Haggai 1

Haggai 1:1-11

In this chapter we have, 1. A reproof of the Jews for their dilatoriness and faithfulness in building the temple, with an exhortation to refuse that good work, and to prosecute it in good earnest, vers. 1—11. 2. The good success of this sermon, appearing in the people’s return and close application to that work, wherein the prophet in God’s name animated and encouraged them, assuring them that God was with them, vers. 12—15.

1. IN the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto ‘Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel’ governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jofedech the high priest, saying, 2. Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD’s house should be built. 3. Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4. ‘Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cledel houses, and this house be waft? 5. Now therefore thus faith the LORD of hosts, Consider your ways. 6. Ye have ‘fown much, and bring in little: ye eat, but ye have not enough: ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink: ye clothe you, but there is none warm: and he that earneth wages, earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. 7. ¶ Thus faith the LORD of hosts, Consider your ways. 8. Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, faith the LORD. 9.

Ye looked for much, and lo it came to little: and when ye brought it home, I did § blow upon it: why? faith the LORD of hosts, because of mine house that is waft, and ye run every man unto his own house. 10. Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit. 11. And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.

The date of this prophecy is in the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, the first day of the month. Not Darius the Mede, but probably Darius Hystaspes, who came to the throne about fifteen years after the proclamation of Cyrus. The word of the Lord which was sent to Haggai, he is commanded to deliver to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, or Salathiel, his nephew, it should seem, 2 Chom. iii. 17—19. at least his adopted son and successor in the government, and to Joshua the son of Jofedech the high-priest, these being the chief persons in church and state, on whom it was especially incumbent to stir up the people to their duty.

1. They are charged with great negligence and remissness in the work of God. This people, who have so lately enjoyed such distinguished favours from God, say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built; they had begun the foundations immediately on their return from Babylon, but the building had been interrupted through the misrepresentations of their enemies at the Persian court; and though for a season they had liberty to proceed, they seem to have been too indifferent about it, and were ready to suggest arguments to encourage themselves in their negligence; either they were too poor as yet to proceed in it, or the late unseasonable years were interpreted as a providen-

tial intimation, that it was not yet proper to carry on the work, and therefore they deferred it to a more convenient reason. So often are we ready to put off what is present duty to some future time, and to excuse to pretend a providential interposition, when in truth we only follow our own inclinations.

2. For this lukewarmness and carelessness, God’s displeasure had already appeared against them. The wants of which they complained had their origin from hence, nor would they be relieved till this matter was excluded. Their land was under a curle, and though they feared much, they reaped little; they had neither meat, drink, nor cloaths sufficient to support and keep them warm; or what they had, God permitted them to have no comfort in it, and the money they gained was quickly lost, as if they had put it into a bag with holes, v. 6. The drought had parched up their land, and disappointed their expectations of plenty, v. 10, 11, and what they gathered into their store-house, God blew upon it, ver. 9, and it wafted insensibly; or blew it away as flubble, by some providential judgments: and the reason he informs them, namely of mine being that it ought, and ye can every man unto his own house, diligent and active in seeking their own interests, and promising their own advantage, and unconcerned about the house of God and the glory of his name. Note, (1.) They who look for much from creature-condemn, must prepare for disappointment. (2.) In our common blessings we are as much dependant upon God’s confessions providential care, as if we were fed daily by miracles. (3.) If God blows upon our possessions, we shall pine in the midst of plenty, and his wrath will embitter every comfort. (2.) They who seek full the kingdom of God, and his right-muddets, consult best for both worlds: all happiness in time, as well as eternity, arising only from his favour and blessing.

3. He expostulates with them hereupon. Is it time for you, O ye, who can find no time to serve God, and build his house, to abode or your coined houses? There were completely finished and furnished, whilst his lay waft. So often do professors all seek their own things, and not those which be Jesus Christ’s, but great is their guilt.

4. He endeavours to rouse them from their lethargy, and to get them to work. Confeder your soup, what milkers they have already brought upon you; the bakeries and ingratitude of such conduct, and what will be the end of these things. Confeder your soup, that, convinced of their evil, you may amend them without delay, and begin instantly the neglected work of God’s temple. Go up to the mountain, and bring used from Lebanon, and build the house, and I will take pleasure in it, accept these labours and the sacrifices there offered; and I will be glorified, faith the Lord, in the work of your hands; the worthy there performed should rebound to his praise. Note, (1.) The first step to all goodness is serious consideration, and this preparation of the heart is from the Lord. (2.) They who consider their ways to any good purpose, must show it by immediate reformation of what is wrong. (3.) Whenever we return unto God, and his neglected service, he will still be found gracious, he will take pleasure in us, and be glorified in mercy.