The Book of Haggai - Teaching

The Book of Haggai takes about seven minutes to read aloud. It addresses distraction, priorities, passivity, obedience and holiness - all themes still relevant today.

Haggai was a prophet prophesying in Palestine in 520BC. He was one of three post-exilic prophets (alongside Zechariah and Malachi) speaking his messages after Judah had endured their seventy years of exile in Babylonia. King Cyrus of Persia, upon seizing power, permitted all the exiles to return to their homeland. Although this offer was generous and miraculous, only a small minority of Jews chose to return to their former land (about 2-3% initially). The returnees (otherwise known as the “faithful remnant”) began to rebuild their ruined temple and the city’s walls once back in Palestine. However, they were faced with opposition from neighbouring peoples and consequently stopped rebuilding the temple.

For sixteen years the temple remained unbuilt. Haggai confronts the people's apathy, bearing God's message which challenges why the returnees have been building their own houses but not His house. God spoke through Haggai to show the Jewish people that He was planning something better than a physical temple. He was planning for a way to dwell amongst His people once more, fulfilled through the spiritual temple of the Church.

Lecture 1, Part 1

Lecture 1, Part 2

Lecture 1,Part 3