A prophecy to the recognized rulers. This is God speaking to the leadership, not the people.
Haggai 1:9
Economic hardship results from neglect of the cult. A convenient accusation for a religious professional to make to a layman!
Does this indicate a return to a more primitive cultic idea of religion, as opposed to the ethics of, say, Amos & Hosea?
Haggai 2:19
The obedience to the cult (building the temple) will, starting now, be rewarded with blessing.
Haggai 2:22-23
Sounds like the green light for a spirit of political revolt….perhaps this led to Zerubbabel’s (ahem) removal from office…? What about the truth of prophetic predection? How can this promise, never fulfilled, be in the canon?
