Haggai 1:15

In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king. IN THE FOUR AND TWENTIETH DAY - 23 days after the first message of Haggai (), "in the first day of the month." Remarks: (1) In the inspiration of the men by whose 'hand' (margin, ) Scripture hath come, God was the Speaker; the prophet by whom "the word of the Lord came" was but the instrument, though an intelligent, conscious instrument, not an inanimate unintelligent machine. The human medium of God's revelations was "the Lord's messenger in the Lord's message:" he was () invested not only with the Lord's commission and authority in fulfilling the Lord's embassage, but also with the power of the Divine Spirit direct...

The Prophet mentions even the time when they commenced the building of the temple. Three-and-twenty days interposed between the first message and the beginning of the work. It hence appears how ignorant he was who divided the chapters, having begun the second chapter at this verse, where the Prophet shows, as it were by his finger, how much was the distance between the day in which he began to exhort the people, and the success of which he speaks. He then simply tells us here when the Temple began to be built—that is, in the second year of Darius the king, and in the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month. He had previously said that a message was given to him in the second year of Darius the king, and in the sixth month, and on the first day. Then from that day to the twenty-fourth the people delayed; not that they disregarded the command of the Prophet, but because it was not so easy a t...

12-15 The people returned to God in the way of duty. In attending to God's ministers, we must have respect to him that sent them. The word of the Lord has success, when by his grace he stirs up our spirits to comply with it. It is in the day of Divine power we are made willing. When God has work to be done, he will either find or make men fit to do it. Every one helped, as his ability was; and this they did with a regard to the Lord as their God. Those who have lost time, need to redeem time; and the longer we have loitered in folly, the more haste we should make. God met them in a way of mercy. Those who work for him, have him with them; and if he be for us, who can be against us? This should stir us up to be diligent....

Verse Haggai 1:15. _IN THE FOUR AND TWENTIETH DAY_] Haggai received his commission on the _first_ day of this month and by the _twenty-fourth_ day he had so completely succeeded that he had the satisfaction to see the whole people engaged heartily in the Lord's work; they left their own houses to build that of the Lord. Here was a _faithful reprover_, and he found _obedient ears_; and the Lord's work was done, for _the people had a mind to work_....

IN THE FOUR AND TWENTIETH DAY OF THE MONTH - The interval of twenty-three days must have been spent in preparation, since the message came on the first of the month, and the obedience was immediate....

EXPOSITION HAGGAI 1:1 Part I. THE FIRST ADDRESS: EXHORTATION TO BUILD THE TEMPLE AND ITS RESULT. HAGGAI 1:1 § 1. _The people are reproved for their indifference with regard to the erection of the temple, and admonished that their present distress is a chastisement for this neglect._ HAGGAI 1:1 IN THE SECOND YEAR OF DARIUS THE KING. This is Darius Hystaspes, who reigned over Persia from B.C. 521 to B.C. 486. He is called in the inscr

IN THE FOUR AND TWENTIETH DAY OF THE SIXTH MONTH,.... Or, "in the four and twentieth of the month, in the sixth"; in that sixth month before mentioned, Haggai 1:1. On this day they came and worked; not the sixth from Tisri, for the Jews had two ways of beginning their years, which would have answered to part of February; and, therefore, chose by some interpreters as being a proper time to begin building; but no regard is had to the fitness of the season, but to the order of the Lord; but the sixth month from Nisan, and answers to part of August; for so the months are reckoned in the prophecy of Zechariah, who began to prophecy the same year as Haggai did; see Zechariah 1:1 Zechariah 7:1 this was three and twenty days after the p

Haggai 1:1. _In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying. This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD'S house should be built._ God keeps an almanac, and the date on which he speaks is always important. There is a set time for each of his messages to come to men, and God would have them give heed to every message as soon as it is delivered to them. If they do not, he keeps count of the days of their delay; and therefore he is particular in causing his servants to record the exact date when his message was delivered: «In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word o

CHAPTER 1:12-15 The Second Address The spirit of God carried home the burning message of rebuke, and that happened which did not happen with the generation before the captivity. They considered their ways. They took it to heart. They knew the Lord had spoken, and that He was right, the rebuke well earned. Happy are all those who act always in this way, who humble themselves and are obedient to the Lord. It is a refreshing scene which the twelfth verse records. They all united, Zerubbabel, Joshua, and all the remnant of the people. There was not one dissenting voice. They all obeyed the Lord and the words of the prophet. “Then Haggai, the LORD'S messenger, spoke again in the LORD'S message unto the people.” It is striking how it is made prominent that he did not speak of himself, but was the Lord's messenger and brought the Lord's message. Would to God that all those who claim the digni...

THE EFFECT OF HAGGAI'S ELOQUENCE. Work was actually begun at the Temple twenty-three days after the first appeal. The phrase the remnant (apparently editorial), probably has the same sense as in Jeremiah 24:8; Jeremiah 40:11; Jeremiah 40:15; Jeremiah 41:10; Jeremiah 41:16; Jeremiah 42:2; Jeremiah 42:15;...