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Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
on the Whole Bible
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Matthew Henry |
H A G G A I.
CHAP. II.
In this chapter we have three sermons preached by the prophet Haggai
for the encouragement of those that are forward to build the temple. In
the first he assures the builders that the glory of the house they were
now building should, in spiritual respects, though not in outward,
exceed that of Solomon’s temple, in which he has an eye to the coming
of Christ,
In the second he assures them that though their sin, in delaying to
build the temple, had retarded the prosperous progress of all their
other affairs, yet now that they had set about it in good earnest he
would bless them, and give them success,
In the third he assures Zerubbabel that, as a reward of his pious zeal
and activity herein, he should be a favourite of Heaven, and one of the
ancestors of Messiah the Prince, whose kingdom should be set up on the
ruins of all opposing powers,
| The Glory of the Latter House. | B. C. 520. |
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1 In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the
month, came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying,
2 Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of
Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to
the residue of the people, saying,
3 Who is left among you that saw this house in her first
glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in
comparison of it as nothing?
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 work: for
I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts:
5 According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye
came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.
6 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little
while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea,
and the dry land;
7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations
shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD
of hosts.
8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD
of hosts.
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
peace, saith the LORD of hosts.
Here is,
I. The date of this message,
v. 1.
It was sent on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, when the
builders had been about a month at work (since the twenty-fourth day of
the sixth month), and had got it in some forwardness. Note, Those that
are hearty in the service of God shall receive fresh encouragements
from him to proceed in it, as their case calls for them. Set the wheels
a going, and God will oil them.
II. The direction of this message,
v. 2.
The encouragements here are sent to the same persons to whom the
reproofs in the foregoing chapter are directed; for those that are
wounded by the convictions of the word shall be healed and bound up by
its consolations. Speak to Zerubbabel, and Joshua, and the residue
of the people, the very same that obeyed the voice of the
Lord
and whose spirits God stirred up to do so
(ch. i. 14);
to them are sent these words of comfort.
III. The message itself, in which observe,
1. The discouragements which those laboured under who were employed in
this work. That which was such a damp upon them, and an alloy to their
joy, when the foundation of the temple was laid, was still a clog upon
them–that they could not build such a temple now as Solomon built, not
so large, so stately, so sumptuous, a one as that was. This fetched
tears from the eyes of many, when the dimensions of it were first laid
(Ezra iii. 12),
and still it made the work go on heavily–that the glory of this house,
in comparison with that of the former, was as nothing,
v. 3.
It was now about seventy years since Solomon’s temple was destroyed
(for that was in the nineteenth year of the captivity, and this about
the nineteenth after the captivity), so that there might be some yet
alive who could remember to have seen it, and still they would be
upbraiding themselves and their brethren with the great disparity
between this house and that. One could remember the gold with which it
was overlaid, another the precious stones with which it was garnished;
one could describe the magnificence of the porch, another of the
pillars–and where are these now? This weakened the hands of the
builders; for, though our gracious God is pleased with us if we do in
sincerity as well as we can in his service, yet our proud hearts will
scarcely let us be pleased with ourselves unless we do as well as
others whose abilities far exceed ours. And it is sometimes the fault
of old people to discourage the services of the present age by crying
up too much the performances and attainments of the former age, with
which others should be provoked to emulation, but not exposed to
contempt. Say not thou that the former days were better than
these
but thank God that there is any good in these, bad as they are.
2. The encouragement that is given them to go on in the work,
notwithstanding
(v. 4):
Yet now, though this house is likely to be much inferior to the
former, be strong, O Zerubbabel! and be strong, O Joshua! Let
not these leading men give way to this suggestion, nor be disheartened
by it, but do as well as they can, when they cannot do so well as they
would; and let all the people of the land be strong too, and
work; and, if the leaders have but a good heart on it, it is hoped
that the followers will have the better heart. Note, Those that work
for God ought to exert themselves with vigour, and then to encourage
themselves with hope that it will end well.
3. The grounds of these encouragements. God himself says to them,
Fear you not
(v. 5),
and he gives good reasons for it.
(1.) They have God with them, his Spirit and his special presence:
Be strong, for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts,
v. 4.
