Haggai Chapter Two

 (Now) Weekly From the Prophets      

1 - In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month (2nd quarter moon, seventh and last day of the Feast of Tabernacles) the word of the Lord came to Haggai the prophet: 2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, 3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this house as it was in its former glory? How do you see it now? 4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. And be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Build, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts, 5 according to the covenant I made with you when I led you out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not.

     6 For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. (A little while to Him?) 7 And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. 9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.’” (They were discouraged this new temple would be less magnificent than the first? But God is showing them a glimmer of the final temple.. the full destiny of a temple in Jerusalem?)

     10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, 11 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Ask the priests about the law: 12 ‘If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment and touches with his fold bread or stew or wine or oil or any kind of food, does it become holy?’” The priests answered and said, “No.” 13 Then Haggai said, “If someone who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?” The priests answered and said, “It does become unclean.” 14 Then Haggai answered and said, “So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, declares the Lord, and so with every work of their hands. And what they offer there is unclean. 15 Now then, consider from this day onward. Before stone was placed upon stone in the temple of the Lord, 16 how did you fare? When one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten. When one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were but twenty. 17 Struck were all the products of your toil with blight and mildew and hail, yet you did not turn to me, declares the Lord.18 Consider from this day onward, from this twenty-fourth day of this ninth month. Since the day the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid, consider: 19 Is the seed yet in the barn? Indeed, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have yielded nothing. But from this day on I will bless you.”

      20 The word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, 21 “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth, 22 and overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow the chariots and their riders. And the horses and their riders shall go down, every one by the sword of his brother. 23 On that day, declares the Lord of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel [his name means “begotten in Babylon” he led the people home, so used as a type of Christ, like some kings are used as types of the adversary called Satan, and like David of Christ] my servant, the son of Shealtiel [this name means “I have asked of God” - ask, seek, knock] declares the Lord, and make you like a signet ring [chotham - a seal] for I have chosen you, declares the LORD of hosts.” (Jesus, our seal?)

Haggai Chapter One

 (Now) Weekly From the Prophets

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The Book of the Prophet Haggai - is two chapters, and is third from the last book of the Old/Ancient Testament.

     Background (we last studied Daniel) — 586bc Nebuchadnezzar sacked Jerusalem, carried many off to Babylon.. Babylon later falls to Persia.

    Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar’s son succeeded him. He was the last Babylonian king, and was the “writing on the wall” king. He was followed by Darius the Mede (of Media-Persia) ..He was otherwise known as Nabonidus? He “received the kingdom” (under?) Cyrus the Great of Persia (remember how Persia “rose higher”?) Darius the Mede ruled only two years - Darius and Cyrus ruled concurrently, and Darius was likely appointed viceroy over Babylon by his nephew, King Cyrus who ruled from 550bc to 538bc. Darius (the Mede) promoted Daniel (the prophet) to a high position and then was tricked into casting him into the lions’ den. When he saw Daniel was unhurt, Darius decreed “people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. For he is the living God who endures forever. His kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end!” And as viceroy he was, and had been, favorable to Israel.

     Cyrus had decreed all Israel in all his kingdom could, and should go home, and some/many did, led by Zerubbabel (who was a descendent of King David) and they began to “rebuild the TEMPLE” (and, side note: at the time of Cyrus’ proclamation, the massive empire included once again Assyria where the northern tribes had been carried off into captivity). [This proclamation is not the one that began the countdown prophesied by Daniel called “70 weeks”.]

     Adapted from commentary:

The name Haggai means "my feast" perhaps meaning in anticipation of the joyous return from exile. He was likely one of the Jewish exiles (of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi) who returned to the land of Israel under Zerubbabel, civil head of Isreal during the return, with Joshua the high priest. It was 536 BCE, when Cyrus (as prophecied in Isa 44:28 and 45:1) granted Israel their freedom, and supplied them with what they needed for restoring the temple (2Ch 36:23; Ezr 1:1; 2:2). The work of rebuilding went on under Cyrus and his successor Cambyses (called Ahasuerus in Ezr 4:6).

     Haggai Chapter One

1:1 - In the second year of King Darius — this is Darius the Great, not Darius the Mede who co-ruled for two years. Some time has passed, this Darius (of Persia) is listed as third after Cyrus. — In the second year of Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month [on the new moon, always a festival with a community “with God” meal] the word (message) of the Lord/Yhvh came to Haggai the prophet, to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the high priest, son of Jehozadak: 2 “Thus says Yhvh of hosts: It’s said by the people, the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.” 3 And continued the word to Haggai, 4 “Is it a time for you to dwell in your nicely built houses, while mine lies in ruins? 5 Now, therefore, says Yhvh of hosts - Consider your ways. 6 You have sown much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but you are not warm, and the workers wages go as into a bag with holes.”

     (In other words, oh nation, where are you going wrong?)

     7 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be remembered, says the Lord. 9 You looked for much, but behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, it blew away. Why? It is because of my house. It lies in ruins, and all are busy with only their own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 Summoned is a drought on the land and hills, and on the grain, the new wine, upon the oil, and what the earth brings forth, upon man and upon beast, and upon all your labors.” (God iS life, and every blessing.)

     12 Then Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of Yhvh their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent. And the people remembered and revered Yhvh. 13 Then Haggai, messenger of the Lord, spoke to the people with the Lord's message, “I am with you, says Yhvh.” 14 And he stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the high priest, son of Jehozadak, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and began work on the house of Yhvh, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the month, of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius called the Great.