The name haggai is assigned to only one person in the bible, although the name haggi is pretty much identical to haggai. Apart from obadiah, haggai is the shortest book in the ot, but its teachings are none the less significant. Haggai zechariah malachi matthew the year was 520 bc. Summary of the book of haggai the story of the bible. After thousands of years, the book of haggai remains largely unique among the books of old testament prophets for one key reason.
Haggai chapter 1 explained discover books of the bible. Koole compares the way other prophetic books originated, and concludes that haggai, like jeremiah, probably dictated his own notes to one or two of his disciples. Book of haggai synonyms, book of haggai pronunciation, book of haggai translation, english dictionary definition of book of haggai. Haggai is the second shortest book in the old testament obadiah is shorter, and is quoted by the new testament once compare heb. Haggai, book of synonyms, haggai, book of pronunciation, haggai, book of translation, english dictionary definition of haggai, book of. The meaning of haggai s name festal, or festal one was appropriate, in view of when the lord gave this first prophecy through him. This was addressed to the leaders, rebuking them for the spiritual lethargy which had allowed the temple to lie unfinished for such a long time. The structure of the book is part of the rhetoric of. Haggai n h s festive, one of the twelve socalled minor prophets. Book of haggai overview insight for living ministries. From these facts, the picture of haggai begins to come into focus. Cyrus saw the restoration of the temple as necessary for the restoration of the religious practices, and.
The temple was still in ruins despite some work recorded in the book of ezra. The book of haggai is a reminder of the problems the people of god faced at this time, how the people courageously trusted in god, and how god provided for their needs. Yahweh sent a message to zerubbabel born in babylon or seed of babylon, an allusion to his birthplace and joshua yahweh saves through the prophet haggai, though it went to all the israelites too haggai 1. The structure of the book is part of the rhetoric of the prophet to contend with the peoples thoughts. The challenge to faith is the same in every generation. Metaphysical meaning of haggai mbd haggai, haggal heb. This question is all the more pertinent in small books such as haggai. The fact that the writer spoke of haggai in the third person does not exclude haggai himself from being the writer since this was a common literary device in antiquity. Outline of the book of haggai the first of haggais four prophecies haggai 1.
Book of haggai an old testament book telling the prophecies of haggai which are concerned mainly with rebuilding the temples after the babylonian. Haggai definition and meaning collins english dictionary. Haggai clearly shows the consequences of disobedience 1. In the second year of darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word. Haggai was a prophet to those who had returned from exile in babylon, and his important work is documented in ezra 6. Haggai 1 niv a call to build the house of the lord bible. Gods people had returned from exile in persia in 539 19 years earlier. Hebrew proper names were sometimes formed in this manner, e. Pdf this article uncovers a sophisticated structure of the book of haggai and its significance. Pdf composition, rhetoric and theology in haggai 1. Haggai is among the most carefully and precisely dated books in the entire bible. It comes from the hebrew word used to picture festive, joyous occasions and is a reference to gods festivals and holy days described in both the old and new testaments.
The book of haggai was written in 520 bce, some 18 years after cyrus had conquered babylon and issued a decree in 538 bce, allowing the captive jews to return to judea. At the same time the lord shows the glorious purpose and design of the true temple which is jesus christ. The book of haggai, also called the prophecy of aggeus, the 10th of 12 old testament books that bear the names of the minor prophets. The book of haggai is narrative history and prophetic oracle. In particular haggai in conjunction with zechariah was given the task of stirring up the enthusiasm to rebuild the temple of the lord and is the. Haggai, book of definition of haggai, book of by the free. Jan 02, 2020 book of haggai bible survey who is the desired of all nations haggai 2. Aug 15, 2018 author of the book of haggai haggai, one of the twelve minor prophets, was the first prophet after the babylonian exile, followed by zechariah and malachi. The book of haggai is a key lesson in faith for christians today. Discussions on the old testament the book of haggai. A large emigration had taken place from the land of captivity to jerusalem. Author of the book of haggai haggai, one of the twelve minor prophets, was the first prophet after the babylonian exile, followed by zechariah and malachi.
In the second year of darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the. Book of haggai noun the noun book of haggai has 1 sense. Book of haggai explained discover books of the bible. It is a short book, consisting of only two chapters. Cyrus saw the restoration of the temple as necessary for the restoration of the religious practices, and a sense of peoplehood, after a long exile.
