Life & Times of the Minor Prophets

2/ Prior Lesson: Anthony Alford  Josiah  Obediah  Zephenia

Life & Times: Haggai Sunday School Series Lesson 9 – Perry Parks

4/ Topics  Last four kings of Judah Overview  The Exile and the Return  The Message of Haggai High-level view to help enrich your personal study Goal

The Timeline

Last 4 Kings of Judah

7/ Jehoahaz – Josiah’s Son  Put in place by Elders after Josiah’s death  3 month rule  Taken captive by Pharaoh Neco (Egypt) Jehoiakim (Eliakim)-Josiah’s Son  Chance to prevent exile (Jeremiah 26)  Ignored Jeremiah…Killed the prophet Uriah  Rebelled against Babylon in 605 BC  Captured and exiled by to Babylon  Deportation of Daniel

8/ The Trip to Babylon (900 mi?!)

9/ Zedekiah(Mattaniah) - Burned  Jehoiachin’s uncle…Ignored Jeremiah  Rebelled against Babylon…killed fo rebellion.  Temple Destroyed; Walls demolished (586 BC)  Last group of exiles make the Journey Land is desolate…people are exiled to Babylon Jehoiachin –Taken to Babylon  Last king in line of David  Taken to Babylon…Zerubbabel’s grandfather  Temple plundered…people exiled (597 BC)

The Exile & the Return

11/ The Foreign Kings of the Exile  Nebuchadnezzar –Babylon  Belshazzar - Babylon  Cyrus – Medo-Persia All humbled by God…All used as his instruments

12/ Nebuchadnezzar  Daniel & the Dream (Dan 2)  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Dan 3)  Driven Insane until he praises God (Dan 4) “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.” (Daniel 4:37) All humbled by God…All used as his instruments

13/ Belshazzar (Dan 5)  Threw a party with temple treasures  Ghost hand wrote his judgment on the wall  Condemned for not learning from father  Kingdom conquered that night…Medo-Persia  Medo-Persia’s rule over Judah from 539 BC All humbled by God…All used as his instruments

14/ Cyrus the Great & the prophesy  Ended exile in 538 BC…prophesied by Isaiah  Isaiah 44:28-45:7…written 688 BC…150yrs before  Manuscripts exists today that pre-date Cyrus!  Cyrus responds appropriately: “The L ORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up, and may the L ORD their God be with them.” (2 Chron 36:23) All humbled by God…All used as his instruments

15/ The Return from Exile(Ezra1-3) 3 Trips…900 miles!  Zerubbabel in 538 BC – Cyrus – 50K ppl  Ezra 80 yrs later –458 BC–Artaxerxes -2K ppl  Nehemiah 12yrs later – 445 BC –Artaxerxes-few Focusing today on the FIRST trip, Zerubbabel & Haggai

16/ Deciding to Stay or Go  1 st trip: 50,000 ppl…many stayed behind  Long, difficult road…many Jews were wealthy  Traveling 900 mi to a ruined city  God moved the hearts of a committed few Be constantly willing to change your lifestyle to build God’s Kingdom! God First…great zeal upon return!  Nervous about surrounding peoples (Ezra 3:3)  Built altar…started worshiping, though afraid  Began to lay foundation of temple

17/ The Opposition The would-be Samaritans  Resettled after Assyrian conquest (722 BC)  The “Nice guy approach” (Ezra 4)  Zerubbabel rejects their help (Ez 4:2)  The opposition escalates…bribing officials  Few faithful hands > many unfaithful hands Do not be yoked with unbelievers (2 Cor 6:14)

18/ Running out of Gas?!  Temple work stop after a few yrs…535 BC  Cyrus dies 529 BC...Darius rules from 522BC  Focus shifted to building homes not the temple  Dissapointed in temple foundation? (Ezra4:12)  A once zealous people lose perspective

The Message of Haggai

20/ The book of Haggai  Message to Zerubbabel & Joshua  Ch1 – Breaking them down  God calls the people to focus on HIM  Ch 2 – Building them up  Focus on His glory in the temple, not how it looks  God declares them holy and promises fruit  He encourages Zerubbabel for his faithfulness

21/ Haggai 1:1-12 –the breakdown  God frustrated their work to expose their focus  If we focus on God he will take care of us  If we focus on us, he will get our attention  They repented in their fear…got back to work!  Fruit grows by watering the root…not the fruit Seek first His Kingdom, and God will take care of the rest

22/ Haggai 1:13-15 – the build-up  “I am with you.” THE great promise;  inspires boldness, courage and resolve!  God stirred their spirits to be willing to work!  Same promise when we seek & save the lost!  God’s spirit protects us AND motivates us. Ps 51…begging God’s spirit to be with & motivate

23/ Haggai 2:1-9– I am with you… Temple was looking less impressive outwardly… …but God promised more glory inwardly!

24/ Haggai 2:10-19– I will bless you  Object lesson on the importance of holiness  Before this God’s hand was against them…  …after this day it will be FOR them.  “From this day on I will bless you.” (2:19) God declares an end to their fruitless labor

25/ Haggai 2:20-23– the signet ring  The Lord will display his power,  Zerubbabel…chosen to be God’s signet ring  God is pleased when we lead others to him

Lessons Learned…

27/ Matt 6:33 – Seek First His Kingdom “Water the root, not the fruit” Spend your energy on getting what you want… …He will keep you from it to get your attention! More than he wants us comfortable… …He wants us HOME

Go get your Kids!!