Haggai 2

On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: Haggai 2:1

Sometimes it is difficult to date the people and events of the Bible, and at other times it is even hard to get them in the right century. But here again, the prophet gives us an exact dating. It was the twenty-first day of the month of Tishri (September-October of our calendar). It was the final day of the great Feast of Tabernacles ( Sukkot ), when all the harvest was gathered in amidst great joy and rejoicing (Lev. 23:39-43). It was a perfect time for the prophet to speak because hearts were happy and receptive. Also, it was the exact time that Solomon had dedicated the first temple (1 Ki. 8:2). The year was still 520 BC.

“Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, ‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?’” (2:2-3). Haggai was to address the governor, the high priest and the people with his question. Perhaps it was fitting since he was the only person in the Bible called “the Lord’s messenger.” [1]

From the destruction of the first temple in 586 BC to the time of Haggai in 520 BC would have been a period of 66 years. There were some older people around who remembered the first temple. No doubt, when the new temple was being constructed some of these folks were disappointed with it (cf. Ezra 3:12-13). Jewish writings inform us that there were several things missing in the Second Temple. These were the sacred fire, the Shekinah, the Ark and cherubim, the Urim and Thummim and the spirit of prophecy. [2] However, in Ecclesiastes 7:10, we are warned about looking back: “Do not say, ‘Why were the old days better than these?’ For it is not wise to ask such questions.”

Being Strong In The Lord

But now be strong, Zerubbabel, “declares the LORD.” Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, “declares the LORD,” and work. For I am with you, “declares the LORD Almighty.” Haggai 2:4

Long before, the Lord had given Moses this same message, to be strong (Deut. 31:6-7, 23). He had done the same to Joshua (Josh. 1:6-7, 9). King David had also charged his son Solomon to be strong in building the first temple (1 Chron. 22:13; 28:20). Our strength is in the Lord who is ever-present to help us, whatever the difficulty. In Hebrews 13:5 it is written: “…God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” In Haggai 1:13 God said, “I am with you.” Now he makes the same promise again. As we have seen in Hebrews, he makes essentially the same promise to us (cf. Matt. 28:20). If God is for us, then who can be against us (Rom. 8:31). If God is for us then we can be faithful to do his work, even in difficult times. The preacher, Bob Jones, often said, “that the greatest ability a person can possess is dependability…” [3]

“This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear” (2:5). Oswald Chambers once said, “The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God you fear everything else.” When the Spirit of God is upon us we cannot live in fear. Remember, it is the fearful and unbelieving who shall have their place in the Lake of Fire (Rev. 21:8).

The Great Shaking To Come

This is what the LORD Almighty says: “In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.” Haggai 2:6

We have only to look at the Book of Revelation to realize that this cosmos is in for a great eschatological shaking. Heaven and earth will be shaken mightily and in fact, there will be a new heaven and new earth. Hebrews 12:26-27 says: “At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, ‘Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’ The words ‘once more’ indicate the removing of what can be shaken – that is, created things –so that what cannot be shaken may remain.” We remember that when the law was given on Mt. Sinai there was a great earthquake or shaking (Exo. 19:18). God’s statement here is based upon this original shaking.

Isaiah says: “The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is violently shaken. The earth reels like a drunkard, it sways like a hut in the wind; so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion that it falls – never to rise again” (Isa. 24:19-20). God will literally shake the wicked out of the earth (Job 38:13). But strangely, the righteous will not be shaken (Psa. 55:22; Heb. 12:28).

Clearly, in the last-day, our visible world and universe will be shaken to pieces. All the things we see with our natural eyes will pass away and a new heaven and earth will come into existence (Rev. 21:1). At that time everything that can be shaken will be shaken. In order to prepare for such a day, we must build our lives on things that are unshakable.

Let us think of some of these unshakable things. Jesus is unshakable as we see in Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” The word of our God is unshakable. Even in its written form, it has stood against the storms and earthquakes brought about by sinful men and their doubts for some 3500 years. In 1 Peter 1:25 the apostle says, “‘but the word of the Lord stands forever.’ And this is the word that was preached to you.” The love of the Lord is unshakable and the scripture says in Jeremiah 31:3 “…I have loved you with an everlasting love….” The kingdom of God is unshakable as we will see in the next verse. Finally, those who trust in the Lord can become unshakable (cf. Psa. 112:6-7). In Psalm 125:1 it is written: “Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.”

