Westminster Annotations, Haggai 1
ANNOTATIONS ON THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET HAGGAI.
CHAP. I.
Vers. 1. SEcond yeare of Darius the king] Ezra 4. 24. and 5. 1. Zac. 1. 1. Who was the sonne of Hystaspis, and the third king of the Persians, as some thinke: called Darius Artaxasta king of Persia, Ezra 6. 14. of Babylon, Neh. 13. 6. He knew that Gods wrath was upon his predecessours for hindering the Temple. In his second the Temple is taken in hand again, and finished in his sixt, Ezr. 6. 15.
by Haggai] Heb. by the hand of Haggai.
Zerubbabel] Ezra 2. 2. Because the building of the Temple began to cease by reason that the people were discouraged by their enemies: and if these two notable men had need to be stirred up and admonished of their duties, what shall we thinke of other governours, whose doings are either against God, or very cold in his cause?
sonne of Shealtiel] That is, the nephew: for in proper speech he was the sonne of Pedaiah, 1 Chron. 3. 17, 18, 19.
governour of Judah] Or, captain. Of the people of the Jews, by the kings of Persia, after their return out of captivitie. See Ezra 1. 8. and 2. 63.
V. 2. the time that the LORDS house should be built] Fained excuses of the Jews, who were negligent in the reedifying of the Temple; as if by those lets which had been a hinderance to them, God had shewed that he would have the work put off till another time: whereas the true reason of their intermission was the contempt of Gods service, and their carnall affection to their own ease.
V. 4. cieled houses] Shewing that they sought not only their necessities, but their very pleasures before Gods honour.
V. 5. Consider your wayes] Heb. Set your heart on your wayes. Your carelesnesse, whereby you have provoked my judgements.
V. 6. Ye have sown much] Deut. 28. Mic. 6. 14, 15. Consider the plagues of God upon you, for preferring your policies to his religion, and because ye seek not him first of all.
he that earneth wages] You have not reaped any profit or benefit by all your labours. See Zach. 8. 10.
with holes] Heb. pierced through.
V. 8. up to the mountain] Meaning that they should leave off their own commodities, and go forward in the building of Gods Temple, and in the setting forth of his religion.
will take pleasure in it] That is, I will heare your prayers according to my promise, 1 King. 8. 21. 29.
glorified] I will shew my glorious power in blessing and defending you: and will give you cause to honour and serve me: and my enemies to feare me.
V. 9. Ye looked for much] You hoped for a great harvest, by reason of the great likelihood that was of it: but your hopes were vain.
blow upon it] Or, blow it away.
ye runne every man unto his own house] Every one is most carefull of building up his own house, and looking to his own particular businesses.
V. 10. the heaven over you is stayed from dew] Levit. 26. 19. Deut. 28. 23.
V. 11. And I called for a drought upon the land] 2 King. 8. 1.
V. 12. obeyed] And went freely about the reedifying of the Temple, Ezra 5. 2.
V. 14. spirit of Zerubbabel] Which declareth that men are unapt and dull to serve the Lord, neither can they obey his word or his messengers before God reform their hearts and give them new spirits, Joh. 6. 44.
CHAP. II.
Vers. 1 SEventh monethmonth] Of the second yeare of Dariut his reign, Chap. 1. 1.
by the prophet Haggai] Heb. by the hand of.
V. 3. Who is left among you] Haggai by the judgement of all commenters spake of men that had seen the former Temple in age of discretion. See Ezra 3. 12.
V. 4. be strong] Zach. 8. 9.
and work] That is, go forward in building the Temple.
V. 5. my spirit remaincth among you] Of grace, light, vertue, and holinesse. See Isa. 63. 11.
V. 6. Yet once] Heb. 12. 26.
will shake the heavens] As formerly, when I gave my law, I appeared in terrible majestie: so in the Messias his time, I will manifest the mightie power of my Spirit, by the preaching of the Gospel: from whence shall follow great commotions, to the ruine of the devils kingdome, and confirming of Christs, by removing of the heaven of ceremonies under the law, calling and gathering together all mine elect. See Joel 3. 16. Heb. 12. 26, 27.
V. 7. the defire of all nations shall come] Namely, Christ, desired of the faithfull in all nations.
I will fill this house with glory] This re-edified Temple shall be honoured with Christs bodily presence; and the spirituall Temple, which is the Church, shall be honoured by my presence in Spirit, and by the abundance of my graces, by the light of my Word, and virtue of my Spirit.
V. 8. The silver is mine] If I pleased, it were an easie matter for me, to beautifie this Temple with precious ornaments like unto the first; but I do prepare endlesse glory, farre greater then that, for it.
I give peace] Namely, the preaching and enjoying of spirituall peace, founded upon the reconciliation of men with God, through Christ, who is our peace, and did shew himself in this house.
V. 11. Ask now the priests] To whom it belonged to answer in doubtfull cases, and concerning questions of the law. Deut. 10. 10, 11. and 33. 10.
V. 12. If one bear holy flesh, &c.] The meaning is, as according to the law, every thing that toucheth a holy thing, as the flesh of sacrifices is, ought to be clean, and though it be so, yet it cannot put any holinesse into a thing, which by Gods command is but for ordinary uses, but may by it uncleannesse defile a thing which is pure and holy: so the holinesse of my service dependeth not upon you, but upon my free institution; but you may make it unclean by your uncleannesse, hypocrisie, and evill conscience.
bread] That is, ordinary bread.
V. 13. by a dead body] Numb. 19. 11.
V. 14. So is this people] Even in the same manner, because this people is of an unclean cons…ience, all that they do in my outward worship, is also unclean. Tit. 1. 15.
that which they offer there is unclean] Namely, upon the altar, which was already re-edified. Ezra 3. 2.
V. 15. from before, &c.] Namely, before there was any hand set to the work of re-building the Temple, interrupted for many years after their return from Babylon. See Ezra 3. 8. and 5. 2.
V. 16. Since those dayes] Or, that since. Since you have taken no care of my Temple, and have profaned my service, all your hopes of abundance and prosperity have failed you.
when one came] Chap. 1. 9. Zach. 8. 10.
V. 17. I smote you] Or, That I smote you, That is, your fruits.
with blasting] Deut. 28. 22. 1 Kings 8. 37. Amos 4. 9.
V. 18. from this day] From the time they began to build the Temple, he promiseth that God will blesse them: and albeit as yet the fruit was not come forth, yet in the gathering they should have plenty.
four and twentieth day] At which time the Prophet prophesied these things. Vers. 10.
V. 19. seed yet in the barn] He exhorteth them to patience, and to abide till the harvest came, and then they should see Gods blessings.
V. 20. twentieth day of the monethmonth] Namely, of the aforesaid ninth monethmonth.
V. 21. I will shake the heavens] Vers. 6, 7. I will make a change, and renew all things in Christ, of whom Zerubbabel here is a figure: for in the Messiah's times not onelyonly the earth and earthly Emperour… were shaken, but also the Heavens, or the old Ceremonies, that figured the doctrine of the Kingdom, that such as should not be shaken might be settled, Heb. 12. 26.
V. 22. the throne of Kingdoms] All power and height, contrary to Christs Kingdom, which I have established for ever, over all the world. Others, there shall be no lett or hinderance when God will make this wonderfull restitution of his Church.
the sword of his brother] Hereby is signified the conflicts of the Kingdoms of the world, stirred up one against another by Gods providence, and judgement. Matth. 24. 7.
V. 23. will I take thee] I will appoint Christ, who shall come forth of thee according to the flesh, Luke. 3. 27. and whose figure thou art, Zach. 4. 12. to be my sacred King, whom I will inviolably keep me, and love: Which is the signification of this proverbiall terme, of making and keeping as a Signet. Cant. 8. 6. Jer. 22. 24.