How to Read Haggai

One of the shortest books in the Bible, Haggai can easily be read at one sitting. Haggai’s words came at a critical time in the life of the nation of Israel. They mark one of the few times in all history when God spoke and his people quickly and unquestioningly obeyed. For the historical background, read Ezra 1-6. Haggai’s crucial message is mentioned in Ezra 5:1-2.

There is a progression to God’s warnings and his promises through Haggai. Study each of Haggai’s messages, and note what encouragement, what warning, and what hope God offered Israel. How did god motivate them to obey. 

SOMETIMES AT CRUCIAL MOMENTS, A single voice can stir a directionless mass of people to action. Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s inspiring oratory may have saved Britain in World War II. American clergy and civil rights leader Martin Luther King’s sermons and speeches captured America’s conscience in the 1950s and 60s.

Haggai’s words, similarly, rang clear in a time of confusion. The Jews had returned from their exile in Babylon nearly 20 years before. But they seemed to have forgotten the point of returning. After one false start on the temple, the returned exiles had devoted their time in building their own houses. The ruins of Solomon’s temple stood as a nagging reminder that they had neglected God.

Now Haggai urged this pioneers to “give careful thought” to their situation. He did not rage like Jeremiah or build eloquent poems like Isaiah. He put it simple and logically. They had worked hard, but what had it earned them? Their crops was unsuccessful. Their money disappeared as soon as they earned it. Why? Haggai asked. Because they had mistaken their priorities. They needed to put God first. They needed to rebuild his temple.

People responded to Haggai immediately. Prophets before him, such as Amos, Isaiah, and Jeremiah, has spoken for decades without seeing such a heartfelt reaction. Haggai’s messages span a mere four months, but he accomplished everything he set out to do. In four years the temple was complete.

What made the temple so important? Afterall the proper sacrifices and rituals could be carried out on a makeshift altar. But God’s reputation was at stake. He could not be properly honored so long as the house he called home lay in ruins. The temple symbolized God’s presence, and Israel’s priorities.

Would rebuilding the temple change Israel’s financial situation? Haggai’s first words promised nothing. He simply said, “Give careful thought to your ways” and pointed out that Israel’s lack of prosperity was God’s doing. They had worked hard but God had withheld the rain their crops needed to flourish. A month later (Haggai 2:1-9) Haggai said that God had glorious plans for Israel, plans that would shake the whole earth. But he referred to God’s presence with them, not to good crops.

Only on the last day accounted for in this brief book did Haggai get back to the subject of harvests. He said God wanted his people to “give careful thought” again-this time to the dramatic difference they would see in their harvest now that they had put God first. “From this day on I will bless you,” God said through Haggai (Haggai 2:18-19).