HAGGAI BOOK OVERVIEW
OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY: HAGGAI’S INSTRUCTIONS
Once Persia overpowered the Babylonians, the Israelites were freed from their Babylonian captivity. Under Persian rule, many Israelite people traveled back to Jerusalem to rebuild their city and temple.
Haggai was a prophet who reminded the Israelites to prioritize the rebuilding of the temple over rebuilding their own homes because it would both honor God and promote the collective good of the people. His message served to remind the Israelites to use their newfound freedom in a way that was selfless and faithful.
The book of Haggai took place historically alongside the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Zechariah, and Malachi, known as the “Post-Exile” literature.
MAIN IDEAS: FAITHFULNESS OVER SELFISHNESS
The Israelites prioritized rebuilding their own homes while the temple lay in ruins. (Haggai 1:4)
God desired for the temple to be rebuilt as a place to honor and glorify Him. (Haggai 1:7-9)
God encouraged the Israelites to keep working, and He promised to be with them. (Haggai 2:4-5)
God promised that the new temple would be greater than the first. (Haggai 2:7-9)
EXAMPLE OF GOD’S CHARACTER: ABUNDANT RESTORATION
As the Israelites returned to Jerusalem from exile, Haggai challenged them to prioritize God’s desire to rebuild the temple. Throughout this process, God revealed His commitment to restoration of both physical structures and His relationship with His people.
Although the Israelites were rebuilding with fewer resources than before, God promised that “the glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former” (Haggai 2:6-9). God didn’t just replace the temple; He upgraded the temple! God’s restoration went far beyond what was lost. God had good plans for the Israelites and for Jerusalem.
God’s plans were not thwarted by the rebellion of the Israelites nor by their seventy years of captivity. Despite our sinful natures, God still chooses to restore, redeem, and rebuild His people. Even when circumstances seem impossible or we face great opposition (like the Israelites did when rebuilding the temple), God provides a way forward to a better future.
JESUS IN HAGGAI: THE FUTURE HOPE + GLORY REVEALED
In John 2, Jesus declared, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” While the Jewish people at the time believed He was referring to the physical temple in Jerusalem, Jesus was describing His body as the temple. Through His resurrection, Jesus fulfilled God’s promise to dwell among His people. We no longer need a physical temple to worship because Jesus and the Holy Spirit allow us to encounter God’s presence.
Haggai points to the greater restoration found in Christ. Jesus embodies the eternal hope of God’s promises as well as the splendor and glory of temple. When God promised a greater temple, the Israelites could not comprehend the person of Christ, the embodiment of the temple.
