Haggai

About Haggai

Haggai spoke to the Jews who had returned from exile in Babylon and then let the work of rebuilding the temple stall for years while they built their own houses. In four short, dated messages, he calls the people to put God's house first, and remarkably, they listen and get back to work. The book sits at the start of the post-exile chapter of the Bible's story, promising that the glory of this modest new temple will one day be greater than Solomon's.

Written by

The book records the messages of the prophet Haggai, who is also named in Ezra as one of the prophets who stirred up the temple rebuilding.

When

Haggai's messages are precisely dated to a four-month span in 520 BC, during the second year of King Darius of Persia.

Themes

• Putting God first
• Rebuilding the temple
• Courage to finish the work
• God's presence and future glory

Key verses

• Haggai 1:7-8This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Consider carefully your ways. Go up into the hills, bring down lumber, and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified, says the LORD.
• Haggai 2:9The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former, says the LORD of Hosts. And in this place I will provide peace, declares the LORD of Hosts.”