Now faith (πίστις pistis) is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

And without faith it is impossible to please God Hebrews 11:6

Life of Haggai

Book of Haggai Who was Haggai? Name means “festive,” one of the twelve so-called minor prophets. He was the first of the three (Zechariah, his contemporary, and Malachi, who was about one hundred years later, being the other two) whose ministry belonged to the period of Jewish history which began after the return from captivity in . Scarcely anything is known of his personal history. He may have been one of the captives taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. He began his ministry about sixteen years after the Return. The work of rebuilding the temple had been put a stop to through the intrigues of the Samaritans. After having been suspended for fifteen years, the work was resumed through the efforts of Haggai and Zechariah (:14), who by their exhortations roused the people from their lethargy, and induced them to take advantage of the favorable opportunity that had arisen in a change in the policy of the Persian government. Haggai’s prophecies have thus been characterized:, “There is a ponderous and simple dignity in the emphatic reiteration addressed alike to every class of the community, prince, priest, and people, ‘Be strong, be strong, be strong’ (2:4). ‘Cleave, stick fast, to the work you have to do;’ or again, ‘Consider your ways, consider, consider, consider’ (1:5, 7; 2:15, 18). - Easton’s Bible Dictionary Timeline • 722 BC Israel (northern kingdom) taken captive by Assyrians • 596 BC Judah (southern kingdom) taken captive by Babylonians and Nebuchadnezzar • 539 BC King Cyrus of Persia allows exiled Jews to return to Promised Land • 539 BC Foundation of new temple laid • 520 BC Haggai called by God to lead the people of Judah in repentance and worship https://www.slideshare.net/jackfoo/06-09-haggai-1-gods-work-must-have-priority-final?next_slideshow=1 In the second year of Darius the king (of Persia), on the first day of the sixth month (1 Elul [August 29] 520 BC), the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai to the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts”… :1-2a

*Shealtiel was son of King Jehoiachin, grandson of King , descendant of King David *God often uses prophets to speak to leaders first, then the rest of the people “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘This people says… Haggai 1:2a

•“The Lord of hosts” is Yahweh Sabaoth יְהוִה צְבָא ֹ֖ות •This name is used for God 14 times in •This people vs. My people a

2010 teaching series a TITLESMy AND people HEADINGS

•Phrase “my people” appears 232 times in the Bible •224 times in the Old Testament •8 times in the New Testament •A person speaks the phrase 121 times •FirstTITLES instance in AND Genesis HEADINGS 23:11, spoken to by Ephron the Hittite •God speaks the phrase 111 times •First instance in Exodus 3:7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘This people says, “The time has not come, even the time for the house of the Lord to be rebuilt.” ’ ” Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?” Haggai 1:2-4

What are MY PRIORITIES? • My comfort vs. God’s calling • My desires vs. the needs of others • Self-centered vs. Gospel-centered

Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways! You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.” Haggai 1:5-6

• Consider your ways = Give careful thought to your ways = Literally “Set your hearts on your ways” • How much time do I spend in spiritual reflection? • A sovereign God uses our earthly circumstances to teach us spiritual lessons… “divine chastening” • “If also after these things you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. I will also break down your pride of power; I will also make your sky like iron and your earth like bronze. Your strength will be spent uselessly, for your land will not yield its produce and the trees of the land will not yield their fruit.” Leviticus 26:18-20 Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the Lord. “You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” declares the Lord of hosts, “Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house. Therefore, because of you the sky has withheld its dew and the earth has withheld its produce. I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what the ground produces, on men, on cattle, and on all the labor of your hands.” Haggai 1:7-11

*We don’t need a bigger harvest, we need a deeper relationship with God *Is it my life’s priority to please and glorify God? Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him. And the people showed reverence for the Lord. Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke by the commission of the Lord to the people saying, “ ‘I am with you,’ declares the Lord.” So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God, on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month (23 days after 1:1) in the second year of Darius the king. Haggai 1:12-15

