View Haggai 2 in the note window.
Haggai assures the builders, that the glory of this house should
exceed the glory of the former, ver. 1 - 9.
That God would bless them and give them success, ver. 10 - 19.
That he would peculiarly bless Zerubbabel, ver. 20 - 23.
3: That saw - Near fourscore years ago.
This house - The temple built by Solomon.
5: My spirit - Of strength and courage, of wisdom and understanding.
6: Yet once - After many confirmations of the new covenant, one more,
remains to be made. A little while - Tho' above five hundred years, yet
this was but a little time compared with that between the promise to
Adam and Christ's coming. I will shake - Whether it be metaphorical
or literal, it was verified at the time of Christ's coming into the world.
After the return of the captivity, by the commotions among the Grecians,
Persians, and Romans, which began soon after this time; this was
metaphorically fulfilled. And it was literally fulfilled by prodigies
and earthquakes, at the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ.
7: All nations - Which was literally fulfilled in the overthrow
of the Persian monarchy by the Grecians, in the civil wars, and
succeeding troubles among Alexander's successors, the growth of the
Roman power by subduing their neighbours, and their dissentions and
home - bred wars. The desire - Christ the most desirable, to all nations,
and who was desired by all that knew their own misery, and his
sufficiency to save them who was to be the light of the Gentiles, as
well as the glory of his people Israel. With glory - The first temple
had a glory in its magnificent structure, rich ornaments, and costly
sacrifices; but this was a worldly glory; that which is here promised,
is a heavenly glory from the presence of Christ in it. He that was
the brightness of his father's glory, who is the glory of the church,
appeared in this second temple.
8: The silver - The treasures of both: doubt not therefore but I will
give enough to build this house.
9: In this place - In my house, a type of Christ.
Peace - A spiritual, internal, and heavenly peace.
11: Concerning the law - What the law saith in this case.
12: Holy flesh - Part of the sacrifice, legally sanctified, or made
holy by the altar on which the whole was sanctified. In the skirt - In
the lap of his garment, or in any other cloth, and if this cloth touch
any common thing as bread, &c., shall that become legally holy?
13: Said - Now the second case is proposed. These - Bread or
pottage, wine or oil, or meat. Unclean - Shall that which the
unclean doth touch, become unclean? Though a mediate touch of
what is holy will not make holy, yet will not a mediate touch
of what is polluted defile?
14: So - Polluted persons, touching what is clean, pollute it, so
polluted Jews, polluted God's ordinances, while the outward performing
of legal duties, left them as unholy in themselves, as they were before:
somewhat more then is to be done. The soul is first to be purified,
that they and we may offer up a pure offering. The people - The body of
the Jews. Every work - Whatever they do, they pollute all by polluted
hands. Offer - What they bring to the altar with impure hearts, is
polluted by them.
15: Upward - Through past years. Before - Before you would set
upon the re - building of the temple after you had intermitted it.
16: Since - All the while the temple lay neglected.
When one came - Men are disappointed half in half. But ten - Which he
expected would prove twenty measures, ephahs or bushels. It proved
but half your hope, thus your corn failed, and your oil much more.
17: Blessing - Burning, and scorching winds. All the labours - In
your plowing and sowing, in planting of olives and vines.
18: From the day - When you began to build on the old foundation.
19: Is the seed - Your seed for the next harvest is yet in your barns.
Hath not brought forth - No sign yet appears what vintage you shall have,
what store of wine, oil, figs, and pomegranates. Yet in the word of God
I tell you, you shall be blest in them all, and have a large produce.
23: My servant - A type of him who was God's most beloved servant.
As a signet - Which is very highly valued, and carefully kept.
So shall the antitypical Zerubbabel, the Messiah, be advanced, loved,
and inviolably preserved king, and supreme over his church. He is
indeed the signet on God's right - hand. For all power is given to him,
and derived from him. In him the great charter of the gospel is signed,
and sanctified, and it is in him, that all the promises of God are yea
and amen.
