HAGGAI
Rebuilding God’s Temple
Light of Israel Bible Commentaries
By
JIM GERRISH
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTER-NATIONAL VERSION® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.
All rights reserved worldwide.
Haggai: Building God’s Temple
Copyright © 2021 by Jim Gerrish
Light of Israel Bible Commentaries
Colorado Springs, CO
INTRODUCTION
Cyrus the Great (reign c. 559 – c. 529 BC) founded the Achaemenid Empire in Persia (today’s Iran). It was the largest and most expansive empire the world had ever seen.1 Cyrus was a benevolent ruler and the Bible records how he allowed the Jewish captives to return to their land and rebuild their temple (2 Chron. 36:22-23). Centuries before Cyrus was born, he was named and called “God’s shepherd” and “his anointed” regarding the return of the Lord’s people. He was called this through the prophet Isaiah (Isa. 44:28; 45:1). Cyrus even sent along with the returnees 5400 items of gold and silver that once belonged to the temple (Ezr. 1:11). He thus set the stage for the post-exilic return to the land as well as the ministry and writings of Haggai, Zechariah, and later Ezra, Nehemiah and Malachi.
The people returned to the land in 537 BC. Despite its miraculous beginning the temple was not built. This happened due to the general discouragement brought about by their hostile neighbors and then by an adverse decree from the new ruler. The temple project was abandoned for the next 16 years, until the preaching of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah.
God works in mysterious ways. He raised up another ruler of the empire and his name was Darius I, commonly known as Darius the Great (reign 522-486 BC). Darius soon decreed that the temple work should continue, putting him in alignment with God’s great purpose. With this new ruler and by means of two fiery prophets, the work began once more. The temple was finished in 516 BC.
Haggai was the first to prophesy about the temple reconstruction. We have to say that Haggai certainly had a zeal for holy things. Trinity College dean, Joyce Baldwin, says of him: “He was probably born on a feast day and therefore named ‘my feast.’” 2
CHAPTER 1
In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest: Haggai 1:1
Today, so many “start-up” religions have no anchor whatsoever in history. They simply emerge from someone’s dream, vision or wild idea. It is truly interesting that throughout the Bible, there are numerous, clear anchors in history (For an excellent example see Luke 3:1-2).
Haggai is dated in the reign of the Persian king Darius. This was Darius I the Great of Persia, also called Darius Hystaspes, named after his father. Darius I, was the third king of the Achaemenid Empire, and he reigned from 522 BC until his death in 486.
The timing here is precise, in the second year of this king. To be more accurate still, it is dated on the first day of the sixth month. This would be equivalent to our August/September and the year would have been 520 BC. The first day of the month in the ancient Jewish culture was a day of worship. It was the “new moon” in the lunar calendar and thus a holy day (cf. Psa. 81:3; Isa. 1:13, 14; 66:23; Hos. 2:11; Am. 8:5).1
It is generally felt that the prophet Haggai was an older man who had survived much of the exile in Babylon (cf. Ezr. 5:1; 6:14). He was the first post-Exilic prophet to minister to the returning exiles. The period of his prophecy continued only through mid-December of 520 and we never hear from him again. Perhaps he simply died of old age after delivering his important messages.
His messages were delivered to Zerubbabel the governor of Judah and to Joshua the high priest. These two were the divinely established rulers of the returning exiles. Zerubbabel’s name has the meaning “offspring of Babylon.” He was the son of Shealtiel (Matt. 1:12) and grandson of King Jehoiachin (1 Chr. 3:17).2 Joshua the priest was the son of Josedech, who was son of Seraiah, the high priest in the time of King Zedekiah. Seraiah was taken captive and put to death by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Ki. 25:18-21).
Almost fifty thousand Jews did return to the land and they began at once to establish the worship of God. An altar was first built (Ezr. 3:2-3) and then the foundations of the new temple were laid (Ezr. 3:10-13). However, due to the opposition of the surrounding people and an adverse decree from the new ruler, the work stopped.
