Haggai

Who is left. “Left” translates Hebrew sha’ar, a wordplay on “remnant” (Hb. she’erit, v. 2, i.e., “what is left”). Among those who remained were some in their 70s or older who could remember Solomon’s temple that had been destroyed 66 years earlier (cf. Ezra 3:12). this house. The loss of temple and land is evidence for covenant curses for disobedience (1 Kings 9:6–9). Is it not as nothing in your eyes? The people could see that the rebuilt temple would be far inferior to Solomon’s temple in its wealth and physical beauty. The word glory is used in two senses in Haggai: here and in Hag. 1:8 it conveys the idea of “honor, distinction,” while in 2:7 it is probably “the glory of the Lord” (his special presence), which is said to “fill” the sanctuary (1 Kings 8:10–11; cf. Ex. 40:34–35).

Acting Based on the Past. All of those addressed (both leaders and people) are called to move ahead in God’s strength.

Yet now. This transition moves the people from their past reflection to present action by means of a series of imperatives. As earlier, God’s presence (I am with you) forms the basis for their ongoing work in the face of pessimism (cf. 1:13–14).

The command Fear not is based on an assurance of God’s presence: My Spirit remains in your midst. This is one of the strongest statements in the entire OT of God’s ongoing presence among his people. As the people gave willingly of talent, time, and goods in the building of the tabernacle (Ex. 25:1–3, 8; 28:3; 35:4–5, 10–11), so now they are exhorted to fulfill their covenant obligations in contributing to the current temple restoration.

An Image of God’s House Restored. The previous promise of the Lord’s presence is matched in this section by a promise to provide materially for the temple, even as it looks forward to the decisive presence of God with his people (v. 9).

LORD of hosts occurs five times in vv. 6–9, emphasizing the Lord’s sovereign authority over all things, including the adornment of his house (see note on 1:2). I will shake. The same verb form is translated “about to shake” in 2:21 (see note on Joel 2:10; cf. Heb. 12:26–27). In the present context, “shaking” does not primarily involve future judgment but God’s immediate intervention in providing for the work at hand (cf. Hag. 2:7–8).

God promises to shake all nations (as well as “the heavens and the earth,” v. 6). The result of this shaking will be that the treasures of all nations will be yielded by the nations to adorn the temple; but the result will also be more than this, for the Lord will fill his house with glory—that is, with his own presence. The focus of Haggai’s oracle in its context is specifically on the immediate fulfillment of this prophecy. In addition, from a NT vantage point, many would see a foreshadowing of events unfolding in the incarnation of Christ and ultimately in his second coming at the end of the age (e.g., when Jesus spoke of his body as “this temple” in John 2:20–21; and when the book of Revelation speaks of the day when the whole city of Jerusalem will be filled with the presence of God, “for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb … and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it,” Rev. 21:22, 24).

God ultimately owns all the wealth of all nations: the silver is mine, and the gold is mine. Therefore it should be used in obedience to him.

The latter glory of this house. The ultimate fulfillment of this passage demands a still wider view of redemptive history. The possessions of Jew and Gentile are enlisted in restoring the temple as a place of shalom (peace, well-being). Likewise, Ezekiel envisions the temple as a source of healing (Ezek. 47:1, 12; cf. Rev. 22:2). The NT “mystery” is a new spiritual temple composed of people from all nations (1 Cor. 3:9, 16–17), a new community that is the focal point of God’s saving work in the world (Eph. 3:8–10). Ultimately, the temple as a sign of God’s presence with his people is eclipsed by the presence of the Lord of hosts and the Lamb (Rev. 21:22–26).

Consider Your Ways: Holiness and Defilement; Repentance and Blessing. In this fifth message, the Lord uses an analogy of ritual holiness and defilement to compel reflection upon the actual status of the people before him (vv. 10–14), consideration of that status and its relation to past agricultural failures before temple restoration (vv. 15–17), and consideration of their experience since rebuilding of the temple began (vv. 18–19).

Analogy: Holiness and Defilement. Haggai uses questions directed to priests (cf. 1:4; 2:3) and an analogy to force reflection upon the uncleanness of the people before the Lord (v. 14).

twenty-fourth day … ninth month … second year. December 18, 520 B.C., the three-month anniversary since the work of renewal began. This oracle came during the time for sowing seed.

priests. It is their duty to give a ruling in matters of ritual and law (Hb. Torah; Lev. 10:10–11; Deut. 17:8–13).

