◄ Haggai 1:15 ►
on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius.
Study Bible
on the twenty-fourth day
This phrase marks a specific point in time, emphasizing the importance of historical accuracy in the biblical narrative. The twenty-fourth day signifies a precise moment when the people of Israel responded to God's call through the prophet Haggai. In the Hebrew calendar, this would be the month of Elul, a time traditionally associated with repentance and preparation for the High Holy Days. This timing underscores the urgency and spiritual significance of the people's actions in rebuilding the temple.

of the sixth month
The sixth month, Elul, is a period of introspection and spiritual renewal in the Jewish tradition. It is a time when the Israelites would prepare their hearts for the upcoming festivals of Tishrei, including Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The mention of the sixth month highlights the theme of renewal and recommitment to God's purposes, as the people of Israel are called to rebuild the temple and restore their covenant relationship with God.

in the second year
The second year of King Darius's reign provides a historical anchor for the events described in Haggai. Darius I, a Persian king, ruled from 522 to 486 BC. His reign was marked by significant administrative reforms and efforts to stabilize the empire. The reference to the second year indicates a time of relative peace and opportunity for the Jewish exiles to focus on rebuilding the temple. It also reflects God's sovereignty over history, using even foreign rulers to accomplish His divine purposes.

of King Darius
King Darius is a pivotal figure in the context of the post-exilic period. His policies allowed the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple, as recorded in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. The mention of Darius highlights the fulfillment of God's promises to restore His people and His dwelling place. It serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and the importance of aligning with His plans, even amidst political and social challenges.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Haggai
A prophet sent by God to encourage the Israelites to rebuild the temple after their return from Babylonian exile.

2. King Darius
The Persian king during whose reign the events of Haggai take place. His rule provided a political backdrop for the rebuilding efforts.

3. The Israelites
The people of Judah who had returned from exile and were tasked with rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem.

4. Jerusalem
The city where the temple was to be rebuilt, serving as the spiritual and cultural center for the Jewish people.

5. The Temple
The central place of worship for the Israelites, symbolizing God's presence among His people.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Obedience
The specific date mentioned in Haggai 1:15 highlights the people's obedience to God's command to rebuild the temple. Obedience to God's timing is crucial.

God's Sovereignty in History
The mention of King Darius reminds us that God is sovereign over nations and rulers, using them to fulfill His purposes.

Prioritizing God's Work
The rebuilding of the temple serves as a reminder to prioritize God's work in our lives, putting spiritual matters above personal concerns.

Community and Worship
The collective effort to rebuild the temple underscores the importance of community in worship and spiritual endeavors.

Faithfulness in Small Beginnings
The initial steps of rebuilding, though small, were significant. Faithfulness in small tasks can lead to greater accomplishments in God's plan.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the specific date in Haggai 1:15 emphasize the importance of timing in our obedience to God?

2. In what ways can we see God's sovereignty at work in the political and historical context of Haggai's time, and how does this encourage us today?

3. How can we apply the principle of prioritizing God's work in our own lives, especially when faced with competing demands?

4. What role does community play in our spiritual growth and worship, as seen in the collective effort to rebuild the temple?

5. How can we remain faithful in the small beginnings of our spiritual journey, trusting that God will bring about His purposes?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Ezra 5-6
These chapters provide historical context for the rebuilding of the temple, including the challenges faced and the eventual completion of the work.

Zechariah 1:1
Zechariah, a contemporary of Haggai, also prophesied during the same period, emphasizing the spiritual renewal of the people.

2 Chronicles 36:22-23
These verses describe the decree of Cyrus, which allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple, setting the stage for Haggai's ministry.

Matthew 6:33
Jesus' teaching on seeking first the kingdom of God can be related to the priority of rebuilding the temple as a symbol of putting God first.
Sermons
The Hearty ResponseS.D. Hillman Haggai 1:12-15
People
Darius, Haggai, Jehozadak, Josedech, Joshua, Shealtiel, Zerubbabel
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Darius, Fourth, Month, Sixth, Twentieth, Twenty, Twenty-fourth
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Haggai 1:1-15

     5508   ruins

Haggai 1:12-15

     8149   revival, nature of

Haggai 1:14-15

     7468   temple, rebuilding

Library
Vain Toil
'Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.'--HAGGAI i. 6 A large emigration had taken place from the land of captivity to Jerusalem. The great purpose which the returning exiles had in view was the rebuilding of the Temple, as the centre-point of the restored nation. With true heroism, and much noble and unselfish …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Lost Earnings
He that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.' (Haggai i. 6.) In our Holiness Meetings we often speak of Full Salvation as a blessing to be obtained, and also a blessing to be retained; but I want now to turn the truth the other way round, and speak about 'losing the blessing'. These words of Haggai about the man who lost his earnings through a faulty bag will serve me as a text, and are very significant. As a figure of speech, the words are well understood. From the boy …
T. H. Howard—Standards of Life and Service

The Abiding of the Spirit the Glory of the Church
By the mouth of His servant Haggai stern rebukes were uttered, and the whole people were aroused. We read in verse twelve of the first chapter, "Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, 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 did fear before the Lord." All hands were put to the work; course after course of stone began to rise; and …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 32: 1886

The Last Days of the Old Eastern World
The Median wars--The last native dynasties of Egypt--The Eastern world on the eve of the Macedonian conquest. [Drawn by Boudier, from one of the sarcophagi of Sidon, now in the Museum of St. Irene. The vignette, which is by Faucher-Gudin, represents the sitting cyno-cephalus of Nectanebo I., now in the Egyptian Museum at the Vatican.] Darius appears to have formed this project of conquest immediately after his first victories, when his initial attempts to institute satrapies had taught him not …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 9

How those are to be Admonished who Desire not the Things of Others, but Keep their Own; and those who Give of their Own, yet Seize
(Admonition 22.) Differently to be admonished are those who neither desire what belongs to others nor bestow what is their own, and those who give of what they have, and yet desist not from seizing on what belongs to others. Those who neither desire what belongs to others nor bestow what is their own are to be admonished to consider carefully that the earth out of which they are taken is common to all men, and therefore brings forth nourishment for all in common. Vainly, then, do those suppose …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

Appendix ii. Philo of Alexandria and Rabbinic Theology.
(Ad. vol. i. p. 42, note 4.) In comparing the allegorical Canons of Philo with those of Jewish traditionalism, we think first of all of the seven exegetical canons which are ascribed to Hillel. These bear chiefly the character of logical deductions, and as such were largely applied in the Halakhah. These seven canons were next expanded by R. Ishmael (in the first century) into thirteen, by the analysis of one of them (the 5th) into six, and the addition of this sound exegetical rule, that where two …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Haggai
The post-exilic age sharply distinguished itself from the pre-exilic (Zech. i. 4), and nowhere is the difference more obvious than in prophecy. Post-exilic prophecy has little of the literary or moral power of earlier prophecy, but it would be very easy to do less than justice to Haggai. His prophecy is very short; into two chapters is condensed a summary, probably not even in his own words, of no less than four addresses. Meagre as they may seem to us, they produced a great effect on those who heard …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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