• Haggai 1-2

Introduction

• The name Haggai means “festive.”
• We don’t know much about Haggai other than the additional mentions in Ezra 5:1-2; 6:14.
• The book was written during the second year of Darius, about 520 B.C.
• The message of the book is to rebuild the temple. Rebuilding was necessary if God was to bless the people.

Background history:

• Three waves carried into Babylonian captivity from Judah:

  • 606 B.C. – Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

  • 597 B.C. – Ezekiel

  • 586 B.C. – Temple was destroyed

• 70 years of captivity in Babylon: 606-536 B.C.

• In 549 B.C., Cyrus defeats the Medes, creating the Medo-Persian empire.

• In 539 B.C., Cyrus captured Babylon, becoming the reigning world power.

• Cyrus was a unique leader and was good to those in captivity. He not only allowed them to return to their home country but provided resources for them to rebuild.

• Isaiah prophesied about the coming of Cyrus, calling him by name over 100 years in advance (Isaiah 44:28; 45:4).

• Ezra 1:2-4 – Cyrus allowed people to return.

• Ezra 3:11 – Cyrus allows cedar trees for the people to use to rebuild.

• By the time of Haggai, the people had rebuilt their own houses, but not the house of God. Fourteen years the temple foundation had been in place, but nothing was built on it.

The messages of Haggai

Message 1: Your indifference is causing all the things you’re suffering (Haggai 1:1-15)

• Haggai 1:4 – Their indifference was the reason God had not blessed them. This is not the last time people have built their own houses to the exclusion of God’s house.
• Haggai 1:6-11 – God had refused to bless them.
• Haggai 1:12 – The remedy was repentance!
• Haggai 1:14-15 – The people heard the message and quickly got to work.

Message 2: The glory of the new temple (Haggai 2:1-9)

• This message came 3.5 weeks after the construction restarted.
• The feast of tabernacles was a time once a year where the people were to live in tents for seven days to commemorate the wilderness wanderings.
• Haggai 2:1-3 – The older people who remembered the first temple thought this one was nothing in comparison.
• Haggai 2:4 – God would bless them if they would be strong and obey Him.
• Haggai 2:7 – This was ultimately fulfilled in the kingdom of Christ (Hebrews 12:26-28). The treasures that cannot be shaken are those that God’s people store up by serving Him in this life, culminating in the treasure of heaven. See also Daniel 2:44.
• Haggai 2:9 – This is referring to the glory of the kingdom that cannot be shaken.

Message 3: Because of their lack of service, even what good they were doing was not acceptable to God (Haggai 2:10-19)

• Haggai 2:10-19 – God would now bless them since they were repairing the temple.

Message 4: While the earth and everything around was shaken, they would be blessed (Haggai 2:20-23)

• Haggai 2:23 – Zerubbabel would be the chosen leader, not so much because of him personally, but because of his lineage.

Lessons for us

• Don’t be negligent. Be busy in serving God.
• God will not bless those who are indifferent in building His house.
• Do not expect God’s blessings while not honoring Him.
• If you mix clean and unclean, you have a body of uncleanness.
• All preaching must have a “thus sayeth the Lord.”

• Matthew 6:19-21

• This is an issue of the heart.

  • Matthew 6:24 – You cannot serve two masters.

  • I Timothy 6:8-10 – It’s not about money – it’s about the love of money.

• We have to trust in God more than stuff.

  • Matthew 6:19-20 – Earthly treasures are by nature uncertain.

  • Psalms 62:10

  • Hebrews 10:32-34

  • Matthew 5:11-123

  • Hebrews 13:5-6

  • Ecclesiastes 5:10-14

  • If you have little, it’s much easier to trust in God.

  • Today, we may feel secure, but are we really secure?

• Let’s get specific: how do I build up treasures in heaven?

  • Spend time in God’s service.

    • I Timothy 6:11-14

  • Demonstrate love to everyone.

    • Luke 6:35-38

    • Luke 18:22

  • See to the needs of the brethren.

  • Persevere when the world hates you.

    • Revelation 2:8-11 – They were poor, but rich in heaven. God would not take their poverty away but would them through it.

  • Yearn for heaven!

    • Hebrews 11:16

• II Thessalonians 2:1-12 – The man of lawlessness.

