Heya everyone! As I mentioned in a previous post, I am working my way through a hermeneutics book - and that means I am writing papers on various topics. The last one was on slavery in the New Testament times. This time I had to write up a survey of the background and situation that was going on at the time the events in the book of Haggai took place. I am going through this book for myself - so I have no one to "turn the papers in" to - so I thought I might as well post em on my blog pages - who knows, maybe someone will find them interesting. Anyway, here's the paper on Haggai:
The events of the book of Haggai took place in 520 B.C. - there seems to be unanimous agreement to this point. Several things said within the book correspond to very well known and established dates and events. The historical accuracy of this particular book seems to be well attested to, since the details can be compared to extra Biblical sources. This is after the 70 years of Captivity in Babylon, and 16-18 years after Cyrus had decreed that the Jews could rebuild their temple (2 Chron 36:22,23). This is during the second year of the reign of King Darius. Darius was not really a name, but more of a title, and this particular Darius was Hystaspes (or Hystaspis) who ruled Persia from 522-486 B.C. The precise date this book begins from is the 1st day of the 6th month of the Jewish calendar- which would be the month of Elul, roughly corresponding to August – September on our calendar Reckoning from our calendar, and the first message Haggai delivered was August 29th, 520 B.C. - work began on the temple 23 days later on September 21st, 520 B.C. (it took just over 3 weeks for the people to respond to Haggai's message.)
In 2 Chronicles 36, Cyrus had decreed that the Jews could rebuild their temple. Cyrus, however, was heavily involved in the other duties of his office, and (unfortunately) appears to have paid little attention to whether or not the Jews actually rebuilt the temple. Under Cyrus' decree, just over 42 thousand Jews (Ezra 2:64) returned to Israel under the leadership of Zerubbabel [his Chaldean name was probably Shesh-bazzar, as mentioned in Ezra 1:8) the son of Shealtiel who was the governor of Judah. 1 Chron 3:17 names Pedaiah his father, so Shealtiel was likely Zerubbabel's uncle, who adopted him after his father Pedaiah died. Cyrus had appointed Zerubbabel governor.], and had settled in Jerusalem and in the neighboring towns of Bethlehem, Bethel, Anathoth, Gibeon, Kiriath-jearim (Ezra 2:20). The Jews were anxious to reestablish their religious practices, and erected the altar of Burnt Offering almost immediately. They also made plans to rebuild the temple, and actually started to rebuild it.
At that point the Samaritans approached and offered to help rebuild the temple, but their offer was refused. This angered the Samaritans, and so (encouraged by Cyrus' successor Cambyses) they harassed the Jews until they gave up and stopped building the temple. They did, however, build themselves nice houses, planted crops – and pretty much resumed their lives, without God. National disobedience in the Old Testament is commonly connected to national adversity, so it shouldn't be surprising that their crops began to fail, inflation was out of control and life got very bad very quick.
Shortly thereafter, Hystaspes ascended to the throne. As a young man, Hystaspes had vowed, if ever he became king, whatever of the holy vessels were in Babylon, he would send to the temple at Jerusalem; and upon solicitations made to him, the Jews were encouraged to go on with the building of it. It was at this point that Haggai delivered his messages.
Haggai delivered his messages to Zerubbabel, the governor, and Joshua, the High Priest – so Haggai's ministry took place in Jerusalem. Haggai means “festive” or “festal” - it may also be a shortened form of Haggiah (1Ch 6:30), meaning “festival of Yahweh” According to Jewish tradition, he was a member of the Great Synagogue. Haggai is the 10th in the order of the Twelve Prophets. He also may have been a very old man at this point, and may have actually seen the first temple.
Haggai's message was fairly simple. God told Haggai to tell the Jews that the reason for the bad crops was that they had not built the temple – they had put themselves before God. They all had nice homes, but Gods temple was unfinished. Joyce Baldwin explains “The nations had to know beyond any doubt that the God of Israel had not gone out of existence when the Israelites were removed from their land.” The Temple and the Covenant were bound up together and “while the temple lay in ruins there was no outward sign of the Lord's presence with the restored community.” The Lords reputation was at stake, and He will not tolerate His name and honor to be impugned.
