Encouragement and Promise
1 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, o the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: 2 “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and to the remnant of the people: 3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Doesn’t it seem to you like nothing by comparison? p 4 Even so, be strong, Zerubbabel—this is the LORD’S declaration. q Be strong, Joshua son of Jehozadak, high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land—this is the LORD’S declaration. Work! For I am with you r—the declaration of the LORD of Armies. 5 This is the promise I made to you when you came out of Egypt, s and my Spirit is present among you; don’t be afraid.’ ”
6 For the LORD of Armies says this: “Once more, in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, t the sea and the dry land. u 7 I will shake all the nations so that the treasures of all the nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,” v says the LORD of Armies. 8 “The silver and gold belong to me”—this is the declaration of the LORD of Armies. 9 “The final glory of this house will be greater than the first,” w says the LORD of Armies. “I will provide peace in this place” x—this is the declaration of the LORD of Armies.
From Deprivation to Blessing
10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Haggai: 11 “This is what the LORD of Armies says: Ask the priests for a ruling. y 12 If a man is carrying consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and it touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other food, does it become holy? ” z
The priests answered, “No.”
13 Then Haggai asked, “If someone defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled? ” a
The priests answered, “It becomes defiled.”
14 Then Haggai replied, “So is this people, and so is this nation before me—this is the LORD’S declaration. And so is every work of their hands; even what they offer there is defiled.
15 “Now from this day on, think carefully: Before one stone was placed on another in the LORD’S temple, 16 what state were you in? When someone came to a grain heap of twenty measures, it only amounted to ten; when one came to the winepress to dip fifty measures from the vat, it only amounted to twenty. 17 I struck you—all the work of your hands—with blight, mildew, b and hail, c but you didn’t turn to me—this is the LORD’S declaration. 18 “From this day on, think carefully; d from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day the foundation of the LORD’S temple was laid; think carefully. 19 Is there still seed left in the granary? The vine, the fig, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yet produced. But from this day on I will bless you.” e
Promise to Zerubbabel
20 The word of the LORD came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: 21 “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah: I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. f 22 I will overturn royal thrones and destroy the power of the Gentile kingdoms. g I will overturn chariots and their riders. Horses and their riders will fall, each by his brother’s sword. 23 On that day”—this is the declaration of the LORD of Armies—“I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant”—this is the LORD’S declaration—“and make you like my signet ring, h for I have chosen you.” i This is the declaration of the LORD of Armies.
A. The problem: The inferiority of Zerubbabel’s temple (2:1–3). Not quite a month after the work has begun (2:1; cf. 1:15), Haggai speaks again to encourage the people, assuring them that their labor is not in vain and is indeed meaningful and pleasing to God. The problem is addressed in 2:3: “Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory?” Those who had seen Solomon’s temple sixty-five years earlier disparaged the new temple. The younger people rejoiced greatly when the foundation of the temple was laid, but the older priests, Levites, and family heads wept loudly (Ezr 3:10–13) because they had seen the glory of Solomon’s temple and knew that the present effort would not compare. This negative attitude still had a harmful impact on the people in Haggai’s time. Their temple seemed to be “like nothing.”
B. The encouragement: A greater glory yet to come (2:4–9). 2:4–5. The admonition “be strong” is grounded, first of all, on the promise “I am with you” (2:4). This promise is a link to the past, to the covenant made at Sinai built on the Abrahamic covenant (2:5; cf. Gn 12). God’s presence with his people means he approves of the work and he will support and protect them.
2:6–9. A second promise is added: “I will fill this house with glory” (2:7). This promise is linked to the future, the glory that is yet to come. God relates their present activity to the coming surpassing glory of the temple. It was natural for the people to make comparisons between Solomon’s temple and Zerubbabel’s temple. But from God’s perspective these temples are both his house, singular. Since God has acknowledged the second temple and promised his presence, there is no reason for discouragement. The people’s work, though seemingly insignificant, is part of God’s overall program of establishing his presence on earth.
2:10–14. Haggai asks a two-part legal question of the priests that poses no difficulty for them (2:12–13). The question makes the point that uncleanness defiles everything it contacts (2:14). The opposite, however, is not the case. Any item of food that came into contact with consecrated meat would not thereby become ceremonially clean. The uncleanness of Judah’s disobedience in neglecting the temple has vitiated everything they touch.
2:15–19. The date of this message is December 18, 520 BC (2:18; cf. 2:10). The people have been at work on the temple project for three months now, and they have not yet experienced the abundant harvests that result from God’s blessing. This is because they are between harvests (2:19). The fields are plowed and the new seed planted in anticipation of a rich harvest, but their barns and wine vats still show the effects of their former disobedience.
2:20–22. This is the second message on this date and is directed to Zerubbabel (2:20–21). The events described here are clearly eschatological. The phrase “I am going to shake” is the same as in 2:6–7 and refers to the great upheavals that will precede the establishment of God’s kingdom. The same Hebrew word is used of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (see Dt 29:23; Is 13:19; Jr 20:16; Am 4:11). As sudden and as final as Sodom’s ruin was, so will it be with the Gentile thrones (2:22). Utter destruction is in view here. The overthrowing of chariots and their riders is reminiscent of the destruction of Pharaoh’s army in the sea (Ex 15:1, 5). The terror and confusion will be so great that men will fall by the sword of their brothers. Just when the might of the world powers seems to be unassailable, God will shake and overthrow them and establish his own kingdom (see, e.g., Zch 12:1–5; 14:1–9).
2:23. Zerubbabel never reigned as king; nor did Haggai aspire to make him king. Haggai uses Zerubbabel, the current representative of David’s royal line, to point to the Messiah. The reference to “my servant” and the one God has chosen is reminiscent of the messianic “servant passages” (Is 42; 49; 50; 53). The term “signet ring” refers to the authority given to the Messiah as God’s personal representative. It is noteworthy that the curse on Zerubbabel’s grandfather Jehoiachin (Coniah) is couched in language involving the signet ring. Though he was the signet ring on God’s right hand, he was pulled off and cast to his enemies (Jr 22:24). But now the Davidic line is restored to authority and honor. Thus the book ends on a note of encouragement.