Book of Haggai Lesson 2

Why? Haggai -- Lesson 2

THE FIRST MESSAGE

Hi. Welcome back to this wonderful study of the Book of Haggai. If you have not yet done Lesson 1, please do that lesson first and then join us here at lesson 1. It is very essential that you get the 'groundwork' laid (pun intended) before you begin on this lesson. You say you have completed it already? Great! Then, let's get started!

And, you guessed it, it is time for another assignment.

So, now let's read book of Haggai again, and this time, as you read, look for and mark with a PURPLE Star of David (or with just a star if you don't know how to make a Star of David), every occurrence of the words "these people" and any words such as "you", "your", etc. which are used to refer to "these people." (ie. the Jews who had returned from captivity.)

Also mark every reference to the 'Lord's House', 'it', and any references, phrases, words, or synonyms referring to the Temple of God. Mark these words by putting a RED box around each word.

OK. That is your assignment. So, read Haggai, and mark the these words. Then, when you have finished, return here and you'll be prepared to answer the next series of questions. Isn't this fun! Isn't studying God's Word exciting! Yes!

........Pause while you do this assignment........

Great, you have finished another assignment. And now you can answer these questions based on what you have just learned.

1. We've discussed this before (in lesson 1), but as a review, WHY were these messages being given by God through Haggai to Jerubbabel, Joshua, and the 'people' (Jews who had returned from Babylon)?

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2. Since we know that they had returned in about 537 BC (or sometime between 538-536 BC, the actual date varies depending on which source you read), and we know that these messages were given in the 2nd year of the reign of Darius,(which is thought by most authorities to be

520 BC), then approximately how long had it been (in years) since they had returned from Babylon?

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3. What were the people apparently saying as to why they had not rebuilt the temple? (1:2)

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4. What were they doing instead? (1:4 and 1:6)

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Now let's find out what had happened. Why had they stopped work on the temple after only a few years? Remember, they had returned from Babylon in about 537 BC, but in about 530 BC, after having only having laid the foundation of the Temple and building the altar, they had stopped work on the temple. Why? Wait! Hold that thought! Don't answer yet!

To find out why they had stopped and had instead turned to building their own houses, planting crops, etc., let’s look at some verses in Ezra which will help us to better understand the situation and their 'reason' for ceasing the work.

Let's read Ezra 4:1-24. We will read the entire chapter so that you can get the big picture of the situation, but pay particular attention to verses 4:15 and 23-24. This passage of Scripture IS included here for you so you don't have to look it up or print it out.

As you read, look for and underline the reason(s) they had stopped working on the temple.

Ezra Chapter 4 ... niv

4:1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, 4:2 they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, "Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here." 4:3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, "You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us." 4:4 Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.* [ * Or and troubled them as they built ] 4:5 They hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia. 4:6 At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes,*[* Hebrew Ahasuerus, a variant of Xerxes' name ] they lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem. 4:7 And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. Theletter was written in Aramaic script and in the Aramaic language.

4:8 Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows: 4:9 Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary, together with the rest of their associatesthe judges and officials over the men from Tripolis, Persia, Erech and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa, 4:10 and the other people whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal* [ * Aramaic Osnappar, a variant of Ashurbanipal ] deported and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in TransEuphrates. 4:11 (This is a copy of the letter they sent him.) To King Artaxerxes, From your servants, the men of TransEuphrates: 4:12 The king should know that the Jews who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations. 4:13 Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and the royal revenues will suffer. 4:14 Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king, 4:15 so that a search may be made in the archives of your predecessors. In these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place of rebellion from ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed.

4:16 We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are restored, you will be left with nothing in TransEuphrates.

4:17 The king sent this reply: To Rehum the commanding officer, Shimshai the secretary and the rest of their associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in TransEuphrates: Greetings. 4:18 The letter you sent us has been read and translated in my presence. 4:19 I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition. 4:20 Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of TransEuphrates, and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them. 4:21 Now issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order. 4:22 Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to the detriment of the royal interests? 4:23 As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop. 4:24 Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Now that you have read the Ezra passage, in your own words, state why the people had stopped work on rebuilding the Temple.