“This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘These people say, “The time has not yet come to rebuild the LORD’s house”’” (1:2). We cannot help but notice the Lord’s expression “These people” instead of “My people.” The Lord was showing some disgust with them. Benjamin Franklin once wrote, “I never knew a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else.” 3
There is a possibility that the scholars in the group had questioned whether or not the seventy years of captivity spoken of by Jeremiah had elapsed (Jer. 25:1-14). However, if we subtract the date of the new temple’s completion in 516 BC from the date of the old temple’s destruction in 586 BC, we come up with exactly 70 years.4 We can see from Daniel’s prophecy of the seventy-sevens that God’s timing has something to do with the temple in Jerusalem (Dan 9:24-27).
“Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: ‘Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?’” (1:3-4). The Hebrew se-fu-nim from sa-fan can mean “to cover, cover in or panel.” 5 It is likely that here was paneling or wainscoting on the inside of their houses and this spoke of some luxury. This type of decoration was normally found in the palaces of kings (cf. 1 Kgs. 7:7; Jer. 22:14). Some have wondered if the cedars of Lebanon that were meant for the temple (Ezr. 3:7) were being used to pretty-up their own houses.
It was too bad that they did not have Jesus’ words: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matt. 6:33). It is of note that King Solomon first built the house of the Lord and then he built his own house.6
“Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it’” (1:5-6). All this reminds me of an earlier time in our marriage when my wife and I were not closely following the Lord. At that time, it did not seem to matter how much money we made because our bank account was always near zero. God had given us a bag with holes. Later in life, as we were following the Lord more carefully, money just seemed to come from everywhere and our coffers had a plentiful supply.
God asks that we give careful thought to our ways. Bible professors Charles Pfeiffer and Everett Harrison say, “To be thankful one must be thinkful.” 7 We need to think about our ways. Are we serving God or serving ourselves? Do we have a bag full of holes? Incidentally, this is the first time that the use of actual money is mentioned in the Old Testament.8
“This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,’ says the LORD” (1:7-8). God asks again that they think carefully about their ways.
At this time in Bible history the hills of Judea were wooded. Nothing is said here about the stones necessary for the temple. James Burton Coffman, prolific author and teacher, mentions that the rubble of the destroyed city probably provided all the stones they needed.9
We might ask why it was so necessary for the actual temple to be rebuilt? We know today that the members of Christ’s body on earth make up his temple (1 Cor. 3:16). William Cowper wrote of this in his beautiful hymn:
Jesus, wher’er thy people meet,
There they behold thy mercy-seat;
Where’er they seek thee, thou are found,
And every place is hallowed ground.10
Nevertheless, in the olden days, the temple was necessary. It was the only place where sacrifices could be offered. It was the first step in their messianic expectations.11 “The honor of the Lord was bound up with the rebuilding of the temple.” 12 The Lord’s honor was bound up with it and yet the people had not lifted a hand to build it in the last 16 years.
“‘You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?’ declares the LORD Almighty. ‘Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house’” (1:9). The Bible connects good blessings upon the earth with the obedience of the people. We note in Leviticus 18:25: “Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.” God was speaking of the evil Canaanites who possessed the land before Israel. But note what God says to Israel: “And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you” (Lev. 18:28). Unfortunately, they did and it did.
In the 1800s Maltbie Davenport Babcock penned these words:
Back of the loaf is the snowy flour,
And back of the flour the mill;
And back of the mill is the wheat and the shower,
And the sun and the Father’s will.13
Commentators have pointed out the great emphasis on the use of God’s name (YHWH) in this section. It is mentioned three times in 1:12, three times in 1:13 and twice in 1:14.14 God really is in control of the natural world. He can make it a blessing or a curse depending upon the faithfulness of humankind. We remember the original curse that came upon the whole earth due to Adam’s transgression (Gen. 3:17).
“Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops” (1:10). Baldwin says, “Dew was important, especially in August and September, to prevent ripening grain from wilting in the heat.” 15 Of course, there is no rain from about May to September in Israel. Throughout the Bible dew was considered as a blessing from heaven (Gen. 27:28; Zec. 8:12).
“I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands” (1:11). Warren Wiersbe, one with much experience in Christian ministry, teaching and broadcasting says: “In verse 11, Haggai named the basic products that the people needed to survive: water, grain, wine, and oil (Deut. 7:13; 11:14).” 16 Because of God’s curse these things were severely lacking among the returnees. If they had anything left from all their labors God simply blew it away (1:9). Pfeiffer and Harrison say, “Lower creation is always involved in the fortunes of man (Rom 8:19-21).” 17
ARISING TO DO GOD’S WILL
Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD. Haggai 1:12
Wiersbe says: “Haggai delivered this first message on August 29, 520, but it wasn’t until September 21 that the people resumed their work on the temple. Why the three-week delay? For one thing, it was the month when figs and grapes were harvested, and the people didn’t want to lose their crop.” 18 I can remember as a child in grade school how classes used to be suspended for several weeks during cotton picking time in the fall. In those days that was the money crop and farmers needed all the help they could get in picking it. Wiersbe adds: “The Jews had to remove the debris from the temple site…It’s also possible that they took time to confess their sins and purify themselves so that their work would be pleasing to the Lord (Ps. 51:16-19).” 19 It is amazing how people listen and respond when a real man of God appears in their midst. Everyone recognized that Haggai was a true prophet of the Lord and they readily obeyed his message.
“Then Haggai, the LORD’s messenger, gave this message of the LORD to the people: ‘I am with you,’ declares the LORD” (1:13). This was a much-welcomed message for God had not been with them in the recent past. Instead, God had sent natural curses upon them and upon all their selfish efforts. Pfeiffer and Harrison remark that “Every good intention and purpose of the people of God emanates from the Lord.” 20 Ultimately, it is God who stirs up the people so that they can do his will. We can imagine how the message that the temple was restored spread like wildfire to the Jewish communities abroad. It was a symbol of hope and unity to those still scattered.21 We can understand how it inspired others to keep the faith.
Coffman relates a story from the days when the Statue of Liberty was being erected in New York harbor. “The City of New York was participating in a campaign among the immigrant poor of the great city to raise funds for the construction of the pedestal and supporting tower upon which Bartholdi’s Statue of Liberty would be erected. The campaign was lagging until a poor woman sold her bed for $13.00 and contributed the money. Inspired by that, the people quickly responded and gave more than was needed.” 22
“So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the LORD Almighty, their God, on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month. In the second year of King Darius” (1:14-15). Pfeiffer & Harrison say, “The Lord stirred up. Every good intention and purpose of the people of God emanates from the Lord.” 23 It is the Lord who raises up and it is the Lord who gives strength, so in the end it is the Lord who is to be praised for any worthwhile endeavor. We can only imagine how the raising up of this new temple became a symbol of hope and unity for those in the land and those who were waiting and watching in far-away Babylon.
CHAPTER 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
ENDNOTES
Several sources I have cited here are from the electronic media, either from websites or from electronic research libraries. Thus in some of these sources it is not possible to cite page numbers. Instead, I have cited the verse or verses in Haggai (e.g. v. verse 1:1 or vs. verses 1:5-6) about which the commentators speak.
INTRODUCTION
1 Joyce G. Baldwin, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1972), pp. 14, 25.
2 Ibid, p. 28.
CHAPTER 1
1 Baldwin, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, p. 37.
2 Ronald F. Youngblood, gen. ed., Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1995), p. 1335.
3 Quoted in Warren W. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2007), p. 1492.
4 James Burton Coffman, “Commentary on Haggai,” “Coffman Commentaries on the Bible.” https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/bcc/haggai-1.html. (Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999). v. 1:2.
