Introduction

The book of Haggai begins with a call for God’s people to consider their misplaced priorities and align their actions with His will. Post-exile Jews, who were rebuilding the temple, had stopped prioritizing God’s house. Through Haggai, God reminds them that when His people obey Him and prioritize His purposes over their own, He will be with them, providing both His presence and blessing.

Key Points

• Situation: The post-exile Israelites were suffering lack, for building their own houses instead of God’s.
• Main Point: When we obey the LORD of all due glory, instead of indulging in our own plans, He will be with us.
• Purpose: Consider our ways and obey the LORD by continually fearing Him and building His house.

Haggai 1:1a

In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month…

Darius was a Persian king ruling after Babylon had conquered Judah and exiled the Jews. After Babylon fell, King Cyrus of Persia allowed the Jews to return to Judah (Ezr 1:1–11). Haggai preached four prophetic messages to the post-exilic Jews, urging them to rebuild the temple—which had been destroyed decades earlier. His words aimed to revive their spiritual commitment and refocus them on God’s house and presence.

Haggai 1:1b

… the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest…

Zerubbabel and Joshua were the civil and religious leaders of post-exile Israel. They led the people in worship (Ezr 3:1–7) and rebuilding the temple (Ezr 3:8–13) but had stopped due to opposition (Ezr 4:1–24). Haggai’s first sermon was addressed to these leaders and by extension, to all post-exile Jews—calling them back to God’s mission of rebuilding His house.

Haggai 1:2

Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.

Due to opposition from foreign rulers (Ezr 4:1–24) and internal discouragement, the Jews stopped rebuilding. Instead, they convinced themselves “It’s not the right time” to work on God’s temple. External resistance made them internally hesitant, causing them to neglect God’s house and focus instead on building their own homes.

Haggai 1:3–4

Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet: Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?

The contrast is stark—they lavished their own homes while God’s dwelling place lay in ruins. Their misplaced priorities revealed spiritual complacency. As God’s people, are we prioritizing His presence and kingdom or building our own comfort?

Haggai 1:5–6

Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.

Haggai describes five essential parts of human life—work, sustenance, pleasure, security, and income—all of which had become empty and unfulfilling. This economic hardship was a direct result of their disobedience (Dt 28:15–24). Their efforts were fruitless because they neglected God’s house. Spiritual complacency leads to dissatisfaction—no matter how hard we work, nothing truly satisfies apart from God.

Haggai 1:7–8

Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD.

God lovingly calls them to repent—to shift their focus back to Him, put in effort, and build His house. God calls us to prioritize His kingdom, actively build up His people (1 Cor 3:16–17), and glorify Him in all we do.

Haggai 1:9–10

You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce.

God Himself was frustrating their efforts to get their attention. Their prosperity was being withheld until they returned to Him. Are the difficulties in our lives leading us to turn to God, or away from Him? Sometimes, God allows hardship to draw us back to Himself.

Haggai 1:11

And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.

God’s judgment was comprehensive—affecting the land, produce, economy, and even their daily labor. When we ignore God’s priorities, He can shake up every area of life until we fix our eyes back on Him.

Haggai 1:12a

Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him.

After years of delay, the leaders and the people obeyed and returned to God’s mission. Their response involved fearing the LORD (1:12b), believing His presence (1:13), and being stirred by His Spirit to rebuild (1:14).

Haggai 1:12b

And the people feared the LORD.

The fear of the Lord involves trusting Him, turning from sin, and aligning with His ways (Pr 3:5–8). True obedience starts with revering God—fearing Him above our comfort, worries, and ambitions.

Haggai 1:13

Then Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, spoke to the people with the LORD’s message, “I am with you, declares the LORD.”

Haggai is uniquely called a “messenger” (angelos in Hebrew), emphasizing the weight of this message—God’s presence. God doesn’t just command obedience; He assures His people of His presence. Jesus fulfilled this promise—He is Immanuel, “God with us” (Mt 1:23)—and through the Holy Spirit, He dwells within us today (Jn 14:15–24).

Haggai 1:14–15

And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.

The third and final component of obedience was action—empowered by God’s Spirit to complete the temple. After just 23 days from Haggai’s first sermon (1:1), the people resumed the work they had abandoned for years. God doesn’t just command obedience—He empowers it! When we turn to Him, He stirs our hearts to work for His kingdom.

Conclusion

The first chapter of Haggai emphasizes God’s call to His people to realign their priorities and focus on building His house. Despite opposition and discouragement, when they respond in obedience by fearing the LORD, believing His presence, and working on His temple, God promises to bless and be with them. This chapter reminds us that prioritizing God over our own agendas leads to His pleasure, glory, and blessing.

Summary

1. Haggai calls the post-exile Jews to prioritize rebuilding God’s house (1:1–2).
2. God challenges their misplaced priorities, contrasting their comfort with His neglected temple (1:3–4).
3. The people face fruitlessness in life due to neglecting God’s house (1:5–6).
4. God urges them to consider their ways and rebuild His house (1:7–8).
5. The people experience drought and hardship as a result of misplaced priorities (1:9–11).
6. Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the people obey God by fearing Him, believing His presence, and rebuilding the temple (1:12–15).