AGGEUS was one of those that returned from the captivity of Babylon, in
the first year of the reign of king Cyrus. He was sent by the Lord, in
the second year of the reign of king Darius, the son of Hystaspes, to
exhort Zorobabel the prince of Juda, and Jesus the high priest, to the
building of the temple; which they had begun, but left off again through
the opposition of the Samaritans. In consequence of this exhortation
they proceeded in the building and finished the temple. And the prophet
was commissioned by the Lord to assure them that this second temple
should be more glorious than the former, because the Messiah should
honour it with his presence: signifying withal how much the church of
the New Testament should excel that of the Old Testament.