We seem to be witnessing the shaking of many things already in our world. I have often referred to this age as the “Jello Era.” Our confidence in government; our confidence in science as our savior; and our confidence in long-accepted moral standards has waned. We might add that our confidence in the financial and business world around us, including our jobs and banks, has suffered a great shaking in the last few years.

When God gets through, all the things that can be shaken will then be shaken and removed. Only the unshakable things will remain and make up the new heaven and earth. After the end-day storm has passed by the righteous will still be standing (Prov. 10:25).

Some of the shaking was already taking place in the prophet’s day as the great world empires were falling one after another. [4] The Assyrian and Babylonian empires had already collapsed. It would not be long until mighty Persia would be shaken to pieces by the rise of Alexander the Great and the Greeks. The Irish Anglican clergyman A. R. Faussett comments: “The kingdoms of the world are but the scaffolding for God’s spiritual temple, to be thrown down when their purpose is accomplished.” [5]

“I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, ‘says the LORD Almighty’” (2:7). The web commentator David Guzik says: “Through the centuries, most see this as a prophecy of the Messiah coming to this temple rebuilt in the days of Haggai and Ezra. This understanding began with the ancient rabbis and continued among Christians and fits in well with the promise of filling the temple with glory.” [6] We see this understanding reflected in the Christmas carol, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. The fourth stanza begins with the words, “Come, Desire of nations, come! Fix in us Thy humble home…” [7]

However, there is a problem with this verse. Baldwin sums it up saying: “The Hebrew verb is plural and requires a plural subject: treasures (desirable things, RV) of all nations shall come in.” [8] Several of the newer translations such as the NAS, ESV, NET, and NRS speak of the wealth or treasures of the nations coming in. This seems to be one meaning of this verse. Isaiah 60:5 and other scriptures speak of countries bringing their treasure to Israel. As director of our Christian food bank and outreach center in Jerusalem for many years, I witnessed countless Christian tour groups bringing all kinds of gifts and even money donations. This was to be used for the new immigrants who were then arriving from the former USSR and Ethiopia. The wealth of the nations came in one suitcase at a time.

So, while this verse appears to have a natural meaning of shaking so that the world’s treasures will come to the new temple in Israel it has a broader meaning of an eschatological shaking as we have seen in Hebrews 12:26-27. It can also speak of Jesus as being the desired of all nations as Jewish historian Charles L. Feinberg says: “This interpretation is supposed to square with the fact that the feminine singular subject has a plural verb…Without being dogmatic we should like to point out that the desire of all nations can only refer to the longing of all nations for the Deliverer, whether they realize it or not. In Hebrew, an abstract noun is often placed for the concrete, so this could refer to the Messiah…” [9]

“‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty” (2:8). This verse appears to return to the idea of vast treasures coming into the house of the Lord from the world’s kingdoms. Some of that may well be the result of worldwide shaking in the last days. This verse points out that God already owns the gold, silver and everything else that we humans would try to offer to him. We need to realize that he is the owner and we are only the tenants.

“‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the LORD Almighty” (2:9). We need to understand that Zerubbabel’s temple was taken down to its foundations when King Herod redid the temple later, but it was still considered to be the Second Temple. [10] Into that temple came the King of the Universe, the Lord Jesus with his great and magnificent program of salvation for all who would believe. With that gospel program, real and eternal peace would be given (Isa. 66:12).

Questions About Defilement

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: Haggai 2:10

The ninth month, or the Hebrew month of Chislev, corresponds to our December today. Thus, it was about two months after Haggai’s first prophecy. This would be the last appearance for the aged Haggai. At this time the prophet directed two important questions to the priests of Israel.

“This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests what the law says: If someone carries consecrated meat in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated?’ The priests answered, ‘No’” (2:11-12). We are reminded from scripture that the priests were the expounders of the law (Lev. 10:11; Deut. 33:10; Ezek. 44:23; Mal. 2:7). There is an important principle here. Moral cleanness cannot be transmitted. [11] We have probably all heard the old saying that “God has no grandchildren.” We cannot pass righteousness, holiness or salvation down to our children or to anyone else. We cannot become Christians by osmosis, by just being close to other Christians or even by being in church. Everyone must have their own personal contact and experience with Jesus.

