Sermon Tone Analysis

*Haggai 6**.*

 *Intro:* The prophet Haggai *[P]* delivered five messages from יְהוָה to the remnant of the Jews who had returned from exile in Babylonia.

Their country was in ruins and their job was to rebuild, and in particular, to rebuild the temple of יְהוָה that had been torn down by the Babylonian invaders.

They had a commission from the Cyrus the ruler of the empire to do so, and more importantly a commission by יְהוָה Himself.

But due to opposition and change in circumstances they stopped work.

So the first message יְהוָה gave them through Haggai was one of rebuke *[P]*, telling them to stop looking after their own interests and get on with building His house.

The leaders and people took the message to heart and got on with building the temple, so three weeks later יְהוָה gave another message through His prophet Haggai, a word of commendation *[P]*, assuring them that He was with them.

They had the presence of יְהוָה Himself with them in the work they were undertaking.

But some of them remembered the previous temple, built by Solomon which was so splendid and glorious – they got discouraged.

So a month later, יְהוָה spoke again, this time a message of encouragement *[P]*.

יְהוָה assured them that He Himself was going to act; shaking all things, making the temple even more glorious than that which had been previously.

A couple of months later יְהוָה spoke again through Haggai; that is the message which we looked at last time *[P]*.

יְהוָה spoke about holiness and purity – how defilement spread but holiness did not.

They were defiled but יְהוָה promised that even so, He would bless them.

The curse upon them would be transformed into blessing.

All these messages are carefully recorded, giving the date they were given and who they were addressed to.

The very same day that last message was given יְהוָה spoke again – two prophecies in the same day.

But they were quite distinct.

The previous four prophecies were addressed to Zerubbabel, the leader of the civil administration; Joshua, the spiritual leader; and to the godly remnant – those that had returned from exile.

But this last prophecy was directed specifically to Zerubbabel alone.

יְהוָה had said in [*Haggai 2:6-7* ‘/Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land.

‘I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’/.]

– perhaps this message of shaking had worried him – so יְהוָה gives a steadying message concerning safety *[P]* – by the picture of a “signet” יְהוָה taught how He valued and cared for them.

And also how secure they were in troubled times because of He was ruling.

So let’s read what He had to say to Zerubbabel: [*Haggai 2:20-23* /Then the word of יְהוָה came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying, “Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, ‘I am going to shake the heavens and the earth/ (alluding to the message He had spoken earlier that day)/.

‘I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots and their riders, and the horses and their riders will go down, everyone by the sword of another.’/

(all the nations are amassed against Jerusalem by יְהוָה will intervene personally, and destroy them)/ ‘On that day,’/ (the day of shaking, the day of the LORD)/ declares יְהוָה of armies, ‘*I will take you*, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares יְהוָה, ‘and *I will make you* like a signet ring, for *I have chosen you*,’ ” declares יְהוָה of armies/.]

You will notice that all five messages are given in under 4 months.

Now Isaiah ministered all through the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and/ /Hezekiah; Daniel over complete changes in empire, maybe over 70 years – but Haggai prophesied for less than 4 months.

Not that I am saying these prophecies that we have recorded are the only messages he delivered – but it does illustrate how God uses each of us differently.

You can see someone else with a fruitful ministry, doing lots right throughout their whole life, yet you seem to have little opportunity.

There may be a significant task at a specific time He has for you to do – remember Esther [*Esther 4:14* /who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this/?]

You live your whole life for God, but He determines how He uses it for His purposes, what significance it has in them.

יְהוָה referred to the shaking of the nations that He had spoke about earlier in the day (cf.

Hag 2:6-7) – this shaking of the heavens and the earth (Hag 2:21) and the destruction of the kingdoms of the nations, refers to the future tribulation.

The purpose of the shaking is to overthrow the evil order, those that have usurped יְהוָה’s authority, those who have exalted themselves rather than having been given authority by יְהוָה.

"/I will/ shake ..." – this is יְהוָה’s doing – His own personal intervention!

This shaking will destroy the thrones of kingdoms, so that the Kingdom of Messiah may be set up.

He is the "Stone" of (Daniel 2:44) that smites the image, that is man’s rule, and destroys it.

This shaking is in the future [*Revelation 6:12-17* /I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake;/(a shaking)/ and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind.

