New Study: Final Prophets, Haggai 1:1-6

It's about a month before Advent begins. At this time, I wanted to read the final 3 Old Testament prophets that wrote before prophetic writings from the Israelites went dark, those last several hundred years before the birth of the Messiah. We'll read in the order in which these books were written, beginning with the Book of Haggai, written c. 520 BC. 

Before we start, watch this short video that describes what was going on with the Israelites and what the book of Haggai is all about.

Bible Project video on the Book of Haggai

There are 2 mentions of Haggai in the Book of Ezra, likely written by Ezra the priest between 457 and 444 BC.

Ezra 5:1 But when the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them, 2 Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak began to rebuild God’s house in Jerusalem. The prophets of God were with them, helping them.

Ezra 6:14 So the Jewish elders continued successfully with the building under the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo. They finished the building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius, and King Artaxerxes of Persia.

Haggai 1:1-6

Command to Rebuild the Temple
1:1 In the second year of King Darius,[King of Persia reigned 522–486 BC] on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest:

2 “The Lord of Armies says this: These people say: The time has not come for the house of the Lord to be rebuilt.”

3 The word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house[= the temple] lies in ruins?” 5 Now, the Lord of Armies says this: “Think carefully about[Lit Place your heart on, also in v. 7] your ways:

6 You have planted much
but harvested little.
You eat
but never have enough to be satisfied.
You drink
but never have enough to be happy.
You put on clothes
but never have enough to get warm.
The wage earner puts his wages
into a bag with a hole in it.”

CSB