Lesson 1

Background:  All dates are BC, of course.

            -Returned with remnants under Zerubbbabel, 536

            -3 messages between Sept. 2, 520 and Dec. 24, 520.

            -Referred to by Ezra twice (Ezr. 5:1-2; 6:14)

            - Zechariah began between Haggai’s second and third messages.

            -Darius I (521-486) King throughout Haggai and Zechariah’s ministries.

            -Haggai was a contemporary of Zechariah, Ezra, Esther and Nehemiah.  During the period covered in Ezra (B.C. 538-444), Haggai, (520), Zechariah (520-470) and Nehemiah (B.C. 444-425), Buddha (B.C. 560-480) was in India, Confucius (B.C. 551-479) was in China and Socrates (B.C. 470-399) was in Greece.

            -At the opening of Haggai, Building had started in 536 and stopped after opposition primarily from the Samaritans 534.  The people who had left Babylonia with such enthusiasm became discouraged.  In their discouragement, they turned from building the temple to taking care of themselves.  They had the same lack of faith their ancestors had when they first approached the Promised Land with Moses and were afraid to go in. Building resumed 520, completed 516.

            -Haggai’s words are both practical and prophetic.

            -Importance of Zerubbabel - descendant of David via Solomon or Nathan (?). He was the common ancestor of both Mary (Matt. 1:12) and Joseph (Luke 3:27)

Questions:

1. Read Ezra 5:1-2 and 6:14.  Haggai and Zechariah were instrumental in getting the temple rebuilt, although, apparently, neither lifted a finger.  What was their contribution?

1a.  They were effective because the governor, Zerubbabel, listened to them.  How important is it that our leaders have people advising them based on God’s laws and principles?  What was the effect of the Clinton administration on this country’s ethical and moral fiber? What were some legislation or events that support your position?

This is an election year, discuss how we can learn of the people who will surround and advise the men and women running for office.                                                                        

1b.  Had the people who returned not listened to Zerubbabel, Haggai and Zehariah, the temple would not have been completed.  To whom do the people of our country listen?  How can we curb or counter the effect of the media without losing freedom of speech?

2. Read Haggai 1:1-2.  What does God usually call the Israelites? (Ex. Ch. 8, 2Sam. 7:7-7:11, Jer. 2:31-32). What is the significance of the change in pronoun?  When do we signify displeasure by changing pronouns when referring to someone or something?

3. Read Haggai 1:3-5  What is God saying here?  What does He say about where our priorities should be? (Hint: Matt. 6:33)  How does this apply to tithing?

4. Read Haggai 1:6. This is the human condition without God. (Compare to Eccles. 1:8-9, 2:11, 5:10-11.)  How does the presence of the Holy Spirit and the Promise of Eternal life change this condition?

5. Read Haggai 1:7.  When you consider your ways, what conclusions do you reach?

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Haggai

Lesson 2

Background:  Geography around Jerusalem:  

            - Hill country
            - Terraced with trees and crops, principally olives for food, ointment, anointing, 
               the eternal light, grapes for wine and food, grain food

1.  Read Haggai 1:8-11. Jesus said to seek first the Kingdom of God.  Here we see that nothing we do will work if we don’t.  God’s directions to the people are very specific.  When the people were too discouraged or afraid they turned to their own lives.  How did God react to this?

2.  So often we go through the day on autopilot, not considering the eternal perspective of what we do.  We have control over our thoughts and words and behavior.  There are consequences to putting or not putting, God first.  Our spiritual lives have direct impact on our daily living.  Give examples of how your spiritual life is reflected in your daily living.

3. We live in an age of “blame game”.  God has none of that.  He gave them a task and they were not at it.  God has given us a task, two actually, you love Him with all of our hearts, minds, strength and souls, and to love one another as His loved us.  We will go forth and spread the gospel as a result of our love.  We will care for those hurting because of our love, etc. What excuses to people, do you, give for not doing the work God has commanded?

 4.  Read Haggai 1:12.  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. (Ps. 111:10)  Give examples of why the remnant might have feared the Lord.  Why should Americans fear the Lord? Should believers fear the Lord? Discuss.

5.  Is there a difference between obedience because of fear and obedience because of love?  Which does God want?  How do you know?

6.  Read Haggai 1:13.  Only after the remnant were willing to obey did God tell them, “I am with you.”  What does that tell you about the importance of the willingness to obey?

7. Read Haggai 1:14-15.  We have The Holy Spirit to stir our spirits.  He stirs us up to work for Him.  Relate a time the Spirit enabled you to do something you didn’t think you could or would.

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Haggai

Lesson 3

Background:  -The chapter begins on the last day of Sukkot.  Digress: the meaning and
                       practice of Sukkot.

                LEV 23:33 The LORD said to Moses, 34 "Say to the Israelites: `On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the LORD's Feast of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. 35 The first day is a sacred assembly; do no regular work. 36 For seven days present offerings made to the LORD by fire, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present an offering made to the LORD by fire. It is the closing assembly; do no regular work.

