The book Of The Bible Haggai

The book Of The Bible Haggai

Haggai was aprophet of the restoration who challenged the returning exiles to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. King Cyrus had issued his decree in 537 BCE to allow the Judeans to return from Babylon to Jerusalem. By the year 520, in the second year of the reign of Darius, Haggai was calling for the building of the temple as a condition for the eventual prosperity of the nation. Haggai promoted not only the rebuilding of the temple, but also the restoration of the Davidic dynasty by supporting the emerging authority of Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, as bearer of the messianic hopes (2.20-23). Haggai is read at the liturgy on Thursday and Friday of the Twenty-Fifth Week of Year I. These passages recall the prophet’s words challenging the people to make room for the Lord’s glory by having the courage to rebuild his house.