Study notes

Haggai 1

Introducing HaggaiWho wrote it, when, why, and what to look for as you read

1:1

  • This introductory statement (superscription) identifies the author, audience, date, and occasion for the prophecy.

  • In the second year: This refers to the second year of the reign of Darius I, also called Darius the son of Hystaspes. He ruled Persia from 521 to 486 BC, early in the Persian Empire, from 539 to 331 BC. The messages of Haggai are among the most precisely dated prophecies in the Old Testament.

  • The term prophet (Hebrew nabi’) identifies Haggai as a representative of God, speaking with God's authority.

  • Zerubbabel led one group of Hebrews back to Judah after the Babylonian exile. At the time of Haggai’s ministry, he served as the Persian-appointed governor of Judah (see Ezra 2:1–2; 3:2; Nehemiah 7:7).

  • Jeshua was the high priest at that time. He supervised the rebuilding of the altar and the dedication of the second temple (Ezra 3:2; 5:2; 6:15).

1:1–15

The first message urges the people of Jerusalem to restore proper worship of God.

1:1–11 Section

Many Jews returned from Babylon to Judah. They were supposed to build another temple in Jerusalem.

First they rebuilt their homes. Then they started farming again. But there wasn’t enough rain. Their crops didn’t produce enough food. Haggai explained why. Not having enough rain or food were sometimes signs of God’s judgement. They were part of the covenant curses.

In Haggai’s time God allowed these covenant curses to come to the Jews. Covenant curses came when God’s people were not faithful to the Mount Sinai covenant. In the prophet Hosea’s messages God had talked about ending the Mount Sinai covenant (Hosea 1:9).

Many Jews thought that God ended the covenant when he sent them into exile. But God had promised that he would continue the covenant. He would continue it with the people left alive after the time of exile. Many prophets had announced this.

God still wanted the Jews to live faithful to the Mount Sinai covenant after the exile. This meant that they would live the way God taught them to live. They would treat others according to God’s rules. And they would worship God the way he taught them to in the Law of Moses. Because the Jews weren’t doing these things, the covenant curses had come. The Jews needed to change their ways and to obey God. They needed to rebuild the temple. This would show that they had respect for God. It would show that they believed he is the Lord who rules over all.

1:2

  • LORD of Hosts: Haggai and Zechariah often use this term for God to highlight the unstoppable power of God's word. The Lord can summon countless heavenly troops to fulfill his will instantly (2 Kings 6:17; Matthew 26:53). This idea aimed to encourage the Judeans, who felt weak and unimportant.

  • The time has not yet come: Poor crop yields from drought and pests had severely weakened Judah’s economy (Haggai 1:6, 9–11), leading the people to believe they could not afford to rebuild the temple. Haggai convinced them that they could not afford to leave the temple in ruins, as God would not bless and prosper them if they did not rebuild the Lord’s house (Haggai 1:4, 7–8).

1:4

  • Is it a time for you: Rhetorical questions in prophetic literature seek agreement, not a reply (see Haggai 2:3). This question aims to prevent listeners from making excuses in response to the message.

  • The people's luxurious (paneled) houses contrasted with God's temple, which was desolate (in ruins) and unusable.

1:5

Consider carefully your ways (literally Set your heart on these matters): For the Hebrews, the heart is where thinking, feeling, and willing occur. This command (also Haggai 1:7; 2:15, 18) urges people to think carefully and understand the link between their situation (drought and poverty, Haggai 1:6) and their failure to restore proper worship of the Lord (1:8–9).

1:6

  • eat … drink … put on clothes: Each action shows a continuous process. You keep filling your plates, keep drinking, and put on layer after layer of clothes. This increases the feeling of futility.

  • a bag pierced through: This image represents the loss of wages. Many families faced poverty despite their steady work.

1:8

  • Go up into the hills: The trees around Jerusalem were not enough for the temple project. Supplies would have been imported from Lebanon and Syria to the north.

  • The challenge to rebuild my house highlights the importance of worship in the community's life and the need for a proper sanctuary so worship of the Lord might occur according to the law. The land would experience blessing and prosperity when the Lord’s temple (his dwelling place) was rebuilt (Haggai 2:4).

1:9

  • I blew away: The Lord destroyed the harvest because the people focused only on themselves, not on God.

  • declares the LORD of Hosts: This is a common God-as-speaker formula (a set phrase that shows God is speaking). It often appears at the close of a prophecy and confirms that the message truly comes from God (Haggai 1:13; 2:8, 17, 23).

1:11

  • I have summoned a drought: The people did not see their situation as a divine judgment on their wrong priorities. Haggai explained it using the curses linked to the covenant (Deuteronomy 28:15–68, especially verses 22–24, 38–40).

  • Drought (Hebrew khoreb) is a wordplay on “ruins” (Haggai 1:4, 9; Hebrew khareb). Judah’s experiences matched the state of the Lord’s temple they had neglected.

1:12

  • The whole remnant refers to the people who returned from Babylon. They all united in the rebuilding project.

  • the people feared the LORD.: They showed respect and worship. They prioritized spiritual values over material wealth.

1:12–15 Section

In the year 539 BC, Cyrus had ordered the Jews to rebuild the temple.

In 536 BC Joshua and Zerubbabel led the people to rebuild the temple. But other people groups living around them forced them to stop building. Government officials also forced them to stop for around 16 years. This story is recorded in the book of Ezra chapters 1 through 4.

Rebuilding the temple was something that Daniel had prayed about (Daniel 9:17–19). Daniel understood that the temple was a sign of God’s honour. God didn’t need a temple built by human beings. Solomon had made that clear when the first temple was built (1 Kings 8:27). And people didn’t need a temple in order to worship God. The stories of Daniel and Ezekiel made that clear. Daniel and Ezekiel served God faithfully in Babylon after the temple was destroyed.

But God chose to use the temple as a sign of his presence with people on earth. It was a sign that God wanted all people to worship him and obey him (Isaiah 2:1–5). Zerubbabel and Joshua listened to Haggai’s message in the second year that Darius was king. These leaders obeyed God. They continued rebuilding the temple. So did all the people. Those were the people left alive after the southern kingdom’s time of judgement. They were able to do this because God was with them. This meant that the people could trust that God was present with them. It also meant that God was taking action to help them. God stirred up their spirits. This meant that God gave them the desire and the ability to do the work. The story about continuing to rebuild the temple is recorded in Ezra chapters 5 and 6.

1:13

  • Haggai's unique title as the messenger of the LORD (the same Hebrew phrase often translates to angel of the Lord) gives him special authority as the Lord's representative.

  • I am with you: This confirms God's promise to the people of Judea, showing his presence and support in their building project (Haggai 2:4–5; see Genesis 26:3; Exodus 3:12; Isaiah 41:10; 43:5; Jeremiah 30:11).

Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources