_Came the Word of the Lord by the prophet Haggai._ ENCOURAGING THE PEOPLE The recovery of the Jews from the disasters attending the Babylonian Captivity was necessarily slow and painful. The handful of patriots who returned with Zerubbabel were poor, weak, and despised. They found Jerusalem and th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory?_ THE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE TWO HOUSES A despondency, such as the Israelites must needs have felt, is very apt to come over those who have begun to engage in a good work, after the first flash of their zeal has faded away. When we are lab... [ Continue Reading ]
_Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord;--for I am with you _ THE CHURCH OF THE FUTURE These prophecies of Haggai are all concerned with the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. The first of them is a prophecy of rebuke, in which God censures the people for devoting all their care and i... [ Continue Reading ]
_My Spirit remaineth among you; fear ye not._ THE PATIENCE OF THE SPIRIT Some, more especially the older men of the nation, remembering the magnificence of the temple of Solomon, and contrasting with it the meanness of the present temple, were continually discouraging the builders; so the Lord sen... [ Continue Reading ]
_Yet once. .. and I will shake the heavens._ DIVINE SHAKINGS What are these shakings? They have generally been referred to the establishment of the New Testament dispensation, from the text in Hebrews. This interpretation we cannot receive, because-- 1. The designation of the interval before thei... [ Continue Reading ]
_The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former._ THE SUPERIORITY OF THE LATTER HOUSE The prophet’s declaration that the silver is the Lord’s and the gold is the Lord’s is full of comfort to those who are disquieted about their own work, if they will receive it rightly. You who... [ Continue Reading ]
_In this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts._ THE NATURE, SOURCE, AND MEANS OF SPIRITUAL, PEACE Inquire-- I. Into the nature of the peace here spoken of. It includes peace with God,_ i.e_, forgiveness, acceptance, reconciliation with Him. When this is witnessed to the soul by the Sp... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ask now the priests concerning the law._ HUMAN DUTY I. That the question of human duty is to be decided by an appeal to divine authority. “Thus saith the Lord of hosts: Ask now the priests concerning the law.” The question, of course, implies two things. 1. That there is a Divine written law for... [ Continue Reading ]
_So is every work of their hands, and that which they offer there is unclean._ WORKS AND PURE HEARTS They who have imbibed the true fear of God, do rightly serve Him though they may bring only a crumb of incense, and that others only profane the worship of God, though they bring many oxen; as a hea... [ Continue Reading ]
_Consider. .. from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the Lord._ THE HOUSE OF GOD 1. These places of worship are strongholds of the religious principle of the community. The only thing in the form of religious sentiment which can do any good to the soul is that which recognises G... [ Continue Reading ]
_I smote you with blasting, and with mildew, and with hail, in all the labours of your hands._ BLASTING AND MILDEW Very useful and important are the fungi in the world’s busy household. They are working at “chemical problems which have puzzled a Liebig and a Lavoisier,” converting the noxious produ... [ Continue Reading ]
_From this day will I bless you._ THE BIRTHDAY OF BLESSING The cause of much ill success in life is often to be found in the want of zeal for God’s house. The temple was a type of that Church of which every individual believer is a living stone. From the day when the foundation of that temple is l... [ Continue Reading ]
_And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms._ THE BLESSING OF CALAMITIES These are the concluding words of the prophecies of Haggai. The Old Testament is one continual declaration and snowing form of this truth, that sin, when it has conceived, brings forth death, and all the family of death. On t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Will make thee a signet: for I have chosen thee._ GOD’S ACCEPTANCE OF ZERUBBABEL This text acquaints us with God’s gracious purpose to magnify Zerubbabel, and to put honour upon him. Consider it in a threefold notion, I. As a prophecy. Directed to Zerubbabel, acquainting him with the future even... [ Continue Reading ]