Haggai 2:20-The Lord Communicates a Second Message to Haggai on the Twenty-Fourth Day of the Ninth Month

Haggai 2:20 Then the Lord spoke again to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month: 2:21 Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah: ‘I am ready to shake the sky and the earth. 2:22 I will overthrow royal thrones and shatter the might of earthly kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and those who ride them, and horses and their riders will fall as people kill one another. 2:23 On that day,’ says the Lord who rules over all, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord who rules over all.” (NET)

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

As we noted in our introduction of the book of Haggai, Haggai himself and the prophet Ezra simply refer to him as “the prophet Haggai” (Hag. 1:1; Ezra 5:1; 6:14).

However, he is the first prophet to be used by the God of Israel to address the postexilic Judean community.

The contents of Haggai also identify the specific dates of each of his four messages to this community, namely 520 B.C. during the second year of the reign of Darius I.

Ezra also asserts that Haggai was joined by the prophet Zechariah (cf. Ezra 5:1-2; 6:14).

The prophet was unique among the prophets of Israel in that his words were listened and obeyed.

The remnant of Israel immediately obeyed what he exhorted them to do in rebuilding the temple.

As we noted in our introduction and in our study of Haggai 1:1, the life and ministry of Haggai are shrouded in mystery since the Scriptures do not identify his parentage or genealogy.

In fact, there are only two references to him outside of his own book (cf. Ezra 5:1; 6:14).

He is also alluded to in Zechariah 8:9.

This sets him apart from most of the prophets of Israel since most provide in their prophecies a personal genealogy or geographical origin or royal contemporaries (Isa 1:1; Jer 1:1–3; Ezek 1:1–3; Hos 1:1; Joel 1:1; Amos 1:1; Jonah 1:1; Mic 1:1; Nah 1:1; Zeph 1:1; Zech 1:1.).

Thus, the book of Haggai is similar to the books of Obadiah, Habakkuk and Malachi.

We also have no idea of when and where he died.

It would appear that he was not exiled to Babylon or was born during this captivity since his name is not provided in the list of returnees found in Ezra 2, however, this is not itself sufficient ground for making this conclusion.

There were a number of activities that the prophets of God were involved in such as communicating doctrine, issuing judgments, communicating future events, serving in the Temple, performing miracles, proclaiming Messianic prophecies, and interceding through prayer for the people (Hab. 3).

An inspired prophet could be identified using the tests for prophets in Deuteronomy 13:1-5; 18:14-22.

The prophets of Israel were the authorized spokesmen for God and proclaimed His will, purpose and plan (See Hebrews 1:1-2).

There were a number of activities that the prophets of God were involved in such as communicating doctrine, issuing judgments, communicating future events, serving in the Temple, performing miracles, proclaiming Messianic prophecies, and interceding through prayer for the people (Hab. 3).

An inspired prophet could be identified using the tests for prophets in Deut. 13:1-5; 18:14-22.

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

Now, as was the case in Haggai 1:1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 2:1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17 and 18, the term “Lord” here in Haggai 2:20 is the proper noun yhwh (Yahweh).

The word is significant since it is the covenant-keeping personal name of God used in connection with the remnant of Judah which returned to the land of promise from Babylon.

It is emphasizing the covenant relationship that existed between the remnant of Judah and God.

This word is also emphasizing the “immanency” of the Lord meaning that He involves Himself in and concerns Himself with and intervenes in the affairs of men and in this content that He intervenes in the affairs of this Jewish remnant.

This revelation given to Haggai to communicate to this remnant manifests this truth.

The term yhwh, “Lord” emphasizes God’s concern for the remnant of Judah which returned from the Babylonian deportation in that He intervenes in the affairs of this nation and emphasizes the divine origin of this message Haggai received and communicated to the remnant of Judah.

Thus, in Haggai 2:20, this expression ḏeḇǎr-yeh·wā(h)ʹ (דְבַר־יְהוָ֜ה), “the Lord communicated a message” emphasizes with the reader, the remnant of Judah and Zerubbabel, the recipient of this message that Haggai received divine authority to proclaim a fourth message to Zerubbabel from God.

Now, as was the case in Haggai 1:1, 2:1 and 10, the prophetic word formula appears again in Haggai 2:20 in order to introduce this fourth message to the governor of Judah, Zerubbabel.

This prophet word formula contains the expression ḏeḇǎr-yeh·wā(h)ʹ (דְבַר־יְהוָ֜ה), “The Lord spoke this message” and appears 270 times in the Old Testament and five time alone in the book of Haggai (1:1, 3; 2:1, 10, 20).

It is used the majority of the time in the Old Testament to refer to a Word spoken by Yahweh to a prophet as a technical expression for the prophetic word of revelation. It is the formula that gives the prophetic books of the Old Testament their distinctiveness.

This expression in the Old Testament also is an earmark of inspiration indicating that what the prophet is communicating to people in writing is inspired by the Holy Spirit and is a revelation of God’s will (cf. 2 Peter 1:20-21).

It is the typical introductory phrase used among the prophetic books (cf. Jeremiah 1:2; Ezekiel 1:3; Hosea 1:1; Joel 1:1; Jonah 1:1; Micah 1:1; Haggai 1:1; Malachi 1:1).

Therefore, this prophetic word formula in Haggai 2:20 is therefore asserting that Haggai’s message to Zerubbabel is divine in origin and thus it brings into view the doctrine of inspiration.

The term “inspiration” like “Trinity” is not a biblical word but does summarize some important facets of biblical truth.

The theological idea of inspiration presupposes a personal God with a mind and a sovereign will.

The Christian’s conviction regarding the inspiration of the Bible is based upon the Bible’s own testimony or in other words, it is based upon on explicit assertions.

Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines the word “inspiration” as “a divine influence or action on a person believed to qualify him to receive and communicate sacred revelation, the action or power of moving the intellect or emotions.”

They state that the word “inspire” means “to influence, move, or guide by divine or supernatural inspiration.”

Therefore, the doctrine of inspiration contends that, God the Holy Spirit so supernaturally directed the human authors of Scripture, that without destroying their individuality, their literary style, their personal interests, and their vocabulary, God’s complete and connected thought towards man was recorded with perfect accuracy in the original languages of Scripture.

The original languages of Scripture contain the very words of God, and therefore, bear the authority of divine authorship.

The definitions of inspiration presented above speak both of God’s action, by His Spirit, in the human author and of the nature of the resulting text.

Therefore, the Scripture states that “no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation; indeed, prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20–21).

Furthermore, the Scriptures teach that not only are the human authors of Scripture “carried along by the Holy Spirit,” but the resulting Scripture is “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16).