Building the House of Prayer - Bible Verse Handbook

Session #11 - Building the House of Prayer: A Prophetic Call to Action (Haggai 2)

I. THE CONTEXT OF REBUILDING THE HOUSE OF PRAYER IN 536-515 BC

B. God told Jeremiah that Israel would go into captivity for 70 years (606-536 BC).

10 Thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. (Jer. 29:10)

C. From God's view, the temple in the past and future is His house of prayer.

7 For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.
(Isa. 56:7)

12 Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple .13 He said, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer...'" (Mt. 21:12-13)

D. This story is told in three passages
(Ezra 1-6; Hag. 1-2; Zech. 3-8)

3. Haggai: The older prophet gave four messages in five months in 520 BC: The first message:

In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the  Lord  came by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,  2  "Thus speaks the  Lord  of hosts, saying: This people says, "The time has not come, the time that the  Lord 's house should be built." ' "

3  Then the word of the  Lord  came by Haggai the prophet, saying,  4  " Is it  time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple  to lie  in ruins?"  5  Now therefore, thus says the  Lord  of hosts: "Consider your ways!

6  "You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages  to put  into a bag with holes."

7  Thus says the  Lord  of hosts: "Consider your ways!  8  Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified," says the  Lord .  9  " You  looked for much, but indeed  it came to  little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?" says the  Lord  of hosts. "Because of My house that  is in  ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house.  10  Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit.  11  For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of  your  hands." (Hag. 1:1-11)

The second message:

In the seventh  month,  on the twenty-first of the month, the word of the  Lord  came by Haggai the prophet, saying:  2  "Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying:  3  'Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now?

In comparison with it,  is this  not in your eyes as nothing?  4  Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,' says the  Lord ; 'and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,' says the  Lord , 'and work; for I  am  with you,' says the  Lord  of hosts.  5  ' According to  the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!'

6  "For thus says the  Lord  of hosts: 'Once more (it is a little while)  I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land;  7  and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,' says the  Lord  of hosts.  8  'The silver  is  Mine, and the gold  is  Mine,' says the  Lord  of hosts.  9  'The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,' says the  Lord  of hosts. 'And in this place I will give peace,' says the  Lord  of hosts."
(Hag. 2:1-9)

The third and fourth:

10  On the twenty-fourth  day  of the ninth  month,  in the second year of Darius, the word of the  Lord  came by Haggai the prophet, saying,  11  "Thus says the  Lord  of hosts: 'Now, ask the priests  concerning the  law, saying,  12  "If one carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread or stew, wine or oil, or any food, will it become holy?" ' "

Then the priests answered and said, "No."

13  And Haggai said, "If  one who is  unclean  because  of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?"

So the priests answered and said, "It shall be unclean."

14  Then Haggai answered and said, " 'So is this people, and so is this nation before Me,' says the  Lord , 'and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.

Promised Blessing

15  'And now, carefully consider from this day forward: from before stone was laid upon stone in the temple of the  Lord -  16  since those  days,  when  one  came to a heap of twenty ephahs, there were  but  ten; when  one  came to the wine vat to draw out fifty baths from the press, there were  but  twenty.  17  I struck you with blight and mildew and hail in all the labors of your hands; yet you did not  turn  to Me,' says the  Lord .  18  'Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the  Lord 's temple was laid-consider it:  19  Is the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded  fruit. But  from this day I will bless  you. ' "

Zerubbabel Chosen as a Signet

20  And again the word of the  Lord  came to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying,  21  "Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying:

'I will shake heaven and earth.
22  I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms;
I will destroy the strength of the Gentile kingdoms.
I will overthrow the chariots
And those who ride in them;
The horses and their riders shall come down,
Every one by the sword of his brother.

23  'In that day,' says the  Lord  of hosts, 'I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,' says the  Lord , 'and will make you like a signet  ring;  for I have chosen you,' says the  Lord  of hosts."
(Hag. 2:10-23)

4. Zechariah: He called the remnant to repent

In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the  Lord  came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,  2  "The  Lord  has been very angry with your fathers.  3  Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the  Lord  of hosts: "Return to Me," says the  Lord  of hosts, "and I will return to you," says the  Lord  of hosts.  4  "Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets preached, saying, 'Thus says the  Lord  of hosts: "Turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds." ' But they did not hear nor heed Me," says the  Lord .

