Rebuilding God’s House

"Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake."—Daniel 9:17

Excerpted from "Notes from the Bible of John A. Meggison"

The name Haggai means festive or a feast. Similar names are found of the descendants of Gad in Genesis 46:16 and Numbers 26:15. The name does not occur elsewhere in the Old Testament.

We do not know if Haggai was a native of Judea or of Babylon, whether he was born before the captivity or after. Some think from the third verse of the second chapter that he saw the temple of Solomon, but this is not necessarily true. Tradition says Haggai returned to Jerusalem with the other exiles, being then a young man; that he lived to see the temple completed and was buried with priestly honors close to the burial place of the priests.

His prophecies cover a period of four months, during the latter half of which he enjoyed the cooperation of Zechariah. He began this prophecy in the second year of Darius Hystaspes, the fourth king of Persia. Cyrus, the first king of Persia, who issued the decree to rebuild the temple, was killed in battle against the Massagetae. Smerdis, a Median, seized the throne, claiming to be the son of Cyrus. Darius Hystaspes, with six Persian chiefs, overthrew the impostor and became king in 532 B.C.

Haggai was the earliest of the prophets of the restoration, preceding Zechariah by about two months (Hag. 1:1; Zech. 1:1). At the time of his appearance a divine messenger was greatly needed among the Jews.

The first religious acts of the returned Jews held favorable promise. They reestablished the religious festivals in the seventh month of the first year of their return, which was also the first year of the reign of Cyrus. They hired workmen and purchased building material and laid the foundation of the second temple in the second month of the second year, 537 B.C.

However, they soon became discouraged. The slow progress and lengthened intermission in the work were not wholly due to the opposition of the Samaritans. The Jews were not zealous themselves.

Although most commentators regard the whole of chapter one as one message, we will treat verses one to eleven and twelve to fifteen as two messages, because of their different tone and nature.

The First Message (1:1-11)

The months are named according to the sacred order. The sixth month is Elul (September-October) from the sixth to the seventh new moon. The first day was particularly suitable to give the message. It was the feast day of the new moon when many people would be gathered together.

The message is described as "a word from Jehovah," indicating a freedom from all human mixture. Haggai himself was merely an instrument. The "word of Jehovah" simply passed through his hands.

The message is directed to Zerubbabel. In Ezra 1:8 and 5:14, he is called by his Persian name, Sheshbazzar. Joshua is the same one mentioned in Zechariah 3, prefiguring the Messiah.

In verse two it is this people, not my people, who say "it is not the time. They had lost God’s confidence and were not referred to as his people. The time that was "not come" was the time to resume rebuilding the temple. The people had been urging as an excuse that the relations with Persia were not favorable to resume work on the temple but that was a mere pretext. They had made no effort to discover whether the new and legitimate king, Darius Hystaspes, would regard them with favor although they had the easy and selfish indifference of a people who had forgotten to be grateful and faithful. The builders had become discouraged because of opposition (Ezra 4:21-24). Cambyses, who had succeeded Cyrus as ruler of Persia, passed through Palestine with his hordes of soldiers on going to and returning from Egypt. His soldiers may have looted the people and discouraged the hopes of those who had been looking for a return of prosperity.

While they felt their own wants, and even luxuries, to be matters of pressing demand, they thought any time would be suitable to attend to the claims of their God. While their own homes had been regained, there was yet no house of worship for the God of Israel. While their wealthy members were using their superfluous means to adorn and beautify their dwellings, God’s dwelling place still lay desolate. Appeals to their piety and patriotism had been in vain, overborne by selfishness and lethargy. The message could not fail to expose the insincerity of their excuses. Houses wainscoted with cedar were the residences of kings. If some of them now had command of such resources as to enable them to live in princely splendor, they might surely have reserved a portion for the temple.

Haggai and Zechariah put their fingers on the source of the trouble. Faith and zeal were at low ebb. There was no longer the heavenly vision, which had inspired the first immigrants to wend their way across the desert with songs and thanksgiving on their lips and their faces turned toward Zion. Because faith and zeal waned, the enemies of Israel and of God loomed nearer and more menacing. In fear and doubt, the work of God stopped.

They were urged to go to the mountains, probably to seek building material where it could best be obtained. It was upon the highlands that the most suitable timber grew. The lesson for us today is that we need to go to the Word about God’s kingdom and gather the material wherewith to build characters suitable for God’s spiritual temple.

In verse 8, the Hebrew word for "glorified," ekkabdah, appears without its final letter. This letter, he in Hebrew, represents the number five. Later Talmudists suggested that its ommission meant that five things were lacking: (1) the ark; (2) the sacred fire; (3) the Shekinah; (4) the holy spirit; and (5) the Urim and Thummim.

The message of this verse is reiterated as being directly from Jehovah because, though the condition of affairs could be explained by the people in their own way, God gives the real explanation—that while their own affairs had absorbed all their attention his claims had been disregarded.

He continues by saying that not only was their labor to a large extent profitless but that even what their fields and manual toil did produce gave little enjoyment. The small quantity gathered was of little value because of the absence of God’s blessing. All of this was in accord with the Law Covenant. Misfortune threatened ruin because of the unfaithfulness of the people (Deut. 28).