This he had said before
(ch. i. 13),
I am with you. But we need to have these assurances repeated,
that we may have strong consolation. The presence of God with us, as
the Lord of hosts, is enough to silence all our fears and to
help us over all the discouragements we may meet with in the way of our
duty. The Jews had hosts against them, but they had the Lord of hosts
with them, to take their part and plead their cause. He is with them;
for,
[1.] He adheres to his promise. His covenant is inviolable, and he will
be always theirs, and will appear and act for them, according to the
word that he covenanted with them when they came out of Egypt.
Though he chastens them for their transgressions with the rod,
yet he will not make his faithfulness to fail.
[2.] He dwells among them by his Spirit, the Spirit of prophecy. When
he first formed them into a people he gave his good Spirit to
instruct them
(Neh. ix. 20);
and still the Spirit, though often grieved and provoked to withdraw,
remained among them. It was the Spirit of God that stirred up their
spirits to come out of Babylon
(Ezra i. 5),
and now to build the temple,
Note, We have reason to be encouraged as long as we have the Spirit of
God remaining among us to work upon us, for so long we have God with us
to work for us.
(2.) They shall have the Messiah among them shortly–him that should
come. To him bore all the prophets witness and this prophet
particularly here,
Here is an intimation of the time of his coming, that it should not be
long ere he came: “Yet once, it is a little while, and he shall
come. The Old-Testament church has but one stage more (if we may say
so) to travel; five stages were now past, from Adam to Noah, thence to
Abraham, thence to Moses, thence to Solomon’s temple, thence to the
captivity, and now yet one stage more, its sixth day’s journey, and
then comes the sabbatism of the Messiah’s kingdom. Let the Son of man,
when he comes, find faith on the earth, and let the children of promise
continue still looking for him, for now it is but a little while
and he will come; hold out, faith and patience, yet awhile, for
he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” And, as he
then said of his first appearance, so now of his second, Surely I
come quickly. Now concerning his coming it is here foretold,
[1.] That it shall be introduced by a general shaking
(v. 6):
I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry
land. This is applied to the setting up of Christ’s kingdom in the
world, to make way for which he will judge among the heathen,
Ps. cx. 6.
God will once again do for his church as he did when he brought them
out of Egypt; he shook the heavens and earth at Mount Sinai, with
thunder, and lightnings, and earthquakes; he shook the sea and the dry
land when lanes were made through the sea and streams fetched out of
the rock. This shall be done again, when, at the sufferings of Christ,
the sun shall be darkened, the earth shake, the rocks rend–when, at
the birth of Christ, Herod and all Jerusalem are troubled
(Matt. ii. 3),
and he is set for the fall and rising again of many. When his
kingdom was set up it was with a shock to the nations; the oracles were
silenced, idols were destroyed, and the powers of the kingdoms were
moved and removed,
It denotes the removing of the things that are shaken. Note, The
shaking of the nations is often in order to the settling of the church
and the establishing of the things that cannot be shaken.
[2.] That it shall issue in a general satisfaction. He shall come as
the desire of all nations–desirable to all nations, for in
him shall all the families of the earth be blessed with the best of
blessings–long expected and desired by the good people in all nations,
that had any intelligence from the Old-Testament predictions concerning
him. Balaam in the land of Moab had spoken of a star that should arise
out of Jacob, and Job in the land of Uz of his living Redeemer; the
concourse of devout men from all parts at Jerusalem
was in expectation of the setting up of the Messiah’s kingdom about
that time. All the nations that are brought in to Christ, and
discipled in his name, have called him, and will call him, all their
salvation and all their desire. This glorious title of Christ seems
to refer to Jacob’s prophecy
that to him shall the gathering of the people be.
(3.) The house they are now building shall be filled with glory to such
a degree that its glory shall exceed that of Solomon’s temple. The
enemies of the Jews followed them with reproach, and cast contempt upon
the house they were building; but they might very well endure that when
God undertook to fill it with glory. It is God’s prerogative to fill
with glory; the glory that comes from him is satisfying, and not vain
glory. Moses’s tabernacle and Solomon’s temple were filled with glory
when God in a cloud took possession of them; but this house shall be
filled with glory of another nature.
[1.] Let them not be concerned because this house will not have so much
silver and gold about it as Solomon’s temple had,
v. 8.
