SUMMARY
The prophet Haggai, in 520 B.C.E., urges those who have returned from Babylonian exile, including 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. More, and Zerubbabel, the governor, 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… More of the Lord in Jerusalem. Haggai blames their lack of prosperity on the fact that the Temple still lies in ruins while they themselves live in paneled houses. The people are moved by Haggai’s prophecyProphecy is the gift, inspired by God, of speaking and interpreting the divine will. Prophets such as Amos, Isaiah, and Ezekiel spoke words of judgment and comfort to the people of Israel on behalf of God. More to start rebuilding the Temple. Through Haggai, the Lord promises to be with the people and to make this Second Temple greater than the first. Haggai’s book ends with a prophecy for Zerubbabel, a descendant of David. When the Lord defeats the nations, Zerubbabel will become like a “signet ring” on God’s hand; he will be the Lord’s chosen ruler.
SO WHAT?
Haggai gives us a glimpse into a critical period in Jewish history, when those who have returned from exile are struggling to reshape their identity as a people in the land of their ancestors. To help in forming that identity, Haggai looks to the past, evoking the Exodus from Egypt (2:5), and to the future–the vision of a glorious rebuilt Temple (2:9) and a new Davidic ruler (2:23). Hope for the future rests on God’s faithfulness in the past.
WHERE DO I FIND IT?
Haggai is the 37th book of the Old Testament. It is the 10th of the so-called “minor” (or shorter) prophets, the 12 books that make up the final portion of the Old Testament in Protestant Bibles.
WHO WROTE IT?
We don’t know who compiled Haggai’s prophecies into the book that bears his name, but the dominant “voice” in the book is that of Haggai himself. He was a prophet who lived in Judah in the years after the Babylonian exile. We don’t know whether he was one of those who returned from exile in Babylon or whether he had remained in Judah during the exile. In any case, he was a figure of great influence in rebuilding the Temple. Outside of the book of Haggai, he is referred to in Ezra 5:1 and 6:14 as a prophet.
WHEN WAS IT WRITTEN?
The Book of Haggai can be dated very accurately. According to several chronological notes in the book itself, Haggai prophesied in the latter half of the year 520 B.C.E. His prophecies must have been written down shortly thereafter.
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
The prophet Haggai in 520 B.C.E. exhorts the leaders and people who have returned from Babylonian exile to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, and they obey.
HOW DO I READ IT?
Perhaps more than any other prophetic book, Haggai is based in a particular time and place: Judah in the latter half of 520 B.C.E. For that reason, it is necessary to know the historical circumstances of the book in order to read it with understanding. One should also pay attention to Haggai’s focus on the future, his vision of a restored Temple and a Davidic ruler. Such a vision inspired hope and a renewed sense of identity for a people newly returned from exile.
