Build His House - Week 9
Christ in Old Testament | Build His House
Lesson 9 Haggai 2
Understanding the Truth with one another
Verse by Verse ~ Topic by Topic ~ Argument by Argument
CONTEXT to Discuss – In our last lesson, Haggai’s first message resulted in obedience: the people continued to rebuild the temple. In today’s lesson Haggai speaks to three different audiences at three different times. We will start with his second message delivered again to Zerubbabel the governor, Joshua the high priest, and the remnant who returned to Jerusalem after the exile. He delivers this message less than two months later on the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. During this feast, the Israelites remembered God’s deliverance from Egypt by living in tabernacles constructed from the “fruit of splendid trees” (branches, boughs, willows) just as they did for forty years in the wilderness. For eight days they brought food offerings and for seven days they rested from work. On the eighth day they celebrated a holy convocation together (Leviticus 23:33-44).
Read Haggai 2:1-8.
1. Verse 3 When Babylon took Israel into exile, she also destroyed Solomon’s temple. God opens with three rhetorical questions referring to Solomon’s temple as “this house in its former glory.” Why is God addressing those who saw the first temple? How does He correct their attitude?
2. Verses 4-5 God reminds the governor, the high priest, and the remnant who returned after exile that He brought Israel out of Egypt and made a covenant with them. What do the Exodus and the Exile have in common? As you make your comparisons, consider God’s encouragement and commands in these verses.
3. Verses 6-9 So far Haggai has been exhorting the people to trust and obey God in the current circumstances, but now Haggai shifts to a future prediction. What is the prediction? Why would it encourage the people to continue building the temple?
CONTEXT to Discuss – In this next message Haggai jolt shifts from God’s future filling of His house with glory to Israel’s very recent disobedient past that resulted in their present barren reality. The purpose of the covenant was to set aside Israel as holy so that she could be a light to the nations. God had and will keep His covenant with Israel. The purpose of this shift is to call Israel to consider her responsibility.
Read Haggai 2:10-19.
4. Verses 10-13 God is teaching the priests by questioning them. What do the priest affirm that they understand about holiness and uncleanness?
5. Verses 14-17 God continues to teach by questioning the priests who are responsible for offerings that rightly offeredbring reconciliation (peace) between the people and God. Why did God not bless Israel’s current harvest? What did He want them to learn?
6. Verses 18-19 Five times Haggai advises his audience to “consider,” to literally “set their hearts on” their disobedience (1:5, 7; 2:15, 18ab). Why will their next harvest be blessed?
Context to Discuss -- Haggai speaks now only to Zerubbabel, the governor, and on the very same day he spoke to the priests. Zerubbabel, in the line of King David, cannot rule Israel as her King because Israel remains under the Medo-Persians. As you read, consider why Haggai’s last message is to him alone.
Read Haggai 2:20-23.
7. Verses 20-22 Again the LORD states that He is going to shake the heavens and the earth. What results follow His shaking? How do these results differ from verses 7-9?
8. Verse 23 Did you notice that the “throne” in verse 22 is singular? Likely Haggai is prophesying the overthrow of the Antichrist and the Battle of Armageddon. The LORD’s description of Zerubbabel here sounds very much like our Savior. How so? Why is “latter glory of this house,” then, greater than the former, including the house Solomon built?
First God resided in a tent in the wilderness and Jerusalem. Then He resided in the temple Solomon built. His glory left that temple due to Israel’s disobedience, and later Babylon destroyed it. In Haggai, the people lay the foundation for the temple and finish four years later. Herod basically flips the Temple by expanding it and making it more opulent so that he can gain political favor. Because the temple is used for financial gain, Jesus flips commerce tables and commands: “Destroy this temple and I will raise it in three days.” Literally the body of Christ is raised in three days, and literally Herod’s temple is destroyed in 70 AD. In Ephesians, Paul describes the Church as a holy temple “built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit,” with Christ as the cornerstone of this house (2:20-22).
9.Take in all that history of the temple for a few minutes. Then discuss why rebuilding the temple mattered in relation to God’s glory and His redemptive will for us.
Connecting to one another & Living the Truth as we are sent out
Homework God dwells in you. You’re a temple He built and is rebuilding. The work He commands you to do is part of His redemptive will in history. Next week your group will spend time in worship and fellowship together. Be thinking this week about how the work you do in Christ is part of God’s redemptive history. Spend time praising God for how He dwells in you and brings glory to Himself through your life. Spend time in confession. Pray for your group. All this will prepare you for active worship and fellowship next week.
God’s joy & strength to you,