God needs not the silver and gold to adorn his temple, for (says he),
The silver is mine, and the gold is mine. All the silver and
gold in the world are his; all that is hid in the bowels of the earth
(for the earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof), all that
is laid up in the exchequers, banks, and treasuries of the children of
men, and all that circulates for the maintaining of trade and commerce;
it is all the Lord’s. Every penny bears his image as well as
Cæsar’s; and therefore when gold and silver are dedicated to his
honour, and employed in his service, no addition is made to him, for it
was his before. When David and his princes offered vast sums for the
service of the house of God, they acknowledged, It is all thy own,
and of thy own, Lord, have we given thee,
1 Chron. xxix. 14, 16.
Therefore God needs not sacrifice, for every beast of the forest is
his,
Ps. l. 10.
Note, If we have silver and gold, we must serve and honour God with
them, for they are all his own, we have but the use of them, the
property remains in him; but, if we have not silver and gold to honour
him with, we must honour him with such as we have, and he will accept
us, for he needs them not; all the silver and gold in the world
are his already. The earth is full of his riches, so is the
great and wide sea also.
[2.] Let them be comforted with this, that, though this temple have
less gold in it, it shall have more glory than Solomon’s
(v. 9):
The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the
former. This was never true in respect of outward glory. This
latter house was indeed in its latter times very much beautified and
enriched by Herod, and we find the disciples admiring the stones and
buildings of the temple, how fine they were
(Mark xiii. 1);
but it was nothing in comparison with Solomon’s temple; and, besides,
the Jews own that several of the divine glories of the first temple
were wanting in this–the ark, the urim and
thummim, the fire from heaven, and the Schechinah;
so that we cannot conceive how the glory of this latter house should in
any thing exceed that of the former, but in that which would indeed
excel all the glories of the first house–the presence of the Messiah
in it, the Son of God, his being presented there the glory of his
people Israel, his attending there at twelve years old, and
afterwards his preaching and working miracles there, and his driving
the buyers and sellers out of it. It was necessary, then, that the
Messiah should come while the second temple stood; but, that being long
since destroyed, we must conclude that our Lord Jesus is the Christ, is
he that should come, and we are to look for no other. It
was also the glory of this latter house, First, That, before the
coming of Christ, it was always kept free from idols and idolatries,
and was never polluted with those abominable things, as the first
temple often was
and in this its glory excelled all the glory of that. Note, The purity
of the church, and the strict adherence to divine institutions, are
much more its glory than external pomp and splendour. Secondly,
That, after Christ, the gospel was preached in it by the apostles, even
all the words of this life,
In the temple Jesus Christ was daily preached,
Now the ministration of righteousness and life by the gospel was
unspeakably more glorious than the law, which was a ministration of
death and condemnation,
2 Cor. iii. 9, 10.
Note, That is the most valuable glory which arises from our relation to
Christ and our interest in him. As, where Christ is, behold a
greater than Solomon is there, so the heart in which he dwells, and
makes a living temple, behold it is more glorious than Solomon’s
temple, and will be so to eternity.
(4.) They should see a comfortable end of their present troubles, and
enjoy the pleasure of a happy settlement: In this place will I give
peace, saith the Lord of hosts. Note, God’s presence with his
people in his ordinances secures to them all good. If God be with us,
peace is with us. But the Jews under the latter temple had so much
trouble that we must conclude this promise to have its accomplishment
in that spiritual peace which Jesus Christ has by his blood purchased
for, and by his last will and testament bequeathed to, all believers
(John xiv. 27),
that peace which Christ himself preached as the prophet of peace, and
gives as the prince of peace. God will give peace in this place;
he will give his Son to be the peace,
| Evil More Communicable than Good; Encouragement to Build the Temple. | B. C. 520. |
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10 In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the
second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the
prophet, saying,
11 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests
concerning the law, saying,
12 If one bear 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.
13 Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body
touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered
and said, It shall be unclean.
14 Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so
is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every
work of their hands; and that which they offer there is
unclean.
15 And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from
before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD:
16 Since those days were, when one came to a heap of
twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the
press-fat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there
were but twenty.
17 I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in
all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith
the LORD.
18 Consider now from 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.
19 Is the 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.
This sermon was preached two months after that in the former part of
the chapter. The priests and Levites preached constantly, but the
prophets preached occasionally; both were good and needful. We have
need to be taught our duty in season and out of season. The
people were now going on vigorously with the building of the temple,
and in hopes shortly to have it ready for their use and to be employed
in the services of it; and now God sends them a message by his prophet,
which would be of use to them.
