Prophecy #1: Rebuild the temple

Day 1, Month 6, Year 2 of Darius I’s reign

1:1

• The prophet Haggai proclaims the Word of Yahweh to Zerubbabel (Governor of Judah) & to Joshua [a.k.a. Jeshua] (High Priest)

1:2

• God says, ‘The people [of Judah] have said, “It is not yet time to build God’s house!”’

1:3-4

• God says, ‘Should you be living in panelled houses while the temple is in ruins?’

1:5-6

• God says, ‘Consider this: you have sown much but gathered little [& failed to prosper]’

1:7-8

• God says, ‘Consider this: you should now build the temple and honour Me’

1:9-11

• [God says,] ‘You did not prosper, because the temple was in ruins & I sent drought on the land’

1:12-13

• The people [obediently] listen to God’s word & they fear Him, so God says, ‘I am with you!’

Day 24, Month 6, Year 2

1:14-15

• God stirs up the spirit of the people to begin work on God’s house

Prophecy #2: The new temple will be glorious

Day 21, [Month] 7, [Year 2]

2:1-2

• The Word of Yahweh came to the prophet Haggai,
• ‘Speak to Zerubbabel (Governor of Judah), to Joshua (High Priest), and to all the people [of Judah]’

2:3

• [God says,] ‘Who saw the temple’s former glory? It is now as nothing’ [destroyed in 2 Kgs 25:9]

2:4-5

• [God says,] ‘Now, be strong and work, because I am with you, just as I promised’ [cf. Ex 19:3-6]

2:6-9

• God says, ‘I will shake the heavens and earth & will fill this temple with glory. All nations will come [to the temple]; it will be more glorious than the previous one; I give it my peace’

Prophecy #3: Holiness versus Defilement

Day 24, [Month] 9, Year 2

2:10-11

• The Word of Yahweh came to the prophet Haggai,
• ‘Ask the priests about the [Mosaic] Law’

2:12

• Q¹. “If someone carries consecrated meat in a garment [making the garment holy, see Lev 6:25-27], and that [holy] garment touches other foods, do the other foods become holy?”
• A¹. The priests reply, ‘No!’

[The garment can receive holiness, but does not have power to impart holiness, symbolising, the temple is made holy by God, but the temple does not automatically impart holiness to the people simply because they visit it (cf. what Jeremiah taught about the old temple, in Jer 7:4-15)]

2:13

• Q². “If a person who has become [ritually] unclean by reason of a [dead] body [see Num 19:11] touches these [other foods], do the [other foods] become [ritually] unclean?”
• A². The priests reply, ‘Yes!’

[Everything the person touched would become defiled (see Num 19:13, v22), symbolising, people can easily defile the temple (cf. Ezekiel’s vision of the old temple, in Ezek 8:14-18)]

2:14

• Haggai responds, ‘God says, “Likewise, this people, this nation, what they do & what they offer [at the temple] are all [ritually] unclean”’ [cf. the situation at the old temple, in Isa 1:11-17]

2:15-19

• [God says,] “Consider this: Before the temple was being rebuilt, you did not prosper, [but now] from this day onwards I will bless [you]” [cf. Isa 1:18-19]

Prophecy #4: God blesses Governor Zerubbabel

Day 24, [Month 9, Year 2]

2:20-23

• The Word of Yahweh came to the prophet Haggai again, saying,
• ‘Tell Zerubbabel, “I am shaking the heavens & earth, and will overthrow foreign nations & their armies, and you, Zerubbabel, will be like My signet [ring], for I have chosen you”’

[a signet ring symbolises a king’s power & authority; Zerubbabel appears in Jesus’ genealogy, Mt 1:12-16]

Hab / Zeph / HAG / Zech / Mal