These small group studies of Haggai 2 contain outlines, cross-references, Bible study discussion questions, verse by verse commentary, and applications. Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more in depth inductive studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group.
Haggai 2:1-9 Bible Study and Questions – The Coming Glory in the Temple
Haggai 2:1-9 Bible Study Video
Haggai 2:1-9 Bible Study Podcast
Haggai 2:1-9 Lesson
Outline
I. Comparing discourages the builders (1-3)
II. God encourages the builders (4-9)
I. Comparing discourages the builders (1-3)
Discussion Questions
- How long after the events of chapter one does chapter 2 occur?
- Who was the message largely directed to? Why is this important?
- Do you think some of the people had seen the previous temple? If so, was this group likely the majority or the minority? How long before had the previous temple been destroyed?
- What lesson can you learn from the fact that the new “replacement” temple was not as glorious as the one before?
- How does the reflect the changes the nation itself had gone through?
- What does this teach us about the consequences of sin?
- What can you learn from this about God’s character? What can you learn about restoration and forgiveness?
- Is the focus of God’s message on comparing their previous position to what they have now?
- Then why does God bring this up?
- What are some sins, which although God forgives them, have a lasting impact that cannot be reversed?
- Knowing that forgiveness does mean the effects of sin will be negated, how should you act?
- What would you say to the person who presumes to sin because he knows that forgiveness is available?
Cross-References
Ezra 3:12-13 – But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes. Yet many shouted aloud for joy, so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off.
Galatians 6:7-8 – Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
1 Samuel 12:13-14 – Then David exclaimed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord!” Nathan replied to David, “Yes, and the Lord has forgiven your sin. You are not going to die. 12:14 Nonetheless, because you have treated the Lord with such contempt in this matter, the son who has been born to you will certainly die.”
Hebrews 12:6 – The Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Twenty-first of the seventh month – This takes place one month and three weeks after God first gives a message to Haggai in chapter one and one month after they start building the temple again. Although the people had stopped the building project for sixteen years, we see that they are now moving again quickly to finish it. But although they have listened to God’s Word in Haggai 1 and responded well, there is still potential for discouragement. So God sends a second message to encourage them to keep going and not give up.
2. The message was once again focused on the leaders – Leaders are very important. Where leaders lead, the people will normally follow. If Zerubabbel and Joshua persevered the people would go with and join them, but if they became discouraged and gave up, the people likely would as well. From this, we see the importance of leading well.
Application: Whatever area you are a leader in, lead well for God’s glory, and don’t give up.
3. Who is left among you who saw the temple in its former glory? – The seventy-year exile started in 605 B.C. Solomon’s temple was destroyed in 586 B.C. after a revolt by Jerusalem. The temple rebuilding project started in about 535 B.C. It was nearly seventy years since the temple was destroyed. The people stopped for about 16 years. So Haggai is written around 520 B.C. Only people at least in their upper sixties could have seen and remembered the temple. Considering many of the very oldest Jews would not have been healthy for a trip back to Jerusalem it is reasonable to conclude that the answer to this question is “some, but not many.”
4. Does it now seem to you like nothing? – God is expressing what many people were thinking. We can see this in Ezra 3:12-13. While the people were mostly very excited about building the temple, and the step they were taking in serving God, the very oldest felt a mixture of joy and grief. They had seen Solomon’s Temple in all of its glory. They remembered what it was like to be a free nation. The riches, the culture, and the freedom they enjoyed were all part of their memories. As a nation, their disobedience to God cost them everything. Although they had been restored, what they were restored to was not the same as what they had lost.
From this, we learn that God is merciful to forgive and restore those who have sinned against him.
The exile teaches us of God’s justice. But the return teaches us of God’s mercy. God’s discipline toward believers is always for the purpose of ultimate restoration. In this passage though we also see that what He restores us to may not be exactly the same as what we had before we sin.
While they were grateful for God’s goodness, they also remembered what they had lost. The new temple was not the same as the one before. Jerusalem was not the same. And many of the people were forced to leave the land and could never come back.
Application: This passage is at the same time both a warning and a comfort for us. The warning is that sin is costly. Sin could cost you your marriage, your relationship with your children, your job, your reputation, and much more. It is always better to obey God the first time around.
At the same time, God is good and His steadfast love endures forever. If today you feel like you are far from God, He is waiting with arms wide open to receive you. All you need to do is to come back to Him and He will restore you. If you feel like you are far from God, just pray in your heart right now and tell Him “I want to come back to you.” He will welcome you.
5. We should not get into the habit of comparing – See two quotes below on the dangers of comparing.
Quote by Spurgeon – “The smallness of our gifts may be a temptation to us. We are consciously so weak and so insignificant, compared with the great God and his great cause, that we are discouraged, and think it vain to attempt anything . . . the enemy contrasts our work with that of others, and with that of those who have gone before us. We are doing so little as compared to other people, therefore let us give up. We cannot build like Solomon, therefore let us not build at all. Yet, brethren, there is a falsehood in all this, for, in truth, nothing is worthy of God. The great works of others, and even the amazing productions of Solomon, all fell short of his glory.” (Spurgeon)
Quote by A.W. Tozer – “Dear Lord, I refuse henceforth to compete with any of Thy servants. They have congregations larger than mine. So be it. I rejoice in their success. They have greater gifts. Very well. That is not in their power nor in mine. I am humbly grateful for their greater gifts and my smaller ones. I only pray that I may use to Thy glory such modest gifts as I possess. I will not compare myself with any, nor try to build up my self-esteem by noting where I may excel one or another in Thy holy work. I herewith make a blanket disavowal of all intrinsic worth. I am but an unprofitable servant. I gladly go to the foot of the cross and own myself the least of Thy people. If I err in my self-judgment and actually underestimate myself I do not want to know it. I purpose to pray for others and to rejoice in their prosperity as if it were my own. And indeed it is my own if it is Thine own, for what is Thine is mine, and while one plants and another waters it is Thou alone that giveth the increase.” (A.W. Tozer, The Price of Neglect)
As seen on: https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/haggai-2/
6. Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet – In this verse, we see a clue about what is going to happen. The people were a bit discouraged thinking that this temple was not as good as the one before But God had something to say to them to encourage them and that is the focus of the remaining verses in this chapter.
Application: As followers of God, we should imitate Him. When you see people down take note of it and make a special effort to encourage them.
II. God encourages the builders (4-9)
Discussion Questions
- What is the key message God has for His people in these verses?
- What promise is referred to in verse 5?
- How would they have felt to know that “My Spirit is abiding in your midst?”
- What does this statement show them about their relationship with God?
- What can you learn from this about mercy and forgiveness?
- Because they know that God is with them, how should they act?
- What does it mean “I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land?”
- What was God going to do?
- When would the prophecies in verses 7 and 9 take place? Already or still in the future?
- What does verse 8 teach us about money? How should we view “our” money?
- How might a 5th-century Jew respond to God’s promise of “peace?”
- Is it any different than how we might respond to this promise?
- Do you sometimes take peace for granted?
- How can you be sure not to take peace for granted in the future?
Cross-References
Joshua 1:9 – Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
2 Timothy 1:7 – For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Psalm 27:14 – Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
Isaiah 41:10 – Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Romans 8:38-39 – For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Hebrews 12:26-27 – At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more