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,
A month and twenty days later, God again speaks to Haggai.
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?
Solomon’s Temple, which the Babylonians destroyed, was a beautiful building. Its walls were covered in gold and its wood was expensive Cedar. The new temple can’t compare. But God wants to encourage them.
4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, says the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, says the LORD, and work: for I am with you, says the LORD of hosts:
5 According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so My spirit remains among you: fear ye not.
“I’m the same God with the same promises.”
6 For thus says 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, says the LORD of hosts.
8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of hosts.
“I’m fixing to do something very special here. Don’t worry about the lack of riches because I really already own it all anyway.”
9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, says the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, says the LORD of hosts.
The glory He is talking about here is not the glory of silver or gold, but the glory of the Prince of Peace. God Himself, in the form of Jesus, will walk the halls of this temple; an honor never granted to Solomon’s Temple.
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,
Two months and three days later…
11 Thus says 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,” says 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:
“Think about the time before you began building.”
16 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.
The heap would have been of grain and the “pressfat” was where grapes were turned into wine.
17 I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labors of your hands; yet ye turned not to Me, says the LORD.
“I punished you, but you wouldn’t listen.”
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.
“Mark this day…”
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.
“Because you have begun to obey Me and honor Me, starting today I will bless you more than you can imagine.”
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, everyone by the sword of his brother.
God promises to destroy all of their enemies.
23 In that day, says the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, My servant, the son of Shealtiel, says the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, says the LORD of hosts.
It is no accident that Zerubbabel is the governor of the land. God saw in him a good heart and picked him out to rule and care for His people on their return to the land.