Dr. Charles P.

Baylis
03.21.2011
HAGGAI

Synthesis

Background

Authorship

Haggai is named in 1:1, but other than his name ('festal') nothing is known about him. He was a
contemporary of Zechariah ministering slightly before the other prophet.

Date

The dates are relatively easy to establish as Haggai dated them according to the reign of Darius
the King. They occur over a four month period in 520 B.C. following the return of the exiles to
J erusalem to rebuild the temple.


Purpose

The purpose of Haggai is to urge the people to rebuild the temple in light of the glories that YHWH
will give them in the future rebuilding.


Background

Ezra returned with Zerubbabel and J oshua the priest to rebuild the temple. The sacrifice was
reinstated and the foundation was laid in the second year. In the sixteenth year the temple had
not been rebuilt due to harassment from the neighboring nations and spiritual apathy. God raises
up Haggai to speak to this problem.


Commentary

I. The Word of the LORD to Haggai - first day, sixth month, second year of Darius (1:1-15).

God speaks through Haggai in this first of four messages and tells the people that they
have abandoned the temple building saying it is not time for it to be rebuilt. God replies
that they have had time to build their nice houses but not time to build His house. Thus He
explains to them that the reason that they cannot seem to have enough and are not
blessed with fruitfulness of the land is that they are not reverencing God by building the
temple. The people respond and join together in the building of the temple.


II. The Word of the LORD to Haggai - twenty-first day, seventh month (2:1-9).

There was evidently some discouragement among those who could remember the former
glory of Solomon's temple and had compared it to the one that they were building. Thus in
this second message, God tells them to take heart for He is going to gather the wealth of
all the nations and fill His temple with gold.

Dr. Charles P. Baylis
03.21.2011

III. The Word of the LORD to Haggai - twenty-fourth day, ninth month, second year (2:10-19).

God now, in this third message, promises to bless the fruitfulness of the land, and no
longer carry the curse due to their inactivity in the temple building.


IV. The Word of the LORD to Haggai - second time, twenty-fourth day, ninth month, second
year (2:20-23).

The final message of Haggai is that God will take Zerubbabel, governor of J udah and make
him like a seal as God overthrows the thrones of kingdoms and power centers, as he turns
them on themselves. Thus Zerubbabel becomes the ancestor of J esus who will rule in the
Kingdom of Israel when He reigns over the whole earth.
Dr. Charles P. Baylis
03.21.2011
Outline

I. The Word of the LORD to Haggai - first day, sixth month, second year of Darius (1:1-15).


A. The word comes by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel (1:1).
B. The Lord states that the people have focused on their own needs instead of the
temple (1:2-6).
C. The Lord states that He has caused the land to be unproductive because of their
small efforts (1:7-11).
D. The people obey the Lord and work on the temple (1:12-15).

II. The Word of the LORD to Haggai - twenty-first day, seventh month (2:1-9).

A. The word comes to Haggai the prophet (2:1-2).
B. The Lord states that the pitiful state of this temple will some day be magnificent with
the wealth of the nations (2:3-9).

III. The Word of the LORD to Haggai - twenty-fourth day, ninth month, second year (2:10-19).

A. The word comes to Haggai the prophet - twenty-fourth day, ninth month, second
year (2:10).
B. The Lord states that He will no longer curse them, but will bless them fruitfully
(2:11-19).

IV. The Word of the LORD to Haggai - second time, twenty-fourth day, ninth month, second
year (2:20-23).

A. The word comes to Haggai - second time, twenty fourth day (2:20).
B. The Lord promises the overthrow of the nations and their power (2:21-23).