INTRODUCTION

The prophet Haggai was probably born during the Babylonian captivity. His name indicates the hope of his parents. That hope was that they would SEE the restoration of the nation to prominence, and the fullfilment of God's prophecy that had been preached in earlier times concerning the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

The name Haggai means "festive." As a prophet and person, little is known about Haggai. Ezra mentions him as the first of the prophets to encourage the remnant of captives that returned to Jerusalem (Ezra 5:1; 6:14).

Other prophets had foretold of the 70 years of captivity, and of the return of a remnant to Jerusalem. When Cyrus came to power after defeating the Babylonian empire, the Jewish remnant was favored and some were authorized to return. They laid the foundation of the temple, but hostility toward them by neighbors soon stopped the work. The work was halted and an apathetic attitude overcame those who returned.

It was then that Haggai began to prophesy (and Zechariah).

The date of this book can be definitively set at 520BC (see verse 1).

CHAPTER 1

1 In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying, 2 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD's house should be built.

The second year of Darius was 520BC. Haggai says that in the "sixth month, ...first day of the month," he received word from God to preach. That particular day was a day of gathering for Jewish people to worship.

Haggai was directed to relate the prophecy particularly to Zerrubbabel and Joshua. Zerrubbabel was the grandson of Jehoiachin (or Jeconiah) and was appointed by Darius to be governor over the land. Joshua was now the High Priest. He was the son of Jehozadak who had been the High Priest in the time of the Babylonian captivity.

From this, we realize that Haggai's prophecy was directed to the civil and the religious authorities.

Because of discouragement, the people were now saying it was not TIME to build the temple. However, as we shall see in the rest of the prophecy, it was not CIRCUMSTANCE that deterred the people - it was the people themselves!

So often we allow circumstances to deter our speaking for God. If God has SAID it, it is TRUE. And if God has SAID it, then it is TIME to preach it!

3 Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? 5 Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

Haggai asks if it is TIME for them to dwell in their own houses and God's house "lie waste?" We might ask ourselves this question today! Over 76% of the people in the USA proclaim Christianity as their religion. Yet, on any given Sunday morning, fewer than 35% of them will be found in Sunday School and worship! Is it TIME for us to be dwelling in our SELVES and not in God's WILL?

Then, Haggai begins two statements with "Consider your ways!"

6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.

There was a lot of work going on, but little productivity! Seed was sown and the harvest was small. It seemed all their profits were going into "a bag with holes."

Nationally speaking, our USA seems to be very active, but with little productivity. Our Gross National Product (GNP) is high ($10,333 or 38%). However our national debt continues to GROW! There's a lot of activity, but little PRODUCTIVITY!

CONSIDER YOUR WAYS! Is it not TIME to acknowledge Christ and begin serving HIM?

7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD. 9 Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. 10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit. 11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.

God told them through Haggai that they should start building HIS house, then He would "take pleasure" in what they did.

He also told them they had tried to do it THEIR way, but He had caused it to be a losing proposition.

Can we see the resemblance? Is it not time we focused upon building GOD'S house in America? Is it not time that Christians became SERIOUS about following God's will in their lives? Should we not be GIVING to produce more missions and preaching points? Should we not be GIVING to produce more missionaries and evangelism? Should we not be GIVING of our TIME in order to reach the lost in our own communities?

Let us begin building GOD'S house!

12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the LORD. 13 Then spake Haggai the LORD's messenger in the LORD's message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD. 14 And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, 15 In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.

It didn't take long for the people to get the message!! On the twenty-fourth day of that same month in which Haggai prophesied (preached), building began again on the house of God!

First the leaders were encouraged and repented from their apathetic attitude. Then they led the people to begin the work.

My friends, what we need in America is a REVIVAL! A revival of the leaders of Christianity, and a revival of the workers of Christianity! When the CHURCH gets REVIVED, then things will begin to happen in our country!

2 Chron 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.

2 Chron 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves , and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.