It does not trust Yahweh.

It does not draw close to its Elohim.

3 Its officials are like roaring lions.

Its judges are like wolves in the evening.

They leave nothing to gnaw on for the morning.

4 Its prophets are reckless and unfaithful.

Its priests contaminate what is holy.

They violate the teachings.

5 The righteous Yahweh is in that city.

He does no wrong.

He brings his judgment to light every morning.

He does not fail.

But those who are perverted are shameless.

6 "I will cut off the nations.

Their towers will be destroyed.

I will demolish their streets.

No one will walk through them.

Their cities will be completely destroyed.

Not a single person will be left.

No one will be living there.

7 I said to my people, 'You will fear me.

You will accept correction!'

Then their homeland would not be wiped out even though I have punished them.

Still, they continued to be corrupt in everything they did."

8 Yahweh declares, "Just wait!

One day I will stand up as a witness.

I have decided to gather nations, to bring kingdoms together, and to pour my rage, my burning anger, on them.

The whole land will be consumed by my fiery fury.

Israel Will Turn Away from Sin 9 "Then I will give all people pure lips to worship Yahweh and to serve him with one purpose.

10 From beyond the rivers of Sudan my worshipers, my scattered people, will bring my offering.

11 On that day you will no longer be ashamed of all your rebellious acts against me.

Then I will remove your arrogance and never again will you act proud on my holy mountain.

12 So with you I will leave a faithful few, a humble and poor people.

They will seek refuge in the name of Yahweh.

13 The faithful few in Israel will not do wrong, tell lies, or use their tongues to deceive others.

They will graze their sheep and lie down, and there will be no one to terrify them."

Israel's Joyful Song 14 Sing happily, people of Zion!

Shout loudly, Israel!

Celebrate and rejoice with all your heart, people of Jerusalem.

15 Yahweh has reversed the judgments against you.

He has forced out your enemies.

The Melek of Israel, Yahweh, is with you.

You will never fear disaster again.

16 On that day Jerusalem will be told, "Do not be afraid, Zion!

Do not lose courage!"

17 Yahweh your Elohim is with you.

He is a hero who saves you.

He happily rejoices over you, renews you with his love, and celebrates over you with shouts of joy.

Israel Will Return Home 18 "I will gather those among you who are troubled because of the festivals.

They bear a burden of disgrace.

19 At that time I will deal with all who have overpowered you.

I will rescue those who are lame.

I will gather those who have been scattered.

I will make them praised and famous in all the world, though they had been ashamed.

20 At that time I will bring you home.

Yes, at that time I will gather you together.

I will make you famous and praised among all the people of the earth when I restore your fortunes right before your eyes," says Yahweh .

a 1:5 Or "to their king."

b 1:8 Wearing foreign clothing was a sign of worshiping foreign gods.

a 1:10-11 The Mortar was in the northern part of Jerusalem, the Second Part of the city, which could be entered through the Fish Gate.

Introduction to HAGGAI.

Some five centuries before the time of Haggai, King David wanted to build a temple. He felt uncomfortable living in a fine house while the ark of God was being kept in a tent. God, however, told David that the tent was just fine. First, God said, "I will give you peace with all your enemies" (2 Samuel 7:11). Then one of your descendants can build a house for the ark (verses 12-13). Eventually Solomon, David's heir, would build a magnificent temple (1 Kings 5:2-5) that would stand for four hundred years until Nebuchadnezzar razed it in 586 BC.

In Haggai's day, the situation was reversed: God wanted his people to restore the temple, but they were more interested in working on their own houses. The Jews had begun returning from their Babylonian exile in 538 BC. They had laid the temple's foundation right away, but soon enemies from neighboring Samaria interfered. Now, nearly twenty years later, Solomon's temple still lay in ruins, though the people were living in comfortable houses. God was not pleased.

Haggai spoke God's words to Judah's two main leaders, Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the chief priest (see Ezra 1-6 for the historical background). His message must have sounded impractical, to say the least. The people were understandably hesitant to build, because they were in the midst of a drought and a recession. Taking on a huge project at this time made no sense. But God's perspective was different from theirs. Why are things going so badly in Judah? "It's because my house lies in ruins," he says (Haggai 1:9). Get busy and build.

To their credit, Zerubbabel and Joshua listened to Haggai, construction resumed, and God promised to bless the land again. Even more important, he promised to bless the temple. In appearance it was much humbler than Solomon's temple, but it would be even more glorious because "the one whom all the nations desire" (2:7) would come to it, and from it peace would flow. In case any listeners doubted God's ability to do this, Haggai repeatedly called God the Lord of Hosts-fourteen times, in fact, in thirty-eight verses.

Some five centuries after the time of Haggai, his prophecy would be fulfilled. When Jesus' parents brought their baby to the temple, the old prophet Simeon "took the child in his arms" and said, "He is a light that will reveal salvation to the nations and bring glory to your people Israel" (Luke 2:25-33).

Key Names of God in Haggai Yahweh LORD Yahweh Tsebaoth the LORD Almighty, the LORD of Armies, the LORD of Hosts Elohim God HAGGAI.

1 2.