The Second Message (1:12-15)

The effect of the first message was powerful and lasting. Just such a special message was needed. Upon the first indication of a change in their attitude, Haggai was commissioned to tell the people that God’s favor had already returned. The work was recommenced under the influence of the zeal Jehovah inspired in both leader and people.

They discerned in the word of Haggai the voice of God and they listened to his message because he attested himself to be God’s messenger. The people reverenced Jehovah.

God could now promise his presence with them, showing that their reverential fear was followed by sincere repentance and obedience.

Twenty-three days after the first message, spent in gathering and preparing material sufficient to justify starting or continuing the work, the walls of the Second Temple began to rise from the foundations which had been laid 15 years before by the same people (Ezra 3:8, 10; 4:24).

The Third Message (2:1-9)

The third message was delivered about four weeks after the second message. It was given on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, also called the Feast of Ingathering, when thanks were to be rendered for the bountiful harvest. The harvest in this year was scanty, so there was the more urgent need of some word of comfort and cheer.

The ark and the Urim and Thummim were gone. The sacred fire of the brazen altar had long been out. More than 87 years had elapsed since it last burned. Old men wept (Ezra 3:12, 13). Looking forward Haggai predicts a shaking of the heavens and the earth yet once more (Heb. 12:26; 2 Peter 3:7) that would affect both the sea (restless mankind, the workers) and the dry land (organized society in all nations). This would result in the "desire of all nations," or the "treasures of all nations (RSV)" (the church) filling the house with glory in the resurrection morning (Eph. 2:19-22; Exod. 40:34, 35; 1 Kings 8:10, 11).

As silver and gold seem to have been lacking in the restoration of the temple, so in the building of the antitypical temple, the church is not a wealthy class in literal gold.

"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" (Hag. 2:9).

This must have seemed a riddle, an extravagant statement, to the Israelites who heard it, because the treasures supplied by order of Darius were too small to warrant such a statement.

The "latter house" is a prophetic reference to the church glorified. This church will be greater than any earthly glory. When they are glorified, they will bring peace to all nations and be a house of prayer for all people (Isa. 56:7). In the church the antitypes of all the glories of Solomon’s temple will dwell—the ark, the Urim and Thummim (Deut. 33:8) and all.

The Fourth Message (2:10-19)

Sixty-three days after the first message, in the month of Chisleu (November-December) the fourth message was given.

The ministry of the prophet had at last achieved its most important object, instigating new zeal and devotion to God’s service. Another message was now due for two purposes: to forewarn the people against conduct that would alienate them from God and to further secure them against despondency, which might occur if rich and speedy blessings were delayed following their repentance and obedience. The people were probably still feeling the pressure of temporal distress and therefore needed an encouraging message.

"Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, 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. 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. 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."—Haggai 2:11-14

The blood of the sacrificed animal made the garment and the person holy (Lev. 6:20, 27); but this could not be given to a third person or thing. Each one must come for himself.

Likewise, the same is true with contact with the dead. Too intimate an association with the dead world makes one tainted with the spirit of selfishness. One becomes unclean himself and cannot be a good influence upon others. As ink permeates water, so does the fallen condition of humanity affect those who come in constant contact with it.

The people had become infected with this selfish spirit and forgotten the claims of God upon them. Even the withholding of blessings and the scarcity of crops did not awaken them. But now that they returned to God, he would bless them.

As he who was ceremonially unclean tainted everything he contacted, so they, suffering from God’s displeasure on account of their disregard of his claims, communicated the effect of his displeasure to all the labor of their hands so that it profited them nothing. As consecrated flesh did not convey its sacredness to any object beyond those immediately in the service, so all their external good works, even their offerings upon God’s altar, could not secure those blessings which are the reward of living holiness.

The temple was founded in the second year of Cyrus, 15 years before (Ezra 3:10). Comparing Ezra 4:4 with 4:23, 24, we see that the work upon it was feebly continued until within two years of Haggai’s prophecy, explaining why the foundation did not fall into decay.

As John Calvin wrote, "Whoever intrudes external ceremonies on God, to pacify him, trifles most childishly. The foundation of good works is integrity of heart and the purpose to obey God and consecrate one’s life to him. Whatever we touch is polluted by it, unless there be purity of heart to sanctify our works." Disappointment of our hopes on earth should make us lift our eyes to heaven to learn the reason. Affliction may harden the heart if we do not take it to the Lord in prayer.

The Fifth Message (2:20-23)

Given the same day as the fourth message, the fifth message repeats portions of the third message about the shaking and destruction of the present order at the end of this age. The kingdoms and their military power are to be destroyed (Isa. 10:5-27; 13; 17:12-14).

Jehovah will overthrow Satan’s throne as the god and ruler of this world. The overthrow of the horses and riders shows the destruction of the gentile nations. The chariots represent organizations for war and commerce and those who ride them are the leaders and princes of finance and the military. This will come about through the "sword of his brother," by mutual distrust, confusion, and hatred. Instead the signet, or seal, will be given to a new king or ruler, Zerubbabel, representing Christ as God’s instrument to work out his plan.

So in Haggai’s prophecy we see the five messages designed to bring God’s people back into an intimate association with him. In this respect, it speaks to each one of us today.