I. By way of conviction and caution. They were now engaged in a very
good work, but they were concerned to see to it, not only that it was
good for the matter of it, but that it was done in a right manner, for
otherwise it would not be accepted of God. God sees there are many
among them that spoil this good work, by going about it with
unsanctified hearts and hands, and are likely to gain no advantage to
themselves by it; these are here convicted, and all are warned thereby
to purify the hands they employ in this work, for to the pure
only all things are pure, and from the pure only that comes
which is pure. This matter is here illustrated by the established rules
of the ceremonial law, in putting a difference between the clean and
the unclean, about which many of the appointments of the law were
conversant. Hereby it appears that a spiritual use is to be made of the
ceremonial law, and that it was intended, not only as a divine ritual
to the Jews, but for instruction in righteousness to all, even
to us upon whom the ends of the world have come, to discover to us both
sin and Christ, both our disease and our remedy. Now observe here,
1. What the rule of the law was. The prophet is ordered to enquire of
the priests concerning it
(v. 11);
for their lips should keep this knowledge, and the
people should enquire the law at their mouth,
Mal. ii. 7.
Haggai himself, though a prophet, must ask the priests concerning
the law. His business, as an extraordinary messenger, was to
expound the providences of God, and to give directions concerning
particular duties, as he had done,
But he would not take the priests’ work out of the hands of those who
were the ordinary ministers, and whose business it was to expound the
ordinances of God, to teach the people the meaning of them, and to give
the general rules for the observance of them. In a case of that nature,
Haggai must himself consult them. Note, God has given to his ministers
diversities of gifts, and calls them out to do diversities of services,
so that they have need one of another, should make use one of another,
and be helpful one to another. The prophet, though divinely inspired,
cannot say to the priest, I have no need of thee, nor can the
priest say so to the prophet. Perhaps Haggai was therefore
ordered to consult the priests, that out of their own mouths he might
judge both them and the people committed to their charge, and convict
them of worse than ceremonial pollution. See
Now the rules of the law, in the cases propounded, are,
(1.) That he that has holy flesh in his clothes cannot by the touch of
his clothes communicate holiness
(v. 12):
If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, though the
garment is thereby so far made a devoted thing as that it is not to be
put to common use till it has first been washed in the holy place
(Lev. vi. 27),
yet it shall by no means transmit a holiness to either meat or drink,
so as to make it ever the better to those that use it.
(2.) That he that is ceremonially unclean by the touch of a dead body
does by his touch communicate that uncleanness. The law is express
(Num. xix. 22),
Whatsoever the unclean person touches shall be unclean; yet this
Haggai will have from the priests’ own mouth, for concerning those
things that we find very plain in our Bibles yet it is good to have the
advice of our ministers. The sum of these two rules is that pollution
is more easily communicated than sanctification; that is (says
Grotius), There are many ways of vice, but only one of virtue, and that
a difficult one. Bonum oritur ex integris; malum ex quolibet
defectu–Good implies perfection; evil commences with the slightest
defect. Let not men think that living among good people will
recommend them to God if they are not good themselves, but let them
fear that touching the unclean thing will defile them, and therefore
let them keep at a distance from it.
2. How it is here applied
(v. 14):
So is this people, and so is this nation, before me. He does not
call them his people and his nation (they are unworthy to be owned by
him), but this people, and this nation. They have been
thus before God; they thought their offering sacrifices on the altar
would sanctify them, and excuse their neglect to build the temple, and
remove the curse which by that neglect they had brought upon their
common enjoyments: “No,” says God, “your holy flesh and your altar will
be so far from sanctifying your meat and drink, your wine and oil, to
you, that your contempt of God’s temple will bring a pollution, not
only on your common enjoyments, but even on your sacrifices too; so
that while you continued in that neglect all was unclean to you, nay,
and so is this people still; and so they will be; on these terms
they will still stand with me, and on no other–that if they be
profane, and sensual, and morally impure, if they have wicked hearts,
and live wicked lives, though they work ever so hard at the temple
while it is building, and though they offer ever so many and costly
sacrifices there when it is built, yet that shall not serve to sanctify
their meat and drink to them, and to give them a comfortable use of
them; nay, the impurity of their hearts and lives shall make even that
work of their hands, and all their offerings, unclean, and an
abomination to God.” And the case is the same with us. Those whose
devotions are plausible, but whose conversation is wicked, will find
their devotions unable to sanctify their enjoyments, but their
wickedness prevailing to pollute them. Note, When we are employed in
any good work we should be jealous over ourselves, lest we render it
unclean by our corruptions and mismanagements.