The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places /(the heavens and earth are shaken)./

Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?/”].

There will be a time of great wrath when יְהוָה judges the earth.

There is One on the throne – God’s Kingdom is established and it is a firm and harsh rule to bring those who oppose Him into line.

*Symbol of Zerubbabel:* But first we need to take note of who this prophecy is addressed to before we can apply it.

Is it spoken to God’s own people or to their enemies?

We are going to get the wrong message if we take a prophecy that is not intended for us.

One message does not fit all.

I have applied the prophecies of Haggai to us – I think they are relevant because they were delivered to the godly remnant, those seeking to do God’s will – and I place us in that category.

But this last message was addressed to Zerubbabel, a civil ruler in province of Judea under Medo-Persian rule some 2 ½ thousand years ago – why then is it in the Bible?

Because it is not just a message for Zerubbabel, but we do need to take note of whom it is addressed to, in order to know who to apply it to.

Who is Zerubbabel?

Well, he is the governor, the civil ruler *[P]*.

He is over the land and the people in terms of administration – it was a message spoken to the ruler.

We have a God who is Author, Sustainer and Perfector – a Sovereign God in absolute control of history!

Hallelujah!

Do you believe that?

Well, that is what the Bible teaches!

We live our lives, but there is a God in control of history ordering events.

He does so, giving them a significance beyond themselves.

So God does not only speak in words but also through events.

So Abraham really did go to offer up his only son, but in doing so this actual event prophetically prefigured God offering up His only Son.

An actual event in history was a prophecy of what was going to happen in the future.

The Exodus from Egypt with the redemption and Passover lamb – were actually events but they play out in history the redemption that God would provide through Jesus our Passover Lamb.

We see it again and again – crossing the Red Sea pictures baptism, as Moses lifted the serpent, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.

People were acting out in the events of their lives things in the future.

Actual events had prophetic significance – so too with Zerubbabel.

He was the governor; he is the ruler of the people.

He is of the line of David *[P]* – who prophetically pictures who?

The Messiah, the coming King who will rule.

Just as David ruled in righteousness and justice, so too will Jesus.

Jesus was descended from David – so when David said [*Psalm 16:10* /You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay/.] he was not speaking of himself but of?

Jesus!

His resurrection!

So if you follow the line of David *[P]* you come to Jesus *[P]*.

We have two genealogies of Jesus in the NT, which differ from each other, some say the one in Matthew is the line through Joseph, and the one in Luke is the line through Mary – be that as it may – both the lineage in Matthew *[P]* and the lineage in Luke *[P]* both pass through this man Zerubbabel.

He is in the line of the Messiah and prophetically represents Him as the coming King.

So Zerubbabel represents the coming ruler, He prophetically pictures the Messiah *[P]*.

So, with that in mind, what is this prophecy saying?

That on a certain day, the day of the LORD, יְהוָה Himself will intervene and destroy the nations that are attacking Jerusalem – Israel will be saved!

Hallelujah!

God’s purposes fulfilled.

And in that very day that יְהוָה defeats Israel’s enemies He is going to make Zerubbabel a signet ring because He has chosen Him.

Well it is not Zerubbabel, because he is dead – it is referring to the One descended from him – the Ruler, the Messiah יְהוָה’s chosen King.

On the day that יְהוָה defeats the nations of the world He is going to install His King in Jerusalem [*Psalm 2:1-6* /Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing?

The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against יְהוָה and against His Anointed, /(that is Jesus, the Messiah)/ saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!”

He who sits in the heavens laughs, יְהוָה scoffs at them.

Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain/.”]

*Symbol of signet:* So Jesus is installed as ruler.

יְהוָה says that He will make Him like a signet.

What does He mean?! We don’t have signets (other than baby swans); it has little meaning to us.

We may not have signets but we do have signatures *[P]*.

I sign my name – it used to be our signature (now it is probably our PIN or password) – it carries our authority.

A few of us still sign cheques – that signature on the bottom gives access to the money in my account.

Without that signature on the bottom you won’t get anything.

There is a little strip of paper, worth about a cent; I sign my name on the bottom and it is worth a thousand dollars to John.

It is worth nothing until it has that untidy scrawl on the bottom.

That signature transforms it into something of value and power.

How does that work?

My signature on the bottom of the cheque gives the bank the authority to take $1000 from my bank account.