1. A God Who Rules Over All History (1:1)
ESV Haggai 1:1 In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest:
The God of the Bible is a God who rules over all history. He is also a God who encounters His people in historical moments. One remarkable feature of Haggai—as pointed by commentators—are all the dates given in this short book (1:1, 1:15; 2:1; 2:10; 2:20). These are precise moments in history that God’s Word came through His prophet Haggai to speak to His people Israel.
We learn from the first date—given to us in 1:1 (8/29/520 B.C. by modern calendars)—that God’s Word came to Haggai during the second year of Darius the king. Following the account of Ezra, some of God’s people had returned from exile and begun work on the temple, only to be stalled out after initial resistance (the altar and foundation were built, but then the work stopped). God’s people were supposed to rebuild the temple, but have not done what they were supposed to do for at least 15 years. This means there has 15 years of delayed obedience on the part of Israel.
Now God’s Word comes to God’s people in a time of prolonged neglect and disobedience. God is not through with Israel, but comes to them in His grace. God patiently waited and now, at just the right moment in history, brought His Word to His people through Haggai to bring about transformation and change.
Praise God that He rules over history and is aware of what is happening at this moment in history—in the world and in our lives.
