HAGGAI: HOW TO BUILD BACK

After generations of exile, displaced Hebrews began moving back to their beloved Promised Land. The
landscape looked nothing like the “land of milk and honey” their ancestors had found. It was more like a
land of “mud and horror.” Their temple was a pile of rocks. Their city looked like a war zone. At rst, they
were excited to rebuild, but time made them grow complacent. The e orts just stopped.

God sent the prophet Haggai to help them with their rebuilding e orts. Haggai had to help the Hebrews see
a harsh reality. Their lack of discipline was on display in every facet of their lifestyle. Their crops died, their
economy collapsed, and enemies were starting to take advantage of their vulnerability. Now, it was time for
action, so what were they to do? Rebuild. But God wanted them to build back better.

Preparing for Your Talk:

• Talk about your “special spot.” This is a place in your home or in the world that makes you feel at peace.
• Print the small Group discussion guide (or text it to leaders).
Sources & Suggested Study Materials
• NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible by Zondervan.
• The Expositor’s Bible Commentary by Frank E. Gaebelein, John H. Sailhamer, and Walter C. Kaiser Jr.

BIG IDEA: SMALL GROUP OBJECTIVE: SCRIPTURE USED:

With God’s help, we can build We will identify the places in our Haggai 1:3-5
back our spiritual lives to be lives where we need to start Haggai 1:9
better than ever before. over, then learn God-centered Haggai 1:14-15
methods to build back better.
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TEACHING OUTLINE

— SETTING UP THIS TALK —

• Have you ever felt like your life was in ruins?
• Perhaps bad decisions made your household crumble.
• Maybe mistakes shattered your friendships.
• It's possible that harmful habits destroyed your life and you're trapped in the
rubble.
• Sadly, many of us see this in our spiritual lives. They were once thriving,
maybe after summer camp or a powerful service, but now our Bibles collect
dust and our prayer lives seems silent.
• I get it because I have been there too.
• Sometimes our spiritual lives look like wreckage, so what do we do next?
• We rebuild.
• But we must commit to building back better.
• If you can relate, I am sorry.
• You are not alone, though. Ancient Israel found themselves in an identical
situation.
• Their lives were in ruins and they found themselves surveying the
desolation.
• After generations of exile, displaced Hebrews began moving back to their
beloved Promised Land.
• The landscape looked nothing like the "land of milk and honey" their
ancestors had found. It was more like a land of "mud and horror."
• Their temple was a pile of rocks and their city looked like a war zone.
• At rst, they were excited to rebuild, but time made them grow complacent.
• The e orts just stopped.
• God sent the prophet Haggai to help them with their rebuilding e orts.
• Haggai had to help the Hebrews see a harsh reality.
• Their lack of discipline was on display in every facet of their lifestyle.
• Their crops died, their economy collapsed, and enemies were starting to
take advantage of their vulnerability.
• Now, it was time for action, so what were they to do?

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BIBLE STUDY:
READ: Haggai 1:3-5
Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: "Is it a time for you
yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house [the temple] remains a
ruin?" Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways."

—CONTEXTUALIZING THIS PASSAGE —

• Haggai is sadly one of the most overlooked and under-studied books in the Old
Testament.
• That is a shame because his message is monumental.
• He skillfully rallied his people around one central goal.
• It was time to rebuild the cornerstone of Israel's reputation — the Temple.
• Don't think of this like one of the dozens of churches in your hometown.
• It's so much grander than that, not only physically but spiritually.
• The Temple was God's dwelling place (Exodus 25–31).
• It was where people gathered to worship, o er sacri ces, and connect
with their community.
• It was so much more signi cant than a basic building.
• The Temple was the center of their religious lives.
• The book of Haggai distinguishes itself among the stories of the Old Testament
Minor Prophets. How?
• It's one of the only Minor Prophets where the people immediately listened.
• Nearly every other prophet is met with pushback, backlash, threats, and
rejection.
• Not Haggai. Flowing from his leadership, history tells us that construction
kicked o immediately.
• We actually get to read about the foundation being formed, the walls
being built, and the Temple coming together.
• Don't you just love a happy ending, especially in comparison to the other
prophetic writings?

• Haggai's prophecy is deeply practical today too.

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• We are not being rallied to build the Temple, but we are building our own
temples every single day.
• The "temple" in question is not a physical building. It's you and me. We are
the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) and God dwells within us.
• Since you are a spiritual temple, you can distill three principles from Haggai
when you have to rebuild.

