OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF HAGGAI
Author: Chap. 1, verse 1 states "...the word of God came by the hand of Haggai..." so it is assumed he is the author. His name in Hebrew means "festal," which suggests he was born during a festival or perhaps his name is tied to his message of encouraging the restoration of Israel's great feasts within a restored temple. Nothing is known of his background.
Date of Writing: Chap. 1, verse 1 lists"...the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month...," which translates to 520 B.C., dating it as post-exilic.
Purpose of Writing: Haggai challenged the returned remnant "to consider your ways," i.e., to assess their priorities in life. He called on them to honor and glorify God by building the temple in spite of the opposition they faced (see Ezr. 4) and pressed them to turn from their self-centered ways and instead trust in God's sovereign power. The book serves to remind us of the problems facing the returned remnant at this time and show when people fearlessly place their trust in God, He will prosper them and provide for their needs.
Summary: The book poses the questions: (1) will God's people re-evaluate their personal priorities and (2) do they have the courage to take action on the basis of God's promises? Eighteen years had passed since the return of the first of the Jewish exiles to Judah, and after initially facing opposition to the rebuilding of the temple, no work had been done on it for 16 years. By then the people were so focused on taking care of themselves that God was virtually ignored. Haggai's message was not directed at external opposition but "internal" opposition, specifically, their own selfish sin in placing their own houses and provision before God's with little or no consideration for the status of God's house. The Book of Haggai remains unique among OT prophecy because in this instance, the people of Judah actually listened! At least insofar as the temple was completed 5 years later in 515 B.C.
Foreshadowings: In chapter 2, verses 20-23, God uses a distinctly messianic title in His reference to Zerubbabel as "My servant" with the promise to make him like a "signet ring" (a symbol of royal authority). As God's signet ring, Zerubbabel represented the house of David and the resumption of the messianic line interrupted by the exile. Zerubbabel appears in the line of Christ on both Joseph's side (Mt. 1:12) and Mary's side (Lk. 3:27). The reestablishment of the Davidic line of kings will culminate in the millennial reign of Christ.
Outline of the Book:
Application: The book of Haggai draws attention to problems that face most Christians today. It challenges us to "consider our ways" and ask whether we are building our lives mainly for personal gain and pleasure or on the foundation of Jesus Christ? As Christians we don't have a physical temple like the Jews of Haggai's time; instead, we have the temple of the Holy Spirit within us, but the same truth applies: a neglected temple signifies a neglected relationship with God which is certain to bring sin rather than holiness in our lives.
