Survey of the Book of Haggai

I imagine many Christians can increase their knowledge of the Minor Prophets.  Here’s a survey of the tenth book of the Minor Prophets: Haggai

Purpose: We will look at the authorship, purpose, structure and other aspects of the book of Haggai so we would be more familiar with this part of the Bible and yearn to study it for ourselves.

Authorship

1. Reasons for Haggai’s authorship
   1. Reason #1 why it is by Haggai: The introduction identifies this is from Haggai: “In the second year of Darius the king, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying” (Haggai 1:1)
   2. Reason #2 why it is by Haggai: The main prophet in the book is Haggai
      1. The name Haggai appear in Haggai 1:3, 1:12, 1:13, 2:1, 2:10, 2:13, 2:14, 2:20.
      2. Since he’s mentioned quite frequently as the prophet receiving and delivering the message of God it makes sense it is by Haggai.
   3. Reason #3 why it is by Haggai: Historic view is that it is Haggai
      1. According to Jewish Tradition that was recorded in the Talmud: ” The Gemara answers: Since his prophecy is written together with those of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi in one book of the Twelve Prophets, and Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi were the last of the prophets, he is counted with them” (Baba Bathra 14b)[1]
      2. While historical view can err yet it fits with the biblical data we have seen.
2. About Haggai
   1. The name Haggai means “festive” or “festival.”[2]
   2. The name might be significant since his message was the restoration of the temple and the re-establishment of its worship would mean reinstating the festivals.[3]
   3. He was a prophet after the exile and among those who returned back to the land which was permitted under Persian decree.[4]
   4. Haggai’s ministry began on the second year of Darius’ reign, some 18 years after the return of the Jews from Babylonian exile. [5]

 

Purpose

1. According to Richard Mayhue: “A Call to Construct the Temple.”[6]
2. According to Andrew Hill: “The purpose of the book of Haggai is to initiate the reconstruction of the temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem upon the return of the Hebrews from Babylonian captivity.”[7]

 

Structure

1. Shorter outline[8]
   1. Rebuke for disobedience (1:1-11)
   2. Rebuilding the temple (1:12-15)
   3. Return of God=s glory (2:1-9)
   4. Religious Questions (2:10-19)
   5. Reign of God (2:20-23)
2. Longer outline[9]
   1. Rebuilding the Temple (1:1-15)
      1. Introduction and Setting (1:1)
      2. Exhortation to Rebuild (1:2– 11)
      3. Response of God’s People (1:12-15)
   2. The Glory to Come (2:1-9)
      1. Reminder of the Past (2:1-3)
      2. The Presence of the Lord (2:4-5)
      3. Outlook for the Future (2:6-9)
   3. The Promised Blessing (2:10-19)
      1. Present Ceremonial Defilement (2:10-14)
      2. Present Judgment and Discipline (2:15-19)
   4. Zerubbabel the Chosen One (2:20-23)
      1. Divine Destruction (2:20-22)
      2. Divine Deliverance (2:23)

 

