Haggai

Accepting Haggai's authority as God's spokesman and encouraged by the Lord, Judah's leaders led the "remnant" to begin work in the fear of God. The first message ends as it began—with a date, showing that twenty-three days after Haggai's message the rebuilding was underway again (the order in the Hebrew text of 1:15—day, month, year—is the mirror image of 1:1, showing the two dates to be part of the same section and stressing the comparison between the days). If God's earlier prophets had received such positive response, the temple would never have been destroyed!

The second message was given during the Feast of Tabernacles (see Lev. 23:33-43), three weeks after the work began. The following day was the anniversary of Solomon's dedicating the newly built temple in 959 b.c. (2 Chr. 7:8-10). The message unfolds in two parts, divided by the announcement of God's word in verse 6. The Lord asked another rhetorical question that recognized the people's discouragement over the apparent disparity between the glory of Solomon's temple and the simplicity of the one under construction (v. 3; see Ezra 3:10-13). Then the Lord exhorted them to work, remembering His faithfulness in the past and His presence with them in the present (vv. 4-5). God's command to "be strong" and not fear probably reminded Judah's leaders of earlier times when God had enabled His servants to complete the tasks He had given them (Deut. 31:6-7,23; Josh. 1:6-9,18; 1 Chr. 22:13; 28:10,20; 2 Chr. 15:7; 32:7; Isa. 35:4; 41:10-14; 51:7-16; Zeph. 3:16; see Dan. 10:19; Zech. 8:9,13; Eph. 6:10).

Having motivated them to work by pointing to past events and present realities, the Lord also encouraged the remnant in verses 6-9 with promises of the future. The terms used are typical of theophanies, where the Lord is described as appearing on the earth, usually in judgment against His enemies (see Judg. 5:4-5; 2 Sam. 22:7-16; Pss. 68:7-8; 77:15-20; Isa. 13:13; Jer. 10:10; Ezek. 38:20; Joel 2:10; 3:16; Nah. 1:5; Hag. 2:21-22; see Heb. 12:26-27). These verses describe the day of the Lord when the wicked will be removed and the nations shall be made subject to Him and will bring tribute to His temple (see Ezra 6:8-12; 7:15-20; Isa. 60:4-14). Thus its glory will exceed that of Solomon's temple, especially because the Lord Himself will be there. It is hard not to see a preliminary fulfillment of these verses in the appearance of Jesus at Herod's temple (see Matt. 2:11; 21:12-15; 27:51; Luke 2:32; John 1:14; 2:19-21; Heb. 1:3).

In this message the Lord announces His determination to change Judah's deprivation to blessing because they have dedicated themselves to Him. The date is three months after the temple work began, just after the fall planting, which explains why there is no seed left in the barn. After the introduction comes a dialogue with the priests that functions like a parable. The essence of the parable is that although holiness cannot be trans-mitted by touch, defilement can be. Then the parable is applied in verses 14-19. Israel, originally set apart for the Lord, had become defiled by sin and unbelief so that all they did was unacceptable to God, including offerings and temple building. Only God's grace in response to their humble dedication could cleanse them again. This He had done (see Ps. 51). Thus they are assured that God would turn their curse of deprivation into blessing, and they would have a plentiful harvest.

Here the Lord promises that He will destroy the kingdoms of this world and will establish a new kingdom ruled by a Davidic descendant, the Messiah (see Ezek. 39:19-23; Dan. 2:44). The messianic servant is named David in Ezekiel 34:23-24 and 37:24 because He is the Davidic seed, the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant. The Messiah will also be a descendant of Zerubbabel (see Matt. 1:12-13). The "signet ring" is appropriate as a messianic metaphor because it was jealously guarded as a symbol of one's authority and was used to sign official documents (see Esth. 8:8). As God had cast off king Jehoiachin, so He had placed his grandson Zerubbabel on His finger (Jer. 22:24).

Theological and Ethical Significance. Several reasons can be given for the significance of the temple's being rebuilt. First, it was a sign of the people's priorities. Second, it showed that God was with the remnant and that His promises of restoration had begun to be fulfilled. Third, it declared God's glory and thus brought Him pleasure. Fourth, it served to vindicate the Lord since the temple's destruction had disgraced the Lord's name (Ezek. 11:23; 37:26-27). Fifth, it served as a pledge of the new covenant and the messianic age (Ezek. 37:26; Isa. 2:2-4; 44:28; 52:1-7; Mic. 4:1-4; Mal. 3:1). The restoration of the temple was a sign that God had revoked neither His covenant with Levi nor His covenant with David (see Jer. 33:17-22; Num. 25:11-13; Mal. 2:4). He will provide cleansing and restoration through a glorious temple and a messianic ruler. As one scholar explains, "They are not just building a material edifice; they are participating in the building and establishment of the kingdom of Yahweh in which the promised Messiah is to reign in glory forever."

Alden, R. L. "Haggai." Expositor's Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986.

Baldwin, J. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1972.

Merrill, E. H. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: An Exegetical Commentary. Chicago: Moody, 1994.

Verhoef, P. A. The Books of Haggai and Malachi. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987.

Wolf, H. Haggai and Malachi. Chicago: Moody, 1976.