Haggai: Problems & Promises
| A Series of Four Messages: Consider Your Ways |
| The problem of priorities (and the promise of God’s presence), 1:1-15 |
| The promise of God’s glory, 2:1-9 |
| The problem of pollution (and the promise of blessing), 2:10-19 |
| The promise of Messianic victory, 2:20-23 |
Major characters
- Haggai (“festive or festival”)
- Zerubbabel (“sown in Babylon” or “seed of Babylon”), governor of Judah
- Joshua (“salvation of Jehovah”), the high priest
Major words/phrases
- Lord of hosts (12x)
- Consider your ways, 1:5, 7
- the word of the Lord came… (5x)
Major themes
- Challenge to rebuild the Temple
- Promise of the Lord’s presence
Christ in all the Scriptures
- Zerubbabel, a type of Christ
The significance of comparing Zerubbabel to a “signet ring” (a seal of royal authority or personal ownership) is clarified by the imagery in Jeremiah 22:24-25. God said that if Jehoiachin (Zerubbabel’s grandfather) were his signet ring, He would pull him off His hand and give him over to Nebuchadnezzar. Possibly Haggai was saying that in Zerubbabel God was reversing the curse pronounced on Jehoiachin. At any rate, Zerubbabel’s place in the messianic descent (Matt. 1:12) confirmed his representative role in typifying the Messiah. Since the words “on that day” point to a yet-future fulfilment in the Messianic Age, it is wrong to suggest that Zerubbabel would actually rule as the anointed one on the Davidic throne in Haggai’s day.”
F. Duane Lindsay, Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament, pg. 1544
See also comments in Bible Knowledge Commentary on “the desire of all nations” Hag. 2:7b.