1. A Prophetic Call to Rebuild the TempleThe Jerusalem temple, unlike the tabernacle, was a permanent structure, although (like the tabernacle) it was a place of worship and religious activity. On one occasion Jesus felt such activity was unacceptable and, as reported in all four Gospels, drove from the temple those engaged… (Haggai 1:1-11)
In the second year of King Darius, the sixth month, the first day of the month (August 29, 520 B.C.E.), the word of the Lord comes to the prophet Haggai, and he calls on Joshua, the high priestThe high priest was the most powerful priest in the temple in Jerusalem. The high priest Caiaphas held the office during the trial of Jesus. Later, in the New Testament book of Hebrews, the role of merciful high priest is ascribed to the resurrected Jesus., and Zerubbabel, the governor, to rebuild the Temple. The returned exiles have not prospered, and Haggai blames the poor yield of the land on the fact that the Temple still lies in ruins 18 years after the end of the Babylonian exile.
2. The People and Leaders Obey (Haggai 1:12-15)
Joshua, Zerubbabel, and the people are stirred to obedience by Haggai’s words, and they begin work on the Temple. Haggai prophesies again to promise that the Lord will be with them.
3. Promise of a Glorious Second Temple (Haggai 2:1-9)
The word of the Lord comes to Haggai again, and he reassures the people that the Second Temple will be more glorious than the first. The Lord will “shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land” (2:6) and the nations, so that their treasure will come to Jerusalem and will fill the Temple with splendor. The Lord will also grant prosperity to the people.
4. A Ruling from the Priests (Haggai 2:10-19)
Haggai asks the priests for a ruling about what makes something clean or uncleanIn Hebrew law many regulations warned against impurity. Unclean things were numerous and included leprosy, menstruating women, dead bodies, shell fish, and pigs.. He then uses the ruling as an analogy to the present situation. Though the Lord had previously punished the people with agricultural disasters (blight, mildew, and hail) because the “work of their hands” was unclean, now that the foundation of the Temple is laid, the Lord will bless them with economic and agricultural prosperity.
5. Zerubbabel, the Chosen One (Haggai 2:20-23)
On the day when the foundation of the Temple is laid (December 18, 520 B.C.E.), almost four months after Haggai first prophesies, he speaks the last oracleAn oracle is a divine utterance of guidance, promise, or judgment delivered to humans through an intermediary (who is often also called an oracle). In the Bible oracles are given by Balaam (in the book of Numbers) and by David (in 2 Samuel). A number… recorded in his book. This oracle concerns Zerubbabel, the Davidic governor of the province. The Lord has chosen him to be a “signet ring,” the future ruler on the day that the Lord defeats the nations.
