Haggai: Haggai 2:20-21-The Fourth and Final Message and the Lord’s Prophecy That He is About to Cause the Heavens and the Earth to Shake

Haggai 2:20 The word of the Lord came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: 21 “Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I will shake the heavens and the earth.” (NIV84)

As we noted in our introduction to the book of Haggai and in Haggai 1:1, 2:1 and 2:10, the structure of this book is built around four messages.

Each presents the date and divine origin of the prophecy as well as the recipients.

The fourth and final message was delivered on the same day as the third message according to Haggai 2:20, namely, on the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month of Darius’ second year, which would be the twenty-fourth day of the Jewish month Kislev, which is December 18, 520 B.C. in our modern calendar (Hag. 2:20-23).

Haggai 2:20 identifies Haggai as the recipient of this fourth message from the Lord.

This verse and Haggai 2:21 reveal he was the human instrument that the God of Israel employed to communicate this fourth message.

Haggai 2:21 identifies Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah as the recipient of this fourth and final message, which contains a Messianic prophecy.

The Lord proclaims in this message that He will judge the Gentile nations in the future (2:21-22).

He also declares that He will restore the Davidic kingdom (2:23).

Haggai 2:21 identifies Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah as the recipient of this fourth and final message, which contains a Messianic prophecy.

The contents of this message are recorded in Haggai 2:21-23.

In verses 21 and 22, the Lord proclaims in this message that He will judge the Gentile nations in the future whereas He declares that He will restore the Davidic kingdom in verse 23.

Now, in Haggai 2:21, the Lord orders Haggai to communicate to Zerubbabel, Judah’s governor and specifically to say that He was about to cause the stellar universe, the earth’s atmosphere as well as the earth to shake.

This is very similar to the contents of Haggai 2:6.

So therefore, Haggai 2:21 is very similar to Haggai 2:6 in the sense that both passages assert that the Lord was about to cause the stellar universe, the earth’s atmosphere and the earth to shake.

Now, the articular masculine plural conjugation of the common noun šāmayim does not mean “sky” but rather “the heavens” referring to the earth’s atmosphere and the stellar universe.

The former pertains to the expanse of space that contains oxygen and seems to be over the earth like a dome since it is used in relation to the place where the bird kingdom flies and the latter consists of a vast array of stars, moons, suns, galaxies and solar systems.

Like Haggai 2:6, the Lord’s assertion here in Haggai 2:21 that He was about to cause the stellar universe, the earth’s atmosphere as well as the earth itself to shake implies the Lord has done this before.

The context would indicate that He did this previously for the Exodus generation since Haggai 2:5 asserts that the Lord’s promise to the remnant of Judah to be with them corresponds to His promise to the Exodus generation when they departed Egypt.

Therefore, the Lord shook the stellar universe, the earth’s atmosphere, the earth itself and its various bodies of water and dry land on behalf of the Exodus generation when He judged Egypt.

He also did this when He gave the Law to Israel on Mount Sinai.

Also, as was the case in Haggai 2:6, the Lord’s declaration here in Haggai 2:21 that He was about to cause the stellar universe, earth’s atmosphere and the earth itself to shake will be fulfilled during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week of Daniel and the Second Advent of Christ, which terminates this week.

This is indicated by the statement in Haggai 2:23.

In Haggai 2:22, the Lord declares that he will overthrow royal thrones and shatter the might of earthly kingdoms.

He also declares that He will overthrow chariots and those who ride them and horses and their riders will fall as people kill one another.

Then, in Haggai 2:23, the Lord asserts that on the day or during the period of time in which He will do the things recorded in Haggai 2:21-22, He will take Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, His servant and will make him like a signet ring for He has chosen him.

The prophetic statement in Haggai 2:23 is Messianic and will be fulfilled by Jesus Christ at His Second Advent and subsequent millennial reign.

Therefore, the prophetic statements in Haggai 2:21-22 will be fulfilled at the same time as well.

This is indicated by the fact that Haggai 2:23 asserts that the Lord will take Zerubbabel and will make him like a signet ring for He has chosen him on the day or during the period of time He will fulfill the prophetic statements in Haggai 2:21-22.

Therefore, as was the case in Haggai 2:6-7, the Lord in Haggai 2:20-23 is telling the remnant of Judah that they must not be afraid because of what He will do during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week of Daniel and the Second Advent of Jesus Christ which terminates this week.

The implication is that they must not be afraid because He is sovereign over all of creation as well as every nation on earth and is omnipotent.

The shaking of the stellar universe, the earth’s atmosphere, the earth itself and its various bodies of water and dry land would require the exercise of divine omnipotence and a person who is sovereign over all of creation.

The overthrow of nations would also require the exercise of divine omnipotence and a person who is sovereign over creation as well.