    LEV 23:37 (" `These are the LORD's appointed feasts, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing offerings made to the LORD by fire--the burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings required for each day. 38 These offerings are in addition to those for the LORD's Sabbaths and in addition to your gifts and whatever you have vowed and all the freewill offerings you give to the LORD.)

    LEV 23:39 " `So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the LORD for seven days; the first day is a day of rest, and the eighth day also is a day of rest. 40 On the first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees, and palm fronds, leafy branches and poplars, and rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. 41 Celebrate this as a festival to the LORD for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 Live in booths for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in booths 43 so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.' "

               DT 16:13 Celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress. 14 Be joyful at your Feast--you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites, the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns. 15 For seven days celebrate the Feast to the LORD your God at the place the LORD will choose. For the LORD your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete.

    DT 16:16 Three times a year all your men must appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles. No man should appear before the LORD empty-handed: 17 Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you.

                2CH 8:12 On the altar of the LORD that he had built in front of the portico, Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings to the LORD, 13 according to the daily requirement for offerings commanded by Moses for Sabbaths, New Moons and the three annual feasts--the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles.

            - Solomon dedicated the first temple during Sukkot.. (1Kgs. 8:2)

            -Ezra 3:4 They celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles

            -Zechariah 14Expected all nations to so celebrate.

                ZEC 14:16 Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. 17 If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, they will have no rain. 18 If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The LORD will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. 19 This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.

The Feast was no less important during Jesus’ Day. JN 7:1 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. 2 But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, 3 Jesus' brothers said to him, "You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. 4 No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." 5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him.

    JN 7:6 Therefore Jesus told them, "The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil. 8 You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come." 9 Having said this, he stayed in Galilee.

    JN 7:10 However, after his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. 11 Now at the Feast the Jews were watching for him and asking, "Where is that man?"

    JN 7:12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, "He is a good man."

    Others replied, "No, he deceives the people." 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews.

    JN 7:14 Not until halfway through the Feast did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. 15 The Jews were amazed and asked, "How did this man get such learning without having studied?"

vs. 5- The covenant when we came out of Egypt.  The defining event in the history of the Jewish people. Mentioned 27 times in Exodus, 9 Lev., 14 Num., 20 Deu. Everything referenced back to that event. e.g. Why we should trust Him, Why we should treat people well, Love God with all...and Love our neighbor. (Lev. 19:18)

Lesson 3

1.  This takes place during the Feast of Tabernacles.  This is one of 3 pilgrimage holidays the Israelites were commanded to keep.  We are told that all of the commandments are for our own good. In what way is keeping these holidays for our own good? 

2.  Read:  Haggai 2:1-3. Our hearts must ache for those who had been alive and old enough to remember Solomon’s temple.  That took years to build.  This took months.  Our hearts must also ache when we look back to our country’s origins and the hopes of our founding fathers.  While we might long for those leaders and those days, what can we, individually, do to restore our country?

3a.  Read Haggai 2:4-5.  “Be strong and work for I am with you.  My Spirit is among you.”  God says the same thing to us today.  We are His hands and mouthpiece, His workers. What is the work God has for you?  How does the Holy Spirit help you in your work?

3b.God does not give us work without enabling us to do it.  They could not have rebuilt the temple without God’s Spirit and His strength. What has God’s strength enabled you to do during the past week?

3c..  For the Jewish people, the events of the Passover and the covenant when He brought them out of Egypt created and defined them as a people.  Write here the covenant He made with you. (Hint Read Jer. 31:31-37)

4a.  Read Haggai 2:6-9.  When before (God says, “once more”) did God shake the heavens and earth, the sea and land?  How are times today like they were then?  How are they different?

4b. Haggai shifts from the practical to the prophetic.  Read Isa. 13:9-13. Do you believe this will happen as it is written? What do you say to people who say this should not be taken literally?

4c.  Who are “the desired of all nations” who will come? (Read Rev. 5:6-9)

4d.  “In this place”, meaning the temple in Jerusalem, The Lord Almighty will bring peace.  This is why we are to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Ps. 122:6), because the Lord Almighty will be the One who brings it.  Do you pray for the peace of Jerusalm now? Will this encourage you to pray for Jerusalem?

5. Read Haggai 2:10-19.  Can you recall the day you came to faith?  God wants us to remember what our lives were like before we gave them to Him. That was the day that, as for these exiles, the Lord changed everything.  Tell us about it.

6. Read Haggai 2:20-23.  The signet ring was a guarantee.  It was a physical sign of a promise that something was going to happen.  The Lord Almighty here says that He has chosen Zerubbabel to be His signet ring, His guarantee.  What is God guaranteeing here?  In what sense is Zerubabbel the manifestation of God’s promise?  Do our lives reflect God’s promised return?  How can we be God’s signet ring, a sign to others that God’s promise will happen?

7.  What ideas or verse(s) of this brief book will stay with you?