At the same time Haggai was preaching, Zechariah was also preaching. Just over 3 weeks after Haggai delivered his first message, work on the Temple resumed, and was finished 4-5 years later. The wall around Jerusalem, however, was not built for another 70 years.
The events of the book of Haggai took place in 520 B.C. - there seems to be unanimous agreement to this point. Several things said within the book correspond to very well known and established dates and events. The historical accuracy of this particular book seems to be well attested to, since the details can be compared to extra Biblical sources. This is after the 70 years of Captivity in Babylon, and 16-18 years after Cyrus had decreed that the Jews could rebuild their temple (2 Chron 36:22,23). This is during the second year of the reign of King Darius. Darius was not really a name, but more of a title, and this particular Darius was Hystaspes (or Hystaspis) who ruled Persia from 522-486 B.C. The precise date this book begins from is the 1st day of the 6th month of the Jewish calendar- which would be the month of Elul, roughly corresponding to August – September on our calendar Reckoning from our calendar, and the first message Haggai delivered was August 29th, 520 B.C. - work began on the temple 23 days later on September 21st, 520 B.C. (it took just over 3 weeks for the people to respond to Haggai's message.)
In 2 Chronicles 36, Cyrus had decreed that the Jews could rebuild their temple. Cyrus, however, was heavily involved in the other duties of his office, and (unfortunately) appears to have paid little attention to whether or not the Jews actually rebuilt the temple. Under Cyrus' decree, just over 42 thousand Jews (Ezra 2:64) returned to Israel under the leadership of Zerubbabel [his Chaldean name was probably Shesh-bazzar, as mentioned in Ezra 1:8) the son of Shealtiel who was the governor of Judah. 1 Chron 3:17 names Pedaiah his father, so Shealtiel was likely Zerubbabel's uncle, who adopted him after his father Pedaiah died. Cyrus had appointed Zerubbabel governor.], and had settled in Jerusalem and in the neighboring towns of Bethlehem, Bethel, Anathoth, Gibeon, Kiriath-jearim (Ezra 2:20). The Jews were anxious to reestablish their religious practices, and erected the altar of Burnt Offering almost immediately. They also made plans to rebuild the temple, and actually started to rebuild it.
At that point the Samaritans approached and offered to help rebuild the temple, but their offer was refused. This angered the Samaritans, and so (encouraged by Cyrus' successor Cambyses) they harassed the Jews until they gave up and stopped building the temple. They did, however, build themselves nice houses, planted crops – and pretty much resumed their lives, without God. National disobedience in the Old Testament is commonly connected to national adversity, so it shouldn't be surprising that their crops began to fail, inflation was out of control and life got very bad very quick.
Shortly thereafter, Hystaspes ascended to the throne. As a young man, Hystaspes had vowed, if ever he became king, whatever of the holy vessels were in Babylon, he would send to the temple at Jerusalem; and upon solicitations made to him, the Jews were encouraged to go on with the building of it. It was at this point that Haggai delivered his messages.
Haggai delivered his messages to Zerubbabel, the governor, and Joshua, the High Priest – so Haggai's ministry took place in Jerusalem. Haggai means “festive” or “festal” - it may also be a shortened form of Haggiah (1Ch 6:30), meaning “festival of Yahweh” According to Jewish tradition, he was a member of the Great Synagogue. Haggai is the 10th in the order of the Twelve Prophets. He also may have been a very old man at this point, and may have actually seen the first temple.
Haggai's message was fairly simple. God told Haggai to tell the Jews that the reason for the bad crops was that they had not built the temple – they had put themselves before God. They all had nice homes, but Gods temple was unfinished. Joyce Baldwin explains “The nations had to know beyond any doubt that the God of Israel had not gone out of existence when the Israelites were removed from their land.” The Temple and the Covenant were bound up together and “while the temple lay in ruins there was no outward sign of the Lord's presence with the restored community.” The Lords reputation was at stake, and He will not tolerate His name and honor to be impugned.
At the same time Haggai was preaching, Zechariah was also preaching. Just over 3 weeks after Haggai delivered his first message, work on the Temple resumed, and was finished 4-5 years later. The wall around Jerusalem, however, was not built for another 70 years.
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