Overview of Haggai

Haggai is a small book that records the prophetic words of Haggai, a prophet that was around at the same time as Ezra and Nehemiah. The people have finally left exile and have returned to Jerusalem. As we saw in Ezra and Nehemiah, hope for a better future is high. But repeatedly the people failed to live up to the commitment they made to God. Haggai is speaking to this same problem.

Haggai's first prophetic word came during the reign of king Darius of Persia. This is the same Darius we read about in Ezra who allowed the Jews to continue rebuilding the temple (Ezra 4:5, Ezra 6) and that we read about in Daniel who prayed that Daniel wouldn't die in the lions' den (Daniel 6).

Haggai 1:1-15 - Judgement for not rebuilding the temple and the people respond

Haggai 2:1-9 - Encouraging the people in their shattered expectations of the temple

Haggai 2:10-19 - The Lord curses disobedience and blessed obedience

Haggai 2:20-23 - The future hope of God’s kingdom

Following the flow of the pre-exilic and exilic prophets, Haggai picks up many of the core messages and applies them to the context the people now find themselves. They are disappointed that they are not experiencing all that was promised them and so Haggai serves as an encouragement that God will do what he has promised. It is coming.

But in the meantime, they are still required to be faithful to God. They still need to cling to God and avoid the mistakes of their ancestors.

Haggai 1-2

The book starts with Haggai challenging the people, focusing on two key leaders; Zerubbabel governor of Judah and Joshua the high priest. He points out that the people had stopped building the temple, but were happily building their own houses. They then wondered why they never have enough.

God has withheld his blessings from the people because they had forgotten him. But if they would turn back to him and rebuild his temple, he will bless them again. The people realised the error of their ways and immediately set to rebuilding the temple.

Haggai then came back a month or so later. He acknowledges that some were looking at the new temple and were disappointed. We saw this in Ezra 3:8-13. Haggai's message to these people was to be strong, for God is with them. Be faithful and obedient to the covenant that God made with his people all the way back in Egypt. There will come a day when the temple will be greater than it has ever been, and God will give his people peace.

Haggai comes back another couple of months later and asks the people a question. If something holy touches something normal, does the normal thing become holy? No is the answer. What if someone is ritually unclean (think back to all those rules we read way back in Leviticus) and touches some food? Does the food become unclean? Yes, is the answer.

Haggai then points out that in the same way, when the Jews who are living unclean lives and not honouring God build the temple, the temple they make will be unclean. Any offering they make at the temple will also be unclean.

Haggai points back at the past harvests for evidence. The harvests were bad because the people have been unclean. But now, if they will choose to live holy lives, obeying God, and look forward into the future, Haggai promises them that they will see a bumper harvest. God will bless them for their faithfulness.

This is a call back to Deuteronomy 28, where Moses warned and encouraged the people that they will be cursed for their disobedience but blessed for their obedience.

Finally, Haggai turns to encourage Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was one of the remaining descendants of David. While the people no longer had a king, the prophets had spoken of a king that God would raise up. A king from the line of David.

Haggai confirms for Zerubbabel that he has been chosen by God to carry on the line of David. There will come a time when God will overthrow all nations and all earthly kingdom. In that day, he will raise up his king.

And the book ends there. While a short book, Haggai carries an important message. If we are faithful to God, he will be faithful to us. And in the midst of the difficulties we face, there is a future hope coming. A king that will save and rescue us.

Psalm 57

This psalm is attributed to King David when he hid from Saul in a cave (1 Samuel 22:1-2). The psalm can be split into two, with the first psalm being a lament psalm, including complaints, requests, and trust. The second half is more of a praise psalm, as though it was written after God had rescued the psalmist.

Psalm 57:1-5 - Lament

Psalm 57:6-11 - Praise

The psalmist first turns to God with a request that God be merciful to them. It is in God they take refuge until the storms pass because he is a God who gives them purpose.

The psalmist is confident that God will rescue them and put to shame their enemies. Why? Because he is a loving and faithful God.

And so the psalmist brings their complaint. They are surrounded by enemies. These enemies are like lions or fiery beasts.

Their teeth are like spears because their enemies want to consume them, and their tongues are like swords because they lie.

And then the psalmist concludes the first half of the psalm with the refrain, “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!”

Then we get the second half of the psalm where the psalmist now seems to be talking in the past tense. Their enemies set their traps, and the psalmist was laid low, but their enemies fell into their own traps.

God has rescued them! This leads the psalmist to praise God for his goodness. Their heart has been strengthened and now they sing.

They will start the day with praise for God, almost awaking the dawn itself with their praise.

They will also praise God in public, letting other people know of all that God has done. Why? Because he is a loving and faithful God.

And so the psalmist ends the second half of the psalm with the same refrain, “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!”.

In this one psalm, we get to see both sides. The lament and coming to God with our problems, and the praise and celebration once God has rescued.