Faith & Reason Nexus

MEANING: “Festival” or “Festive.”

AUTHOR: Haggai

TIME WRITTEN: According to Haggai 1:1, on September 24, 520 B.C., “the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel.”

POSITION IN THE BIBLE:

• 37th Book in the Bible
• HOLY BIBLE
• 37th Book in the Old Testament
• 15th of 17 Books of Prophecy (Isaiah – Malachi)
• 10th of 12 Minor Prophets (Hosea – Malachi)
• 29 Books to Follow It

CHAPTERS: 2

VERSES: 38

WORDS: 1,131

OBSERVATIONS ABOUT HAGGAI:

• Haggai is the second shortest book in the Old Testament, after Obadiah.
• His name appears nine times in the book.
• Haggai is known primarily from this book and two references in the Book of Ezra (Ezra 5:1; 6:14).
• Haggai returned from Babylon with the remnant led by Zerubbabel and lived in Jerusalem.
• God used Haggai and Zechariah to encourage the people to finish rebuilding the Temple.
• During Haggai’s ministry, Darius (521-486 B.C.) was the King of Persia.
• The rebuilding of the Temple had a complex timeline:
• 536 B.C.: The work began.
• 534 B.C.: The work was paused for 14 years.
• 520 B.C.: The work resumed and was completed four years later.
• 516 B.C.: The Temple was finished, with six years of actual work spread over a twenty-year period.
• In Haggai 2:23, Zerubbabel is depicted as a key figure in the Messianic line, akin to a signet ring that unites both branches:
• David
• Solomon
• Nathan
• Zerubbabel
• Joseph (Luke 3:27)
• Mary (Matthew 1:12)