----Haggai

HAGGAI

The Minor Prophets: 

Haggai 1

THE name Haggai means "my feast"; given, according to COCCEIUS, in anticipation of the joyous return from exile. He probably was one of the Jewish exiles (of the tribes Judah, Benjamin, and Levi) who returned under Zerubbabel, the civil head of the people, and Joshua, the high priest, 536 B.C., when Cyrus (actuated by the striking prophecies as to himself, Isaiah 44:28 ; 45:1 and furnished them with the necessaries for restoring the temple ( 2 Chronicles 36:23 ; Ezra 1:1 ; 2:2 and his successor Cambyses (called Ahasuerus in Ezra 4:6 of opposition from the Samaritans, who, when their offers of help were declined, began to try to hinder it. These at last obtained an interdict from the usurper Smerdis the Magian (called Artaxerxes in Ezra 4:7-23 became so indifferent to the work that when Darius came to the throne (521 B.C.), virtually setting aside the prohibitions of the usurper, instead of recommencing their labors, they pretended that as the prophecy of the seventy years applied to the temple as well as to the captivity in Babylon ( Haggai 1:2 year of it [HENDERSON]; so that, the proper time not having yet arrived, they might devote themselves to building splendid mansions for themselves. Haggai and Zechariah were commissioned by Jehovah ( Haggai 1:1 B.C., sixteen years after the return under Zerubbabel, to rouse them from their selfishness to resume the work which for fourteen years had been suspended. Haggai preceded Zechariah in the work by two months.

The dates of his four distinct prophecies are accurately given: (1) The first ( Haggai 1:1-15 second year of Darius, 520 B.C., reproved the people for their apathy in allowing the temple to lie in ruins and reminded them of their ill success in everything because of their not honoring God as to His house. The result was that twenty-four days afterwards they commenced building under Zerubbabel ( Haggai 1:12-15 twenty-first day of the seventh month ( Haggai 2:1-9 the glory of the new temple would be greater than that of Solomon's, so that the people need not be discouraged by the inferiority in outward splendor of the new, as compared with the old temple, which had so moved to tears the elders who had remembered the old ( Ezra 3:12 Ezra 3:13 Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel had implied the same prediction, whence some had doubted whether they ought to proceed with a building so inferior to the former one; but Haggai shows wherein the superior glory was to consist, namely, in the presence of Him who is the "desire of all nations" ( Haggai 2:7 the ninth month ( Haggai 2:10-19 materials had been collected, and the workmen had begun to put them together, from which time forth God promises His blessing; it begins with removing their past error as to the efficacy of mere outward observances to cleanse from the taint of disobedience as to the temple building. (4) The fourth ( Haggai 2:20-23 preceding, was addressed to Zerubbabel, as the representative of the theocratic people, and as having asked as to the national revolutions spoken of in the second prophecy ( Haggai 2:7
 
The prophecies are all so brief as to suggest the supposition that they are only a summary of the original discourses. The space occupied is but three months from the first to the last.

(Jamieson)

The Minor Prophets

Haggai 1

1 On the first day of the sixth month(August 14th) in Darius' second year as king, the LORD (Jesus) spoke his word through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel (who was the son of Shealtiel and was governor of Judah) and to the chief priest Joshua (who was the son of Jehozadak). He said,

2 This is what the LORD (Jesus) of Hosts says: The people are saying, 'The time has not yet come to rebuild the LORD (Jesus)'s house -- the Temple.'"

3 Then the LORD (Jesus) spoke his word through the prophet Haggai. He said:

4 Is it time for you to live in your paneled houses while this house lies in ruins?

5 Now, this is what the LORD (Jesus) of Hosts says: Carefully consider your ways!

6 You planted a lot, but you harvested little. You eat, but you're never full. You drink, but you're still thirsty. You wear clothing, but you never have enough to keep you warm. You spend money as fast as you earn it.

7 This is what the LORD (Jesus) of Hosts says: Carefully consider your ways!

8 Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the LORD (Jesus).

9 You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the LORD (Jesus) Almighty(of Hosts), while you are all busy building your own fine houses.

10 It is because of you that the sky has withheld its dew and the earth has withheld its produce.

11 I called for a drought on the land, the hills, and on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil, and whatever the ground produces, on humans and animals, and on all your hard work.

12 Then Zerubbabel (who was the son of Shealtiel), the chief priest Joshua (who was the son of Jehozadak), and the faithful few who returned from Babylon obeyed the LORD (Jesus) their God. They also obeyed the words of the prophet Haggai because the LORD (Jesus) their God had sent him and because the people feared the LORD (Jesus).

13 Then Haggai, the messenger of the LORD (Jesus) who had received the LORD (Jesus)'s message, said to the people, "I am with you, declares the LORD (Jesus)."

14 So the LORD (Jesus) sparked the enthusiasm of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of God's people. They came and began their work on the house of the LORD (Jesus) Almighty(of Hosts), their God.

