Background Context
The empire that would eventually destroy the northern Kingdom of Israel
The Assyrian Empire.
Jonah was in the belly of the fish for this many days and nights.
3 days and 3 nights.
Summary of Jonah 1.
Read Jonah 1
This was what God wanted His people to repent of in Haggai 1
To prioritize the worship and will of God over their own desires and issues.
Jonah's name means this in Hebrew.
Dove
Two pieces of important background information regarding Zerubbabel that helps us understand the context of Haggai.
Was the governor of Judah and a descendant from the line of David.
This is the date when God's people in Haggai repented of their inaction to building God's temple. Day and month.
The 24th day of the 6th month.
Summary of Haggai 1.
Read Haggai 1
One of the main takeaways from Jonah 3.
God's mercy in relenting from disaster so long as people repented of their actions.
This is considered the 'sister book' to Haggai since it occurred during the same time frame and circumstances as Haggai.
Zechariah.
The reason given in scripture on why God allowed the Kingdom of Israel to be destroyed.
Because the people did not obey the Lord their God and violated His covenant (2nd Kings 17:1-6,19:9-13)
The 24th day of the 9th month.
Summary of Jonah 3.
Read Jonah 3
This was the main message that God was trying to get through to Jonah by the end of the book
God's compassion and mercy for the Ninevites despite being an evil and violent enemy of the Israelites.
Haggai's name means this in Hebrew.
Festal of Feast of Yaweh.
The only other mention of Jonah in scripture happened in 2 Kings when Jonah prophesized this message to King Jeroboam.
That King Jeroboam would restore the boundaries of Israel from Lebo Hamath to the Dead Sea (2nd Kings 14:21-25)
Where Jonah tried to flee to this place when God initially told him to preach against the city of Nineveh
Tarshish (located in modern day Spain)
Summary of Jonah 4.
Read Jonah 4
Some of the things that can be learned from Jonah's actions (via negative example) and the actions of the crew of the ship in Jonah 1.
Some potential Interpretations (others are acceptable as well within reason):
1. The parallels with Christ between Him and Jonah.
2. The futility of running away from the Lord.
3. God's compassion and mercy to those who don't know Him.
These were the two questions asked by God to the priests in Haggai 2.
1. Does a piece of consecrated meat touching other foods make those foods holy?
2. Can someone who's been defiled by contacting a dead body make other things defiled?
This evil, second-to-last King of Judah who lived to see the demise of the Kingdom of Judah was the grandfather of Zerubbabel.
King Jehoiachin
In God's final message to Zerubbabel, He symbolically promised to make Zerubbabel like this.
A signet ring
Summary of Haggai 2.
Read Haggai 2.
This was the point of God's final message to Zerubbabel in Haggai.
Restoration (specifically from a messianic perspective through Christ).
Some of the forms of torture or punishment employed by the people and empire of Nineveh.
Recorded methods of Assyrian torture included the flaying of the skin, tongues being pulled out, castration, dismemberment and decapitation, etc. They were also known to desecrate/dishonor the dead. Any village or town would also commonly be looted, plundered and destroyed.