A Powerful Prayer Life
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Transcript A Powerful Prayer Life
Life & Times of the
Minor Prophets
Prior Lesson: Anthony Alford
Josiah
Obediah
Zephenia
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Life & Times:
Haggai
Sunday School Series
Lesson 9 – Perry Parks
Topics
Last
four kings of Judah Overview
The
Exile and the Return
The
Message of Haggai
Goal
High-level view to help enrich your personal study
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The Timeline
Last 4 Kings of Judah
Jehoahaz – Josiah’s Son
Put
in place by Elders after Josiah’s death
3 month rule
Taken captive by Pharaoh Neco (Egypt)
Jehoiakim (Eliakim)-Josiah’s Son
Chance
to prevent exile (Jeremiah 26)
Ignored Jeremiah…Killed the prophet Uriah
Rebelled against Babylon in 605 BC
Captured and exiled by to Babylon
Deportation of Daniel
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The Trip to Babylon (900 mi?!)
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Jehoiachin –Taken to Babylon
Last
king in line of David
Taken to Babylon…Zerubbabel’s grandfather
Temple plundered…people exiled (597 BC)
Zedekiah(Mattaniah) - Burned
Jehoiachin’s
uncle…Ignored Jeremiah
Rebelled against Babylon…killed fo rebellion.
Temple Destroyed; Walls demolished (586 BC)
Last group of exiles make the Journey
Land is desolate…people are exiled to Babylon
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The Exile & the Return
The Foreign Kings of the Exile
Nebuchadnezzar
Belshazzar
Cyrus
–Babylon
- Babylon
– Medo-Persia
All humbled by God…All used as his instruments
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Nebuchadnezzar
Daniel
& the Dream (Dan 2)
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Dan 3)
Driven Insane until he praises God (Dan 4)
“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and
glorify the King of heaven, because everything
he does is right and all his ways are just. And
those who walk in pride he is able to humble.”
(Daniel 4:37)
All humbled by God…All used as his instruments
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Belshazzar (Dan 5)
Threw
a party with temple treasures
Ghost hand wrote his judgment on the wall
Condemned for not learning from father
Kingdom conquered that night…Medo-Persia
Medo-Persia’s rule over Judah from 539 BC
All humbled by God…All used as his instruments
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Cyrus the Great & the prophesy
Ended
exile in 538 BC…prophesied by Isaiah
Isaiah 44:28-45:7…written 688 BC…150yrs before
Manuscripts exists today that pre-date Cyrus!
Cyrus responds appropriately:
“The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the
kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a
temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people
among you may go up, and may the LORD their God be
with them.” (2 Chron 36:23)
All humbled by God…All used as his instruments
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The Return from Exile(Ezra1-3)
3 Trips…900 miles!
Zerubbabel
Ezra
in 538 BC – Cyrus – 50K ppl
80 yrs later –458 BC–Artaxerxes -2K ppl
Nehemiah
12yrs later – 445 BC –Artaxerxes-few
Focusing today on the FIRST trip, Zerubbabel & Haggai
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Deciding to Stay or Go
1st
trip: 50,000 ppl…many stayed behind
Long,
difficult road…many Jews were wealthy
Traveling 900 mi to a ruined city
God moved the hearts of a committed few
God First…great zeal upon return!
Nervous
about surrounding peoples (Ezra 3:3)
Built altar…started worshiping, though afraid
Began to lay foundation of temple
Be constantly willing to change your lifestyle to build God’s Kingdom!
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The Opposition
The would-be Samaritans
Resettled
The
after Assyrian conquest (722 BC)
“Nice guy approach” (Ezra 4)
Zerubbabel
The
rejects their help (Ez 4:2)
opposition escalates…bribing officials
Few
faithful hands > many unfaithful hands
Do not be yoked with unbelievers (2 Cor 6:14)
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Running out of Gas?!
Temple
work stop after a few yrs…535 BC
Cyrus
dies 529 BC...Darius rules from 522BC
Focus
shifted to building homes not the temple
Dissapointed
A
in temple foundation? (Ezra4:12)
once zealous people lose perspective
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The Message of Haggai
The book of Haggai
Message
Ch1
to Zerubbabel & Joshua
– Breaking them down
God calls the people to focus on HIM
Ch
2 – Building them up
Focus on His glory in the temple, not how it looks
God declares them holy and promises fruit
He encourages Zerubbabel for his faithfulness
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Haggai 1:1-12 –the breakdown
God
frustrated their work to expose their focus
If
we focus on God he will take care of us
If
we focus on us, he will get our attention
They
Fruit
repented in their fear…got back to work!
grows by watering the root…not the fruit
Seek first His Kingdom, and God will take care of the rest
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Haggai 1:13-15 – the build-up
“I
am with you.” THE great promise;
inspires boldness, courage and resolve!
God
stirred their spirits to be willing to work!
Same
promise when we seek & save the lost!
God’s
spirit protects us AND motivates us.
Ps 51…begging God’s spirit to be with & motivate
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Haggai 2:1-9– I am with you…
Temple was looking less impressive outwardly…
…but God promised more glory inwardly!
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Haggai 2:10-19– I will bless you
Object
lesson on the importance of holiness
Before
this God’s hand was against them…
…after
this day it will be FOR them.
“From
this day on I will bless you.” (2:19)
God declares an end to their fruitless labor
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Haggai 2:20-23– the signet ring
The
Lord will display his power,
Zerubbabel…chosen
God
to be God’s signet ring
is pleased when we lead others to him
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Lessons Learned…
Matt 6:33 – Seek First His Kingdom
“Water the root, not the fruit”
Spend your energy on getting what you want…
…He will keep you from it to get your attention!
More than he wants us comfortable…
…He wants us HOME
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Go get your Kids!!