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Is there a parallel for us today? Has the Lord ever told you to do something and you began well and in obedience but then later stopped because of fear or because you were 'forced' to stop by others?...................(circle your answer) : YES........ or....... NO

Now, think back on what you've read in the book of Haggai. When the Jews stopped obeying God in this matter of rebuilding the Temple, were there any 'consequences' which they had experienced and which were related to their disobedience and failure to do what God had told them to do?..................(circle your answer) : YES........ or....... NO

Yes, there were consequences, though it seems that they had either not noticed, didn't care, or perhaps hadn't yet made a connection or correlation between their disobedience to God's command to rebuild the temple and the fact that their harvests were poor, etc

Let's look now at some of these consequences of their disobedience.

You probably noticed that there was a recurring phrase: "give careful thought to your ways...". This phrase was used several times in this short book. Since repetition is a way of emphasizing something important, let's look at this phrase and see what important information God wanted to show to them and to us by using this phrase.

Yes, you guessed it, it is time for another assignment:

Read Haggai and mark every occurrence of the phrase "Give careful thought to your ways..." by putting a green BOX around the phrase.

Then, underline in green what it is that they are to "give thought to"

Finally, list what it is that the Lord wants His people, the Jews, to consider / to give careful thought to. As an example, your list could look like this: (I will fill in the first two things for you.)

"GIVE CAREFUL THOUGHT TO YOUR WAYS...

1:6 You have planted much, but have harvested little.

1:6 You eat but never have enough

Ok, now you finish this list by filling in the "things they need to consider" in the box above.

After you have completed this list, you will be ready to answer some more questions.

.......Pause while you complete the List......

Great! Now, based on what you just observed, summarize in your own words, (in the space below) the kinds of things that had happened to these people during the 17 or so years since they had stopped working on rebuilding the Temple? (1:6,9,10-11; 2:15-19)

Had they prospered greatly? .........(Circle your answer)... YES..... or..... NO

Why had they not prospered? (1:9)

Who had caused these difficulties and their failure to prosper ? (1:9, 11)

Why had God caused these difficulties and their failure to prosper ? (1:9)

Specifically, what had God caused to happen to them? (1:9-11 & 2:17)

List these below in the space provided:

Based on what 'happened' in the lives of the disobedient Jews, do you see any parallels in your life which might similarly be a consequence of failing to obey God?

(Circle your answer) YES....or..... NO

Did the "these people" pay any attention to the message which Haggai had given them on the 1st day of the 6th month concerning their need to build God's Temple?

(Circle your answer) YES.... or..... NO

What did the Jews DO when confronted by this information concerning the cause of their difficulties as revealed in this first message of Haggai (1:14)

What should be your similar response? Is there something you need to resume doing that God has told you to do?

(Circle your answer) YES......or........ NO

Are you going to obey God ?

(Circle your answer) YES...... or....... NO

Has the Lord God has shown you something that you need to do or to resume doing? If so, in the space below or on a separate piece of paper, write out a prayer to God and talk to Him about this, confessing as sin yout failure to obey and agreeing with Him that His way is best and you will now obey ....

When Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the people decided to obey God, what message of encouragement did God give them (1:13)

Why was this an especially helpful and encouraging message? (Hint: why had they stopped working before? See Ezra 4:4-5 and 4:23)

Do you think they thought they might experience opposition again at the resumption of this work of rebuilding the temple? Certainly! Therefore, God's word that He would be with them would definitely be comforting and encouraging.

When (day / month /year ) did "these people", the Jews, return to their task of rebuilding the Temple. (1:15)

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Well, we have come to the end or our study of the FIRST message. And, you have done a great job of reading and observing and thinking. And we could go on. But, let's stop now and let you think on these things and on the applications you have discovered for your life. And we will continue this study of the Book of Haggai in Lesson 3. In that lesson, we will study the SECOND message from God to His people. See you in lesson 3.

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