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Haggai 2:20-23 – A seal on a promise

Read Haggai 2:20-23

Summary

After many years of exile in Babylon, God brought a remnant home to Jerusalem to rebuild God’s temple, the dwelling-place of God (at that point in history) with his people. But opposition brought that rebuilding to a halt, and years passed. God sent Haggai to call God’s people to resume building his temple, reflecting their devotion to him. He promised them future blessing and glory despite their current situation.

In the daily grind of little progress, and the present reality of irrelevance in a backward province, God’s promises may have seemed hard to appreciate. So God sent one final message to Haggai (2:20-23), promising once again to bless his people and glorify his name, with Zerubabbel as the ‘seal on a promise’. He does this by recalling his past judgment of those who opposed him, promising to visit it once again, and certifying it through Zerubabbel.

Our passage explained

v20-22

While God’s words in verses 20-23 are forward-focused, they are announced in the memory of God’s past deeds of judgment. God speaks again to Haggai on the same day as his previous message (v.20), telling him to say to Zerubabbel the Governor of Judea that “I am about to shake the heavens and the earth, and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I am about to 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” (vv.21-22).

How do these words bring to memory the past judgments of God against those who do wicked deeds, and who oppress God’s people? Simply, by the language used. 

For instance, when God punished the people of Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness, Genesis records that “overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground” (Gen 19:25).  

Perhaps most prominently coming to mind, God overthrew the chariots and riders of Pharaoh’s army when he graciously brought his people out of Egypt (Exodus 14:23-28). Then God destroyed the wicked Canaanites (Deut 7:1-5) by the hand of Israel.

All of these examples (and others recorded in Scripture in the historical books of Joshua to 2 Chronicles) demonstrated God’s faithfulness to his covenant, to punish those who reject him and do evil, and to ultimately defeat those who sought harm to his people.

As a result, the promise of God in verses 21-22 are not empty threats. God “has form” in his past dealings, and promises again to his people that he will act once again to appear and shake the heavens and earth, to overthrow kingdoms who rage against God in vain (Psalm 2). As God promised in Haggai 2:6, he will overthrow those who do wicked deeds, and all the ill-gotten spoils of the nations will be brought before God’s feet, to whom they truly belong.

v23

To further certify God’s intentions, he puts a seal on a promise, certifying his intent. In verse 23, God states “On that day… I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant… and make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the LORD of hosts.” God likens Zerubabbel to a signet ring (or a seal), which was used as an official stamp (with wax) to certify documents.

Our passage applied

Zerubabbel has been chosen by God as the way by which God certified his promises to his people. As we know from elsewhere, Zerubabbel was a descendent of David (1 Chronicles 3:19). He was also an ancestor of Jesus (Matthew 1:13). 

Zerubabbel acting as Governor (that is, the political leader) of his people in Judea was a seal of God’s intent to fulfil his covenant promises to his people, expressed through the ages. The sins of previous kings descended from David were not the end of God’s promises, which were renewed by placing another son of David over God’s people. Those promises included the promise of the Messiah, descended from David, who would rule his people and the nations and take away their sins.

With the benefit of time, we can see God working out his promises to his people in 520BC, as he sent Jesus to take away the punishment our sins (Isaiah 53:5-6) and bring about the Kingdom of God, made without hands, which cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12).

We have added reason then to look up from the toil in front of us and look forward to God’s promises made. As we have read in Haggai and also read again in passages like Hebrews 12, God will not leave the cries of the righteous unanswered. God will bring judgment and deliverance, saving all who trust in him.

We toil in our labours and at times reap sparingly, strive to rid our lives of sin, and sow seeds of the kingdom which do not always seem to sprout. But this passage reminds us that God keeps his promises, and will defeat his enemies as he did in the past, once and for all. He has already won the decisive battle through the cross, as Jesus overcame our great foes sin and death.

God keeps his promises.

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water droplets

Haggai 2:10-19 – Cleansed and blessed

Read Haggai 2:10-19

Summary

After many years of exile in Babylon, God brought a remnant home to Jerusalem to rebuild God’s temple, the dwelling-place of God (at that point in history) with his people. But opposition brought that rebuilding to a halt, and years passed. God sent Haggai to call God’s people to resume building his temple, reflecting their devotion to him. He promised them future blessing and glory despite their current situation.

While God’s people laboured again in the land, their labours went unblessed. The reason was their sinfulness, which had resulted in the exile and continued in agricultural curse; a type of the judgment in which their rejection of God would ultimately result. In Haggai 2:10-19, we see God address the sinfulness of his people. He reminds them of their sinfulness through an analogy, applies that analogy with an assessment of their status, and promises their faith will result in blessing.

Our passage explained

v10-13

Haggai’s third message to God’s people begins with an analogy (vv.10-13). About two months after his previous message from God, Haggai is instructed to ask the priests to provide an interpretation of the Law (vv.10-11). As many people could not read, the priests played an important role in teaching God’s Law and the Scriptures to the people.

