BEMA Episode Link: 67: Haggai — Build!
Episode Length: 23:07
Published Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2018 01:00:00 -0700
Session 2
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings read through the prophecy of Haggai and find that the real issues rarely change—past, present, or future.

Discussion Video for BEMA 67

Transcript for BEMA 67

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 67: Haggai — Build!

Title & Source Summary

This episode explores the Book of Haggai, a brief prophetic text spanning approximately nine months during the post-exilic period when the Jewish remnant returned from Persian captivity to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. The prophet Haggai delivers challenging messages to the returned exiles about their priorities, calling them to complete the rebuilding of God’s temple while confronting their tendency to focus on personal comfort over communal spiritual responsibility.

Key Takeaways

  • The Book of Haggai addresses the returned remnant in Jerusalem who had prioritized building their own comfortable homes while leaving God’s temple in ruins
  • Haggai’s ministry lasted approximately nine months and focused on motivating the people to complete the temple reconstruction under Governor Zerubbabel and High Priest Joshua
  • God promises that the glory of the second temple will exceed Solomon’s first temple—not in physical grandeur, but in spiritual significance and God’s presence
  • The difficulty of maintaining spiritual obedience over time is a central theme: the people needed repeated encouragement and correction throughout the building process
  • Impurity spreads more easily than holiness, requiring intentional effort to maintain consecration and obedience
  • God prefers to work through humble, imperfect efforts done with right hearts rather than impressive projects done with wrong motives
  • The real issue is never about buildings but about the hearts of God’s people and their priorities

Main Concepts & Theories

Historical Context: The Post-Exilic Remnant

The Book of Haggai takes place during the same period as Ezra and Nehemiah, when Persia allowed the Jewish people to return home and rebuild. This is part of the “remnant” section of the prophetic timeline. The returned exiles faced significant challenges: rebuilding a destroyed city, establishing economic stability, and dealing with opposition from surrounding peoples. In this difficult context, the people had become focused on their own survival and comfort rather than on God’s purposes.

The Heart Issue Behind the House Issue

The central conflict of Haggai appears paradoxical when compared to earlier biblical narratives. In 2 Samuel, God told David that He didn’t need a house—He was perfectly content dwelling in a tent. Yet here, God seems upset that His house remains unbuilt. This apparent contradiction reveals the deeper issue: it’s not about the building itself but about the people’s hearts.

When David wanted to build God a house, it was because he had just built himself a palace and felt uncomfortable with the contrast. His motivation came from recognizing God’s priority. The returned exiles, however, had built “paneled houses” for themselves while completely neglecting God’s house. This revealed a heart problem: they were comfortable pursuing their own agendas while ignoring God’s.

The Rhythm of “Give Careful Thought to Your Ways”

Haggai repeatedly uses this phrase (Haggai 1:5, 7; 2:15, 18), creating a pedagogical rhythm. The prophet asks the people to examine their own experience: “How’s that working out for you?” They’ve been eating but aren’t satisfied, drinking but remain thirsty, working but never getting ahead. This practical approach to spiritual teaching connects obedience to God with life satisfaction—not in a prosperity gospel sense, but in terms of genuine fulfillment.

The prophet suggests that pursuing selfish ambitions and personal comfort, even when successful, leaves people empty. However, pursuing God’s agenda and story brings fulfillment not just in material terms, but in the meaning and satisfaction found in eating, drinking, and working within God’s purposes.

The Second Temple and Diminished Glory

About a month into the rebuilding project, God addresses a morale problem. Some of the older people remember Solomon’s temple in its glory. The second temple cannot compare—it will be smaller, less ornate, and built with far fewer resources. This is historically confirmed: the second temple was remodeled multiple times and remained a “weak, tepid memory” of Solomon’s temple until Herod the Great’s massive renovation project in Jesus’ time.

Yet God makes an astonishing promise: “The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house” (Haggai 2:9). This can only make sense if “glory” doesn’t refer to architectural impressiveness but to something else entirely—the presence of God and what God will accomplish through this temple. This reframes what matters: not the quality of stones and masonry, but God’s presence and purposes.

The Asymmetry of Purity and Impurity

In Haggai 2:10-14, the prophet engages the priests in a teaching dialogue about ritual purity laws from Leviticus. If something consecrated touches something ordinary, does the ordinary thing become consecrated? No. But if something defiled touches something clean, does the clean thing become defiled? Yes.

This reveals an important spiritual principle: impurity spreads more easily than holiness. Uncleanliness, like leaven or sin, transfers easily and requires constant vigilance to avoid. Consecration requires intentional effort to maintain. This connects to Jesus’ teaching about the narrow way (Matthew 7:13-14). The application for the struggling remnant was clear: maintaining obedience, purity, and focus on God’s purposes requires sustained effort, especially over months and years of difficult work.

