Haggai 2

The Coming Glory of the Temple

1 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first of the month, the word of the LORD came 1 by Haggai the prophet, saying: 2 "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: 3 a 'Who is left among you who saw this 2 temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, b is this not in your eyes as nothing? 4 'Yet now c be strong, Zerubbabel,' says the LORD; 'and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,' says the LORD, 'and work; for I am with you,' says the LORD of hosts. 5 d 'According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so e My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!' 6 "For thus says the LORD of hosts: f 'Once more (it is a little while) g I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; 7 'and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to h the 3 Desire of All Nations, 4 and I will fill this 5 temple with i glory,' says the LORD of hosts. 8 'The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' says the LORD of hosts. 9 j 'The glory of this latter 6 temple shall be greater than the former,' says the LORD of hosts'And in this place I will give k peace,' says the LORD of hosts."

Blessings for a Defiled People

10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 11 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Now, l ask the priests concerning the law, saying, 12 "If one carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread or stew, wine or oil, or any food, will it become holy?" ' " Then the priests answered and said, "No." 13 And Haggai said, "If one who is m unclean because of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?" So the priests answered and said, "It shall be unclean." 14 Then Haggai answered and said, n " 'So is this people, and so is this nation before Me,' says the LORD, 'and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean. 15 'And now, carefully o consider from this day forward: from before stone was laid upon stone in the temple of the LORD - 16 'since those days, p when one came to a heap of twenty ephahs, there were but ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty baths from the press, there were but twenty. 17 q 'I struck you with blight and mildew and hail r in all the labors of your hands; s yet you did not turn to Me,' says the LORD. 18 'Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from t the day that the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid - consider it: 19 u 'Is the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded fruit. But from this day I will v bless you.' "

Zerubbabel Chosen as a Signet

20 And again the word of the LORD came to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying, 21 "Speak to Zerubbabel, w governor of Judah, saying:
x 'I will shake heaven and earth. 22 y I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms;
I will destroy the strength of the Gentile kingdoms.
z I will overthrow the chariots
And those who ride in them;
The horses and their riders shall come down,
Every one by the sword of his brother. 23 'In that day,' says the LORD of hosts, 'I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,' says the LORD, a 'and will make you like a signet ring; for b I have chosen you,' says the LORD of hosts."