*Change in heart always precedes change in action On the twenty-first of the seventh month (21 Tishri [17 October] 520 BC), the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet saying, Haggai 2:1 In this period the progress in rebuilding was slow, no doubt because of the laborious task of cleaning up 60 years of rubble and the cessation of work during the numerous festivals of the seventh month—the weekly Sabbaths, the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) on the first day, the Day of Atonement on the 10th, and the Feast of Booths (or Tabernacles) from Tishri 15 to 21, with Tishri 22 also being a rest day (Leviticus 23). -Bible Knowledge Commentary http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Summer_Holidays/Tishah_B_Av/tishah_b_av.html On the twenty-first of the seventh month (21 Tishri [17 October] 520 BC), the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet saying, “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people saying, ‘Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like nothing in comparison?’” Haggai 2:1-3 *Are you discouraged? “ ‘But now take courage, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord, ‘take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ declares the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:4

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

*God empowers His people for kingdom work ‘As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!’ “For thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts. The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the Lord of hosts. The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ declares the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:5-9

On the twenty-fourth of the ninth month (24 Kislev [December 18] 520 BC), in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Haggai the prophet, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Ask now the priests for a ruling: If a man carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and touches bread with this fold, or cooked food, wine, oil, or any other food, will it become holy?’ ” And the priests answered, “No.” Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean from a corpse touches any of these, will the latter become unclean?” And the priests answered, “It will become unclean.” Then Haggai said, “ ‘So is this people. And so is this nation before Me,’ declares the Lord, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.’” Haggai 2:10-14 “ ‘But now, do consider from this day onward: before one stone was placed on another in the temple of the Lord, from that time when one came to a grain heap of twenty measures, there would be only ten; and when one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there would be only twenty. I smote you and every work of your hands with blasting wind, mildew and hail; yet you did not come back to Me,’ declares the Lord. ‘Do consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month; from the day when the temple of the Lord was founded, consider: Is the seed (necessities) still in the barn? Even including the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree (luxuries), it has not borne fruit. Yet from this day on I will bless you.’ ” Haggai 2:15-19 Then the word of the Lord came a second time to “As I live,” declares the Lord, “even though Coniah Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, (grandfather of Zerubbabel) saying, “Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, the son of Jehoiakim king of saying, ‘I am going to shake the heavens and the Judah were a signet ring on My right hand, yet I would earth. I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms pull you off; and I will give and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the you over into the hand of nations; and I will overthrow the chariots and their those who are seeking your life, yes, into the hand of riders, and the horses and their riders will go those whom you dread, down, everyone by the sword of another. On that even into the hand of day,’ declares the Lord of hosts, ‘I will take you, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (596 BC) and into Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares the hand of the Chaldeans.” the Lord, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, Jeremiah 22:24-25 for I have chosen you,’ ” declares the Lord of The God of Restoration!! hosts. Haggai 2:20-23 The record of the the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon. Salmon was the father of by Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David the king. David was the father of by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa. Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah. Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah. Josiah became the father of and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. After the deportation to Babylon: Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor. Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud. Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah. :1-16 https://www.slideshare.net/jackfoo/06-09-haggai-1-gods-work-must-have-priority-final?next_slideshow=1 Lessons from the life of Haggai

• Spiritual leaders are to speak biblical truth to political leaders. • God never blesses the work done in opposition to Him. • God always blesses the work done for His glory. • God calls them “This people” (Haggai 1:2) while they are disobedient and rebellious. • God says “I am with you” (Haggai 1:13) after the people repent and turn back to Him. • It doesn’t matter if we are successful or prosperous in what carries no eternal value. • It is for our greatest good for our Creator to foil us when we don’t honor and serve Him. • The origin of true joy in the life of a believer is dedication to the heart of God and the work of God.

Learn from the life of Haggai

Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the Lord. Haggai 1:7-8