5  "Your fathers, where  are  they?
And the prophets, do they live forever?
6  Yet surely My words and My statutes,
Which I commanded My servants the prophets,
Did they not overtake your fathers? (Zech. 1:1-6)

He received 8 visions that he received on one night (Zech. 1:7-6:8)

A main theme in these 8 visions was to build the house of prayer

16  'Therefore thus says the  Lord :

"I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy;
My house shall be built in it," says the  Lord  of hosts,
"And a  surveyor's  line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem." '
(Zech. 1:16)

6  So he answered and said to me:

"This  is  the word of the  Lord  to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' s ays the  Lord  of hosts.
7  'Who  are  you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel  you shall become  a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone w ith shouts of "Grace, grace to it!" ' "

8  Moreover the word of the  Lord  came to me, saying:

9  "The hands of Zerubbabel
Have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish  it.
Then you will know t hat the  Lord  of hosts has sent Me to you.
10  For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see t he plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the  Lord , w hich scan to and fro throughout the whole earth." (Zech. 4:6-10)

12  Then speak to him, saying, 'Thus says the  Lord  of hosts, saying:

"Behold, the Man whose name  is  the BRANCH!
From His place He shall branch out, a nd He shall build the temple of the  Lord ;
13  Yes, He shall build the temple of the  Lord . He shall bear the glory, a nd shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, a nd the counsel of peace shall be between them both." (Zech. 6:12-13)

II. OVERVIEW OF THE STORY

A•  Approximately 50,000 exiles returned to Jerusalem (Ezra 1-2)

The journey from Babylon to Jerusalem took five months, covering about 700 miles

9  On the first  day  of the first month he began  his  journey from Babylon, and on the first  day  of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. (Ezra 7:9)

C•  The house of prayer was rebuilt over a 24-year period (538-515 BC).

10  When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the  Lord , the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the  Lord , according to the ordinance of David king of Israel. (Ezra 3:10)

24  Thus the work of the house of God which  is  at Jerusalem ceased, and it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. (Ezra 4:24)

And 520 BC when they restarted their labors.

1 Then the prophet Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who  were  in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel,  who was  over them.  2  So Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak rose up and began to build the house of God which  is  in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God  were  with them, helping them. (Ezra 5:1-2)

D•  There were three main obstacles in Jerusalem.

The Samaritans who moved into the land after Israel went into captivity aggressively opposed the remnant of Israel

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the descendants of the captivity were building the temple of the  Lord  God of Israel,  2  they came to Zerubbabel and the heads of the fathers'  houses,  and said to them, "Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you  do;  and we have sacrificed to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here."  3  But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the fathers'  houses  of Israel said to them, "You may do nothing with us to build a  house for our God; but we alone will build to the  Lord  God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us."

  4  Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building,  5  and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. (Ezra 4:1-5)

The remnant of Israel struggled with spiritual lethargy, compromise, and fear

(Hag. 1:1-11 See above )

(Zech. 1:1-6 See above )

III. EZRA 1-6: SIGNIFICANT EVENTS (538-515 BC)

B. In 538 BC, Cyrus, the king of Persia (modern-day Iran) defeated the nation of Babylon (modern-day Iraq).

1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom.saying,2.All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem.3 Who is among you of all His people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem.and build the house of the LORD.4 Whoever is left.help him with gold.freewill offerings for the house of God.5 The heads of the fathers' houses.with all whose spirits God had moved, arose to go up and build the house of the Lord. (Ezra 1:1-5)

C. Cyrus gave them articles of gold that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in 586 BC.

7 King Cyrus also brought out the articles of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem.11 All the articles of gold and silver were 5,400. (Ezra 1:7, 11)

D•  About 50,000 captives returned from Babylon to help build the house of prayer in Jerusalem (Ezra 2:1-65)

E. There were full-time singers and musicians in the days of Zerubbabel.

45 Both the singers and the gatekeepers kept the charge of their God.according to the command of David.47 In the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah all Israel gave the portions for the singers and the gatekeepers, a portion for each day.
(Neh. 12:45-47)

65 They had 200 men and women singers... (Ezra 2:65)

F.The king of Persia assigned a stipend from the royal treasury for the support of the singers.