15 They began on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month(Sept. 6) in Darius' second year as king.

The Minor Prophets: 

Haggai 2

1 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first of the month(October 6), the word of the LORD(Jesus) came by Haggai the prophet, saying:

This is the last day of Tabernacles! A Holy Day, followed on October 7^th followed by the last great day of the Feast.

2 Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua(Joshua/Jesus) son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of God's people there in the land:

3 Is there anyone who can remember this house -- the Temple -- as it was before? In comparison, how does it look to you now? It must seem like nothing at all!

4 But now take courage, Zerubbabel, says the LORD(Jesus). Take courage, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Take courage, all you people still left in the land, says the LORD(Jesus). Take courage and work, for I am with you, says the LORD(Jesus) Almighty(of Hosts).

Almighty – From the Hebrew word for Heavenly Armies of Angels. The LORD(Jesus) is also the over all of the host of heaven! Some translate it Almighty, as I am doing here. El Shaddai is really the right word for God Almighty. I have jumbled the translation of this word, sometimes using “hosts”, sometimes Armies, and sometimes the “host of heavens or the armies of heaven.” See verse 6 & 8.

5 My Spirit(ruwach) remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid.

Ruwach- simply means wind! Not a part of any Trinity. The Spirit of God is the essence of what God is made up of. God is made of Spirit(ruwach). It is symbolized in humans as blood.

6 For this is what the LORD(Jesus) of the Armies of Heaven says: 'Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land;

ONCE MORE: points to Christ...Yet once, it is a little while--or, "(it is) yet a little while." The Hebrew for "once" expresses the indefinite article "a" [MAURER]. Or, "it is yet only a little while"; literally, "one little," that is, a single brief space till a series of movements is to begin; namely, the shakings of nations soon to begin which are to end in the advent of Messiah, "the desire of all nations" [MOORE]. Hebrews 12:26 , which quotes this passage; the apostle compares the heavier punishment which awaits the disobedient under the New Testament with that which met such under the Old Testament.

7 I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will come to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the LORD(Jesus) Almighty(of Hosts).

8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD(Jesus) of the Hosts of Heaven.

The heavenly Jerusalem shall be similarly adorned, but shall need "no temple" ( Revelation 21:10- 22 ). Compare 1 Corinthians 3:12 , where gold and silver represent the most precious things ( Zechariah 2:5 ). The inward glory of New Testament redemption far exceeds the outward glory of the Old Testament dispensation. So, in the case of the individual poor believer, God, if He pleased, could bestow gold and silver, but He bestows far better treasures, the possession of which might be endangered by that of the former ( James 2:5 ).

9 The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the LORD(Jesus) Almighty(of Hosts). And in this place I will bring peace. I, the LORD(Jesus) Almighty, have spoken!"

-namely, through the presence of Messiah, in (whose) face is given the light of the knowledge of the glory of God ( 2 Corinthians 4:6 ; compare Hebrews 1:2 ), and who said of Himself, "in thi s place is one greater than the temple" ( Matthew 12:6 ), and who "sat daily teaching in it" ( Matthew 26:55 ).

10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month(December 10th), in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD(Jesus) came by Haggai the prophet, saying,

11 This is what the LORD(Jesus) of Hosts says! Ask the priests this question about the Law(Torah):

12 If one of you is carrying a holy sacrifice in his robes and happens to brush against some bread or stew, wine or oil, or any other kind of food, will it also become holy?"The priests replied, "No."

13 Then Haggai asked, "But if someone becomes unclean by touching a dead person and then brushes against any of the things mentioned, will it be defiled?"And the priests answered, "Yes."

14 Then Haggai said, "That is how it is with this people and this nation, says the LORD(Jesus). Everything they do and everything they offer is defiled.”

15 “So think about this from now on -- consider how things were going for you before you began to lay the foundation of the LORD(Jesus)'s Temple.

16 When you hoped for a twenty-bushel crop, you harvested only ten. When you expected to draw fifty gallons from the winepress, you found only twenty.

17 I sent blight and mildew and hail to destroy all the produce of your labor. Yet, even so, you refused to return to me, says the LORD(Jesus).

18 Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month(December 10^th) , from the day that the foundation of the LORD(Jesus)'s temple was laid--consider it:

19 I am giving you a promise now while the seed is still in the barn, before you have harvested your grain and before the grapevine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have produced their crops. From this day onward I will bless you.

20 And again the word of the LORD(Jesus) came to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month(December 10th), saying,

21 Tell Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, that I am about to shake the heavens and the earth.

22 I will overthrow royal thrones, destroying the power of foreign kingdoms. I will overturn their chariots and charioteers. The horses will fall, and their riders will kill each other.

23 But when this happens, says the LORD(Jesus) Almighty(of Hosts), I will honor you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant. I will treat you like a signet ring on my finger, says the LORD(Jesus), for I have specially chosen you. I, the LORD(Jesus) Almighty, have spoken!"

Christ is the "signet" on God's hand: always in the Father's presence, ever pleasing in his sight. The signet of an Eastern monarch was the sign of delegated authority; so Christ  Matthew 28:18 , John 5:22 John 5:2