Haggai 2 Study Notes

2:1 The twenty-first day of the seventh month was the last day of the Feast of Shelters in which the people celebrated the blessings of a good harvest and commemorated the time when their ancestors lived in tents during their wilderness wanderings (Lv 23:33-43; Nm 29:12-40; Dt 16:13-17). There was a large crowd gathered for this feast, so it was a good time to address many people. This was October 17, 520 BC.

2:2-3 Saw this house in its former glory . . . Doesn’t it seem to you like nothing by comparison? The prophet heard what people were saying about the temple-rebuilding program during the feast. Many had a negative attitude, saying this temple would be greatly inferior to Solomon’s gold-covered temple (1Kg 6:2-35).

2:4 Be strong (mentioned three times) is an encouragement for the leaders Zerubbabel and Joshua, as well as the rest of the people, to be bold and firmly committed. They should not question the worthiness of building a temple to glorify God.

2:5 My Spirit is present among you promises that the power that enabled the people to escape Egypt (cp. Ex 33:14-17) was still actively present to help in this crisis situation.

2:6 I am going to shake all parts of the earth describes God’s sovereignty over what will happen. This verse is quoted in Heb 12:26.

2:7 The treasures of all the nations will come is not a messianic hope, but a promise that God will provide all the gold and silver that is needed (v. 8 says they “belong to me”) to make the unimpressive temple glorious. Ezra 6:8 marks the fulfillment of this prophecy, for the Persians paid the full cost of reconstruction.

2:8 The people should not concern themselves with the insignificant resources at their disposal because all the silver and all the gold is God’s.

2:9 The final glory of this house will be greater may be an eschatological promise (cp. Is 60:1-9; Ezk 40:1-44:8).

2:10-12 This prophecy is dated December 18, 520 BC, three months after work began on the temple. This would have been planting season. Does it become holy? asks if touching something holy can transfer holiness. The answer is no.

2:13 Does it become defiled? inquires about the transfer of uncleanness. The answer is yes (cp. Nm 19:11).

2:14 So is this people indicates that these people in Jerusalem will not become holy simply by touching the holy temple while rebuilding it. God wants people to have holy hearts; he is less concerned with the construction of holy buildings.

2:15-16 From this day on is literally “from this day upwards.” Commentators differ on whether it refers to future or past time. Verse 16 clearly refers to the past. Grain production was down fifty percent and wine production sixty percent.

2:17 I struck you . . . but you didn’t turn to me describes past failures to repent and God’s past discipline of them when he gave them poor crops (cp. 1:6,9-11; Am 4:9).

2:18-19 From this day on, think carefully . . . I will bless you implies acts of confession and spiritual revival took place at this time. Because of this change God could richly bless their future crops and fill their empty granaries. The date was mid-December 520 BC.

2:20-22 I will overturn royal thrones. Although Zerubbabel was discouraged with little power and few military resources, God promised to work on his behalf to determine who would win the wars at that time.

2:23 My servant identifies Zerubbabel not as an insignificant governor, but as a key obedient person who followed God’s directions. Make you like my signet ring indicates that Zerubbabel will carry the authority to act as God’s legitimate Davidic ruler, a right that God removed from the evil King Jehoiachin (Coniah) in Jr 22:24. This no doubt gave some hope about a future Davidic ruler who would someday rule on David’s throne (Is 9:6-7; Jr 23:5-6).