A Call to Rebuild the LORD'S House 1 1 On the first day of the sixth month in Darius' second year as king, Yahweh spoke his word through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel (who was the son of Shealtiel and was governor of Judah) and to the chief priest Joshua (who was the son of Jehozadak). He said, 2 "This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says: These people say it's not the right time to rebuild the house of Yahweh."

3 Then Yahweh spoke his word through the prophet Haggai. He said, 4 "Is it time for you to live in your paneled houses while this house lies in ruins? 5 Now, this is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says: Carefully consider your ways! 6 You planted a lot, but you harvested little. You eat, but you're never full. You drink, but you're still thirsty.a You wear clothing, but you never have enough to keep you warm. You spend money as fast as you earn it. 7 This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says: Carefully consider your ways!

8 "Go to the mountains, get lumber, and build the house. I will be pleased with it, and I will be honored," declares Yahweh.

9 "You expected a lot, but you received a little. When you bring something home, I blow it away. Why?" declares Yahweh Tsebaoth . "It's because my house lies in ruins while each of you is busy working on your own house. 10 It is because of you that the sky has withheld its dew and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 I called for a drought on the land, the hills, and on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil, and whatever the ground produces, on humans and animals, and on all your hard work."

The Work on the House Resumes 12 Then Zerubbabel (who was the son of Shealtiel), the chief priest Joshua (who was the son of Jehozadak), and the faithful few who returned from Babylon obeyed Yahweh their Elohim. They also obeyed the words of the prophet Haggai because Yahweh their Elohim had sent him and because the people feared Yahweh.

13 Then Haggai, the messenger of Yahweh who had received Yahweh's message, said to the people, "I am with you, declares Yahweh."

14 Yahweh inspired them to rebuild his house. So Zerubbabel (who was the son of Shealtiel and was governor of Judah), the chief priest Joshua (who was the son of Jehozadak), and the faithful few who returned from Babylon began working on the house of Yahweh Tsebaoth , their Elohim . 15 They began on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in Darius' second year as king.

The New House Will Be Greater Than the Old One 2 1 On the twentyfirst day of the seventh month, Yahweh spoke his word through the prophet Haggai. He said, 2 "Now, speak to Zerubbabel (who is the son of Shealtiel and is governor of Judah), the chief priest Joshua (who is the son of Jehozadak), and the faithful few who returned from Babylon. 3 Ask them, 'Is there anyone among the faithful few who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Doesn't it seem like nothing to you?'

4 "But now, Zerubbabel, be strong," declares Yahweh. "Chief Priest Joshua (son of Jehozadak), be strong. Everyone in the land, be strong," declares Yahweh. "Work, because I am with you," declares Yahweh Tsebaoth . 5 "This is the promise I made to you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains with you. Don't be afraid.

6 "This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says: Once again, in a little while,a I am going to shake the sky and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all the nations, and the one whom all the nations desire will come. Then I will fill this house with glory, says Yahweh Tsebaoth . 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares Yahweh Tsebaoth . 9 This new house will be more glorious than the former, declares Yahweh Tsebaoth . And in this place I will give them peace, declares Yahweh Tsebaoth."

Though the People Are Sinful, the LORD Will Bless Them 10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month in Darius' second year as king, Yahweh spoke his word to the prophet Haggai. He said, 11 "This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says: Ask the priests for a decision. 12 Suppose a person carries meat set aside for a holy purpose and he folds it up in his clothes. If his clothes touch bread, boiled food, wine, oil, or any kind of food, does that make the food holy?"

The priests answered, "No."

13 Haggai asked, "Suppose a person becomes uncleanb by touching a corpse. If he touches any of these things, does that make them unclean?"

The priests answered, "That makes them unclean."

14 Then Haggai answered, "In the same way, I have decided that these people are unclean, and so is this nation, declares Yahweh. So is everything they do. Whatever offering they bring is unclean.

15 "And from now on, carefully consider this. Consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in the temple of Yahweh. 16 When anyone came to a pile of grain to get 20 measures, there would be only 10. And when anyone came to a wine vat to draw out 50 measures, there would be only 20 in it. 17 I infested all your work with blight and mildew and struck it with hail. But you didn't come back to me, declares Yahweh. 18 Carefully consider from now on, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day when the foundation of the house of Yahweh was laid. Carefully consider: 19 Is there any seed left in the barn? The vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree still haven't produced. But from now on I will bless you."

A Promise to Zerubbabel 20 Yahweh spoke his word to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month. He said, 21 "Say to Zerubbabel (governor of Judah), 'I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. 22 I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of nations. I will overthrow chariots and their riders, and the horses will fall along with their riders. They will kill one another with swords. 23 On that day, declares Yahweh Tsebaoth, I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel (son of Shealtiel), declares Yahweh . I will make you like a signet ring, because I have chosen you, declares Yahweh Tsebaoth .'"

a 1:6 Or "You have wine to drink but not enough to become drunk."

a 2:6 Hebrew meaning uncertain.

b 2:13 "Unclean" refers to anything that Moses' Teachings say is not presentable to God.

Introduction to ZECHARIAH.

Zechariah was a priest. His family had returned from Babylon in about 538 BC with Zerubbabel, now governor of Judah. In 520 BC, the year that Haggai told the people of Judah to rebuild the temple, Zechariah began to prophesy. And what amazing messages he brought!