1. Haggai prophesied to both the civil and religious leaders of his day (Hag. 1:1; 2:2).
2. God punished His people economically for neglecting His temple (Hag. 1:3–11; 2:15–19).
3. It was God Himself who stirred up the people to build His temple (Hag. 1:14).
4. The restored temple was nothing compared to the one originally built by Solomon, but God promised that it would be greater (Hag. 2:1–9).
5. Zerubbabel is in the family line of Christ (Matt. 1:1–17).

In Haggai, God is glorifying Himself through confronting the neglect of the temple, so that He might demonstrate His superior goodness in the salvation sinners, the damnation of the wicked, and for the preservation of His people for His eternal glory, and their eternal joy.

The author identifies himself as Haggai the prophet (Hag. 1:1).

Haggai preached his four sermons over the course of a four-month period, in the second year of Darius the Great’s reign (520 B.C.). He was a contemporary of Zechariah, Zerubbabel, and Jeshua.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,’ says the Lord. ‘You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.’ ”

Haggai 1:7–11

“ ‘Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing? Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says the Lord; ‘and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,’ says the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ says the Lord of hosts.”

Haggai 2:3–4

1. The Lord cares how you spend your money.
2. Our nation desperately needs to be brought back to the true worship of God.

1. Zerubbabel

   The Lord’s promise to make Zerubbabel like a signet ring is typological of Jesus Christ’s authority as King.

2. Other Types of Christ
   1. The “Desire of All Nations” (Hag. 2:7)
   2. The New Temple (Hag. 2:9)

1. The Command to Complete the Temple (Hag. 1)
2. The Glory of the Temple (Hag. 2:1–9)
3. The Blessings of Obedience (Hag. 2:10–19)
4. Promised Blessing (Hag. 2:20–23)