Haggai

Theme 1: The Lord must be our central focus and the purpose on which we focus our work and energy. Haggai preached a message of rebuke to the Jewish people who had come back from the exile for ignoring the Lord. They were rebuked for enriching themselves and building fine houses while ignoring the Temple or house of the Lord. (1:2-4). They are told that the challenges they face are a result of ignoring the Lord's House. These challenges were hunger ( 1:5), nakedness( 1:6), not being productive ( 1:7), drought ( 1:8), famine (1:9)and poor quality livestock (1:10-11). Once they turned their focus to the Lord and his plan , after hearing the message of Haggai , prosperity and blessing came when the people began to obey the Lord by working on the Temple restoration. Haggai preached a message of encouragement stating that the Lord was with them and would bless their labour from that time onward. (1:12-15).

Theme 2: when we diligently obey the Lord and make him the focus of our lives, great things will be accomplished as he works through us. Some of the people who returned from the exile had remembered the splendor of the former Temple and become discouraged by their work. However the Lord told them that he would bless their work and that the new Temple would be more spectacular than the former one. (2:1-9). Prosperity and blessing come to the people when they obeyed the Lord. Once again they enjoyed bountiful harvests and the Lord's blessing on their livestock and work. ( 2:10-19). The prophetic message of Haggai concluded with a message of encouragement ,hope and salvation. A time was coming when the High Priest Zerubabel would be used to restore the fortunes of Israel and bring back the Lord's blessing. ( 2: 20-23).