temple (Ezra 6:14-16) That leads us to the fourth King. 4. Wait for it…wait for it! It is now about 500 years later. The Jews are now under Roman rule. The temple still stands. Herod defends it and renovates it. A peasant girl and her husband arrive with their baby boy and bring turtle doves as sacrifice to fulfill the Jewish law. Twelve years later, this boy debates the law with Jewish scholars in this very temple. Years pass as that boy grows up. He is now a 30-year-old man. His name is Jesus. He stands in this same temple and overturns the tables of the money changers proclaiming that his father’s house will be a house of prayer (John 2). The Jews ask him, “Who do you think you are?” And, the fourth king in our story…King Jesus says, “Destroy THIS temple, and I will raise it again in three days” (John 2:18-19). King Solomon built the temple King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the temple King Cyrus said rebuild the temple King Jesus said, “I am the temple.” Drop the mic! We finished up with the point that the main character of Haggai isn't Haggai. It is this King, God Himself. And it is His Word we want to hear, learn, and apply as we study together. That means … If the landscape of your life is dotted with the rubble of hopelessness, the Word of the Lord in Haggai will encourage you to rebuild what is broken. If your priorities are confused, the Word of the Lord in Haggai will bring clarity. If your fatigue feels stronger than your faith, the Word of the Lord in Haggai will remind you that you build more than you see. If the weight of your burden is bringing you down, the Word of The Lord in Haggai will anchor you in a greater weight of glory. Ultimately, If you feel discouraged, the Word of the Lord in Haggai will strengthen you to “take courage and work because God is with you” (Haggai 2:4).
I hope you’re fired up because that is some good news, sister! I’m praying that you’ll have a good week working through the ABC’s of Haggai—it is rich. Bless you, my friend. See you next week! Love,
Jennifer Rothschild