Sermon Tone Analysis

Bible Text:

Subject: Introduction

Proposition: Introduction And First Message

INTRODUCTION

Biblical Orientation:

In 586 B.C. when Babylon sacked Jerusalem; the Jews were marched to Iraq watching the temple burn.

They had not listened to the prophets.

They did not know God was sending them away for only 70 years

The Jews were exiled in a foreign land; they were unable to practice their worship through sacrifices.

After God gave His land the Sabbath it deserved, Cyrus sent back 50,000 Jews to the city of Jerusalem.

He provided so that they could rebuild the temple

When Cyrus sent Jews back to rebuild the temple it was a dream come true.

The Jews came to Jerusalem rejoicing and with high hopes

· The new temple would be grand

· The new temple would be clean

· People would be there every Sabbath!

The reality was it was hard work opposed by the Samaritans surrounding them.

The enemy worked hard to stop the Jews.

“And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia”

The Levitical sacrifices were begun () and then they began to build the foundation of the temple.

“... and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the LORD” ().

The foundation was completed- “And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel”

Construction stopped- “Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem.

It ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.”

For 15 years nothing was done.

Two events caused construction to cease.

First was the harassment of the Samaritans.

Second was spiritual apathy.

Have you ever gone camping?

When you light a fire of logs, what does it take to keep the fire going?

A spiritual fire in your life must also be cultivated

Haggai comes and exhorts them to restart building- “Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.”

His messages inspire the spiritual leaders to break their apathy and get back to the work.

Instead of making God send a prophet; keep a tender heart where He can always motivate you

Sermon Orientation:

His prophesies begin in the second year of Darius I (520 b.c.).

(Slide 2) He was soon joined by the Prophet Zechariah who continued preaching and completed the task of encouraging the people to rebuild the temple[i]

Haggai is the prophet that God used to get the work back on track.

You read about the work of Haggai in the book of & 6. “And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo...” Since his prophesying was after the Jews returned to Jerusalem he is called a postexilic prophet.

There were three: Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

Haggai- 2:3 reveals that Haggai may have seen the first temple.

This would make him an elderly prophet.

The central verse comes from 2:4

MAIN TEXT/EXPOSITION

I. HAGGAI THE PROPHET

A. His Background

1. Haggai means “festival”

2. His heritage is unknown

3.

He was a prophet in Jerusalem; maybe he came back with Zerubbabel or maybe he was already there

B. His Dates

1. Haggai began preaching in 520 B.C. and preached for 5 years

a.