Haggai: Consider
Haggai is only 2 short chapters, which covers a period of time about 4 months in length. He preaches four short messages, but they are powerful. As we study the book we will look at each message individually just as it was given by the Lord through Haggai.
There is a common theme that runs through the book of Haggai. The theme is Consider. Consider your ways, consider the Lord, consider your actions, and consider your faith.
Haggai is one of three post-exilic prophets. The other two are Zechariah and Malachi. Haggai is the first of the three. Israel had been in exile for a period of 70 years. The exile is a result of God’s judgment upon His people for failing to obey Him. One year of judgment for each year the land was to have a Sabbath rest.
Instead of giving the land a year of rest every 7 years, the people kept working and tilling the land. They cared more about themselves than honoring God. The year of rest was a trusting year, a proving year. Israel did not trust God. Therefore, God cast them out of the land by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. But all of that has changed. Babylon has fallen into the hands of the Medes and the Persians. A king by the name of Cyrus is about to change everything.