These people say, the time has not yet come to rebuild the lord s house. Haggai supported the officials of his time, specifically zerubbabel, the governor, and joshua the high priest. The book of haggai, second shortest in the old testament, has a potent message. Haggai s ministry, as this book records it, spanned less than four months, from the first day of the sixth month 1. He was the first of the three zechariah, his contemporary, and malachi, who was about one hundred years later, being the other two whose ministry belonged to the period of jewish history which began after the return from captivity in. Zerubbabel was the political governor overseer of the persian province of. He is known for his prophecy in 520 bce, commanding the jews to rebuild the temple. In the book of haggai, god refers to zerubbabel as my servant as king david was, and says he will make him as a signet ring, as king jehoiachin was haggai 2. Click image to enlarge introduction the prophets to the returned remnant were haggai, zechariah, and malachi. Haggai blends history and prophecy like no other minor prophet. The book of haggai is a book of the hebrew bible or tanakh, and has its place as the antepenultimate of the minor prophets or the book of the twelve.
The book of haggai is the first of the three postexile prophets. May 02, 2020 the book of haggai is a reminder of the problems the people of god faced at this time, how the people courageously trusted in god, and how god provided for their needs. Haggai is a minor prophet of israel who wrote around 520 bc, the time when israel had returned from exile and was recreating the country haggai 1. Zechariah is a contemporary of haggai and shares his concern for a rebuilt temple and a new messianic age under the leadership of joshua and zerubbabel. The word haggai may mean festal, the prophet having been born perhaps on a festival day. Apr 06, 2014 haggai commentary introduction lets open our bibles to the book of haggai. Because his name means festal one, it is suggested that haggai was born on a feast day. The people of israel had returned from exile but were experiencing economic hardship. One of the minor prophets, who prophesied at the time the jews returned from the babylonian captivity.
It is a postexilic book, meaning it was written after post the captivity exile in babylon. The fact that the writer spoke of haggai in the third person does not exclude haggai himself from being the writer, since this was a common literary device in antiquity. Unlike haggai, however, zechariah thought that the rebuilding of the temple was the necessary prelude to the eschatological age, the arrival of which was imminent. A call to build the house of the lord in the second year of king darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the lord came through the prophet haggai to zerubbabel son of shealtiel, governor of judah, and to joshua son of jozadak, the high priest. His name means festive, implying he was born on a jewish feast day. A contemporary of the prophet haggai in the early years of the persian period, zechariah shared haggai s concern that the temple of jerusalem be rebuilt. The purpose of haggai the book of haggai records the extra motivation that was needed by god in 520 bc to have the israelites complete the rebuilding of the temple after they returned from the exile.
Haggai was a prophet who, along with zechariah, encouraged the returned exiles to rebuild the temple see ezr. Even though the book was written in the third person e. Why were the israelites not rebuilding the temple haggai 1. Haggai complete bible book chapters and summary new. Key personalities are haggai, zerubbabel, and joshua. Gods people must choose to believe and reckon as true that when they turn from selfserving pursuits and personal agendas to focus on doing the work of gods word to advance his kingdom, he will bless them above anything.
What does it mean that zerubbabel was the lords signet ring haggai 2. The book of haggai is closely linked with zechariah 18. The play on words is designed to create a meaning of measure for measure. These people say, the time has not yet come to rebuild the lords house. The great purpose which the returning exiles had in view was the rebuilding of the temple, as the centrepoint of the restored nation. Book of haggai noun the noun book of haggai has 1 sense 1. Like ezekiel, jonah, and zechariah, the book of haggai contains no formal title. Constable title and writer the title of this prophetic book is also probably the name of its writer. When the people give priority to god and his house, they are blessed rather than cursed cf. Leviticus chapter 23 lists the seven festivals and annual holy days, arranged in order of occurrence throughout each year. The historical setting dates around 520 bc before the temple has been rebuilt. The book of haggai is one of the books of the minor prophets in the hebrew.
Then the prophet haggai and zechariah the son of iddo, prophets, prophesied to the jews who were in judah and jerusalem, in the name of the god of israel, who was over them. The prophet haggai was active in jerusalem in or around the year 520 bc. Does god use frustrations in life to awaken andor punish us haggai 1. In the modern calendar, these dates would have been between august 29 and december 18, 520 b. This article uncovers a sophisticated structure of the book of haggai and its significance. Haggai was a prophet of the remnant of israel and judah that remained after the 70 years in captivity, and his task was to instruct, encourage and also rebuke after their recent return to the land. Aggaeus was a hebrew prophet during the building of the second temple in jerusalem, and one of the twelve minor prophets in the hebrew bible and the author of the book of haggai. It tells us to put first things first in our lives. Haggai, the writer of this short book, is mentioned in ezra 5. Jan 01, 2014 haggai is the tenth of the minor prophets, the last 12 books of the old testament. Book of haggai definition of book of haggai by the free. His word came in visions, oracles, dreams, parables, and the like. Haggai is also mentioned twice in the book of ezra, the priest who oversaw the work of rebuilding the temple. Intro to haggai biblica the international bible society.
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