Firstly, he asks the priests whether sacrificial food could spread its ritual holiness to normal, unconsecrated food. The holy meat was probably from a freewill offering, which was considered ritually holy (only holy things may be sacrificed) but had to be eaten within two days (see Leviticus 7:16-18). The answer to this is, no (v.12).

Secondly, he asks the priests what would happen if someone considered ritually unclean due to touching a dead body (because death is the result of sin) touched the same normal, unconsecrated food? In this case, the priests answered, the food becomes unclean (v.13, see Leviticus 22:1-9).

v14-19

The reason for the analogy given by asking about the ritual status of food was to make an assessment of God’s people (vv.14-17). “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” (v.14). 

Like the unclean person, the sinfulness of God’s people made them unclean, and so unfit for God’s presence and blessing. It also spoiled their deeds, which God cannot accept because they are unclean.

The sinfulness of God’s people was then the cause of their continuing struggle. “Before stone was placed upon stone in the temple of the LORD, how did you fare?” (vv.15-16). Rather poorly: due to blight and hail sent by God, their agricultural crops yielded far less than they would expect to have occurred, a half of the normal yield of grain, and forty percent of a normal yield of wine (vv.16-17). Despite these punishments and warnings, “you did not turn to me, declares the LORD” (v.17).

Yet despite this assessment of sinfulness, God still offers hope of blessing (vv.18-19). The people responded in faith to God’s command to rebuild his temple, and were told to “Consider from this day onward…since the day that the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid” (v.18). They have sown their seeds and planted their vines, and in the past their yield was poor. Yet God promises “from this day on I will bless you” (v.19).

Our passage applied

The punishments of exile and agricultural blight were physical demonstrations of God’s anger at his people’s sin, pointing to the greater eternal punishment which awaits those who reject God. So too renewed agricultural blessing pointed to a restored relationship with God, as he blessed them not only physically but with the spiritual blessings of life and a cleansed conscience. Why? Because they trusted in God and responded positively to his command to rebuild the temple.

Bare ritual was not enough to earn God’s favour in that day. Rather, God sought lives which expressed trust and dependence on God. The people could not clean themselves, only God could take away sin. The same is true today. Bare attendance at a church service or Bible study does not earn God’s favour. God desires hearts and lives (and church attendance) motivated by faith in God and his promises.

God has shown us favour through Jesus Christ our Lord, saving us from our sins, and showering us with every blessing in the heavenly places. He removes the uncleanness from us which stops us from being able to fellowship with him, and announces us as holy. While we do not experience in the same way as the Jews of Haggai’s day the material blessings of the covenant relationship, we still experience the blessing of fellowship with God and the promise of eternal life.

God has dealt decisively with our sin through Jesus, and blesses us through him too. As we respond in faith to God’s call in our lives, we too can know “from this day on I will bless you” as we look forward to experiencing God’s blessings in their fullness.

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Winter trees at dawn

Haggai 2:1-9 – The Promise of Better Things

Read Haggai 2:1-9

Summary

After many years of exile in Babylon, God brought a remnant home to Jerusalem to rebuild God’s temple, the dwelling-place of God (at that point in history) with his people. But opposition brought that rebuilding to a halt, and years passed. God sent Haggai to call God’s people to reshape their priorities and resume building his temple, reflecting their devotion to him.

Looking at progress, the temple rebuild appeared slow and the end-result destined to look inferior to the first temple. Like slogging through a thick bog, the lack of progress could be discouraging. So again God spoke to his people through Haggai (2:1-9), encouraging them to remain devoted to their God. God acknowledges their present situation, announces his presence with them, and promises future glory.

Our passage explained

v1-5

Approximately one month after God’s people begin rebuilding the temple, God once again speaks to the people through Haggai (vv.1-2). God acknowledges their present situation, saying “‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes?” (v.3). God acknowledges that some of his people remember seeing Solomon’s temple, the house in its former glory. They are upset when they see the new temple, because it cannot possibly match the former (cf. Ezra 3:12-13).

Not only did the new temple seem inferior in looks, it seemed inferior in presence. God came and dwelt with his people in the tabernacle at Sinai when he covenanted with them (Exodus 40:34-35), and the Glory Cloud moved to Solomon’s temple when it replaced the tabernacle (1 Kings 8:10). Yet the glory of God departed the temple due to the people’s rejection of God (Ezekiel 10). Would not the new temple also be inferior, because God’s glory was no longer present there?

If this was the thinking of a great many of God’s people, then Haggai’s words offered encouragement. God announces that he will be present with them. Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the people are all in turn encouraged to “be strong” and continue to “work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts, according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt” (vv.4-5).

While God’s people had departed from God’s covenant, God’s faithfulness endured. And God was still working through his people to bring about his salvation plan. The outward inferiority was only outward, because “my Spirit remains in your midst”: God still dwelt with his people. Therefore, they should “fear not” (v.5).

v6-9

God’s salvation plan was still in effect, and the future glory will exceed that of the past! God promises that “In a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land” (v.6), bringing judgment and destruction on everything wicked (see Hebrews 12:25-29). In this judgment, all the ill-gotten riches of the nations would come to God’s presence, to glorify him, since they truly belong to God (vv.7-8).

