The southern kingdom of Judah had endured over 300 years of rebellion among its people. There were only a few kings who attempted to obey the Lord since the time of David and Solomon—most notably Hezekiah and Josiah. God—who is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ex 34:6)—has been pushed to His limit and it is now time for His children to experience some consequences for their generational rebellion. The Lord announced this judgment to His prophet, Jeremiah, in the fourth year of the reign of King Jehoiakim, son of Josiah. This prophecy is discovered by Daniel many years later. We will examine both of these passages today in an attempt to set the historical context for Haggai’s prophetic work.