Join Allen J. Huth as he delves into the second chapter of the Book of Haggai, revealing the timeless lessons contained within this prophetic message. This episode draws from over three decades of personal Bible reading and journal reflections, offering listeners a rich examination of the themes of strength, divine ownership, and the prioritization of God’s presence in our lives. Explore the historical context of Haggai, the significance of the prophetic messages delivered through him, and their relevance to believers today.
Welcome to ADDBIBLE, an audio daily devotion from the Ezra Project. We join Allen J. Huth as he shares Bible passages and comments from over 30 years of his personal Bible reading journals.
SPEAKER 01 :
Today we finish off the book of Haggai, which is only two chapters. Today will be the second chapter, read by Faith Comes by Hearing, 23 verses. And you might remember that the backdrop for Haggai was in the time of Nehemiah and Ezra, as Nehemiah was back in Jerusalem trying to rebuild the walls, and Ezra was there to try to rebuild the temple. Haggai is the prophet at that time. So let’s listen in to chapter 2.
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Haggai 2 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet.
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Speak now to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Jehoshaddak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say,
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Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts, according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit remains in your midst. Fear not.” For thus says the Lord of hosts, Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in. And I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.
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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.
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Thus says the Lord of hosts, Ask the priests about the law. If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment and touches with his fold bread or stew or wine or oil or any kind of food, does it become holy?
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The priests answered and said no.
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Then Haggai said, If someone who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?
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The priests answered and said, It does become unclean. Then Haggai answered and said,
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So is it with this people and with this nation before me, declares the Lord. And so with every work of their hands. And what they offer there is unclean. Now then, consider from this day onward. Before stone was placed upon stone in the temple of the Lord, how did you fare? When one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten. When one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were but twenty. I struck you and all the products of your toil with blight and with mildew and with hail, yet you did not turn to me, declares the Lord. Consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, since the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider, is the seed yet in the barn? Indeed, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have yielded nothing, but from this day on I will bless you.
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The word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month.
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Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the heavens and the earth, and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow the chariots and their riders. And the horses and their riders shall go down, every one by the sword of his brother. On that day, declares the Lord of Hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, declares the Lord, and make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the Lord of Hosts.
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In my journal in 1991, I actually read the book of Haggai in one day, so I had just a couple of lines on chapter two. I wrote, the silver is mine and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. And then I also wrote, for I have chosen you. In 2001, I also read all of Haggai in one day, and the only notes in my journal were related to chapter one. Because Haggai is one of the last books of the Old Testament, if you read the Old Testament, you know, from cover to cover, then most likely you’ll finish Haggai somewhere around December or Christmas. So in 2015, I actually read Haggai, the whole book, once again, on Christmas Day. Here’s what I wrote about chapter 2. Work, for I am with you. My spirit remains in your midst. The silver is mine and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. God owns all the wealth and can give it to whom he pleases. We may lack because we are disobedient to God. Let God choose us to do his will. Nine times, in just 38 verses, the book itself tells us where it comes from. For example, chapter 1, verse 1, The word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai. Verse 2, Thus says the Lord of hosts. Verse 3, Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai. Verse 7, Thus says the Lord of hosts. Verse 12 says, Verse 13 says, Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke to the people with the Lord’s message. Chapter 2, verse 1 says the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai. Verse 10 says the word of the Lord came by Haggai. Verse 20 says the word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai. So where does the book of Haggai come from? It comes from the Lord. You see how many times the word I is used in the book of Haggai. I, the Lord, speaking. Chapter 1, remember, told us to get our priorities right, to put the Lord first. Chapter 2 tells us to be strong. Verse 4 says, “…yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord.” Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts. So once we get our priorities straight, he tells us to be strong. He’s with us. He’ll work with us. He says in the very next verse, My spirit remains in your midst. He’s telling them to be strong because there’s an enemy trying to prevent them from rebuilding the temple. It’s the same enemy then and now in your lives telling you you’re too busy to put God first in your life. But what are you working for? Food, clothing, houses, self-sustenance, self-gratification. But what does the Lord say? What you’re working for, He has. He says in verse 8, And I believe if you put Him first, He will let you have some of His silver and some of His gold. But until you put him first, verse 19 might apply to your life. He says, Again, turn your priorities around. And once again, there’s always such hope in the Word of God. As Haggai closes out his book, he says the Word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai. On the 24th day of the month, speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the heavens and the earth and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations and overthrow the chariots and their riders and the horses and their riders shall go down, every one by the sword of his brother. On that day, declares the Lord of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Sheateel, Put your name in there instead of Zerubbabel. God can shake your enemies. He can shake the things around you. He can defeat the obstacles that keep you from Him. And as he does, then he says to you, On that day, declares the Lord of hosts, I will take you, and you put your name in there, I will take you, blank, my servant, and make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the Lord of hosts. The signet ring represents, according to my ESV Study Bible footnote, Evidence of royal authority and ownership. That’s who you are. You’re the son of the king of kings and lord of lords. Put him first and let him bless you. Father, thank you for the short book of Haggai, but a powerful lesson. Thank you for reminding us to put you first, to set the busyness of our own lives aside, and to honor you and treat you like the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You own it all, and you find great pleasure in giving it to your children. Teach us, Lord, to stop striving as the world strives, and put you first in our lives. And as we do, there’ll be seed in the barn, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree will yield fruit because you say you will bless us. Hallelujah. Thank you for the book of Haggai. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening to ADDBIBLE today. 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