The Cycle of Spiritual Motivation

Haggai’s nine-month ministry reveals a realistic pattern of spiritual life:

  1. Initial conviction (Month 1): Haggai confronts the people about their priorities
  2. Response and mobilization (3-4 weeks later): The people begin work on the temple
  3. Discouragement (1 month into the work): Reality sets in—this won’t be what they hoped
  4. Renewed encouragement (God’s promise of greater glory despite humble appearance)
  5. Spiritual drift (2 months later): Obedience issues, possible idolatry, loss of focus
  6. Renewed call to careful thought (Back to examining priorities and consequences)

This cycle reflects the real struggle of sustaining obedience “month after month after month.” Church leaders and participants can relate to this pattern: initial enthusiasm, hard work, discouragement, renewed vision, drift, and the need for re-centering.

Zerubbabel as Signet Ring

God’s final promise to Zerubbabel—”I will make you like my signet ring” (Haggai 2:23)—carries significant meaning. A signet ring was used to seal documents with royal authority. It represented the king’s own presence and power. God essentially tells Zerubbabel that despite the humble nature of their rebuilding project, he will carry God’s authority and be instrumental in God’s redemptive work in the world. This work is “going somewhere positive and redemptive.”

Examples & Applications

Modern Church Priorities

The tension between building impressive church facilities versus focusing on God’s presence and purposes remains relevant. Churches can fall into the same trap as the remnant: investing heavily in buildings, programs, and appearances while neglecting the spiritual priorities that actually matter to God. Conversely, like God’s encouragement to the remnant about the second temple, churches with limited resources can be reminded that God prefers to work through humble efforts done with right hearts.

Personal Comfort vs. Kingdom Priorities

The image of “paneled houses” while God’s house lies in ruins translates directly to modern discipleship. How often do Christians prioritize personal comfort, career advancement, and lifestyle upgrades while giving minimal attention to God’s purposes? The diagnostic question remains: “Give careful thought to your ways—how’s that working out for you?” The pursuit of personal agenda, even when successful by worldly standards, often leaves people spiritually empty.

Academic Credentials and Bible Knowledge

The episode specifically applies Haggai’s message to contemporary Christian culture: “Is it the impressive nature of our Bible knowledge? Is it the academic credentials that we place behind our names?” Just as the second temple’s glory wouldn’t come from impressive architecture, spiritual authority and effectiveness don’t come from impressive credentials but from God’s presence and blessing on humble obedience.

The Long Obedience

Eugene Peterson’s phrase “a long obedience in the same direction” captures Haggai’s challenge. The remnant needed encouragement repeatedly over just nine months. Modern discipleship requires sustaining spiritual focus over decades, through multiple cycles of enthusiasm, discouragement, renewed vision, and drift. Recognizing this pattern as normal—rather than as failure—can help communities and individuals persevere.

The Ease of Spiritual Contamination

Haggai’s teaching about purity asymmetry applies to contemporary spiritual formation. It’s easier to adopt the values, priorities, and practices of surrounding culture than to maintain distinctiveness as God’s people. This requires intentional community practices, regular re-centering on God’s story, and vigilance about what influences we allow into our lives. The “narrow way” remains narrow precisely because drift is easy and intentionality is hard.

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

Zechariah’s Complementary Ministry

The episode mentions that Haggai’s ministry kicked things off and that Zechariah would be the subject of the next discussion. Exploring how these two prophets worked together and how their messages complemented each other would provide deeper insight into this critical period of Israel’s history.

The Second Temple Period

Understanding the full history of the second temple—from its humble beginnings in Haggai’s time through multiple renovations to Herod’s massive expansion—would illuminate how God’s promise of “greater glory” was ultimately fulfilled. This temple stood during Jesus’ ministry, giving profound meaning to God’s promise.

Jesus and the Temple

How does Haggai’s theology of temple and God’s presence connect to Jesus’ teaching about His body as the temple, and to Paul’s teaching about believers as the temple of the Holy Spirit? Tracing this trajectory could reveal how the “greater glory” promise finds its ultimate fulfillment.

Prosperity Theology vs. Biblical Blessing

The episode carefully distinguishes between formulaic “if we do this, God will make it rain” thinking and genuine biblical teaching about obedience and fulfillment. A deeper exploration of how Scripture speaks about blessing, obedience, and material well-being would help navigate contemporary prosperity gospel questions.

The Remnant Theology

How does the concept of the “remnant” function throughout Scripture? What does it mean for identity formation that God consistently works through small, faithful groups rather than impressive masses? How does remnant theology challenge contemporary megachurch culture?

Ritual Purity Laws in Leviticus

Haggai’s teaching dialogue with the priests assumes knowledge of Levitical purity laws. Studying these laws in their original context would deepen understanding of how the prophets used them as metaphors for spiritual realities.

Leadership in Times of Rebuilding

Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, and Zechariah provide a case study in collaborative leadership during crisis and reconstruction. What principles of leadership emerge from their example? How did they maintain momentum through discouragement?

Comprehension Questions

  1. Why does God seem to want a temple in Haggai when He told David He didn’t need a house? Explain how this apparent contradiction actually reveals a consistent message about what matters to God.

  2. What is the significance of God’s promise that “the glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house” (Haggai 2:9)? What must “glory” mean if the second temple was physically inferior to Solomon’s temple?

  3. Explain the teaching about consecrated items and defiled items in Haggai 2:10-14. What spiritual principle does this illustrate, and how does it apply to sustaining obedience over time?

