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“HAGGAI – THE CARROT AND A STICK PROPHET”

The ‘stick’ was used to get the temple rebuilt after being captives in Babylon

The ‘carrot’ was the promise of a more glorious temple to come in the book of The Revelation of St John the Divine.

THE PROPHETS – THEIR MISSION AND MESSAGE

1.  To try and save the Hebrew nation from IDOLATRY and wickedness.

2.  Failing this, to announce to the nation, that they will be destroyed.

3.  But not completely destroyed, as a remnant (a few left) will be saved.

4.  Out of this remnant will come a Person who will bring all nations to God.

5.  That person will be a great man who will one day arise out of the family tree of David. The prophets called him THE BRANCH. This family tree of David, once the most powerful family in the world, was cut down in the days of the prophets, and disappeared. But the family would comeback with this man called THE BRANCH - THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS (Rev 19:16).

Not understanding the full meaning and importance of their words, the prophets were still 100% obedient.

THERE WERE 16 PROPHETS DIVIDED INTO FOUR GROUPS

1. NORTHERN KINGDOM CALLED ISRAEL had the ten tribes, and lasted about 210 years, and the prophets during this period were Amos, Hosea.

The destruction and captivity Northern kingdom went from 734-721BC. They were taken to Assyria have simply disappeared from the face of the earth.

2. SOUTHERN KINGDOM CALLED JUDAH had the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and lasted about 320 years, and the prophets during this period were Joel, Isaiah, Micah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Habakkuk, Zephaniah.

The destruction and captivity of the Southern kingdom, went from 606-586BC. Taken to Babylon.

Invading armies didn’t kill and destroy everything at once, but slowly strangled their captive nations, with taxes, slaves and goods. Under their rule, they then left the very poorest in the land to struggle on.

3. THE RESTORATION OF THE NATION made up of only Judah and Benjamin, NOW CALLED ISRAEL, happened from 536-444BC, and the prophets during this period were Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.

4. THE OTHER NATIONS were ASSYRIA (Nineveh) with the two prophets Jonah and Nahum; and EDOM (Esau) with the prophet Obadiah

 
THE 16 PROPHETS ARE GROUPED AS FOLLOWS 

 THE FOLLOWING IS A ONE PAGE PICTURE
OF THE KINGS AND THE ASSOCIATED PROPHETS

 “TABLE OF KINGS AND PROPHETS”
 

 THE PROPHET HAGGAI

 AFTER THE 70 YEARS OF CAPTIVITY

About 50,000 Jews, by the decree of King Cyrus of Persia, having conquered Babylon, had returned to their own land in 536BC, after a 70 year captivity in Babylon 606-536BC.

Previously, Jerusalem had been conquered, burned, the temple demolished and the people carried away to Babylon as told in 2 Kings 24, 25.

After their return, they just managed to build an altar for sacrifices to the Lord, and start work on the foundation for the temple, but their enemies had stopped further activity, and God was far from satisfied. 

Using the ‘carrot and stick’ method, this two ‘tag ‘man team, sent by the LORD, of Haggai and Zechariah, take it in turns in urging Israel to complete the temple over a four year period 520 -516BC.

PROPHETS WERE CHOSEN OF GOD …
to tell the certain future before it happened, with prophecy.

They would not predict the future, as this would imply guesswork on the part of the prophet. God simply used these messengers, to tell what WOULD be happening. No guessing needed!

The books of the prophets, Isaiah to Malachi, cover about 400 years, 830-430BC approximately, when the Hebrew nation was in decline.

THE TIME LINE

606 – 536 BC: 70 years captivity in Babylon

536          BC: Altar built for sacrifices and the temple work started

536 – 520 BC: 16 years of no work on the temple

520 – 516 BC: 4 years from Haggai and Zechariah urging the temple completion.

536 BC    50,000 Jews, under Zerubbabel, return to Jerusalem. (Read Ezra,   

               Nehemiah, Esther).

536 BC    7^th month, they build and altar and offer sacrifice.

535 BC    2^nd month, work on the temple begins and is stopped.

520 BC    6^th month (September), 1^st day, Haggai’s 1^st call to build.

                   (Haggai 1:2, 3-11)

               6^th month, 24^th day, building begins (Haggai 1:14)

               7^th month (October), 21^st day, Haggai’s 2^nd call to build (Haggai 2:1-9)

               8^th month (November), Zechariah’s 1^st address (Zech 1:3-6)

               9^th month (December), 24^th day, Haggai’s 3^rd & 4^th call to build

                    (Haggai 2:18, 20)

              11^th month (February), 24^th day, Zechariah’s visions (Zech 1:7-Zec 6:15)

518 BC    9^th month (December), 4^th day, Zechariah & fasting and compassion

                    (Zech 7:1-14)      

516 BC   12^th month (March), 3^rd day, the temple is completed (Ezra 6:15)

515 BC    1^st month (April), 14^th – 21^st days, a very joyful Passover.

457 BC    Ezra comes to Jerusalem and makes certain reforms.

444 BC    Nehemiah rebuilds the wall. This is then the period of Malachi. 

Chapter 1 Work on the temple begins
Fifteen years earlier, the temple foundation had been laid (Ezra 3:10). Then it had stopped as the people had lost interest. God says through Haggai that this is the reason for their poor crops. One of the main teachings of the Old Testament, is that national disasters were the result of disobedience to God. People took this to heart and commenced rebuilding 24 days later.

 Chapter 2 Future glory of God’s house
Within another 27 days, the old foundations had been cleared. Then Haggai came forward with his vision of the temple’s future exceeding the glory of Solomon’s temple.

In summary:

 HAGGAI 520-516BC

1.  REBUILDING THE TEMPLE;

2.  THE 2^ND COMING OF A GREATER TEMPLE

 
Temple rebuilding from 520-516.

Since the Jews return in 536, nothing done for 15 years.

 
Chapter 1 Foundation laid but no interest & poor crops.

Chapter 2 Future glory of temple.

1. Haggai’s 1^st appeal Hag 1:2
2. Work begins Hag 1:4
3. Haggai’s 2^nd appeal Hag 2:1-9
4. Zechariah 1^st speech Zec 1:1
5. Haggai’s 3^rd Hag 2:12-19
6. Haggai’s 4^th Hag 2:21-23
7. Zechariah’s vision Zech 1:7
8. Zechariah’s vision Zech 7:1

Haggai tells of the future of
1. Armageddon Hag 2:6,22  
2. Millennium Hag 2:7-9

**** ****

Harley Hitchcock

www.
AustralianBibleMinistries
.com

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