Haggai Chapter 2

Bible Study at Gospel Light Christian Church, Singapore
by Pastor Dr Paul Choo
Mid-Week Teaching Service on 14 Mar 2001

v.1 In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month - Haggai's first message (1:1) had been delivered seven weeks earlier, and the people were now busy building God's house. As God's people were busy serving Him, He encouraged them with this message from Haggai. This day was the final day of the Feast of Tabernacles - a feast to celebrate God's faithful provisions for Israel during her 40 years of wilderness wanderings. Therefore, it was an appropriate day to remind the struggling Jews that God, who provided all their needs in the wilderness, would surely provide their needs as their built His house.

v.2 Speak now to Zerubabbel…and to Joshua…, and to the residue of the people - God encourages the same people whom He had earlier rebuked. Those who are rebuked by God's Word, should also be comforted by His promises.

v.3 Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do you see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? - Solomon's glorious Temple had been destroyed about seventy years earlier - and many of those who were rebuilding the Temple had seen it when they were children (EZR 3:12,13). They were discouraged by the great disparity between Solomon's Temple and this simple building that they were building. Though God only expects our best (and does not expect us to compete with others), our egos are troubled when our best efforts are inferior to others' efforts. While it is good to provoke one another to do our best for God, we must be careful not to promote carnal competition that breeds pride (for the "winners") and discouragement (for the "losers").

v.4 Yet now be strong…..and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD Of hosts - Many were discouraged by their "humble" efforts, so God encourages them. David used these same words to encourage Solomon to build the Temple (1CH 28:20). Joshua was also encouraged with the same words (JOS 1:6-7, 9, 18).

v.5 According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not - As God had promised to care for His people when He delivered them out of Egypt (and had done so for 900 years since then), they could continue to depend on Him to take care of them as they built His house.

v.6 Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land - God had promised a Savior, thousands of years earlier, when Adam sinned (GEN 3:15). From the time of this prophecy (v.6,7) till the coming of Christ, into this Temple, was about five hundred years. To us five hundred years is a long time but in God's prophetic plan, "it is a little while." God had given many prophecies regarding His Son, but now for the last time ("yet once") God was giving a Messianic prophecy.

The "shaking" may refer to the astounding events that accompanied Jesus' presence on earth. For example, there were great signs in heaven (the star that led the wise men, the darkening of the sun when He was on the Cross), on earth (the earthquake that rent the rocks and opened the graves when Jesus died, the earthquake that rolled back the stone of His sepulchre), the sea that was stilled and the countless miracles that He did.

v.7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nation shall come: and I will fill this house with glory - After this prophecy followed a time of great turmoil. The Persians were soon overthrown by the Greeks, who were then overthrown by the Romans. Furthermore, Alexander's successors fought each other, and so did the Roman generals.

The "desire of all nations" probably refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. He was presented at
this Temple shortly after His birth, visited the Temple as a child and preached in it on many occasions.

The Jews were discouraged that the Temple that they were building was inferior to Solomon's. Therefore, God tells them He would "fill this house with glory" of a totally different kind - namely, with His Son.

v.8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine - If God wanted this Temple to be covered with gold (like Solomon's), He could do it because all the silver and gold are His (which He keeps in His "earth-safe").

v.9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of host: and in this place will I give peace - The glory of the Temple is not measured by the value of its outward structure but by God's presence. This Temple (which was later rebuilt by Herod) had the greatest glory because of the presence of the Prince of Peace, our Lord Jesus Christ.

v.10 In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month - Two months after the third sermon (v.1), God speaks to them again, to warn them of sin that was spoiling their good work.

v.11 Ask now the priests concerning the law - OT laws teach many important principles.

v.12 If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy?…No - When the priests carried (in the folds of their robes) meat that had been sacrificed in the Temple, the "holiness" of the meat did not "rub off" on to the priests' garments. Therefore, if those garments then touched other articles, they would not become "holy."

v.13 If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean - If a person touched a dead body, he would be ceremonially unclean - and anything that he touched would be made unclean (NUM 19:11-13, 22). The principle that is taught in verses 12 and 13 is that sin is more contagious than righteousness. Even in the physical realm, contact with a sick person affects us far more than contact with a healthy person.

v.14 Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean - God calls them "this people" instead of "his people" because they had alienated themselves from Him by their sin. They thought that since they were doing a good work for God, it did not matter if they were living sinful lives - believing that their good work would "cleanse" their sins. In the past (when the Temple was left shamefully uncompleted), they believed that since they faithfully brought their offerings to the Temple, their good religious works would "cleanse" their sin of neglecting to build God's house. God was warning them now (as they were doing a good work building God's house) to remember to keep themselves from sin - otherwise they would pollute their good works. Sanctified actions are spoilt by unsanctified hearts.

v.15 And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD - They are warned again to consider how their hard work did not prosper when they neglected to build God's house (1:6-11). Let us learn from history.

v.16 Since those days were, when one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten - In those days of neglecting God's house, they had sown much and expected to reap much but instead reaped little. Naturally, they were perplexed by the results.

v.17 I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hand; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD - Man usually try to justify their actions and give excuses for their failures, rather than accept the true reason for their failures. God had earlier told the Jews that their failures were due to their neglect of His house (1:9-11) but they had probably believed that they were due to "unforeseen circumstances" rather than God's judgment. So they would not repent and "turn" back to the LORD. Therefore, God tells them again that the so-called "natural catastrophes" were specific judgments from Him. "Blasting" is burning scorching winds. "Mildew" is fungal growth caused by damp weather.

v.18 Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD"s temple was laid, consider it - God had asked them to consider the price of their sin in verses 16 and 17. He now asks them to consider the coming prosperity of their obedience - beginning from this day ("this day" is repeated in v.19) that they began to build God's house. A careful study of history will help us to know that our successes are related to our obedience and that things do not happen by chance.

v.19 Is the seed yet in the barn? Yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you - The seed had not been planted yet, therefore the size of the harvest was still an uncertainty but God foretells that He would bless them from this day. When we take care of God's house, He will take care of ours.

v.20 in the four and twentieth day of the month - This sermon is given on the same day as the previous (v.10) but is addressed only to Zerubabbel (v.21).

v.21 I will shake the heavens and the earth - The people are more concerned with physical blessings but Zerubabbel (who is from the lineage of King David and Christ) is given this prophecy regarding Christ.

v.22 And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen….shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother - The power of the Persian Empire (and subsequently, the Greek and Roman Empires) appeared unshakable. How then could Christ ever reign? God tells Zerubabbel that all earthly empires would eventually collapse - often by civil strife (ie, "every one by the sword of his brother") but Christ's everlasting kingdom shall be established. This prophecy has its final and complete fulfillment during the Millennial reign of Christ.

v.23 I will take thee, O Zerubabbel, my servant…and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts - This prophecy has special reference to Christ, who lineally is descended from Zerubabbel. Signet-rings are symbols of authority because they are used to sign laws. And God has given all-power to Christ to reign forever.