Study From the Book of Haggai,1

                        Study From the Book of Haggai,1

     Today we start the series, “Study from the Book of Haggai.”  Here the Jews returned to the Holy Land after 70 years in Exile in Babylon. Those who returned began to build the Temple. However, because they were busy in sorting out their personal affairs, they did not finish the work, so the temple stayed 16 years after the project started with no progress.

     So God sent prophet Haggai to ask the builders to renew their courage and to warn them if they did not put God’s affair in building the Temple their first priority, there would be no blessings in their lives.  So he motivated them to continue.

     This is a message for all especially those who serve God, they should not lose heart in God’s call for their lives and to keep the enthusiasm high till the work is done.

Theme: Haggai rebuked the people for failing to finish God’s work and promised His blessings for completing it.

Author: Haggai, the name is derived from the word “Hag” means festive. He returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel, the governor.

Time: several years after the end of the Babylonian captivity around 520-516 B.C.

Structure:

Four sermons were preached by Haggai in his book

1. Verses 1:1-15: Haggai called the people to rebuild the temple.
2. Verses 2:1-9: he predicted that the temple will be filled with God’s glory
3. Verses 2: 10-19 Haggai declared that God would bless their obedience.
4. Verses 2: 20-23 Haggai encouraged Zerubbabel.