Dr. Pothana's Teaching

1. The Minor Prophets

3. 7th Century
Habakkuk 630
Zephaniah 627
Obadiah ?
Joel ?
8th Century
Amos 760
Hosea 746
Micah 725
Jonah?
Exile / Post-exile
Nahum 593
Haggai 520
Zechariah 520
Malachi 515

4. HAGGAI
Call to Complete the Temple

6. Coming Out of Exile:
Returning to the
Promised Land

7. B a c k g r o u n d
Haggai means “festival”, “festive”, “feast”
Assumed born in Chaldea during the
Babylonian Captivity

8. L i f e
Haggai was a young man when
he returned to Jerusalem with
the first group of 50,000 persons
in 536 BC
He was the first prophet in
Jerusalem after the return from
the Babylonian captivity
He prophesied at the same time
as Zechariah, while Malachi
prophesied later.

10. T e m p l e

11. The Book of Haggai
second shortest book in the Old
Testament with 2 chapters and 38
verses
approximately written 520 BC
Haggai sought to challenge the
people of God concerning their
priorities.
He called them to reverence and
glorify God by building the temple in
spite of LOCAL and OFFICIAL
OPPOSITION.

12. “Consider Your Ways”

13. After many years of exile, in 538 BC,
Cyrus the Great of Persia released
the Jews from their Exile in
Babylon and allowed them to
return to Jerusalem.

14. History
• Date of the writing of Haggai. 1:1
(520 BC)
– Note four oracles are dated in this
book that cover a period of four
months. (1:1; 2:1; 2:10; 2:20)
• Sixteen years earlier (536 BC)
50,000 Jews had returned under
the leadership of Zerubbabel. (cf.
Isaiah 44:24-45:7; Jeremiah 25:11)

15. The Books of

17. HAGGAI
Call to
Complete the
Temple

18. 1:1-15 2:1-9 2:10-19 2:20-23
First Sermon
Second
Sermon
Third Sermon
People’s Work
Prominent
God’s Work Prominent
Question:
Twofold
Response:
Question:
Twofold
Response:
Question:
Twofold
Response:
Closing words
to Zerubbabel
People reluctant to
restore covenant
fellowship
People
unconvinced
of restoration
possibilities
People unfit to
take part in
restoration
Zerubbabel
as symbol of
the people
Charge to begin
Building
Encouragement to Finish

19. First Sermon 1:1-15
Question: Twofold Response:
Is it time for you to
dwell in paneled
homes while the
House of the Lord is
desolate?
The people
showed
reverence for
the Lord.
They came and
worked on the
house of the
LORD of hosts,
their God

20. “Consider your ways…”
 The people had a problem with priorities: Is it
time for you yourselves to dwell in your
paneled houses while this house lies desolate?
(1:4).
 The people were experiencing a
dissatisfaction: You have sown much, but
harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough
to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not
enough to become drunk; you put on clothing,
but no one is warm enough; and he who earns,
earns wages to put into a purse with holes
(1:6).

21. “Consider your ways…”
 The people were more concerned with their
own comforts than with the glory of the Lord:
“Go up to the mountains, bring wood and
rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it
and be glorified,” says the LORD (1:8).

22. Second Sermon 2:1-9
Question: Twofold Response:
How does this
Temple compare
with the Former
Temple?
The nations will
come and I will
fill this House
with glory
The latter glory of
this House will be
greater than the
former

23. Encouragement
 Encouraged by the Presence of God: “But
now take courage, Zerubbabel,” declares the
LORD, “take courage also, Joshua son of
Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you
people of the land take courage,” declares
the LORD, “and work; for I am with you,”
says the LORD of hosts. 5 As for the
promise which I made you when you came
out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your
midst; do not fear! (2:4-5).

24. Encouragement
 Encouraged by the Power of God: For thus
says the LORD of hosts, 'Once more in a little
while, I am going to shake the heavens and
the earth, the sea also and the dry land. 7
And I will shake all the nations (2:6-7).

25. Encouragement
 Encouraged by the Possessions of God:
“And I will shake all the nations; and they will
come with the wealth of all nations; and I will
fill this house with glory,” says the LORD of
hosts. 8 The silver is Mine, and the gold is
Mine,” declares the LORD of hosts (2:7-8).
 Encouraged by the Peace of God: “The
latter glory of this house will be greater than
the former,” says the LORD of hosts, “and in
this place I shall give peace,” declares the
LORD of hosts (2:9).

26. Third Sermon 2:10-19
Question: Twofold Response:
Does the Unclean
produce that
which is Clean?
Consider from this
day: I have brought
economic sanctions
against you
Consider from
this day: I will
bless you

27. Haggai 2:20-21
Then the word of the LORD came a
second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth
day of the month saying, 21 “Speak to
Zerubbabel governor of Judah saying, ‘I am
going to shake the heavens and the earth. 22
And I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms
and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the
nations; and I will overthrow the chariots and
their riders, and the horses and their riders
will go down, everyone by the sword of
another.

28. Haggai 2:23
On that day,’ declares the LORD of
hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of
Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares the LORD,
‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I
have chosen you,’” declares the LORD of
hosts

29. Jeremiah 22:24-25
“As I live,” declares the LORD, “even
though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of
Judah were a signet ring on My right hand, yet
I would pull you off; 25 and I shall give you over
into the hand of those who are seeking your
life, yes, into the hand of those whom you
dread, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar
king of Babylon, and into the hand of the
Chaldeans.”

30. I n s i g h t s / R e f l e c t i o n s
to examine our priorities to see if we are
more interested in our own pleasures than
doing the work of God
to reject a defeatist attitude when we run
into opposition or discouraging
circumstances
to confess our failures and seek to live
pure lives before God

31. I n s i g h t s / R e f l e c t i o n s
to act courageously for God because we
have the assurance that He is with us
always and is in full control of our
circumstances; and
to rest secure in God's hands knowing
that He will abundantly bless us as we
faithfully serve Him