Bible Study Notes on Haggai

The Minor Prophets Bible Study IX: Haggai

April 26, 2012

BMC- Haggai

Opening Question: What or whom motivates you?

Background

Call: No formal call.  1:1 the word of the Lord came to Haggia

When: Prophesied mid-August and mid-December 520 BCE (HCSB 1408)

Where: Jerusalem (HCSB 1408)

To Whom: Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the High Priest (HCSB 1408).  Zerubbabel, Joshua and the remnant (2:2)

Characteristics: (What do you notice about the style of the book)

-          Specific Dates/ Chronological

-          More of a narrative format

-          Not as harsh as some

-         Reversal of Temple Theology?

 

Relationship with Kings & Others:

-          Darius I

-          Zerubabbel, governor

-          Joshua, high priest

-          (Connections to Ezra 4-6)

Important Events:

-          Fall of Jerusalem 587 BC

-          Persian Empire (King Cyrus) defeats Babylonian Empire 539 BC (Gowan 145)

-          Return of the Diaspora

Outline: (Sweeney pg. 201)

I.                                           Narrative concerning compliance with YHWH’s instruction to build Temple (1:1-15a)

II.                Narrative concerning future glory of Jerusalem Temple

(1:15b-2:9)

III.                                     Narrative concerning purity of land and establishment of Zerubbabel as YHWH’s regent (2:10-23)

Observations by Chapter: (Note observations make or questions you have as you read the book.)

Haggai 1:  Call to rebuild the temple, People respond to call, God declares that He is with them. People lack motivation.  V. 14 God stirred the people.

Haggai 2:  Another message, remember how things were, take courage, God will act and make this great.   God promises to bless them.

 Themes/Issues: (Note the major themes and issues the prophet addresses.)

-          Why salvation didn’t seem to be coming for Israel (Miller 230)

-          Need of community to care for one another (Miller 230)

-          Need to rebuild the temple.

-          Lack of Confidence and identity

-          Lord won’t bless until they obey

-          Politics involved (Esp. Ezra version)

So What? (Having read the prophet, what do his words have to teach us today?)

-          Worship God (God expects obedience)

-          How do we balance the use of our resources for temple vs. ministry

-          Temple focal point to refocus people toward God.

-          What’s the motivation?