Haggai 1:13

Then spoke Haggai the Lord's messenger,.... Which some render "angel"; hence sprung that notion, imbibed by some, that he was not a man, but an angel; whereas this only respects his office, being

Then spake Haggai the LORD's messenger in the LORD's message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD. Then spake Haggai the Lord's messenger - so the priests are called (cf. Galatians 4:14; 2 Peter 1:21).

Then; when the people showed their obedience, and the willingness of their minds, then God encourageth them by his prophet. Messenger; legate or envoy, the Hebrew word signifieth also an angel; but this is not surf, clout to prove their opinion, who dream that Haggai was not a man, but an angel in the form of a man; the word here used (arising from a word that signifieth to send, and paraphrased by a word that primarily signifieth to send as messengers are sent) doth speak an angel from his office and work, as he ministereth before the Lord, and runneth swiftly on his errand; it speaketh not the nature or essence of angels, as they are spirits. The French version (which I use, printed at Rochelle, 1616) reads it, like ours, ambassador. So Haggai was God’ s messenger or ambassador to his people; no angel. In the Lord’ s message; as becometh an ambassador. in the words of his master, so Haggai delivered the Lord’ s message. Unto the people; not excluding the governors; but the people are only mentioned, for that the prophet spake to the whole assembly, or because the Lord would encourage them most, who most needed encouragement. I am with you; a great promise, and which contains all they can need or desire; it insureth God’ s presence always with them, and his assistance always to them, and his blessing always upon them. He will be always for, as well as always with them, and then Tatnai, Shethar-bozhal, Sanballat, and all other conspirators with them, shall not prevail to hinder the work. Such a promise as this, see 4:11-13 . Saith the Lord: this solemn attestation addeth weight to the promise.

Haggai 1:13 Then spake Haggai the LORD’ S messenger in the LORD’ S message unto the people, saying, I [am] with you, saith the LORD. Ver. 13. Then spake Haggai the Lord’ s messenger] Or angel. (Then speaks) Namely, on the four and twentieth day of the month, as it is in the last verse; until which day they had been building for three weeks together. But Governor Tatnai and his complices came upon them, and discouraged the people and hindered the work, Ezra 5:6; Ezra 5:8. It was but needful, therefore, that God’ s command should be repeated, and a special promise added, "I am with you," saith the Lord. Where we may well take up that of Cicero concerning Brutus’ laconical epistle, Quam multa, quam paucis! how much in a little. "I am with you," saith the Lord, you need not therefore fear what man can do unto you. God is all-sufficient to those that are altogether his, see 2 Chronicles 15:2. The Church is called Jehovah Shammah, that is, "The Lord is there," Ezekiel 48:35 "God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved," Psalms 46:5. Immota manet may better be her motto than Venice’ s. She is surely invincible, Zechariah 12:5-7, as having a mighty champion, even the Holy One of Israel; and this makes her (though but a virgin) to laugh to scorn her proudest enemies; yea, to shake her head at them, Isaiah 37:22-23, as rather to be pitied than envied. There were they in great fear (saith David, of the Church’ s enemies); for what reason? God is in the generation of the righteous, Psalms 14:5 Hence those Philistines were so woe-begone, 1 Samuel 4:7. And the Eygptians no less, Exodus 14:25. Let us flee, say they, from the face of Israel; for the Lord fights for them. "What shall we then say to these things?" saith Paul (who had often heard when he was in the enemy’ s hand, Fear not, I am with thee), "If God be for us, who can be against us?" who dare be so fool-hardy, so ambitious of his own destruction? Hath ever any waxed fierce against God and prospered? Job 9:4. Where is Pharaoh, Nero, Nebuchadnezzar, &c.? Was it safe for these or any other to provoke the Lord to anger? were they stronger than he? Oh that men would (according to Solomon’ s counsel) meddle with their match, and not contend with him that is mightier than they! Can God be with his people and see them abused to his face? Will they force the queen also before him in the house, Esther 7:8. Will they, giant-like, fight against God? will they needs touch the apple of his eye, that tenderest piece of the tenderest part? Will they invade his portion, plunder him of his jewels, pull the signet from his right hand?

(13) In the Lord’s message.—Or, on the Lord’s mission.

Verse 13. Then spake Haggai] He was the Lord's messenger, and he came with the Lord's message, and consequently he came with authority. He is called מלאך יהוה malach Yehovah, the angel of Jehovah, just as the pastors of the seven Asiatic churches are called ANGELS of the Churches, Revelation 1:20. I am with you, saith the Lord.] Here was high encouragement. What may not a man do when God is his helper?

13. messenger] The word is that commonly used for an angel in the O.T., but its first and proper meaning is messenger. In the same way in the N.T., the same word (ἄγγελος) is used generally in its restricted sense for an angel, and occasionally in its wider sense for a messenger (Luke 7:27; Luke 9:52; James 2:25). Haggai is the only prophet who uses this title of himself. It is, to say the least, doubtful whether Moses as a prophet is intended by it in Numbers 20:16. Malachi (“my angel or messenger”) has it for the only name by which we know him, and he uses it of the Jewish priest (Malachi 2:7), and of John Baptist the forerunner of our Lord, and of our Lord Himself, “the messenger of the Covenant” (Malachi 3:1). I am with you] Lit. I with you. This short but all-sufficient promise, varied sometimes by the corresponding expression of faith, “God with us,” or by the record of its fulfilment, “Jehovah was with him,” shines out like a bright star in times of darkness and need to individual saints, and to the Church at large in the O.T. It is given to Jacob at Bethel at the outset of his journey (Genesis 28:15); to Moses at the Bush, when called to be the deliverer of his people (Exodus 3:12); to Joshua, when he took up for completion the unfinished work of Moses (Joshua 1:5); to Jeremiah at his entrance on the difficult work of prophesying (Jeremiah 1:8). It was fulfilled to Joseph when sold a slave into Egypt (Genesis 39:2), and when made a prisoner there on a false accusation (ver. 21). It was the battle-cry of the Church when threatened with the invasion of the proud Assyrian (Isaiah 8:10), and the refrain of her song of victory when the Assyrian was overthrown (Psalms 46:7; Psalms 46:11). In the N. T. it finds its full accomplishment in Him who is “Emmanuel, God with us” (Matthew 1:23). Here Haggai sums up the promise of all needful resources for the work, and protection from the jealous foes who had so long hindered it, and conveys the assurance of a prosperous issue in the few short words, “I with you, saith Jehovah.”

And Haggai, the Lord’s messenger - Malachi, whose own name was framed to express that he was “the Lord’s messenger,” and Haggai alone use the title, as the title of a prophet; perhaps as forerunners

13. The “fear” can hardly be considered an evidence of a “penitential state of mind”; nevertheless the prophet saw that the indifference had been shaken and that a message of encouragement might prove effective.