STORY GUIDE 5:1-2, 6:14; 1:1-15; ZECHARIAH 9:9-10

HAGGAI AND ZECHARIAH ENCOURAGE THE TEMPLE BUILDERS Lesson #151

When the Jews first returned from exile in POINTS TO CONSIDER: , they began rebuilding the temple. But soon, ¥ Zechariah means “Yahweh remembers.” interference from Samaritan neighbors led the Persian ¥ The prophecy of Zechariah has many references to king to order the work stopped. Fifteen years passed the work of the Messiah (compare Zechariah 9:9 to before construction on the temple began again. God sent Matthew 21:5 and John 12:15). the prophets Haggai (HAG-ga-i) and Zechariah (zek-a- ¥ The “Jeshua” in Ezra is the same person as “Joshua” RI-a) to the Jews to encourage them to finish the work. in Haggai. Haggai’s message was, “Give careful thought to Haggai and Zechariah Encourage the Temple Builders your ways.” The people were saying that the time to I. God sent Haggai and Zechariah to encourage rebuild the LORD’s house hadn’t come, yet they were the workers. building nice houses for themselves. Haggai told them to A. Work on the temple had stopped for 15 years. consider their behavior: B. People thought it wasn’t time to build again. ¥ They planted much, but harvested little. C. Haggai said the people were building nice homes ¥ They ate and drank, but were never filled. for themselves but were forgetting God. ¥ They wore clothes, but were not warm D. Zechariah said it didn’t matter if the foundation enough. wasn’t as glorious as ’s temple. ¥ The wages they earned were put into II. The people listened to the prophets. purses with holes in them. A. After four years, the temple was completed. They never realized that God had caused their work B. The people joyfully dedicated their house of God. not to prosper because they had never finished his house. God, the source of all good to the Jews, was insulted that ANSWER KEY: his house remained in ruins while they focused on their hammer own beautiful homes. rainbow The prophet Zechariah encouraged the people to be grapes strong so that the temple could be built (Zechariah 8:9). angel Some of the people had been saddened (:12) when arrow they saw the foundation (it wasn’t as big or as glorious kite as the earlier temple Solomon had built), but Zechariah asked them, “Who despises the day of small things?” Haggai (Zechariah 4:10) He explained that ’s (ze- RUB-a-bel) hands had laid the foundation of the temple much, little, never, filled, not, warm, enough, holes, in, and that his hands would also finish it. This would be the them, not, prosper, finished, house evidence that God had sent Zechariah. Both Haggai and Zechariah prophesied specifically about Jeshua (JESH-oo-a), the high priest, and Zerubbabel, the governor of , who were both encouraged in their work. The people caught the vision as well, and the work proceeded. After four years, the temple was completed (see :24 and 6:15). When the temple was finished, the people joyfully dedicated the house of their God.

 2005 CRI • P.O. Box 36269 • Canton, Ohio 44735 • 330 493-7884 • www.BibleActivities.com HAGGAI AND ZECHARIAH EZRA 5:1-2, 6:14; :1-15; ENCOURAGE THE TEMPLE BUILDERS ZECHARIAH 9:9-10

od sent 2 prophets to encourage the people of to begin rebuilding the temple.

Write the name of each picture. The darker boxes spell the name.

One of the prophets was ______.

Answer each math problem. Look at the code for the correct letter. Code 10 = A 1 = N 15 = C 12 =O He told them they planted ______and harvested 20 = D 14 = P 4+4 5+6 3x5 10÷5 ______; ate and drank, but were 25 = E 3 = R 2x3 12÷3 5+4 3x3 3+3 5x5 30 = F 7 = S ______. They 5 = G 9 = T 2Ð1 5x5 7+6 20+5 9÷3 6x5 3+1 2x3 5+1 20+5 4x5 2 = H 11 =U wore clothes, but were ______4 = I 13 =V 6Ð5 6+6 3x3 15+2 5+5 2+1 4x2 6 = L 17 = W ______; put the wages they earned in purses 8 = M 30Ð5 4Ð3 2x6 5+6 2+3 1+1 with ______8÷4 15Ð3 4+2 10+15 4+3 2x2 1+0 ______. God had caused their work ______to 6+3 5Ð3 20+5 2x4 10Ð9 9+3 6+3 ______because they had not 12+2 8Ð5 8+4 3+4 7+7 22+3 2+1 ______His ______yet. 25+5 8Ð4 8Ð7 2x2 5+2 6÷3 5x5 4x5 1+1 7+5 8+3 6+1 22+3 Name ______Old Testament Lesson #151

 2005 CRI • P.O. Box 36269 • Canton, Ohio 44735 • 330 493-7884 • www.BibleActivities.com HAGGAI AND ZECHARIAH EZRA 5:1-2, 6:14; HAGGAI 1:1-15; ENCOURAGE THE TEMPLE BUILDERS ZECHARIAH 9:9-10

hen the people finished the temple, they were happy.

Circle 10 things that are different in the second picture.

Name ______Old Testament Lesson #151

 2005 CRI • P.O. Box 36269 • Canton, Ohio 44735 • 330 493-7884 • www.BibleActivities.com