  1. Cross References
    Ezra 3:12
    But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers' houses, old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes. Yet many shouted aloud for joy.
    Ezra 3:13
    So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off.
  2. Cross References
    Zechariah 4:10
    For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the LORD, Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.
  3. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 31:23
    Then He inaugurated Joshua the son of Nun, and said, "Be strong and of good courage; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land of which I swore to them, and I will be with you.
    1 Chronicles 22:13
    Then you will prosper, if you take care to fulfill the statutes and judgments with which the LORD charged Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be dismayed.
    1 Chronicles 28:20
    And David said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God - my God - will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.
    Zechariah 8:9
    Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Let your hands be strong, You who have been hearing in these days These words by the mouth of the prophets, Who spoke in the day the foundation was laid For the house of the LORD of hosts, That the temple might be built.
    Ephesians 6:10
    Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
  4. Cross References
    Exodus 29:45
    I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God.
    Exodus 29:46
    And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.
  5. Cross References
    Nehemiah 9:20
    You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, And did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, And gave them water for their thirst.
    Isaiah 63:11
    Then he remembered the days of old, Moses and his people, saying: "Where is He who brought them up out of the sea With the shepherd of His flock? Where is He who put His Holy Spirit within them.
    Isaiah 63:14
    As a beast goes down into the valley, And the Spirit of the LORD causes him to rest, So You lead Your people, To make Yourself a glorious name.
  6. Cross References
    Hebrews 12:26
    Whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.
  7. Cross References
    Joel 3:16
    The LORD also will roar from Zion, And utter His voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and earth will shake; But the LORD will be a shelter for His people, And the strength of the children of Israel.
  8. Cross References
    Genesis 49:10
    The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.
    Malachi 3:1
    Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming," Says the LORD of hosts.
  9. Cross References
    1 Kings 8:11
    So that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.
    Isaiah 60:7
    All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together to you, The rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you; They shall ascend with acceptance on My altar, And I will glorify the house of My glory.
    Zechariah 2:5
    'For I,' says the LORD, 'will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.'"
  10. Cross References
    John 1:14
    And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
  11. Cross References
    Psalms 85:8
    I will hear what God the LORD will speak, For He will speak peace To His people and to His saints; But let them not turn back to folly.
    Psalms 85:9
    Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, That glory may dwell in our land.
    Luke 2:14
    "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
    Ephesians 2:14
    For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation.
  12. Cross References
    Leviticus 10:10
    That you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean.
    Leviticus 10:11
    "and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them by the hand of Moses."
    Deuteronomy 33:10
    They shall teach Jacob Your judgments, And Israel Your law. They shall put incense before You, And a whole burnt sacrifice on Your altar.
    Malachi 2:7
    For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, And people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
  13. Cross References
    Leviticus 22:4 - 6
    Whatever man of the descendants of Aaron, who is a leper or has a discharge, shall not eat the holy offerings until he is clean. And whoever touches anything made unclean by a corpse, or a man who has had an emission of semen.
    Numbers 19:11
    He who touches the dead body of anyone shall be unclean seven days.
    Numbers 19:22
    'Whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean; and the person who touches it shall be unclean until evening.'"
  14. Cross References
    Titus 1:15
    To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.
  15. Cross References
    Haggai 1:5
    Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: "Consider your ways!
    Haggai 1:7
    Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Consider your ways!
    Haggai 2:18
    Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid - consider it:
  16. Cross References
    Haggai 1:6
    "You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes."
    Haggai 1:9
    You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?" says the LORD of hosts. "Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house.
    Zechariah 8:10
    For before these days There were no wages for man nor any hire for beast; There was no peace from the enemy for whoever went out or came in; For I set all men, everyone, against his neighbor.
  17. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 28:22
    The LORD will strike you with consumption, with fever, with inflammation, with severe burning fever, with the sword, with scorching, and with mildew; they shall pursue you until you perish.
    1 Kings 8:37
    When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is.
    Amos 4:9
    I blasted you with blight and mildew. When your gardens increased, Your vineyards, Your fig trees, And your olive trees, The locust devoured them; Yet you have not returned to Me," Says the LORD.
  18. Cross References
    Haggai 1:11
    "For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands."
  19. Cross References
    Jeremiah 5:3
    O LORD, are not Your eyes on the truth? You have stricken them, But they have not grieved; You have consumed them, But they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; They have refused to return.
    Amos 4:6 - 11
    Also I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities. And lack of bread in all your places; Yet you have not returned to Me," Says the LORD.
  20. Cross References
    Ezra 5:1
    Then the prophet Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them.
    Ezra 5:2
    So Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak rose up and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them, helping them.
    Ezra 5:16
    "Then the same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem; but from that time even until now it has been under construction, and it is not finished."
    Zechariah 8:9
    Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Let your hands be strong, You who have been hearing in these days These words by the mouth of the prophets, Who spoke in the day the foundation was laid For the house of the LORD of hosts, That the temple might be built.
  21. Cross References
    Zechariah 8:12
    For the seed shall be prosperous, The vine shall give its fruit, The ground shall give her increase, And the heavens shall give their dew - I will cause the remnant of this people To possess all these.
  22. Cross References
    Psalms 128:1 - 6
    Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, Who walks in His ways.
    Jeremiah 31:12
    Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, Streaming to the goodness of the LORD - For wheat and new wine and oil, For the young of the flock and the herd; Their souls shall be like a well-watered garden, And they shall sorrow no more at all.
    Jeremiah 31:14
    I will satiate the soul of the priests with abundance, And My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, says the LORD.
    Malachi 3:10
    Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
  23. Cross References
    Ezra 5:2
    So Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak rose up and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them, helping them.
    Haggai 1:1
    In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying.
    Haggai 1:14
    So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God.
    Zechariah 4:6 - 10
    So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts.
  24. Cross References
    Haggai 2:6
    For thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land.
    Haggai 2:7
    And I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,' says the LORD of hosts.
    Hebrews 12:26
    Whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.
    Hebrews 12:27
    Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.
  25. Cross References
    Daniel 2:44
    And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
    Revelation 19:11 - 21
    Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
  26. Cross References
    Psalms 46:9
    He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.
    Ezekiel 39:20
    You shall be filled at My table With horses and riders, With mighty men And with all the men of war," says the Lord GOD.
    Micah 5:10
    And it shall be in that day," says the LORD, "That I will cut off your horses from your midst And destroy your chariots.
    Zechariah 9:10
    I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim And the horse from Jerusalem; The battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be 'from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.
  27. Cross References
    Song of Solomon 8:6
    Set me as a seal upon your heart, As a seal upon your arm; For love is as strong as death, Jealousy as cruel as the grave; Its flames are flames of fire, A most vehement flame.
    Jeremiah 22:24
    As I live," says the LORD, "though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, were the signet on My right hand, yet I would pluck you off.
  28. Cross References
    Isaiah 42:1
    Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
    Isaiah 43:10
    You are My witnesses," says the LORD, "And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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