Haggai 2

June 23, 2024

FBC Baxley

Pm service

Haggai 2

“1 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet:

2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say,

3 ‘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?

4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts,

5 according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not.

6 For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land.

7 And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts.

8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts.

9 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.’”

10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet,

11 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Ask the priests about the law:

12 ‘If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment and touches with his fold bread or stew or wine or oil or any kind of food, does it become holy?’” The priests answered and said, “No.”

13 Then Haggai said, “If someone who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?” The priests answered and said, “It does become unclean.”

14 Then Haggai answered and said, “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.

15 Now then, consider from this day onward. Before stone was placed upon stone in the temple of the Lord, 16 how did you fare? When one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten. When one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were but twenty. 17 I struck you and all the products of your toil with blight and with mildew and with hail, yet you did not turn to me, declares the Lord.

18 Consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day that the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid, consider:

19 Is the seed yet in the barn? Indeed, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have yielded nothing. But from this day on I will bless you.”

20 The word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month,

21 “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the heavens and the earth,

22 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.

23 On that day, declares the Lord of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, declares the Lord, and make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the Lord of hosts.”

-PRAY

Introduction:

The book of Haggai, although brief, carries a powerful message to the people of Israel during a critical period in their history.

Written during the post-exilic period when the Israelites had returned from Babylonian captivity.

The temple in Jerusalem lay in ruins, and the people were discouraged.

Haggai's message was one of encouragement and a call to action, urging the Israelites to rebuild the temple and restore their relationship with God.

In Haggai 2, the prophet provides a vision of hope, emphasizing the glory of the new temple and God's abiding presence.

Main Point 1: The Present Circumstances and the Promise of Future Glory (Haggai 2:1-9)

Haggai 2:3-4 says, "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? Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts."

The people were disheartened because the new temple seemed insignificant compared to the grandeur of Solomon's temple.

The Hebrew word for "glory" here is כָּבוֹד (kavod), which connotes weightiness or splendor. The people’s memories of the former temple's splendor made them feel inadequate in their efforts.

But, God’s message through Haggai was clear: despite the present humble appearance, the new temple would surpass the former in glory.

This was a call to faith, to see beyond the present circumstances and trust in God’s promise.

The presence of God, symbolized by His promise to be with them, would bring about a greater glory.

Main Point 2: The Promise of Provision and Peace (Haggai 2:6-9)

In verses 6-7, God says, "For thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts."

The shaking of the heavens and earth signifies a divine intervention, a moment of cosmic significance.

The term "shake" (רָעַשׁ, ra'ash) implies a great upheaval, suggesting that God will disrupt the current order to fulfill His purposes.

The treasures of the nations (חֶמְדַּת, chemdat) refer to the wealth and resources that will be brought into the temple, indicating that God will provide all that is needed for its restoration.

Also, verse 9 concludes with a promise of peace: "And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts."

The Hebrew word for peace is שָׁלוֹם (shalom), which encompasses completeness, welfare, and tranquility.

This promise reassured the people that their efforts would result not only in a magnificent temple but also in a place where God’s peace would dwell.

Main Point 3: The Assurance of God's Presence and Blessing (Haggai 2:20-23)

Haggai’s prophecy concludes with a personal message to Zerubbabel in verses 20-23: "The word of the LORD came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, 'Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, 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... On that day, declares the LORD of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, declares the LORD, and make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the LORD of hosts.'"

Zerubbabel is given a significant assurance: he is likened/compared to a signet ring, a symbol of authority and authenticity.

The "signet ring" (חוֹתָם, chotam) indicates that Zerubbabel is chosen and valued by God, serving as a seal of divine approval.

This message not only affirmed Zerubbabel’s leadership but also pointed to the future Messianic hope, as Zerubbabel is an ancestor of Jesus Christ.

God's promises to shake the nations and establish Zerubbabel as His chosen servant reinforced the message that God’s presence and blessing were with them.

This gave the people hope and motivation to continue their work, knowing that God's sovereign plan was unfolding through their efforts.

Conclusion:

The message of Haggai 2 is profoundly relevant for us today.

It calls us to look beyond our immediate circumstances and trust in God's promises.

Just as the Israelites were encouraged to rebuild the temple with the assurance of God’s presence, provision, and peace, we too are called to build our lives and communities on the foundation of God’s promises.

Let’s be strong, work diligently, and trust that the glory of God will be revealed in and through us, bringing peace and blessing to all.

-PRAY

-Invitation