The Future Glory of the Temple
Study note
Some of the oldest people still alive remembered the glory of Solomon's temple before the Babylonians destroyed it about sixty-six years earlier. Compared to that magnificent building, this new temple looked like nothing. God told the people three times to 'be strong' and promised that His Spirit was with them. He also made an amazing promise: one day He would shake all the nations, and the glory of this new temple would be even greater than Solomon's. The phrase 'the treasured things of all nations' has traditionally been read as 'the desire of all nations,' a messianic title pointing to Christ, whose presence would one day fill a greater temple.
1 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the LORD sent another message through the prophet Haggai. 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 "Give this word to Zerubbabel the ruler of Judah. Give it to Joshua the high priest. Give it to the rest of the people." 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 "Is there anyone here old enough to remember what this temple looked like in its original glory? How does this one compare? It probably looks like nothing to you, does it?" 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 "But take courage, Zerubbabel!" the LORD says. "Take courage, Joshua the high priest! Take courage, all you people of the land!" the LORD says. "Get to work! I am standing right here with you," declares the LORD of Armies. 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 "Remember the promise I made when you came out of Egypt: My Spirit is among you. Don't be afraid of anything." According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.
6 The LORD of Armies says, "In just a short time, I will shake the heavens and the earth. I will shake the sea and the dry land." 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 "I will shake every nation, and the treasures of every nation will pour in here. I will fill this temple with glory," says the LORD of Armies. 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 "All the silver in the world is mine, and all the gold is mine," declares the LORD of Armies. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.
9 "This new temple will outshine the first one," says the LORD of Armies. "And right here in this place, I will establish peace," declares the LORD of Armies. 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.
A Lesson About Holiness and Uncleanness
Study note
About two months later, God used a lesson from everyday life to teach the people something important. He had Haggai ask the priests two questions about the law of Moses. The lesson was this: holiness does not spread by contact, but uncleanness does. In the same way, the people's neglect of God's temple had made everything they touched unclean. But now that they were obeying God and rebuilding, He promised to bless them from that day forward.
10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, the LORD sent another word. It was the second year of King Darius. He sent it through the prophet Haggai. 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 The LORD of Armies says, "Ask the priests to settle this question about the law:" Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,
12 "If someone wraps consecrated meat in the fold of their garment, and that garment brushes against bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other food — does the food become holy too?" The priests said, "No, it does not." 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 Haggai asked, "Now, if someone who is contaminated from touching a dead body touches any of these foods, does the food become contaminated?" The priests answered, "Yes, it does." 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 Haggai said, "That is exactly how it is with this nation in my sight," says the LORD. "Everything they do and everything they offer to me is contaminated." 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.
15 "Now think carefully about what has been happening. Think back to before you started laying stones for the LORD's temple." 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 "Before then, when you went to your grain pile expecting twenty measures, you only found ten. When you went to your wine vat expecting fifty jars, there were only twenty." 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 hit all your hard work with blight, mildew, and hail. And still you would not turn back to me," the LORD says. 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 "Now pay close attention to what happens from today on. Today is the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, the day the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid." 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 there still no seed left in the barn? Have the grapevine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree produced any fruit yet? Starting today, I am going to bless you." 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.
God's Promise to Zerubbabel
Study note
On the same day as the holiness lesson, God sent a personal message to Zerubbabel, the governor. God promised to overthrow kingdoms and destroy the power of foreign nations. Then He told Zerubbabel that He had chosen him to be like a signet ring. A signet ring was the most prized possession of a king, used to stamp official documents with royal authority. This was God's way of saying that Zerubbabel and his family line held a special place in God's plan.
20 The LORD sent a second message to Haggai that same day, the twenty-fourth of the month. And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying,
21 "Tell Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah: I am about to shake the heavens and the earth." Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;
22 "I will topple the thrones of kingdoms and shatter the power of foreign nations. I will flip their chariots upside down along with their riders. Horses and their riders will go down, each one killed by the sword of his fellow soldier." 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 "When that day comes," says the LORD of Armies, "I will take you, Zerubbabel my servant, son of Shealtiel. I will treat you like my personal signet ring. I have chosen you," says the LORD of Armies. 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.