  • About 25% of I Thessalonians refers to the second coming of Christ.

  • A good case can be made that the “man of lawlessness” is referring to the Roman Catholic church.

  • II Thessalonians 2:4 – Compare the title of the Pope as “vicar of Christ,” implying his “supreme and universal primacy.” See also Acts 10:25-26; Revelation 22:8-9

  • II Thessalonians 2:6-7 – Possibly refers to the Roman Empire. The Roman Catholic church increased greatly in power after the fall of the Empire in 476.

  • II Thessalonians 2:7 – “mystery of lawlessness”

    • People were already striving for preeminence (II John 1:9-10) and “advocating different ways” (II Peter 2:15). Compare also I Timothy 6:3.

  • II Thessalonians 2:9-10 – Miracles were part of the qualification of “saints” canonized by the Roman Catholic church.

  • II Thessalonians 2:8 – The Roman Catholic church is still here today.

  • Matthew 23:2

  • II Thessalonians 2:11 – Bible writers often used verbs figuratively to refer to something that you didn’t do directly, but that you allowed or to which you had some connection. See John 4:1-2; Acts 1:18 for examples.

  • The man of lawlessness may also refer to a general pulling away from God’s ways, of which the Roman Catholic church is one example in particular.

• Ecclesiastes 7:2

• Don’t tell them it’s wrong to grieve.

  • Luke 7:12-15

  • John 11:33-36 – Jesus joined in the grief!

• Love them while they grieve their way.

  • Colossians 3:12

  • Denial

    • Psalms 55:4-7 – David wanted to get away!

  • Anger

    • Job 7:11-16

    • Anger is not a sin, but it can lead to sin. We must be careful.

    • John 11:21-22

  • Bargaining

    • II Samuel 18:33; 12:15-23

  • Depression

    • Psalms 69:1-3, 8, 10-11, 20

  • Acceptance

    • It’s not that the loss is forgotten – it’s that the grieving person once again is able to function.

• Focus on the one who is grieving.

  • Romans 12:10; Philippians 2:3-4

  • Ecclesiastes 3:4-8 – There is a time for everything.

  • Take your cue from those who are grieving.

• Don’t rush it.

  • Genesis 37:33-35; 50:3, 10-11 – They grieved for extended periods.

  • Proverbs 25:11 – Speak in right circumstances.

  • I Thessalonians 4:13, 18

• Just be there.

  • John 11:31

  • Job 2:11-13 – Job’s friends initially just sat with him in his grief.

• Habakkuk 1-3

• Introduction

  • The name Habakkuk means “embrace.”

  • The book was most likely written between 612 and 606 B.C.

• Habakkuk 1

  • Habakkuk 1:1-4 – Habakkuk can’t understand why God allows evil.

  • Habakkuk 1:5-11 – God replies that His is bringing the Chaldeans to punish Judah.

  • Habakkuk 1:12-17 – Habakkuk asks how God can use people more wicked than Judah to punish Judah.

• Habakkuk 2

  • Habakkuk 2:1-5 – The Chaldeans would be punished, but the just shall live by faith. It is a fundamental principle that God will punish evil. The passage is referenced from Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:30.

  • Habakkuk 2:6-19 – Woe to the Chaldeans! See Jeremiah 1. Babylon would be destroyed.

  • Habakkuk 2:20 – See Psalms 11:4.

• Habakkuk 3

  • Habakkuk 3:1-19 – Habakkuk’s prayer for deliverance.

• Lessons for us:

  • The just shall live by faith.

  • The Lord is in His holy temple.

    • God is still in control!

  • When doubts arise, take them to God.

    • We can find the answers in God’s word.

  • While God’s judgments are for the punishment of the wicked, they are also for salvation of the faithful.

  • The differences between the evil and the righteous is pride vs. faith.

  • The man of faith will rejoice in the end.

  • Evil is self-destructive (Habakkuk 3:17-18).

  • In judgment, pray for mercy.

  • All will ultimately answer to God (II Corinthians 5:10).

  • The Lord is our strength (Habakkuk 3:19).

  • God has gone out for the salvation of his people (Habakkuk 3:13).

    • He wants us to be saved, but the choice is ours!