  4. Trace the cycle of spiritual highs and lows during the nine months of Haggai’s ministry. What does this realistic portrayal teach us about expectations for spiritual growth and community life?

  5. How does the phrase “give careful thought to your ways” function in Haggai’s message? What is the connection between examining one’s experience and recognizing the need for realigned priorities?

Summary

The Book of Haggai addresses the post-exilic Jewish community as they struggle to rebuild their lives and their temple in Jerusalem. The prophet’s central message confronts a priority problem: the people have invested in their own comfortable homes while leaving God’s temple in ruins. Through repeated calls to “give careful thought to your ways,” Haggai asks them to examine whether their self-focused approach is actually bringing fulfillment. It isn’t—they’re eating but never satisfied, working but never getting ahead.

Over nine months, we see a realistic cycle of spiritual response: conviction leads to action, which leads to discouragement when reality doesn’t match hopes, which requires renewed encouragement from God, followed by spiritual drift that requires another call to examine priorities. This pattern validates the difficulty of sustaining obedience over time and the need for ongoing prophetic voices to call communities back to center.

God’s surprising promise—that the humble second temple will have greater glory than Solomon’s magnificent first temple—reframes what matters. Glory isn’t about impressive architecture, academic credentials, or the trappings of success. It’s about God’s presence and what God accomplishes through humble, faithful obedience. The asymmetry between how easily impurity spreads versus how hard consecration must be maintained explains why the “narrow way” remains narrow: drift is easy, intentionality is hard.

Ultimately, Haggai’s message transcends its historical moment to speak to any faith community tempted to prioritize personal comfort over God’s purposes, impressive appearances over faithful presence, or self-serving agendas over participation in God’s redemptive story. God can and will work through humble temples—He actually prefers them—if His people will align their hearts with His priorities and persevere through the inevitable cycles of enthusiasm and discouragement that mark the long obedience of faithful discipleship.

Original Notes

  • We’ve reviewed the following prophets in the Remnant: 4 Isaiah, Ezra, Nehemiah.
  • Haggai shows up during the same time trying to rebuild after exile.
  • This is centered in Jerusalem and mentions rebuilding God’s temple.
  • Zerubabel gets some help from a couple prophetic friends.
  • Haggai and Zechariah
  • Haggai’s ministry begins and lasts for a short period of time. 9 months if we date - it correctly.
  • The prophet is brief and easy to read.
  • The message of Haggai: it’s time to get up and build God’s house.
    • Why does God want a house now when he didn’t before?
      • This is more about the heart of God’s people than it is about his house.
      • With David, his motivation was that he built a house for himself and God lived in a - simple tent. God’s people in Haggai’s time had no motivation. They’re fine - rebuilding their own houses but nothing for God.
    • How is your behavior working out for you? You’re eating but never full, etc.
      • Question if something is missing.
    • God calls back on Deuteronomy in a sense.
      • Remember who you are.
      • Remember what you’ve been asked to do.
      • Maybe if you pursue God’s agenda and do the things asked of you, you will be filled.
    • Zerubabel and Haggai do their work and it seems that the people are making progress.
    • The Spirit of the Lord motivates the people and work begins.
    • About one month into the job, God shows you to point out that the job is weighing on - the people.
      • The rebuilding of Solomon’s people limps along.
    • There are hints of Joshua. “Be strong!”
    • God “is going to shake things up”
      • The glory of the second house is going to be greater than the second house.
      • We aren’t talking about the glory of the physical house but more about the presence - of God.
      • When we read “Says the Lord”… “Says the Lord”, is that similar to “And the Lord - said” indicating a span of time between God speaking and the previous time he spoke?
      • Marty isn’t knowledgeable enough, at the time of the recording, to comment on - whether that kind of device in prophetic narrative carries the same meaning as it - did in Genesis.
  • A few months later, ch 2:10, consecrated things touching unconsecrated things does - not make the unconsecrated things consecrated, however, unconsecrated or unclean - things do make consecrating things unclean.
    • According to Leviticut, it is much easier to transfer impurity and uncleanliness - than it is to transfer cleanliness.
    • It takes so much more work to remain clean than it is to be unclean and sinful.
  • God then promises to take his people and the work they’re doing somewhere.
    • We’re going to do something in the world that is promising and redemptive.
  • Final thoughts
    • The message of Haggai is yet another prophet that continues to speak to us today (in 2018). He speaks about priorities and whether we are more concerned about our own agendas or with God’s. He speaks to us about what truly matters. How nice our churches are? The letters that come after our names? Our vanity? God is still able to dwell in even the humblest of temples, in fact he seems to prefer it. A swing back and connection to David when God preferred his tent to the new building that he and Solomon built. At the beginning of the episode, we asked if what they’re doing ran in opposition to David and Solomon’s story but what we find is that even though their house for God will only be a fraction of the glory of what David and Solomon put together. Even still, God says he’ll do even greater things with this pathetic rebuilt, humble temple than the glorious temple that Solomon built. If we continue to walk the path well, God is going to work through those things and dwell in those humble temples.

Edit | Previous | Next