II. By way of comfort and encouragement. If their hearts be right with
God, and their eye single in his service, they shall have the benefit
of their devotion. God will take away the judgment of famine wherewith
they have been corrected for their remissness, and will restore them
great plenty. This they are called to consider, and to observe whether
God would not be to the utmost as good as his word, and by his
providence remarkably countenance and recompense their reformation in
this matter. To make this the more signal, let them set down the day
when they began to work at the building of the temple, to raise the
structure upon the foundations that had been laid some time before. On
the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month they began to prepare
materials
(ch. i. 15),
and now on the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month they began to
lay a stone upon a stone in the temple of the Lord; let them
take notice of this day, and observe,
1. How they had gone behind-hand in their estates before this day. Let
them remember the time when there was a sensible waste and decay in all
they had,
A man went to his garner, expecting to find a heap of twenty
measures of corn, so much he used to have from such a piece of
ground, or so much used to be left at that time of the year, or so much
he took it for granted there was when he fetched the last from it, but
he found it unaccountably diminished, and, when he came to measure it,
there were but ten measures; it had run in and dried away in the
keeping, or vermin had eaten it, or it was stolen. In like manner he
went to the wine-press, expecting to draw fifty vessels
of wine, for so much he used to have from such a quantity of grapes,
but they did not yield as usual, for he could get but twenty.
This agrees with what we had,
You looked for much, and it came to little. Note, It is our
folly that we are apt to raise our expectation from the creature, and
to think tomorrow must needs be as this day and much more abundant, but
we are commonly disappointed, and the more we expect the more grievous
the disappointment is. In the stores and treasures of the new covenant
we need not fear being disappointed when we come by faith to draw from
them. But this was not all. God did visibly contend with them in the
weather
(v. 17):
I smote you with blastings, winds and frosts, which made every
green thing to wither, and with mildew, which choked the corn
when it was knitting, and with hail, which battered it down and
broke it when it had grown to some maturity; thus they were
disappointed in all the labour of their hands, while they
neglected to lay their hand to the work of God and to labour in that.
Note, While we take no care of God’s interest we cannot expect he
should take care of ours. And, when he thus walks contrary to us, he
expects that we should return to him and to our duty. But this people
either saw not the hand of God in it (imputing it to chance) or saw not
their own sin as the provoking cause of it, and therefore turned not to
him. They were a long time incorrigible and unhumbled under these
rebukes, so that God’s hand was stretched out still, for the
people turned not to him that smote them,
Isa. ix. 12, 13.
They might easily observe that as long as they continued in neglect of
the temple work all their affairs went backward. But,
2. Let them now observe, and they should find that from this day
forward God would bless them
(v. 18, 19):
“Consider now whether when you begin to change you way towards
God you do not find God changing his way towards you; from this
day, when you fall to work about the temple, consider it, I
say, and you shall find a remarkable turn given for the better to all
your affairs. Is the seed yet in the barn? Yes it is, and not
yet thrown into the ground. The fruit-trees do not as yet bud, the
vine, and the fig-tree, and the olive-tree, have not as yet
brought forth, so that nothing appears to promise a good harvest or
vintage next year. Nature does not promise it; but now that you begin
to apply in good earnest to your duty, the God of nature promises it;
he has said, From this day I will bless you. It is the best
day’s work you ever did in your lives, for hence you may date the
return of your prosperity.” He does not say what they shall be, but, in
general, I will bless you; and those that know what are the
fruits flowing from God’s blessing know they can desire no more to make
them happy. “I will bless you, and then you shall soon recover
all your losses, shall thrive as fast as before you went backward; for
the blessing of the Lord, that maketh rich, and those whom he
blesses are blessed indeed.” Note, When we begin to make conscience
of our duty to God we may expect his blessing; and this tree of life is
so known by its fruits that one may discern almost to a day a
remarkable turn of Providence in favour of those that return in a way
of duty; so that they and others may say that from this day they are
blessed. See
And whoso is wise will observe these things, and understand by
them the lovingkindness of the Lord.
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20 And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four
and twentieth day of the month, saying,
21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake
the heavens and the earth;
22 And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will
destroy the strength of the 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.
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 signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the
LORD of hosts.
After Haggai’s sermon ad populum—to the people, here
follows one, the same day, ad magistratum—to the
magistrates, a word directed particularly to Zerubbabel, the
governor of Judah, who was a leading active man in this good work
which the people now set about, and therefore he shall have some
particular marks put upon him
(v. 21):
Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, speak to him by himself.