Closer look at Haggai

1. Brief summary of Rebuilding the Temple (1:1-15)
   1. When was the message (1:1)
      1. Second year would correspond to 520 BC (Wolff, 21).
      2. Sixth month according to Jewish year would have been called Elul which is around our August and September (Wolff, 25).
   2. Problem: The people said “The time has not come, even the time for the house of the Lord to be rebuilt.’” (1:2).
   3. But God’s response is to look ask about the people’s own fancy house (1:4)
      1. Haggai noted the people’s houses were “paneled.”
      2. The word basic meaning is “cover” (Taylor, 124).
      3. This term for the people’s houses is ironic since it is used in 1 Kings 6:9 of Solomon’s palace (Merrill, 20). See also 1 Kings 7:3, 7:7 and Jeremiah 22:14 (Taylor, 124).
   4. In Haggai 1:7-11 God ask them to consider their financial and material difficulties and connect it to God disciplining them for not obeying.
   5. The response was overwheleming obedience in Haggai 1:12-15.
      1. Haggai might be the most successful prophet.
      2. Obedience in a timely matter: “on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king.” (1:15)
         1. The exact date in our modern timeline would be September 21st, 520 BC (Taylor, 144).
         2. Exactly twenty three days after the first message the people responded to Haggai’s preaching by building (Wolff, 40).
         3. In a little over three weeks the people responded dramatically with obedience.
         4. Also their obedience might have already started even before this date as it took time to gather the logistics for building the temple (Taylor, 144).
         5. And during Harvest season too! This is when they would have been busy.
2. Brief summary of The Glory to Come (2:1-9)
   1. When was the message: “On the twenty-first of the seventh month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet saying” (2:1)
      1. Still the same year.
      2. This was twenty six days into construction (Merrill, 36).
   2. Problem: Some people said “‘Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like nothing in comparison?” (2:3).
      1. It would have been sixty six years since the destruction of the Temple (Wolff, 43).
      2. It was very possible that there are some people who were old enough to remember the first Temple in light of Ezra 3:12 which was 16 years earlier (Merrill, 36).
      3. Whereas the first message Haggai had to deal with false contentment here we see Haggai dealing with false discontentment (Wolff, 45).
   3. So God encouraged them to be courageous because of…
      1. God’s presence (4-5)
      2. God’s sovereignty over the world (6-8)
      3. God’s future victory (7-9)
3. Yet God is not only about the external worship but also holiness as we see in the promise of blessings in 2:10-19.

Place of this book in the Canon

1. Perhaps the most important part of the book in redemptive history is Zerubbabel the Chosen One in Haggai 2:23.
2. God has chosen Zerubabbel
   1. Piling up of verbs in a short space makes this dramatic (Taylor, 196).
      1. “I will take you”
         1. Imperfect to show future tense idea.
         2. Often used for the selection of a king such as what God said to King Jeroboam in 1 Kings 11:37 (Taylor, 196).
      2. “and I will make you like a signet ring”=More on this later.
      3. “for I have chosen you” = Reason for why Zerubabbel is like a signet ring.
3. To understand that you need prior revelation from God in the Old Testament
   1. According to Jeremiah 22:24 we see God setting aside Judean king Jehoiachin using the symbolic language of God taking the signet ring from the hand and casting it aside (Taylor, 198).
   2. How could this be when God made a promise that there will be a Davidic seed ruling forever? “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” (2 Samuel 7:13)
   3. Does God cancel out His promise? Haggai 2:23 tells us no, He has restored the promise of a Davidic Messianic King through Zerubabbel’s lineage.
4. To see its fulfillment you need to go to the New Testament
   1. This prophecy was not fulfilled by Zerubabbel himself. He was only a Governor and not the King of the Jews.  This is a prediction of the coming Messiah through his line.
   2. Zerubbabel is in the lineage of the Messiah Jesus, see Matthew 1:12-13, Luke 3:27 (Taylor, 201).

 

[1] Source: https://www.sefaria.org/Bava_Batra.14b.9?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en.

[2] F. Duane Lindsey, “Haggai” in Bible Knowledge Commentary (Colorado Springs, Colorado: Victor ), 1537.

[3] Eugene Merrill, “The Book of Haggai” in The World and the Word: An Introduction to the Old Testament (Nashville, B&H Publishing), Kindle Locations 16737-16738.

[4] F. Duane Lindsey, “Haggai” in Bible Knowledge Commentary (Colorado Springs, Colorado: Victor ), 1537.

[5] Eugene Merrill, “The Book of Haggai” in The World and the Word: An Introduction to the Old Testament (Nashville, B&H Publishing), Kindle Locations 16739.

[6] Richard Mayhue, Ordination Practicum Syllabus  (Sun Valley, California: Self-Published for The Master’s Seminary), 89.

[7]Andrew Hill, “Haggai” in A Survey of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan), 677.

[8] Richard Mayhue, Ordination Practicum Syllabus  (Sun Valley, California: Self-Published for The Master’s Seminary), 89.

[9] Eugene Merrill, “The Book of Haggai” in The World and the Word: An Introduction to the Old Testament (Nashville, B&H Publishing), Kindle Locations 16762-16773.

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