23 It was the king's command concerning them that a certain portion should be for the singers, a quota day by day. 24 Pethahiah.was the king's deputy in all matters. (Neh. 11:23-24)

8 I [Darius] issue a decree as to what you shall do.for the building of this house of God: Let the cost be paid at the king's expense.10 that they may offer sacrifices of sweet aroma to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his sons. (Ezra 6:8-10)

G. In the seventh month of their first year in Jerusalem (536 BC), the altar was built.

1And when the seventh month had come, and the children of Israel  were  in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem.  2  Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brethren, arose and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as  it is  written in the Law of Moses the man of God. (Ezra 3:1-2)

In the second year, they began to work on rebuilding the temple itself.

8  Now in the second month of the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, began  work  and appointed the Levites from twenty years old and above to oversee the work of the house of the  Lord .  9  Then Jeshua  with  his sons and brothers, Kadmiel  with  his sons, and the sons of Judah, arose as one to oversee those working on the house of God: the sons of Henadad  with  their sons and their brethren the Levites. (Ezra 3:8-9)

Some months later, when the foundation of the temple building was finished being laid, they celebrated. The older men wept because it seemed so small compared to Solomon's temple

10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests stood.with trumpets, and the Levites.with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to the ordinance of David king of Israel. 11 And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD.All the people shouted with a great shout.because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. 12 But.the old men who had seen the first temple wept. (Ezra 3:10-12)

H. Adversaries arose against those who were building the house of prayer and it stopped in 535 BC.

1 When the adversaries of Judah.heard that the descendants of the captivity were building the temple of the LORD.4 The people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building, 5 and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose .24 Thus the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem ceased [535 BC], and it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius [520 BC]. (Ezra 4:1-5, 24)

I. (535-520 BC) God sent prophets to stir up the leaders to start building.

  Then the prophet Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who  were  in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel,  who was  over them.  2  So Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak rose up and began to build the house of God which  is  in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God  were  with them, helping them. (Ezra 5:1-2)

J. After nearly five years (520-515 BC) of work, they completed the house of prayer.

14 The elders of the Jews built, and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah.and they built and finished it.15 The temple was finished on the third day of the month of Adar.in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius [515 BC]. (Ezra 6:14-15)

IV. HAGGAI'S PROPHETIC MESSAGE IN 520 BC: A CALL TO ACTION

A•  Haggai's first message in 520 BC was a call to action to work on building the temple

(Hag. 1:2-11 See above )

The Lord stirred the spirit of the people so that they went to work 24 days later

12  Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the  Lord  their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the  Lord  their God had sent him; and the people feared the presence of the  Lord .  13  Then Haggai, the  Lord 's messenger, spoke the  Lord 's message to the people, saying, "I  am  with you, says the  Lord ."  14  So the  Lord  stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the  Lord  of hosts, their God,  15  on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius. (Hag. 1:12-15)

B•  Haggai's second message in 520 BC

12  Then speak to him, saying, 'Thus says the  Lord  of hosts, saying:

"Behold, the Man whose name  is  the BRANCH!
From His place He shall branch out, a nd He shall build the temple of the  Lord ;
13  Yes, He shall build the temple of the  Lord .
He shall bear the glory, a nd shall sit and rule on His throne;
So He shall be a priest on His throne, a nd the counsel of peace shall be between them both." (Zech. 6:12-13)

3 Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? How do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing?...7 I will shake all nations [Great Tribulation], and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations [Jesus], and I will fill this temple with glory.9 The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former. (Hag. 2:3-9)

C. Haggai called them to be strong or to be resolved to not quit in the midst of the pressures.

4 Now be strong, Zerubbabel.be strong, Joshua.be strong, all you people.and work; for I am with you 5 According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear. (Hag. 2:4-5)

D.Zechariah's first message calling the remnant to repent in November 520 BC

(Zech. 1:1-6 See above )

E. Zechariah's second message

6 This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the LORD of hosts. 7 "Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of 'Grace, grace to it!"

9 "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands shall also finish it.10 For who has despised the day of small things? These seven [eyes] rejoice to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the Lord..." (Zech. 4:6-10)

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