5 Francis Brown, S. R. Driver & Charles A. Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1957), p. 706.
6 John Trapp, quoted in David Guzik, Enduring Word Bible Commentary, Haggai, 2018, verse 1:4. https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/haggai-1/
7 Charles F. Pfeiffer & Everett F. Harrison, eds., The Wycliffe Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1979), p. 890.
8 Pett, “Commentary on Haggai.” “Peter Pett’s Commentary on the Bible,” vs. 1:5-6.
https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/pet/haggai-1.html.
9 Coffman, “Commentary on Haggai, v. 1:7.
10 Hymnary Org. https://hymnary.org/text/jesus_whereer_thy_people_meet.
11 Pett, “Commentary on Haggai,” “Peter Pett’s Commentary on the Bible,” vs. 1:7-8.
12 Baldwin, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, p. 19.
13 https://wordwisehymns.com/2010/08/03/today-in-1858-maltbie-babcock-born/Bab.
14 Pett, “Commentary on Haggai,” “Peter Pett’s Commentary on the Bible,” vs. 1:9-11.
15 Baldwin, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, p. 42.
16 Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT, p. 1493.
17 Pfeiffer & Harrison, eds., The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 891.
18 Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT, p. 1494.
19 Ibid.
20 Pfeiffer & Harrison, eds., The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 891.
21 Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset, & David Brown, David, “Commentary on Haggai”. “Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible,” 1871. vs. 1:14-15. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/jfb/haggai-2.html.
22 James Burton Coffman, Commentary on Mark, Coffman Commentaries on the Old and New Testament, vs. 12:43-44. http://www.studylight.org/com/bcc/view.cgi?book=mr&chapter=001. (Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999).
23 Pfeiffer & Harrison, eds., The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 891.
CHAPTER 2
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.
“Augustine: The last part of the text, ‘and the desired of all nations shall come,’ refers to Christ’s second coming.” (Alberto Ferreiro, ed, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, XIV, The Twelve Prophets (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003), p. 226.
‘It is well to remember, however, that from earliest days the majority of Christian interpreters followed the Jewish tradition in referring the passage to the coming of Israel’s Messiah.” (Pfeiffer & Harrison, p.893).
“Moreover, in Hebrew, an abstract noun is often used instead of the concrete; thus a reference to the Messiah is not automatically ruled out on the basis of language considerations. The use of a plural verb does not militate against the Messianic interpretation, for there are instances in which the verb agrees with the second of two nouns.” (Pfeiffer & Harrison, p. 893).
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.
TIMELINE OF THE RESTORATION
BC
605 Nebuchadnezzar II becomes King of Babylon (reign 605-562)
597 Babylon’s first siege of Jerusalem, Zedekiah is installed as king
588 Final siege of Jerusalem begins
586 The fall of Jerusalem and exiles removed to Babylon
582 Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s dream
559 Cyrus the Great becomes king (reign c. 559 – c. 529)
539 Daniel interprets handwriting on the wall
539 Babylon captured by Medes and Persians
538 King Cyrus decrees that the Jewish exiles could return
537 Almost 50,000 exiles return
535 Temple work begins and foundation laid
534 Cambyses II (reign 530-522) stops work on the temple
(His father had put him in charge of Babylonian affairs earlier)
522 Darius I becomes king (reign 522-486)
520 Tattenai’s letter to Darius clearing way for Temple work
520 Haggai and Zechariah prophesy; work begins on the Temple
516 Completion and dedication of the Temple
485 King Xerxes (Ahasuerus) comes to power (reign 485-465)
483 Queen Vashti deposed
478 Esther becomes queen of Persia
473 Mordecai informs on Haman’s plot
473 Esther’s banquet and Haman hanged
472 Purim instituted
458 Ezra journeys to Jerusalem
457 Some additional families return to Jerusalem
445 Daniel’s seventy weeks begin
444 Artaxerxes I (reign 465-425) sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem
444 The wall around Jerusalem is completed
433 Nehemiah returns to Babylon
430 Possible time for Malachi’s ministry
396 Malachi’s ministry according to Sir Robert Anderson