f1 A 1:1-4. Disapprobation at Neglect.
B 1:5-11. Punishment. Scarcity.
C 1:12-2:5. Obedience and Encouragement.
D 2:6-9. "I will shake", &c.
A 2:10-14. Disapprobation at Neglect.
B 2:15-17. Punishment. Scarcity.
C 2:18,19. Obedience and Encouragement.
D 2:20-23. "I will shake", &c.
Between Zephaniah and Haggai lay the 70 years' captivity in Babylon.
Haggai was the 1st prophet by whom "God spoke" after the Return. Heb. 1:1.
His prophecy is dated "in the 2nd year of Darius" [Hystaspis], 16 years after the decree of Cyrus; and therefore in the year 410 B.C., from the 6th to the 9th month; covering a period of 4 months.
There are 4 distinct messages:-
1. The 1st, on the 1st day of the 6th month, 1:1-11.
1 The message in 1:13 is not a dated message, but it refers to the time when Yehovah stirred up the spirit of obedience in Zerubbabel, recorded in v.14, 23 days after the delivery of Haggai's 1st message; nearly a month before the 2nd message [2:1-9].
2. The 2nd1, on the 21st day of the 7th month, 2:1-9.
3. The 3rd, on the 24th day of the 9th month, 2:10-19.
4. The 4th, on the same day as the 3rd, 2:20-23.
Haggai = feast, or festival. Looks toward the future. The building of the many membered body. The gathering of God's Children back into His Word.
410 B.C.
Haggai 1)
1 In the second year of Darius [Hystaspis] the king (see Ezra and Nehemiah), in the sixth month, in the first day of the month (our August 17th), came the word of the LORD (Yahaveh) by the hand of (Heb. idiom for God speaking "by the prophets") Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel (= born in confusion [but came out]; because he was the royal seed of Judah born [or seed sown] in Babylon. Cp. 1 Chron. 3:19. Ezra 2:2; 3:2.) the grand-son of Shealtiel (= asked for from God. The son of Jehoiachin, who was taken captive to Babylon [2 Kings 24:15. 1 Chron. 3:17. Cp. Ezra 3:2,8; 5:2. Neh. 12:1. Matt. 1:12. Luke 3:27), governor of Judah (ruling Judea as a Persian province, with a Persian title pechah, from which we have the modern pasha = prefect, or satrap), and to Joshua (the 1st high priest after the return) the son of Josedech (= Yehovah is righteous), the high priest, saying,
2 "Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, saying, 'This People say (not Zerubbabel or Joshua), 'The time is not come, the time that the LORD's house should be built.' '"
3 Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,
4 "Is it time for you, even you, to dwell in your paneled houses (used of the lining of an arched roof. Occ. in 1 Kings 6:9; 7:3,7. Jer. 22:14. Showing that their houses were not only roofed, but decorated. Cp. David [2 Sam. 7:2. Ps. 132:3]. This proves that the Temple had not been commenced. Cp. v.9. See Neh. 7:4), and this house lie waste? (Didn't have time for God's house.)
5 Now therefore thus says the LORD of hosts; 'Give your attention to your ways. (I.e. the ways in which you have been led, your experiences which are detailed in the next verse.)
6 You have sown much, and bring in little (ref. Deut. 28:38,39); you eat, but you are not satisfied (ref. Lev. 26:26); you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earns wages earns wages to put it into a bag with holes.' (Because of v.4.)
7 Thus says the LORD of hosts; 'Give attention to your ways.
8 Go up to the hill country (the same country were the wood would come from for the cross!), and bring wood, and build the house (cp. Solomon's Temple. Its not the value, its the work you do); and I will be pleased therewith in it, and I will get Me honor (the Hebrew text has 'kkabda. This is one in a list of 29 words which are without the letter He [ה] at the end. This letter ה = five [5 = grace], and later regarded as the 5 things lacking in the 2nd Temple, viz: (1) the ark; (2) the sacred fire; (3) the Shekinah glory; (4) the Urim and Thummim; and (5) the spirit of prophecy. This list is to safeguard the other occurrence of the word, which have this letter at the end, among them being Ex. 14:4,17.), has said the LORD.
9 You looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when you brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? says the LORD of hosts. Because of My house that is waste, and you run every man to his own house. (They didn't have time for God.)
10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew (ref. Lev. 26:19. Deut. 28:23), and the earth is stayed from her fruit. (Don't give up on loving Him or He will hold back your progress.)
11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground brings forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labor of the hands. (He can ruin everything you do if He chooses for those that don't love Him.)
12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the People (which had returned from Babylon. Cp. v.14; 2:2,&c.), obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, according as the LORD their God had sent him to them, and the People did revere (or love) before the LORD.
13 Then spake Haggai the LORD'S messenger in the LORD'S message to the People, saying, "I am with you (it doesn't take much as long as you are trying), says the LORD."
14 And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit (put for the state of mind and feeling)of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came (see Ezra 3:1,&c.) and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,
15 In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king. (This message took effect about 3 weeks later from v.1.)