Though the temple may appear inferior, and God’s people a small and insignificant part of a foreign empire, God would still achieve his salvation aims. “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” (v.9). 

Our passage applied

The temple they built would be more glorified than Solomon’s temple, because it was that temple which Jesus, the true dwelling-place of God with man (John 1:14, 2:13-22), came to in the latter days, bringing peace (Luke 2:32). The true peace of God’s covenant blessing would be found in Jesus, and will be fully experienced when he returns to earth to shake the heavens and earth in judgment once more.

As we struggle with our sins, or perhaps look at the church and wonder where progress is, this passage reminds us better things are coming. It seems like we do not grow in personal holiness, or the church does not advance. We can get discouraged, and weep like those older Jews at the sight of the temple.

But in the midst of discouragement, God is still present with us, our God who is faithful to his promises. He encourages us to persevere in putting sin to death, to keep sowing the seeds of his kingdom even though we are weeping (Psalm 127).

Not only is God present, but through Jesus we have true peace with God (Ephesians 2:11-16). And one day, when God shakes the heavens once more, we will be found with him and receive the riches of the earth as an inheritance.

This passage reminds us that God is not done yet. In the midst of discouragement, we can still be strong and carry on, knowing God is with us and will bring peace with the glory of his presence displayed for all the world to see.

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Hammer and nails

Haggai 1 – Reshaping our Priorities

Read Haggai 1

Summary

After many years of exile in Babylon, God brought a remnant home to Jerusalem to rebuild God’s temple, the dwelling-place of God (at that point in history) with his people. But opposition brought that rebuilding to a halt, and years passed. Homes were rebuilt, while a shell sat on the Temple Mount. God’s people focused on their own desires, not on serving God.

Into this scene, God sent two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, to encourage his people to trust him and focus on him. The book of Haggai opens with a call to God’s people to reshape their priorities. They should reflect on their present barrenness, return their devotion to God, and resume building his temple.

Our passage exlpained

v1-6

In verses 1 to 6 of chapter 1, God tells his people to reflect on their present barrenness. Haggai speaks to the people through Zerubabbel the governor and the High Priest Joshua, representing the civil and spiritual leadership of God’s people (v.1). He points out that the ‘conventional wisdom’ of the time was not to rebuild the temple, because of the opposition and hardship felt by the people (v.2).

Responding to this, God asks “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your panelled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” (v.4). In other words, while God’s temple remains unfinished, the people as a whole have rebuilt their homes and even lavishly decorated them with wood panels. 

Instead, they should “consider their ways” (v.5) and reflect on their overall situation. “You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes” (v.6). What they have is not enough, and what they earn does not go far enough. It is as if their wallet has a hole in it, and the coins keep falling out. They are barren in their wealth, even as they live in nice houses.

v7-11

Having reflected on their present barrenness, Haggai instructs them to return their devotion to God (vv.7-11). For many years they sought after their own material worth. Instead, God tells them to “consider their ways” and go to the hills to bring wood down: not for their own walls, but for God’s temple (vv.7-8). They should do this so “I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified” (v.8).

Looking after themselves and not focusing on God had brought them nothing (v.9). God himself had withheld his covenantal blessings on their labours, refusing them the blessings of fruitful crops (vv.10-11). They did not trust in God to protect them from their enemies, and continue building the house where he dwelt with them. They needed to return their devotion to God.

v12-15

Convicted by God’s condemnation of their living, the people heard God’s call to resume building the temple. The people heard the message, and “feared the LORD” (v.12). God declared in response “I am with you” (v.13) promising his covenantal help. Reflecting the message of God delivered through Haggai, they resumed building the temple within a month (vv.14-15).

Our passage applied

This passage looks like a free hit for a moralistic message about giving more in the expectation of blessing, but that is not the issue here. Instead, this passage is a reminder that our hearts and lives should be devoted first of all towards God, not ourselves.

God’s people abandoned the place half-built that in that age was meant to represent the glory and dwelling-place of God, and focused on their own material gain. Like them, we can get hooked on our own material gain: be that possessions, careers, the kids. We put God on the back-burner, skipping prayer, and missing church services where we are fed from his word and the sacraments.

Like God’s people in Haggai’s day, we need to reshape our priorities. God calls us to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matt. 6:33). Our hearts and lives should seek to worship God and bring Him glory, despite the opposition we may face in our own day, or the sacrifice of time and resources for our own advancement.

Because we are sinners, we must admit we cannot do this with our whole hearts. But just as God’s people repented and heard God’s promise that “I am with you” as they turned their lives back to God, so too God is with us. Jesus’ zeal for God’s house was perfect and complete (John 2:12-17), and it is Jesus’ righteousness exchanged for our sin on the Cross (2 Cor. 5:21).

This passage exhorts us to reshape our priorities to focus our hearts and our lives on serving and glorifying God. As we look to honour and worship God by seeking his kingdom, we can be sure that God is with us, blessing us with the riches of his love and mercy, and the promise of eternal life.

Resources

Questions? Please contact us. Inspired? Come and worship with us on Sundays.