Haggai 2

13. On the other hand, a legally "unclean" person imparts his uncleanness to any thing, whereas a legally holy thing cannot confer its sanctity on an "unclean" person ( Numbers 19:11 Numbers 19:13 Numbers 19:22 ). Legal sanctity is not so readily communicated as legal impurity. So the paths to sin are manifold: the paths to holiness one, and that one of difficult access [GROTIUS]. One drop of filth will defile a vase of water: many drops of water will not purity a vase of filth [MOORE].

14. Then answered Haggai--rather, "Then Haggai answered (in rejoinder to the priests' answer) and said" [MAURER].
so is this people--heretofore not in such an obedient state of mind as to deserve to be called My people ( Titus 1:15 ). Here he applies the two cases just stated. By the first case, "this people" is not made "holy" by their offerings "there" (namely, on the altar built in the open air, under Cyrus, Ezra 3:3 ); though the ritual sacrifice can ordinarily sanctify outwardly so far as it reaches ( Hebrews 9:13 ), as the "holy flesh" sanctified the "skirt," yet it cannot make the offerers in their persons and all their works acceptable to God, because lacking the spirit of obedience ( 1 Samuel 15:22 ) so long as they neglected to build the Lord's house. On the contrary, by the second case, they made "unclean" their very offerings by being unclean through "dead works" (disobedience), just as the person unclean by contact with a dead body imparted his uncleanness to all that he touched (compare Hebrews 9:14 ). This all applies to them as they had been, not as they are now that they have begun to obey; the design is to guard them against falling back again. The "there" points to the altar, probably in view of the audience which the prophet addressed.

15. consider--literally, "lay it to heart." Ponder earnestly, retracing the past "upward" (that is, backward), comparing what evils heretofore befell you before ye set about this work, with the present time when you have again commenced it, and when in consequence I now engage to "bless you." Hence ye may perceive the evils of disobedience and the blessing of obedience.

16. Since those days were--from the time that those days of your neglect of the temple work have been.
when one came to an heap of twenty measures--that is to a heap which he had expected would be one of twenty measures, there were but ten.
fifty vessels out of the press--As the Septuagint translates "measure," and Vulgate "a flagon," and as we should rather expect vat than press. MAURER translates (omitting vessels, which is not in the original), "purahs," or "wine-measures."

17. Appropriated from Amos 4:9 , whose canonicity is thus sealed by Haggai's inspired authority; in the last clause, "turned," however, has to be supplied, its omission marking by the elliptical abruptness ("yet ye not to Me!") God's displeasure. Compare "(let him come) unto Me!" Moses in excitement omitting the bracketed words ( Exodus 32:26 ). "Blasting" results from excessive drought; "mildew, from excessive moisture.

18. Resumed from Haggai 2:15 after Haggai 2:16 Haggai 2:17 , that the blessing in Haggai 2:19 may stand in the more marked contrast with the curse in Haggai 2:16 Haggai 2:17 . Affliction will harden the heart, if not referred to God as its author [MOORE].
even from the day that the foundation of . . . temple was laid--The first foundation beneath the earth had been long ago laid in the second year of Cyrus, 535 B.C. ( Ezra 3:10 Ezra 3:11 ); the foundation now laid was the secondary one, which, above the earth, was laid on the previous work [TIRINUS]. Or, translate, "From this day on which the temple is being begun," namely, on the foundations long ago laid [GROTIUS]. MAURER translates, "Consider . . . from the four and twentieth day . . . to (the time which has elapsed) from the day on which the foundation . . . was laid." The Hebrew supports English Version.

19. Is the seed yet in the barn?--implying, It is not. It has been already sown this month, and there are no more signs of its bearing a good crop, much less of its being safely stored in the barn, than there were in the past season, when there was such a failure; yet I promise to you from this day (emphatically marking by the repetition the connection of the blessing with the day of their obedience) a blessing in an abundant harvest. So also the vine, &c., which heretofore have borne little or nothing, shall be blessed with productiveness. Thus it will be made evident that the blessing is due to Me, not to nature. We may trust God's promise to bless us, though we see no visible sign of its fulfilment ( Habakkuk 2:3 ).

Haggai 2:20-23 . FOURTH PROPHECY. God's promise through Zerubbabel to Israel of safety in the coming commotions.

20. the month--the ninth in the second year of Darius. The same date as Prophecy III ( Haggai 2:10 ).

21. to Zerubbabel--Perhaps Zerubbabel had asked as to the convulsions foretold ( Haggai 2:6 Haggai 2:7 ). This is the reply: The Jews had been led to fear that these convulsions would destroy their national existence. Zerubbabel, therefore, as their civil leader and representative is addressed, not Joshua, their religious leader. Messiah is the antitypical Zerubbabel, their national Representative and King, with whom God the Father makes the covenant wherein they, as identified with Him, are assured of safety in God's electing love (compare Haggai 2:23 , "will make thee as a signet"; "I have chosen thee").
shake . . . violent political convulsions accompanied with physical prodigies ( Matthew 24:7 Matthew 24:29 ).

22. All other world kingdoms are to be overthrown to make way for Christ's universal kingdom ( Daniel 2:44 ). War chariots are to give place to His reign of peace ( Micah 5:10 , Zechariah 9:10 ).

23. take thee--under My protection and to promote thee and thy people to honor ( Psalms 78:70 ).
a signet--( Solomon 8:6 , Jeremiah 22:24 ). A ring with a seal on it; the legal representative of the owner; generally of precious stones and gold, &c., and much valued. Being worn on the finger, it was an object of constant regard. In all which points of view the theocratic people, and their representative, Zerubbabel the type, and Messiah his descendant the Antitype, are regarded by God. The safety of Israel to the end is guaranteed in Messiah, in whom God hath chosen them as His own ( Isaiah 42:1 , 43:10 , 44:1 , 49:3 ). So the spiritual Israel is sealed in their covenant head by His Spirit ( 2 Corinthians 1:20 2 Corinthians 1:22 , Ephesians 1:4 Ephesians 1:13 Ephesians 1:14 ). All is ascribed, not to the merits of Zerubbabel, but to God's gratuitous choice. Christ is the "signet" on God's hand: always in the Father's presence, ever pleasing in his sight. The signet of an Eastern monarch was the sign of delegated authority; so Christ ( Matthew 28:18 , John 5:22 John 5:23 ).