“Then Haggai said, ‘If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?’ ‘Yes,’ the priests replied, ‘it becomes defiled’” (2:13). Feinberg says here: “(note Lev. 22:4-6; Num. 19:11)…Moral cleanness cannot be transmitted, said the Mosaic law, but moral uncleanness can…A healthy man cannot communicate his health to his sick child, but the sick child can communicate its disease to the father.” [12]

“Then Haggai said, ‘So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares the LORD. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled’” (2:14). London scholar Peter Pett says, “Not having a Temple can render them unclean, because the old Temple is as a dead thing among them.” [13] The unfinished building was like a dead body. It defiled both their thinking and their actions. As Feinberg says, “All their former work partook of their spiritual uncleanness.” [14]

Several years ago my wife and I were members of a very large and wonderful home fellowship. However, on one occasion the meeting really went sour and we could not figure out the reason for it. Then a couple came forward and began to relate their meeting with a legalistic Christian group. As they talked we realized that they were contaminated with legalism and dead works. They were defiled with the dead and they brought about a defilement of our whole group at that meeting. Happily, that situation was corrected and beautiful fellowship continued.

The Promise Of Blessing

Now give careful thought to this from this day on – consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in the LORD’s temple. Haggai 2:15

Haggai was prophesying that a great time of blessing would be upon them since they had obeyed the voice of the Lord. God now says, “I am with you!” When God is with us good things happen. Before their obedience, their realizations were half their expectations but now they will exceed their expectations. The great Derek Prince says: “Everything we shall ever need, for time and eternity, is already provided. The only condition for remaining in this perfect provision is believing and obeying the Word of God.” [15]

“‘When anyone came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty. I struck all the work of your hands with blight, mildew and hail, yet you did not return to me,’ declares the LORD” (2:16-17). Wiersbe says, “…Haggai has asked the people to look back and then to look within.” [16] As they looked back into their disobedience they realized that things did not go too well then (cf. Deut. 28:22; Amos 4:9). Success had to do with putting that first stone on top of the other.

“From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid. Give careful thought: Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit. From this day on I will bless you” (2:18-19). We would be hard-pressed to find a more direct promise of blessing anywhere in the Bible. The people were asked to carefully observe and watch this promise come to pass. Since it was winter, they would see first results in the early barley crop. After that, it would be the wheat and spring fruits. Blessing was on the way!

“The word of the LORD came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: ‘Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am going to shake the heavens and the earth’” (2:20-21). This passage seems to confirm what we said earlier about the shaking partly being an eschatological one at the end of the age. Pfeiffer & Harrison say: “It is best to see here, along with many able expositors, a reference to the ultimate overthrow of this world system, dominated by Satan, when the rightful King, the Lord Jesus Christ, returns to take up the reins of government (cf. Rev. 11:15).” [17]

“I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother” (2:22). Once more we see the “shaking” theme continue. God would shake and destroy the powerful kingdoms, including ancient Persia. But he will also shake all nations at the end of this present evil age.

“‘On that day,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares the LORD Almighty” (2:23). We will find Zerubbabel later in the genealogy of Christ (Matt. 1:12; Lk. 3:27). He was an important person in God’s kingdom. He was God’s signet ring and the sign of his authority. In ancient times such a ring was used by kings as their official signature. Feinberg says, “The owner rarely parted with it but wore it always (Gen. 38:18). It came to stand for one’s most prized possession. All this prefigures the precious Christ.” [18] Zerubbabel, of course, was in the Messianic line.

So, when things were very bleak the prophet Haggai came with a message of hope and blessing for all who would hear. The beleaguered and discouraged group felt faith rise up once more within their breasts. As the twentieth century revivalist, Vance Havner, used to say: “Faith sees the invisible, chooses the imperishable, and does the impossible.” [19]

Footnotes

1. Charles L. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1948), p. 241.

2. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, “ Commentary on Haggai,” “Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible,” v. 2:3.

3. Quoted in Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT, p. 1495.

4. Pett, “Commentary on Haggai,” “Peter Pett’s Commentary on the Bible,” vs. 2:6-9.

5. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, “Commentary on Haggai,” “Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible,” v. 2:6.

6. David Guzik, Enduring Word Bible Commentary, Haggai, vs. 2:6-9.

7. Hymnal Net. https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/84

8. Baldwin, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, p. 48.

9. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 244.

10. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, “Commentary on Haggai,” “Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible,” v. 2:9.

11. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 246.

12. Ibid., p. 246.

13. Pett, “Commentary on Haggai,” “Peter Pett’s Commentary on the Bible,” v. 2:14.

14. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 246.

15. Derek Prince, War in Heaven (Grand Rapids: Chosen Books, 2003), p. 101.

16. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT, p. 1497.

17. Pfeiffer & Harrison, eds., The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 895.

18. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 248.

19. Quoted in Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT, p. 1498.