Holy meat is meat dedicated for sacrifice (Jer. 11:15). It was assumed that holiness could be transferred from a consecrated object to a person or other object (Lev. 6:27). Haggai questions whether holiness may be transferred from that second consecrated object to a third.

dead body. While holiness may not be attained through indirect contact, one defiled by contact with a dead body pollutes all that he contacts (Lev. 22:1–9; Num. 19:11–13, 22). Any of these likely refers to the foods mentioned in Hag. 2:12.

every work of their hands. All that they do is unclean (cf. v. 17). there. The temple. The lack of holiness and the presence of defilement is due not to the impropriety of current sacrifices (Ezra 3:3–7) but rather to the fact that they permit a ruinous “corpse” (the unfinished temple) to remain in their midst.

Consider Life before Restoration Began: You Did Not Turn. The Lord calls the people to reflect upon their economic situation prior to the start of reconstruction. The past lack of agricultural prosperity did not lead to repentance.

consider (lit., “set your hearts”; cf. v. 18 [2x]). They are to keep an eye on past experience while looking forward to the new thing that God is presently doing. Before stone was placed. The play on this verb (Hb. sim, translated both “consider” and “placed”) supports a correlation between the current state of the people’s hearts and their common experience before construction restarted (vv. 16–17).

how did you fare? There is a direct correlation between the lack of progress on the temple and the people’s shattered agricultural expectations (1:6, 9).

I struck. A drastic action motivated by the love of a Father for his children, but to no avail (Deut. 8:1–5; 30:1–10; Heb. 12:7–11). blight … mildew. These examples of covenant curses (Deut. 28:22; 1 Kings 8:37; Amos 4:6–9) represent the spectrum of dangers (heat and moisture) faced by crops. to me (lit., “and there is not you to me”; cf. Amos 4:9). The people come “to” (Hb. ’el) their failed agricultural production (Hag. 2:16) but not “to me” (Hb. ’elay), i.e., they do not return to God.

Consider Life Since Restoration Began: I Will Bless. The Lord calls his people to reflect upon their economic situation since the start of reconstruction. Things still appear bleak, but the mention of four crops essential to the life of the people is now a promise that God’s blessing is on the horizon.

Since the day that the foundation … was laid. Probably a reference to the resumption of work in 520 B.C., including an official foundation-laying ceremony (rather than the initial work on the foundation, begun in 538, which subsequently had been abandoned).

The late-summer harvest of these essential crops (vine … fig … pomegranate … olive) fits well with the late-December date (see v. 10). Is the seed yet in the barn? Although God’s people had already planted their seeds, the day of harvest is still months away, so the Lord promises that an abundant harvest will in fact come. The work on the temple had been started again, giving evidence of the people’s renewed devotion to the Lord and their return to a God-centered lifestyle. Thus they should mark this day as the day when the Lord has promised, I will bless you. Although God is not obligated by their obedience, the statement heralds a brighter tomorrow than the meager results of previous years (cf. 1:6–11).

Zerubbabel: The Signet Ring. The sixth and final message from the Lord to Haggai complements the previous word and comes on the same day (vv. 10, 18, 20). Consideration of the past and present (vv. 10–19) shifts suddenly to a future royal vision of trembling creation, overthrown kingdoms, and perishing armies. Ultimately, the vision comes to focus upon the actions of the divine King whose hand bears, as a signet ring, the promise of David’s house restored in the person of Zerubbabel. Seven times in this short section the Lord is the acting subject.

Destruction upon Kingdoms. In this section the sovereign Lord warns of a coming destruction of kingdoms and nations.

a second time. This assumes the same date as vv. 10, 18 and makes a clear connection between vv. 20–23 and vv. 10–19.

shake. Earlier this was for the purpose of harvesting the wealth of the nations (vv. 6–7), while here it is tied to a wide-ranging sense of impending destruction of the nations.

overthrow. Complete devastation of political entities by divine action. chariots … riders … go down. An allusion to the destruction of Pharaoh’s army (Ex. 14:22–29). sword of his brother. The chaos will be so great that the enemies of God’s people will destroy themselves (Ezek. 38:21).

An Image of David’s House Restored. On that day. A phrase common to prophetic contexts. Here it sets the Lord’s actions in an unspecified future, i.e., “the day of the LORD” (Isa. 2:11–20; see note on Amos 5:18–20; cf. Joel 2; Zechariah 14; see also The Day of the Lord in the Prophets). I will take. The Lord’s actions are underscored by the thrice-repeated declares the LORD [of hosts]. my servant. A title given to individuals selected to accomplish God’s appointed task. It is particularly associated with David himself or an ideal Davidic king (2 Sam. 3:18; Ps. 89:3; Isa. 49:5–6; Ezek. 34:23–24). signet ring. A ring that provided evidence of royal authority and ownership. Like a king sealing legal documents with his ring, the Lord will set his authentic impression upon the world through his royal representative. Zerubbabel, a descendant of one previously discarded (Jer. 22:24–27), is the ring placed back on the hand of the divine King. God’s promise to bless his people and the whole world through the house of David still stands (cf. Matt. 1:1).