Building for God's Glory: Haggai and Zechariah

by Michael Bentley

Publisher:

Evangelical Press

, 1989

Overview

Times were tough for the first recipients of the prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah. They needed to be encouraged to resume the work of reconstructing the temple—to awake from their lethargy and to be enthusiastic for a life lived in obedience to God.

The people were still very materialistic in their outlook. Their zeal was for ritual rather than reliance on the Lord. Their concern was for respectability in religious observance rather than an acknowledgement of their sin and a desire to please God in all their thoughts and actions.

Michael Bentley has written a worthy addition to the Welwyn Commentaries in giving a straightforward explanation of these two prophecies and applying their message practically to the needs of the church today.

Contents

Top Highlights

“No mention is made of Haggai’s parents or any of his ancestors. He came on to the scene without any prior announcement, gave his brief messages from God and then, less than four months later, disappeared from off the pages of history as suddenly as he came.” (Page 13)

“He was to be asked the same question in 5:2. The point is that God gave him these visions so that he might see them and understand them.” (Page 131)

“Because they were concerned about rebuilding the temple and restoring the worship of God’s house, they are often called by a name which is currently in vogue, ‘the Restorationists’.” (Pages 14–15)

“This golden lampstand therefore represents God’s people, individually and collectively, in the act of bearing witness to the gospel of salvation.” (Page 133)

“They were given between the end of August and the end of December in the year 520 B.C. (i.e. the second year of King Darius of Babylon).” (Page 22)

Praise for the Print Edition

An excellent, simple, forthright exposition which gets to the heart of the message and effectively and consistently applies it to the modern reader.

—Eryl Davies, Principal, Evangelical Theological College of Wales

Product Details

• Title: Building for God's Glory: Haggai and Zechariah
• Author: Michael Bentley
• Publisher: Evangelical Press
• Series: Welwyn Commentary Series
• Publication Date: 1989
• Pages: 176

About Michael Bentley

Michael Bentley worked as a bookshop manager and served in the British army before his call to the ministry. He has a diverse background, which includes freelance religious reporting for national and religious radio and television, being a Religious Education teacher, and holding pastorates in Surrey, South East London, and Berkshire. He is also closely involved with his local community as a member of various committees and councils. His hobbies include singing second bass in the Bracknell Choral Society. Now retired, he still preaches regularly and has a ministry of writing, with some thirteen books in print including Opening Up Amos from the Opening Up Commentary Collection (30 Vols.), and Face2face: David, part of the Face2face Collection. He lives in Bracknell with his wife, Jenny, and has five children and eight grandchildren.