The Prophet Haggai

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- Chapter 2 -

Almost one month later, on the twenty-first day of the next month, Yahweh gave the prophet Haggai another message.

The message was that he should say this to Shealtiel’s son Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, Jehozadek’s son Jeshua the high priest, and to the other people who were still alive in Jerusalem:

“Do any of you remember how glorious our former temple was? If you do, what does it look like to you now? It must seem like nothing at all.

But now Yahweh, Commander of the angel armies, says to all of you, to Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of you people who live in this nation, ’Do not be discouraged; instead be strong!

My Spirit remains among you, like I promised your ancestors when they left Egypt. So do not be afraid!’

This is what Yahweh, Commander of the angel armies, says: ’Soon I will shake again the sky and the earth, the oceans and the ground.

I will shake again the people of all the nations, and as a result they will bring their treasures to this temple. I will fill this temple with my glory.

The silver and the gold that they own are really mine, so they will bring them to me.

Then this temple will be more glorious than the former temple was. And I will cause things to go well for you all. That will surely happen because I, Yahweh, Commander of the angel armies, have said it.’”

Blessings for a Defiled People

Then on the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month of that same year, Yahweh gave still another message to the prophet Haggai:

“This is what Yahweh, Commander of the angel armies says: ’Ask the priests this question about what is written in the laws of Moses about sacrifices:

If one of you priests takes from the altar some meat that was sacrificed and is carrying it in his robes, if his robe touches some bread or stew or wine or olive oil or some other food, does that food also become holy?’” When he said that to the priests, they replied, “No.”

Then Haggai asked them, “If someone becomes unacceptable to God by touching a corpse, and then he touches any of those foods, will the food also become unacceptable to God?” The priests replied, “Yes.”

Then Haggai replied, “Yahweh says this: ’It is the same with you people and with this nation. Everything that you do and all the sacrifices that you all offer are unacceptable to me because of the sins that you have committed.

Think about what has been happening to you before you began to lay the foundation of my temple.

When you expected to harvest twenty measures of grain, you harvested only ten. When someone went to a big wine vat to get fifty measures of wine, there were only twenty in the vat.

I sent blight and mildew to destroy all your crops. But still you did not return to me.’ This is what Yahweh, Commander of the angel armies, says to you.

Starting from this day, the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month of this year, the day when you have laid the foundation of my new temple, continue to think carefully about your situation.

Is there now any grain seed left in your barns? No, because you have eaten the small amount that you harvested. And there is no fruit on your grapevines and fig trees and pomegranate trees and olive trees. But, from now on, I will bless you!’”

Zerubbabel the LORD’s Signet Ring

On that same day, Yahweh gave another message to Haggai.

He said, “Tell Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, that I am going to shake the sky and the earth.

I will end the power of the kings of many nations. I will cause their chariots and their drivers, their horses and the soldiers who are riding on them to be destroyed. The soldiers will kill each other with their own swords.

Zerubbabel, you will become my servant on that day. And I, Yahweh, Commander of the angel armies, declare that like kings wear signet rings to show that they have authority to rule people, I will appoint you and cause you to have authority to rule. I will do that because I have chosen you. That will surely happen because I, Yahweh, Commander of the angel armies, have said it.”

In the seventh month, in the twenty-first day of the month, the LORD’s word came by Haggai the prophet, saying,

“Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying,

‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Isn’t it in your eyes as nothing?

Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says the LORD. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ says the LORD, ‘and work, for I am with you,’ says the LORD of Armies.

This is the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, and my Spirit lived among you. ‘Don’t be afraid.’

For this is what the LORD of Armies says: ‘Yet once more, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land;

and I will shake all nations. The treasure of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of Armies.

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,’ says the LORD of Armies.

‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of Armies; ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ says the LORD of Armies.”

Blessings for a Defiled People

In the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the LORD’s word came by Haggai the prophet, saying,

“The LORD of Armies says: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,

‘If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with his fold touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any food, will it become holy?’” The priests answered, “No.”

Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean by reason of a dead body touch any of these, will it be unclean?” The priests answered, “It will be unclean.”

Then Haggai answered, “‘So is this people, and so is this nation before me,’ says the LORD; ‘and so is every work of their hands. That which they offer there is unclean.

Now, please consider from this day and backward, before a stone was laid on a stone in the LORD’s temple.

Through all that time, when one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty, there were only twenty.

I struck you with blight, mildew, and hail in all the work of your hands; yet you didn’t turn to me,’ says the LORD.

‘Consider, please, from this day and backward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, since the day that the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid, consider it.

Is the seed yet in the barn? Yes, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree haven’t produced. From today I will bless you.’”

Zerubbabel the LORD’s Signet Ring

The LORD’s word came the second time to Haggai in the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying,

“Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, ‘I will shake the heavens and the earth.

I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overthrow the chariots and those who ride in them. The horses and their riders will come down, everyone by the sword of his brother.

In that day, says the LORD of Armies, I will take you, Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says the LORD, ‘and will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ says the LORD of Armies.”