Coming Out of Exile: Returning to the Promised Land.

Coming Out of Exile:Coming Out of Exile:Returning to the Returning to the Promised LandPromised Land

Coming Out of Exile:Coming Out of Exile:Returning to the Promised LandReturning to the Promised Land

Part 1: Have We Learned Our Lessons?Part 1: Have We Learned Our Lessons?• November 13—Going Into ExileNovember 13—Going Into Exile

• November 20—Surviving the ExileNovember 20—Surviving the Exile

• November 27—Break: November 27—Break:

Thanksgiving Eve EucharistThanksgiving Eve Eucharist


Part 2: The Prophets of the ReturnPart 2: The Prophets of the Return• December 4—Haggai December 4—Haggai

• December 11—ZechariahDecember 11—Zechariah

• December 18—MalachiDecember 18—Malachi


Session 3—

The Prophecies of Haggaior

“Four Prophecies For Us”

Coming Out of Exile:Coming Out of Exile:The Prophecies of HaggaiThe Prophecies of Haggai

You will remember that after many years of exile, in 538 BC, Cyrus the Great of Persia released the Jews from their Exile in Babylon and allowed them to return to Jerusalem.


You will remember that after many years of exile, in 538 BC, Cyrus the Great of Persia released the Jews from their Exile in Babylon and allowed them to return to Jerusalem.

Upon their return they began rebuilding the Temple almost immediately… and stalled.

Coming Out of Exile:Coming Out of Exile:

Coming Out of Exile:Coming Out of Exile:The First Prophecy of HaggaiThe First Prophecy of Haggai

“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…


“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.”

Haggai 1:1-2


The date given in the first verse of Haggai means that the year would have been 520 BC, 18 years after the people returned from Exile.


The date given in the first verse of Haggai means that the year would have been 520 BC, 18 years after the people returned from Exile.

The people are still complaining that “the time is not yet right” to rebuild the Temple.


“Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?”

“Consider your ways!”Haggai 1:4,5


“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.”

Haggai 1:6


The people are warned that their suffering and even the drought they have been enduring are because they have not been tending to the Temple. The LORD charges them to rebuild the Temple and says, “I am with you.”


Coming Out of Exile:Coming Out of Exile:The Second Prophecy of HaggaiThe Second Prophecy of Haggai

About one month later, Haggai prophesies again, this time asking the people, “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?”

Haggai 2:3


“Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,

And be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest;

And be strong, all you people of the land,

And work; for I am with you,’

According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt,

So My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!”


“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; 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.”


“‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the LORD of hosts.



‘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.”

Haggai 2:4-9


Coming Out of Exile:Coming Out of Exile:The Third Prophecy of HaggaiThe Third Prophecy of Haggai

Two months later, Haggai goes to the priests and, inspired by The LORD, asks them a series of questions. These initially seem like technical questions about ritual purity, but The LORD turns rephrases them in a spiritual manner.


“Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Now, ask the priests concerning the law, saying, “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?”’


“Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Now, ask the priests concerning the law, saying, “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.”


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


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.”


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.”

Haggai 2:10-14


Coming Out of Exile:Coming Out of Exile:The Fourth Prophecy of HaggaiThe Fourth Prophecy of Haggai

On the very same day on which Haggai gave his third prophecy, the word of The LORD came of Haggai again and prompted him to speak directly to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah.


‘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.”

Haggai 2:23


A signet ring is a sign of authority.



Zerubbabel’s name means “Born in Babylon”.



Zerubbabel’s name means “Born in Babylon”.

Shealtiel’s name means “I asked God (for this child)”.


For the Jews, their governor was divinely appointed and given Davidic authority…


For the Jews, their governor was divinely appointed and given Davidic authority…

For us, those born in “our exile” are a sign of God’s enduring presence and authority among us. We have not been abandoned; we have not been scattered; we have not been destroyed.


Any child under seven years old in this church is a child “Born in Babylon” and is a sign to this Church and all of its people of God’s total authority.


Any child under seven years old in this church is a child “Born in Babylon” and is a sign to this Church and all of its people of God’s total authority.

They are small signs of God’s full authority!


The Lessons


The LessonsThe First Prophecy:



Yes, now is the time to rebuild.




The Second Prophecy:




The Second Prophecy:

Three Promises!




‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the LORD of hosts.”

Haggai 2:8-9


The Lessons

The Third Prophecy:


The Lessons

The Third Prophecy:

Just being here will not make us holy; but what we do can defile everything


The Lessons

The Fourth Prophecy:


The Lessons

The Fourth Prophecy:

Our Children are a sign of God’s Sovereignty and Blessing.

Date post:	14-Dec-2015
Category:	Documents
Upload:	peyton-rans
View:	224 times
Download:	1 times

Coming Out of Exile: Returning to the Promised Land.

Documents