Babylon had come and destroyed Israel, just like God said they would. Israel had been deported and had lived in Babylon for 70 years, just like God said would happen. Now, Israel had been given permission to return and rebuild the land under the authority of a pagan king, just like God promised. They were told to go and rebuild the city as well as the temple. They started the temple, built its altar and laid the foundation–but then the work stalled. For 15 years the work on the temple was left undone while the inhabitants of Jerusalem went on with their normal lives. God sends Haggai to confront the people and see the building of the temple through to completion.

Haggai begins with their excuses. Some were saying that it just wasn’t time to build the temple (1), but Haggai criticizes them for feeling like it was time to build luxurious houses (2) for themselves instead. The real reason the temple laid in ruins was that everyone was too busy building their own lives. They had been seeking to prosper, but Haggai points out they had been unsuccessful. God had hindered their material gain in every way to get their attention (3). Life was more than food and the body was more than clothing, and unless they put God at the center of their lives and the top of their priorities, they would still be unsatisfied, even if they had everything. Haggai called them (like Jesus calls us) to seek first God’s kingdom and he would take care of their needs (4).

There is a pattern in the minor prophets that is very frustrating. The prophet speaks, the people do not listen, and the forewarned consequences come to pass. This is what lead Israel into captivity. Here however, the pattern is broken. God raises up Zerubbabel (5), a descendant of King David (6), to lead the work, the people listen to Haggai and the work on the temple resumes. (7)