He has thoughts in his head far above those of the common people, as
wise princes are wont to have, who move in a higher and larger sphere
than others. The people of the land are in care about their corn-fields
and vineyards; God has assured them that they shall prosper, and we
hope that will make them easy; but Zerubbabel is concerned about the
community and its interests, about the neighbouring nations, and the
revolutions of their governments, and what will become of the few and
feeble Jews in those changes and convulsions, and how such a poor
prince as he is should be able to keep his ground and serve his
country. “Go to him,” says God, “and tell him it shall be well with him
and his remnant, and let that make him easy.”
I. Let him expect to hear of great commotions in the nations of the
earth, and let them not be a surprise to him; behold, he is told of
them before
(v. 21, 22):
I will shake the heavens and the earth. This he had said before
(v. 6, 7),
and now says it again to Zerubbabel; let him expect shaking times,
universal concussions. The world is like the sea, like the wheel,
always in motion, but sometimes in a special manner turbulent. But,
Blessed be God, if the earth be shaken, it is to shake the wicked
out of it,
Job xxxviii. 13.
In the apocalyptic visions earthquakes bode no ill to the church. Here
the heavens and the earth are shaken, that proud oppressors may be
broken and brought down: I will overthrow the throne of
kingdoms. The Chaldean monarchy, which had been the throne of
kingdoms a great while, was already overthrown; and the powers that
are, and are yet to come, shall in like manner be overthrown; their day
will come to fall.
1. Though they be ever so powerful, yet the strength of their
kingdoms shall be destroyed. They trust in chariots and
horses
(Ps. xx. 7),
but their chariots shall be overthrown, and those that
ride in them, so that they shall not be able to attack the people
of God, whom they persecute, not to escape the judgments of God, which
persecute them.
2. Though there appear none likely to be the instruments of their
destruction, yet God will bring it about, for they shall be brought
down every one by the sword of his brother. This reads the doom
of all the enemies of God’s church, that will not repent to give him
glory; it seems likewise designed as a promise of Christ’s victory over
the powers of darkness, his overthrow of Satan’s throne, that throne
of kingdoms, the throne of the god of this world, the taking from
him all the armour wherein he trusted and dividing the spoil.
And all opposing rule, principality, and power, shall be put
down, that the kingdom may be delivered up to God, even the
Father.
II. Let him depend upon it that he shall be safe under the divine
protection in the midst of all these commotions,
Zerubbabel was active to build God a house, and therefore God makes the
same promise to him as he did to David on the like occasion–that he
would build him a house, and establish it, even in that
day when heaven and earth are shaken. This promise refers to this
good man himself and to his family. He honoured God, and God would
honour him. His successors likewise in the government of Judah might
take encouragement from it; though their authority was very precarious
as to men, yet God would confirm it, and this would contribute to the
stability of the people over whom God had set them. But this promise
has special reference to Christ, who lineally descended from
Zerubbabel, and is the sole builder of the gospel-temple.
1. Zerubbabel is here owned as God’s servant, and it is an
honourable mention that is hereby made of him, as Moses and David my
servants. When God destroys his enemies he will prefer his
servants. Our Lord Jesus is his Father’s servant in the work of
redemption, but faithful as a Son,
2. He is owned as God’s elect: I have chosen thee to this
office; and whom God makes choice of he will make use of. Our Lord
Jesus is chosen of God,
And he is the head of the chosen remnant; in him they are chosen.
3. It is promised that, being chosen, God will make him as a
signet. Jeconiah had been as the signet on God’s right hand,
but was plucked thence
and now Zerubbabel is substituted in the room of him. He shall be near
and dear to God, precious in his sight, and honourable, and his family
shall continue till the Messiah spring out of it, who is the signet
on God’s right hand. This intimates,
(1.) The delight the Father has in him. In him he once and again
declared himself to be well pleased. He is set as a seal upon
his heart, a seal upon his arm, is brought near unto him
(Dan. vii. 13),
is hidden in the shadow of his hand,
Isa. xlix. 2.
(2.) The dominion the Father has entrusted him with. Princes sign their
edicts, grants, and commissions, with their signet-rings,
Our Lord Jesus is the signet on God’s right hand, for all power is
given to him and derived from him. By him the great charter of the
gospel is signed and ratified, and it is in him that all the promises
of God are yea and amen.
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