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a second message came from the Lord. It came to Haggai the prophet. The message came on the 21st day of the seventh month. The Lord said, 2 ‘Speak to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah and the son of Shealtiel. Also speak to Joshua the high priest, the son of Jozadak. And speak to all my people who are still left alive. Ask them, 3 “Did any of you who are here see how beautiful this temple used to be? How does it look to you now? It doesn't look so good, does it? 4 But be strong, Zerubbabel,” announces the Lord. “Be strong, Joshua. Be strong, all of you people in the land,” announces the Lord. “Start rebuilding. I am with you,” announces the Lord who rules over all. 5 “That is what I promised you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit continues to be with you. So do not be afraid.” ’
6 The Lord says, ‘In a little while I will shake the heavens and the earth once more. I will also shake the ocean and the dry land. 7 I will shake all the nations. Then what is desired by all nations will come to my temple. And I will fill the temple with glory,’ says the Lord who rules over all. 8 ‘The silver belongs to me. So does the gold,’ announces the Lord who rules over all. 9 ‘The new temple will be more beautiful than the first one was,’ says the Lord. ‘And in this place I will bring peace,’ announces the Lord who rules over all.
2:1–9 The temple built when Solomon was king was grand and wonderful (1 Chronicles 29:1). The second temple wasn't as beautiful. And the workers building it faced trouble. Certain Persian officials tried to stop their work. The story about this is recorded in Ezra chapter 5. Haggai spoke a message of hope to encourage Zerubbabel, Joshua and the people. They didn't have to be afraid. They could be strong because God's Spirit was with them. This is another name for the Holy Spirit. The Spirit had been with the Israelites when they left Egypt. At that time God had done many miracles to save them from being slaves. He promised to do mighty acts for his people once again. That is what it meant that he would shake the heavens and the earth. God would take action to make it possible for the Jews to finish building the temple. Darius was God's tool to get this done. An important letter from Darius is recorded in Ezra chapter 6. It showed that Darius allowed the Jews to continue building the temple. He made sure that they had all the supplies they needed. Haggai prophesied about glory, beauty and peace in the temple. Some of these prophecies were fulfilled during the time of Herod the Great. His building projects made the second temple large and wonderful (Mark 13:1). Jews came to understand that the prophecies were about a time in the future. They would be fulfilled in the new creation.
10 A third message from the Lord came to Haggai the prophet. The message came on the 24th day of the ninth month of the second year that Darius was king. 11 The Lord who rules over all speaks. He says, ‘Ask the priests what the law says. 12 Suppose someone carries holy meat in the clothes they are wearing. And the clothes touch some bread or stew. Or they touch some wine, olive oil or other food. Then do these things also become holy?’
The priests answered, ‘No’.
13 So Haggai said, ‘Suppose someone is made “unclean” by touching a dead body. And then they touch one of these things. Does it become “unclean” too?’
‘Yes’, the priests replied. ‘It does.’
14 Then here is what Haggai said. ‘The Lord announces, “That is how I look at these people and this nation. Anything they do and anything they sacrifice on the altar is ‘unclean’.
15 ‘ “Think carefully about this from now on. Think about how things were before the Lord's temple was built. This was before one stone was laid on top of another. 16 People went to get 20 measures of corn. But they could find only 10. They went to where the wine was stored to get 50 measures. But only 20 were there. 17 You worked very hard to produce all those things. But I struck them with rot, mould and hail. And you still did not return to me,” announces the Lord. 18 It is the 24th day of the ninth month. From this day on, here is what you should think carefully about. Think about the day when the foundation of my temple was laid. 19 Are any seeds still left in your barns? Until now, your vines and fig-trees have not produced any fruit. Your pomegranate and olive trees have not produced any either.
‘ “But from this day on I will bless you.” ’
2:10–19 Haggai's third message was about the hearts of the people rebuilding the temple. God warned that they were making the second temple unclean. This was because the people themselves were unclean. This didn't mean that they needed to wash dirt off their bodies. It meant that they weren't living according to the ways God had taught them. God's people were considered unclean when they didn't live according to the Law of Moses. God invited them to think carefully. God wanted his people to pay attention to their thoughts, words and actions. He wanted them to turn away from evil and to repent of their sin. God wanted them to love him and obey him with all of their heart (Deuteronomy 6:5). When God's people did this, they were considered clean. It meant that they were being faithful to the Mount Sinai covenant. This made them able to receive the covenant blessings.
20 A final message from the Lord came to Haggai. This message also came on the 24th day of the ninth month. The Lord said, 21 ‘Speak to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah. Tell him I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. 22 I will throw down royal thrones. I will smash the power of other kingdoms. I will destroy chariots and their drivers. Horses and their riders will fall. They will be killed by the swords of their relatives.
23 ‘ “Zerubbabel, at that time I will pick you,” announces the Lord. “You are my servant,” announces the Lord. “You will be like a ring that has my royal mark on it. I have chosen you,” announces the Lord who rules over all.’
2:20–23 Haggai's fourth message was a message of hope for Zerubbabel. It showed that God has power over all human governments. God rules over all. Many kingdoms are led by human beings who don't recognise this. God promised to bring judgement against them and to destroy them. But God promised something very different to Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was God's servant. God chose him. Zerubbabel was like a ring with God's royal mark on it. The royal mark was a seal. It showed that Zerubbabel had authority from God to be a ruler. These promises were about God's covenant with David. They showed that God continued his covenant with David through Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel never became king over Judah or Israel. Neither did anyone in his family line. Jews came to understand that Haggai's message was a prophecy about the messiah. New Testament writers understood that it was a prophecy about Jesus. Zerubbabel was in the family line of Jesus (Matthew 1:12–13).