The prophet Haggai, while listed among the so-called minor prophets, nevertheless established himself as of distinctly major importance to his nation. The Old Testament gives us little more than a brief summary of the counsel with which he stirred the people to a concept of their religious and political responsibilities, but the two chapters comprising the book of Haggai contain advice which might with profit be heeded in this latter day.
Haggai's influence was felt chiefly in the year 520 B.C. His concern had to do with the dilapidated condition of the temple and its obvious need of rebuilding. He saw the need of a return on the part of the people to a concept of God such as David and Micah and Habakkuk had had, namely, a God who dwelt in His holy temple and before whom the people should stand in reverence. They were enjoined to repair the building in which their forefathers had worshiped, to make of it a fit dwelling place for Deity, and to look to God in this instance for political as well as spiritual guidance.
In those postexilic days the people had lost the spirit of divine worship and had devoted themselves largely to their secular pursuits. Haggai made observations which, even in our time, we do not find difficult of comprehension. He said (1:5,6): "Consider your ways. 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." In other words, he made it apparent that no lasting satisfaction was to be found in material possessions or pursuits. Centuries later Christ Jesus found it expedient to call attention to the same truth. He said (Luke 12:15), "Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."
