CHAPTER 2

1 In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying, 2 Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying, 3 Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? 4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts: 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.

On the 21st day of the 7th month Haggai received another message from God. Note that this message was received less than a month after the last (see Haggai 1:15). Also, it was intended not only for the civil and religious authority, but to the PEOPLE.

It is also significant that this date corresponds with The Feast of Tabernacles, which is a feast of JOY! Considering that they had small harvests and little more than the foundation of the temple had been completed, the people probably had little joy. Therefore, God sends a "Word" to encourage them.

Encouragement is needed when the ole devil attacks. And he attacks most often when people have just determined that they will follow God's will in their lives. That's why it is important for an older Christian to be close to a new Christian. And that's why it is important for Christians to be in close fellowship with other Christians at difficult times in their lives.

God knew that some of the older people remembered the glorious temple that had stood before. To them, especially, there was a note of sadness on this special celebration day. But God is saying, "BE STRONG, ALL ye people of the land." The reason they can be strong is that God is WITH them!

When we realize the closeness and strength of God in us, we can face the difficulties of life much easier.

6 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; 7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts. 9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

Here, we must remember that to God, ALL of time is but "a little while." God already knows the END from the BEGINNING! Preceeding the 2nd entrance of Messiah, there will be cataclysmic events: "..shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land..."

The writer of Hebrews realized this and referred to it as a FUTURE event.
"26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain." (Heb 12:26-27)

Simultaneously with these events, Messiah, "the desire of all nations," will physically come to earth again and will "..shake all nations." At that time, Jerusalem will become the capitol of the world, and Messiah shall rule and reign for a thousand years.

Now, I believe many Bible students miss an important point in this passage of Scripture. God (Jehovah - speaking through Haggai) says here that "..the silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith THE LORD OF HOSTS" (vs 8). He also says, "..in this place I will give peace" (vs 9). This "JEHOVAH" of the Old Testament IS the "JESUS" of the New Testament. It is important that we, as Christians, are able to do like Philip (Acts 8:35), and take people from where they are to Christ. Therefore, it is necessary for us to see that all of the Old Testament prophecies of Messiah lead to the incarnation of Jehovah in the person Jesus Christ.

Jesus HAS come once. He came to live, die and be resurrected for our salvation. He was God in flesh, making atonement to God for people's sins. He was God in flesh offering forgiveness through personal sacrifice.

One day, soon I believe, Jesus will come again. He will be God in flesh ruling and reigning on this earth. Then, some 1,000 years later, He will be God ruling over the eternal judgment of all mankind.

Truly, the glory of the "latter house" shall be "greater than the former" because Christ Himself will bring PEACE which the world has never known!

10 In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, 11 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, 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? And the priests answered and said, No. 13 Then said Haggai, 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. 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.

This next message of Haggai, given in the 9th month, came about 2 months after the last message. Now this message is actually in two parts. First, let us deal with being "unclean."

God says that ALL they had done was unclean. All they had done in His name - sacrifices, prayers, offerings, work - everything!

As human beings, we must realize that even our best intentions are filled with sinfulness. The Bible declares that "..ALL have sinned.." (Rom. 3:23) Isaiah said that "..ALL our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.." (Isaiah 64:6).

Who am I to stand before Almighty God and offer ANYthing? I am a created being, and own nothing of my own. Even my LIFE is given by God!
Who am I to stand before Almighty God and offer ANYthing? I am a sinner, filthy from my selfishness and arrogance to try and choose my own way.

But there is GOOD NEWS! Because of God's love and grace, He is willing to MAKE us clean! He will do that upon our commitment to Him as LORD of our lives!

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: 16 Since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty. 17 I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD. 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. 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.

Consider this: we work to eat; and once we have eaten, we must work to eat! All our labor seems to be for naught.

But from the time that we commit to Jesus as LORD, then God says, "..from THIS DAY will I BLESS you."

Though we are unclean because of our sin, through the blood of Christ we can be accepted. Now, the manner in which we are accepted is by SURRENDER to Jesus as Lord of our lives. "..If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." (Luke 9:23)

Sin has been defined as "missing the target" that God set for us. That target, at creation, was for us to be followers of Him and companions to Him.
Because we seek to rule our own lives, we are sinners.
When, by God's Word and His Spirit, we are convicted of sin and (repent) turn to Him, THEN we are accepted and blessed.

The Old Testament and the New Testament totally agree that without repentance there is no salvation. For "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3)

Dear reader, have you seen that NOTHING you do for God can be accepted with Him except you SURRENDER to His LORDSHIP?

20 And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying, 21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; 22 And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. 23 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.

The last message that Haggai speaks is also given on the 24th day of the 9th month. One cannot miss the fact that this prophecy speaks directly to Zerrubbabel. However, I believe it speaks more to the OFFICE than to the PERSON.

Darius Hystapes did overthrow many subject kingdoms and reorganize them under his leadership in 521BC. That was BEFORE this prophecy. God did remember Zerrubbabel at that time, by establishing him as governor of Judaea.

Notice that the destruction of those kingdoms BEGINS with wars against one another, for the nations will begin to deteriorate when "every one" fights against one another (vs 22 - "sword of his brother.") These wars escalate until the battle of Armageddon. it is quite clear that "unclean spirits" (Rev 16:13), by demonic activity "go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." (Rev.16:14)

In today's world (2006AD) we already see some of that demonic activity taking over leadership of some countries.

Haggai is speaking about a FUTURE event. He is speaking of a time when ALL the kingdoms of earth will be overthrown and their strength destroyed. When that happens, the governorship of all nations will be IN Jerusalem and BY our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the "Governor" of all things (See Isaiah 9:6).

This prophecy was delivered directly to Zerrubbabel as a message of HOPE concerning this later time. Christ Himself will come and put an end to that war, and re-establish rulership from Jerusalem. This was a very special message to Zerrabbebel because Jesus is a descendent of David and of Zerrubbabel.

The rulership of truth righteousness WILL overcome and reign upon the earth for 1,000 years!

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.