INTRODUCTION TO HAGGAI 

Haggai’s name means “festive; feast”. The Babylonian captivity lasted for seventy years and a few thousand Israelites had returned home. Feasts were for people who were free, therefore, it is feast time for the freed Israelites. Then came Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi to proclaim God’s Word to them, “…the word of the Lord …” (1:3; 2:1, 10). Haggai preached to them with this convicting question: “How can you build your cield houses (ceild means to hide by covering; to reserve – cover.) (See Jer. 22:14… “it is cield with cedar, and painted.) and the temple lie wasted?” (1:4). The people had their excuses. (1:2 “…the time is not come…”). The people had returned about 20 years earlier, but apathy was keeping them from rebuilding the house of the Lord. God was not their first priority. They had become more concerned with material things than spiritual. Haggai told them to “Consider you ways.” (1:5, 7). He preached four messages in 38 verses and continually used the word “consider”. It means, “Stop thinking of self; understand; discern; perceive”.

Just as there was a great need for revival in Haggai’s day, so it is today. We are more concerned with material things than with revival. Revival comes when we respond to God’s Word. When we “consider our ways”, repent and turn to God’s Word, then the Lord will stir our hearts and we will do His will and His work. (1:14).