Haggai 2

ARGUMENT. • The prophet encouragcth the builders by a promise, that the glory of the second temple should be greater than that of the first; and that in the following year God would bless them with a fruitful harvest. In the conclusion he foretells the setting up the kingdom of Christ, under the name of Zerubbabel. j laid in the second year of Cyrus, many of the ancient men that had seen the first house, wept to see how much the second templo would fall short of the glory of the first (Ezra iii. 12.) The second year of Cyrus was fifty-three years after the destruction of the first temple; so the oldest men among those that returned home might very well remember how glorious that was. The prophecy was uttered fifteen years after the foundations of the second temple were laid; go there might some still survive that saw the first. This is an evident proof, that the Darius mentioned in this prophecy must beDarius Hystaspes: for theythat supppse Darius Nothus to be here meant, must allow the distance of one hundred and sixty-six years between the destruction of the first temple and the time of this prophecy: and it cannot be imagined, that any number of men could be capable of comparing the difference between the two temples, at that distance of time: see this farther proved in the note upon Zech. i. 12. Vcr. 5. According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my Spirit remaineth with you.] I will fulfil those promises I made with you, when I delivered you out of Egypt; that, upon your obedience, I would not leave you, nor forsake you, but guide and prosper you in all your undertakings. (See Nehem. ix. 20. Isa. Ixiii. 11.)

Haggai 2:3

rrllO is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? Sec. When the foundation of the house was 2E2

Haggai 2:6

Yet once it is a little while. Or, Once more, as the LXX. render it, whom St. Paul follows, Heb. xii. 26* The phrase implies; such an alteration as shall not give way to any farther change, as the apostle there expounds it..The space of time, from this prophecy to the coming of the Messias may be called a little tvhile, in comparison of the several ages expired since the first promise of a Redeemer* A learned prelate, in his excellent Defence of Christianity from the ancient Prophecies, (p. 88.) translates the words to this sense: After One kingdom [viz. the Grecian, which succeeded the Persian monarchy, at this time subsisting] it is but a little while; and [or, after that] J will shake all nations, &c. Itvill shake the heavens, and the earth, and the, sea, and the dry land.] Great commotions and changes in the. world are expressed by shaking the heavens and the earth. (See Ezek. xxv. 15. xxxviii. 19. Joel iii. 16.) These expressions may denote here the great commotions that should be in the Roman empire (see the last note), from the death of Julius Caesar till near the birth of Christ: or it may in general signify the introducing such a kingdom or religion, of which the Messiah is to be the head; which shall in the end break in pieces, and destroy all the other dominions of the world. (See the notes upon vcr. 21, 22.)

Haggai 2:7

And the Desire of all nations shall come. He shall come to this house, that shall answer the wishes and desires of mankind, by supplying all those defects that hindered them in the performance of their duty. Such a guide and director, as the wisest men among the heathens wished for, and whose coming was the hope of Israel, and completion of all the promises made to their fathers: Acts xxvi. 6. xxviii. 20. see Gen. xii. 3. xlix. 10. where the old translations read the latter part of the verse to this sense: His (or, to him) shall be the expectation of the people, Mai. iii. 1. And I will fill this house with glory.] Though it wants the cloud of glory overshadowing the mcrcy-£eat A which was a symbol of the Divine presence peculiar to Solomon’s temple, (see Psal. lxxx. 1.) yet I will honour this second temple with a much greater glory; viz. the presence of the Messiah, in whom shall dwell all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, Colos. ii. 9. where ho shall publish his saving doctrine to the world. (See Luke xix. 47. xx. 1* xxi. 38. John xviii. 20.)

Haggai 2:8

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts. Solomon’s temple was more richly adorned with silver and gold than this; and I, that am the Lord of all the world, could easily command the riches of it, and bring them together, for beautifying this my house, if I took delight in richness of ornaments.

Haggai 2:9

Hie glory of this latter house shall be greater tlian that of the former; and [or, for. , in this place will I give peace.] The glory of this second temple shall exceed tha^t of the former, not in riches or costly ornaments, but in this respect, that there the Prince of peace shall make his appearance, and the gospel of peace shall be preached and published. (See Isa. ix. G. Micah v. 5. Eph. ii. 14.) The modern Jews expect a third temple, in which this prophecy will be verified; whercjas the prophet plainly speaks of the same temple which they then saw, and was in their eyes as nothing, in comparison of the former. The ancient Jews speak of the temple, from the time of Zerubbabel to its destruction under Vespasian, as one and the same temple; particularly Josephus, d6 Bello Jud.lib. viii. cap. 18. (See the abovecited treatise.)

Haggai 2:11

Ask now the priests concerning the law. Whose office it was to put a difference between holy and unholy, and between clean and unclean, Lev. x. 10.

Haggai 2:12

If one bear [or, carry. holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, &c] By the rules of the law, things immedi-^ ately dedicated to God’s service did convey some degree of holiness to common things that touched them; so the altar, sanctified the gift that was laid upon it, Exod. xxix. 37.* and whatsoever touched the flesh of the sin-offering was holy, Lev. vi. 27. But this rule did not extend so far as to make the garment that touched any of the offerings capable of conveying holiness to any thing else. Vcr. 13. If 07ie that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these things, shallit be unclean? And the priests ansiuered and said, It shall be unclean.] The law was plain in that case, (see Numb. xix. 11.) The least defect is sufficient to make a thing evil or sinful; whereas to make it good and perfect, a concurrence of all good qualities is requisite. Vei 1. 14. So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the Lord, &c] In like manner, saith God, the inward contempt and disregard of my worship, which this people discover by their backwardness to carry on the building of my temple/makes every thing they undertake, and even the sacrifices they offer on myaltar, hateful and unacceptable.

Haggai 2:15

Consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid, upon a stone in the temple of the Lord.". From the time that a stop had been put to the building of the temple, after the first foundations of it were laid. (Compare Ezra v. 3.) * V Vcr.lG. Si?ice those days were, when one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten, &c] The fruits of the earth did. not yield their usual increase, because of the unkindly seasons wherewith Ipunishod them. (See the following vcrsc A and i. 2. Zech. viii. 10.)