14:1Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, and Jeshua, the high priest, were key leaders in rebuilding the Temple. They had already reestablished the altar, but work on the Temple had slowed. Haggai gave a message to these outstanding leaders and to the exiles who had returned from Babylon, encouraging them to complete the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem.
Life Application Study BibleHaggaiChapter 2
Haggai 2
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 1499, 1500
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2Haggai 2
1Then on October 17 of that same year,* the LORD sent another message through the prophet Haggai. 2“Say this to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua* son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of God’s people there in the land: 3‘Does anyone remember this house—this Temple—in its former splendor? How, in comparison, does it look to you now? It must seem like nothing at all! +But now the LORD says: Be strong, Zerubbabel. Be strong, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people still left in the land. And now get to work, for I am with you, says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. 5My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid.’ 6“For this is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land. 7I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. 9The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. 2The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”
Blessings Promised for Obedience
1010On December 18* of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the LORD sent this message to the prophet Haggai: 11This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says. Ask the priests this question about the law: 12'If one of you is carrying some meat from a holy sacrifice in his robes and his robe happens to brush against some bread or stew, wine or olive oil, or any other kind of food, will it also become holy?’” The priests replied, “No.” 13Then Haggai asked, “If someone becomes ceremonially unclean by touching a dead person and then touches any of these foods, will the food be defiled?” And the priests answered, “Yes.” 4Then Haggai responded, “That is how it is with this people and this nation, says the LORD. Everything they do and everything they offer is defiled by their sin. 15Look at what was happening to you before you began to lay the foundation of the LORD’sT emple. 16When 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. I sent blight and mildew and hail to destroy everything you worked so hard to produce. Even so, you refused to return to me, says the LORD. 18“Think about this eighteenth day of December, the day* when the rebuilding of the LORD’s Temple began. Think carefully. 91am giving you a promise now while the seed is still in the barn.* You have not yet harvested your grain, and your grapevines, fig trees, pomegranates, and olive trees have not yet produced their crops. But from this day onward I will bless you.”
Promises for Zerubbabel
200n that same day, December 18,* the LORD sent this second message to Haggai: 21"Tell 2:21 Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, that 1 am about to shake the heavens and the earth. Hae OO 36 22I will overthrow royal thrones and destroy the power of foreign kingdoms. I willoverturn 2:22 their chariots and riders. The horses will fall, and their riders will kill each other. Mic 5:10
23“But when this happens, says the LORD of Heaven's Armies, I will honor you, Zerubba-bel son of Shealtiel, my servant. I will make you like a signet ring on my finger, says the LORD,for I have chosen you. I, the LORD of Heaven's Armies, have spoken!”2:10 Hebrew On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar (similarly in 2:18).This event occurred on December 18, 520 8.c.; also see note on 1:1a. 2:18 Or On this eighteenth day of December,think about the day. 2:19 Hebrew /s the seed yet in the barn? 2:20 Hebrew On the twenty-fourth day of the [ninth]month; see note on 2:10.ately God blessed them. He did not wait for the project to becompleted. God often sends his encouragement and approvalwith our first few obedient steps. He is eager to bless us!2:20-23 Haggai’s final message acknowledged that he wasmerely the messenger who brings the word of the LORD. Itisaddressed to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah.2:23 Asignet ring was used to guarantee the authority andauthenticity of a letter. It served as a signature when pressed in softwax on a written document. God was reaffirming and guaranteeinghis promise of a Messiah through David’s line (Matthew 1:12).
Textual footnotes
- on September 21, 520 8.c:; also see note on 1:1a.
- ancient Hebrew junar calendar, This event (in the second year of Darius’s reign) occurred on October 17, 520 B.c.;
- also see note on 1:1a.
- dous affirmation: “I have chosen you.” Such a proclamation
- applies to us as well: Each of us has been chosen by God (Ephe-
- sians 1:4). This truth should make us see how much God loves
- us and motivate us to work for him. When you feel down, remind
- yourself: God has chosen me!
- straight, help them quit worrying, and motivate them to rebuild
- the Temple. Like them, we often place a higher priority on our
- personal comfort than on God's work and true worship. But God
- is pleased and promises strength and guidance when we give him
- first place in our life.
- 2:1 Hebrew on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, of the
- 2:2 Hebrew Joshua, a variant spelling of Jeshua; also in 2:4.
- 2:23 God closed his message to Zerubbabel with this tremen-
- 2:23 Haggai’s message to the people sought to get their priorities
Life Application Notes 12 notes
4:1ffThe Jews who had returned from Babylon in 538 B.C. to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem were not able to finish their work because they were hindered by their enemies. After opposition put a halt to progress, no further work had been done on the Temple for over 10 years. In August 520 B.C., Haggai delivered a message to encourage the people to rebuild the Temple. Haggai was probably born in captivity in Babylon and returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel in 538 B.C. (Ezra 1-2). Haggai and Zechariah, two prophets who encouraged the Temple rebuilding, are mentioned in Ezra 5:1.
2:1-9This is Haggai’s second message. It was given during the Festival of Sheiters in October 520 B.C. The older people could remember the incredible beauty of Solomon's Temple, destroyed 66 years earlier. Many were discouraged because the rebuilt Temple was inferior to Solomon’s. But Haggai encouraged them with God’s message that the glory of this Temple would surpass that of its predecessor. The most important part of the Temple is God’s presence. Some 500 years later, Jesus Christ would walk in the Temple courts.
2:4“Be strong... now get to work, for I am with you.” Judah’s people had returned to worshiping God, and God had promised to bless their efforts. But it was time for them to work. We must be people of prayer, Bible study, and worship, but eventually we must get out and do the work God has prepared for us. He wants to change the world through us, his ambassadors. God has given you ajob to do in the church, at your place of emptoyment, and at home. The time has come to take courage and get going because God is with you!
2:5The Israelites had been led from captivity in Egypt to their Promised Land. They were God’s chosen people, guided and cared for by his Holy Spirit. Although God had punished them for their sins, he kept his promise and never left them (Exodus 29:45, 46). No matter what difficulties we face or haw frustrating our work may be, God’s Spirit is with us.
2:6-9The focus shifts from the local Temple being rebuilt in Jerusalem to the worldwide reign of the Messiah on earth. The words “in just a little while” are not limited to the immediate historicat context; they refer to God's control of history—he can act anytime he chooses. God will act in his time (see also Hebrews 12:26, 27).
2:7When God promised to shake all the nations with his judgment, he was speaking of both his present judgment on evil nations and future judgment during the last days.
2:8,9God wanted the Temple to be rebuilt, and he had the gold and silver to do it, but he needed willing hands. God has chosen to do his work through people. He provides the resources, but willing hands must do the work. Are your hands available for God’s work in the world?
2:10-19The point of this message (delivered in December 520 B.C.) is that holiness will not rub off on others, but contamination will. As the people began to obey God, God promised to encourage and prosper them. But they needed to understand that activities in the Temple would not clean up their sin; only repentance and obedience could do that. If we insist on harboring wrong attitudes and sins or on maintaining close relationships with sinful people, we will be defiled. Holy living will come only when we are empowered by God’s Holy Spirit.
2:14When a child eats spaghetti sauce, very soon his or her face, hands, and clothes become red. Sin and selfish attitudes produce the same result—they stain everything they touch. Even good deeds done for God can be tainted by sinful attitudes. The only remedy is God's cleansing.
2:16For many years, the grain had only given 50 percent of the expected yield, and wine had done even worse.
2:18,19The people relaid the Temple foundation, and immedi-