APPLICATION
READ: Haggai 1:9
"You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away.
Why?" declares the Lord Almighty. "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of
you is busy with your own house…”

• Don't Get Distracted

• Look at what Haggai explains. They weren't bad people; they were just
distracted people.
• While God's house was in ruins, they were too focused on building their
own homes in the suburbs.
• It's not bad to build your family a place to live, but it's tragic when that
becomes a distraction to your ultimate purpose.
• Their priority should have been God rst, but they got it twisted.
• Their Savior uni ed them.
• God rallied his people by uniting them under one single vision.
• All of Israel needed to push past distractions to serve on the Temple
building committee.
• So many of us are dangerously distracted.
• We allow our spiritual lives to crumble while we still stream 3-4 episodes a
night, build a social media empire, and focus on secondary goals.
• None of those things are bad within themselves, but they're dangerous
when they press pause on your rebuilding e orts.
• Distractions can be dangerous.
• When life is in shambles, focus on building your faith.
• Refuse to let mindless scrolling and endless streaming get in the way of
what really matters.
• As you rebuild, resist any distraction that comes your way.

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• And be sure to nd the right source of your strength, which brings us to

our next section of Haggai’s writing.

BIBLE STUDY:
READ: Haggai 1:14-15
So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and
the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant
of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their
God, on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month.

• Let the Spirit Lead

• Why were the prophet's words so well received? The Spirit intervened.
• Haggai says that God revived "the spirit of the whole remnant of the
people."
• You cannot do this on your own; you need Divine instruction to bring
your project to completion.
• Haggai teaches that God's power moved through the people of Israel,
starting with the leaders and ending with the whole population.
• The Spirit compelled them to complete the rebuilding project.
• Any time you nd yourself feeling sluggish, ask for God to energize
you. The same Spirit that invigorated Israel wants to do the same in
your life.
• Invite God to lead the way. He will show you the right strategy.
• He will help you build back stronger. He will fortify you, empower
you, and embolden you.
• None of that is permanently possible without the supernatural
support of the Spirit. Like Israel, let God compose your comeback
story.
• And I truly believe you will experience a comeback with God on your
side and the spirit as your guide. So what do we do as we put all the
pieces back together?

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BIBLE STUDY:
READ: Haggai 2:9
The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says
the Lord Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace,' declares the Lord Almighty.”

• Build Back Better

• The nation's calling wasn't easy.
• They still had to make bricks, lay tile, lift heavy beams, and move furniture
up the stairs.
• Success was on the other side of their hard work, though.
• It's worth acknowledging that their success didn't look like you may expect.
• What did God say he would give them? Peace.
• He didn't say prosperity. He didn't say a pizza party. God granted them
peace.
• ILL: Talk about your “special spot.” This is a place in your home or in the world
that makes you feel at peace.
• Do you have a special spot?
• I am sure you do! It's that little slice of paradise in your home that feels
extra homey.
• It may be your bed, a big comfy couch, or even a workshop in the shed.
• Whatever it looks like, you know the serenity that surrounds you when you
settle into your special spot.
• That's one of the many blessings of our homes. They're a place to feel
safe, secure, and at peace.
• That is a small sliver of the feeling that comes when you build your life
with God's guidance.
• That's what I want for you -- true, unmistakable peace.

• Authentic peace comes at the end of your rebuilding e orts.

• True peace can only come from God. So, as you put in the work, know that
peace is on the horizon.
• Are anxious thoughts keeping you awake at night? Build back, and
peace will come.

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• Do you get discouraged when you look at the wreckage of your spiritual
life? Build back, and serenity will follow.
• Do you feel as though God's presence somehow missed you? Start
building back, and He will make His presence unmistakable.

• Landing: If you need to start building back, be encouraged by the message of

Haggai.
• God will help you build back better through the power of the Spirit and the
peace that comes with His presence.
• Let God restore the ruins of your life. He will make something amazing rise
from the ashes.

— Break for Small Groups —

Handout on the next page.

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TALK IT OUT
Go through these questions with your circle. Be honest. Be open. Talk through the tough stu .

Ice Breaker: Go around your circle and share this week’s highs and lows. What was the
best part of your week and what was the lowest part of your week?
Q1: What’s one thing that stood out to you from today’s message?
Q2: What message did God call Haggai to share with the people of Israel? Why?
Q3: Why do people let secondary priorities distract them from important rebuilding
seasons in life?
Q4: What distractions (good or bad) have gotten in the way of your relationship with
God?
Q5: How can you begin to rely more on being led by the Spirit?
Q6: What part of your life would you like to “build back better?”
Application: What advice from Haggai is applicable to you? How can you commit to
putting this into action every day this week?

READING PLAN
READ THESE PASSAGES IN ORDER EVERY DAY
Isaiah 41:10
Luke 12:22-26
Psalm 118:6-7
Psalm 91:1-16
1 Samuel 3:7-10
Psalm 32:1-7
Philippians 1:6
Colossians 1:10
Habakuk 3:19

Do the following with each passage:

ASK– God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down and inviting God to be present.
Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you today.

READ– the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you,
reading them a second time if necessary.

REFLECT– on what grabs you. How does this passage personally relate to your own life and
experiences?

RESPOND– to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for ways
to live out what you’ve uncovered.

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