2:3 Who [is] left among you that saw this a house in her first
glory? and how do ye see it now? [is it] not in your eyes
in comparison of it as nothing?
(a) For the people according as had been prophesied in
(Isa 2:2) and (Eze 41:1-26), thought this temple
should have been more excellent than Solomon's temple,
which was destroyed by the Babylonians, but the Prophets
meant the spiritual Temple, the Church of Christ.
2:4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be
strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be
strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and b
work: for I [am] with you, saith the LORD of hosts:
(b) That is, go forward in building the temple.
2:6 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; c Yet once, it [is] a
little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth,
and the sea, and the dry [land];
(c) He exhorts them to patience though they do not see as
yet this temple so glorious as the Prophets had
declared: for this should be accomplished in Christ, by
whom all things should be renewed.
2:7 And I will shake all nations, and d the desire of all
nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory,
saith the LORD of hosts.
(d) Meaning Christ, whom all ought to look for and desire:
or by desire he may signify all precious things, such
as riches, and things like them.
2:8 The e silver [is] mine, and the gold [is] mine, saith the
LORD of hosts.
(e) Therefore when his time comes he can make all the
treasures of the world to serve his purpose: but the
glory of this second Temple does not consist of material
things, neither can it be built.
2:9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the
former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I
give f peace, saith the LORD of hosts.
(f) Meaning all spiritual blessings and felicity purchased
by Christ; (Php 4:7).
2:12 If one bear g holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and
with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil,
or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and
said, No.
(g) That is, the flesh of the sacrifices, by which he means
that a thing which of itself is good, cannot make
another thing so: and therefore they ought not to
justify themselves by their sacrifices and ceremonies:
but contrary to this, he that is unclean and not pure
of heart, does corrupt those things and make them
detestable to God, which otherwise are good and godly.
2:15 And now, I pray you, consider from this h day and upward,
from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of
the LORD:
(h) Consider how God plagued you with famine before you
began to build the temple.
2:16i Since those [days] were, when [one] came to an heap of
twenty [measures], there were [but] ten: when [one] came to
the pressfat for to draw out fifty [vessels] out of the
press, there were [but] twenty.
(i) That is, before the building was begun.
2:18 Consider now from k this day and upward, from the four
and twentieth day of the ninth [month, even] from the day
that the foundation of the LORD'S temple was laid, consider
[it].
(k) From the time they began to build the temple, he
promises that God would bless them: and even though the
fruit has not yet come forth, yet in the gathering they
would have plenty.
2:19 Is the l seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and
the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath
not brought forth: from this day will I bless [you].
(l) He exhorts them to have patience, and to remain until
the harvest came, and then they would see God's
blessings.
2:21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I m will
shake the heavens and the earth;
(m) I will make a change, and renew all things in Christ,
of whom Zerubbabel is here a figure.
2:22 And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will
destroy the strength of the n kingdoms of the heathen;
and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in
them; and the horses and their riders shall come down,
every one by the sword of his brother.
(n) By this he shows that there will be no stop or
hindrance, when God will make this wonderful
restitution of his Church.
2:23 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O
Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the
LORD, and will make thee as a o signet: for I have chosen
thee, saith the LORD of hosts.
(o) Signifying that his dignity would be most excellent,
which thing was accomplished in Christ.
