Haggai’s Second Prophecy

by Lance Ponder⁽⁹¹⁾
http://fkiprofessor.xanga.com

Hag 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,

A little less than a month has passed since the people first gathered to restart the temple building project. As if it were a kick-off ceremony, the fall feasts dominated this period. The first day of the seventh month, Tishri, is the Feast of Trumpets. According to Jewish tradition the New Year begins here rather than the first of the first month as most modern nations count time. The tenth of Tishri is the highest of the high holy days, the Day of Atonement, known as Yom Kippur. The period from the 15^th through the 22^nd of Tishri is the third feast, the Feast of Tabernacles. The 21^st day of the seventh month was near the end of this feast. Now that God has the attention of the people and they have had their fill of celebration, He has more to say to them.

What People See
Hag 2:2-3 “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, ‘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?

Remember the good old days? Solomon’s temple was destroyed 66 years earlier. Only a few elders would have had first hand memories of the great structure, but everyone could see the debris before them. The question sound like a rhetorical statement of the obvious. All too often it takes a vivid statement of the obvious to wake people up.

What God Sees
Hag 2:4-5 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, according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not.

Worldly conditions may be bad, but with God nothing is impossible. As the festive period draws to a close, Haggai reminds the leaders and the people of God’s mighty works among their ancestors. He reminds them that even in their darkest hour the Lord was with them, protecting them and leading them through dangers and difficulties to the Promised Land. The critical demand placed on their ancestors was the same demand Haggai was placing. It is the same demand our Lord places on us today. Faith is required. God made a covenant with Abraham and that same promised would never be broken. The gift need only be received and receiving required only faith. Faith in 520 BC, like faith in the times of Moses or Jesus or today, is more than mere mental acceptance. True faith is an active belief necessarily resulting in acts of faith. While faith within the man produces obedience, it is God who does the spiritual heavy lifting. God promises faith is not in vain.

God Is In Control
Hag 2:6-9 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 silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. 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.’”

Haggai’s second prophecy concludes with a promise of God’s action. Both prophecies thus far called on the people to look around and recognize their situation. The first prophecy included a stern warning of judgment against them for failure to follow through. The second prophecy included a promise of restoration and glory. Based on context it appears that by this time the people were earnestly on board with the reconstruction project.

Article submitted Friday, December 16, 2011 & read 6 times.

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