Haggai 1:14 Komentář

In this chapter, after the preamble of the prophecy, we have, I. A reproof of the people of the Jews for their dilatoriness and slothfulness in building the temple, which had provoked God to contend with them by the judgment of famine and scarcity, with an exhortation to them to resume that good work and to prosecute it in good earnest (Hag 1:1-11). II. The good success of this sermon, appearing in the people's return and close application to that work, wherein the prophet, in God's name, animated and encouraged them, assuring them that God was with them (Hag 1:12-15).

This chapter contains the first sermon of the Prophet Haggai to the people of the Jews, directed to Zerubbabel the governor, and Joshua the high priest; the date of which is fixed, Hag 1:1. It begins with a charge against that people; saying the time to build the house of the Lord was not come, Hag 1:2 which is refuted by the prophet; arguing, that, if the time to panel their dwelling houses was come, then much more the time to build the Lord's house, Hag 1:3. They are urged to consider how unsuccessful they had been in their civil employments and labours, which was owing to their neglect of building the temple; wherefore, if they consulted their own good, and the glory of God, the best way was to set about it in all haste, and with diligence, Hag 1:5 yea, even the famine, which they had been afflicted with for some time, and which affected both man and beast, sprung from the same cause, Hag 1:10. This discourse had such an effect upon the governor, high priest, and people, that they immediately rose up, and went about the work they were exhorted to; upon which the prophet, by a special message from the Lord, promises his presence with them, Hag 1:12.

And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people,.... He roused them up from that sleep and sloth in which they were before, both the governors and common people; he wrought in them both to will and do; or a willing mind to do his work in building his house; he gave them a spirit both of industry and courage; he enabled them to shake off that sluggish disposition they were attended with, and that fear of men which possessed them; he inspired them with zeal and resolution to enter upon the work at once, and pursue it with close application; the Lord only could do this: and they came and did work in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God; the governor and high priest came to direct and oversee, encourage and animate the people by their presence and example; and the people to do the several parts of service that belonged to them, according to their genius and employment.

(Verse 14) And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the rest of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God, on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius. For the governor of Judah, seventy were carried away from the tribe of Judah, and for the work, the workers; and the rest likewise. Wherever we place ourselves, the Lord of hosts is interpreted differently as either the Almighty Lord, the Lord of hosts, or the Lord of powers. Therefore, the spirit of Zorobabel and the spirit of Jesus are awakened, according to the letter, to build the temple of God with kingdom and priesthood. The spirit of the people, who was sleeping within them, is also awakened, not the body, not the soul; but as we said, the spirit, which knows how to build the temple of God. And they entered, for they had been outside, and they were doing works that were worthy of the inner part of the house of the Lord: in the same year of King Darius as before, in the same month that was also at the beginning; but not on the same day. For there, one day of the month is placed: but here the twenty-fourth, so that between the first day, when the Lord speaks through Haggai, and the twenty-fourth, when they entered and were doing work in the house of the Lord, there were twenty-two middle days, as many as the letters are among the Hebrews. For it was necessary that they be taught what were the elements of the beginning of God's words, which would prevent them from saying, 'The time has not yet come to build the house of the Lord and to dwell in vaulted houses, and as I said before, to be submerged in the depths. But they were provoked to set their hearts on their own ways, and to remember how much they had suffered through negligence. And to ascend the mountain, and to cut wood, and to build the house of the Lord, and not to allow what they had suffered before. Finally, in these twenty-two days, the people feared the face of the Lord, and they entered on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month of the second year of King Darius, and they were doing the work in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God. But it is commanded to us, that the spiritual house may be built into a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ, that we may be able to provide such offerings, so that the Holy Spirit may be stirred up in us, and we may enter into the house of the Lord, and perform the works of the Lord. For now Zorobabel of the lineage of David, and Jesus the priest, has been raised up by the Father in power, according to the spirit of sanctification from the resurrection of the dead, so that he may preside over the work; but we, with him as our helper and guide, shall perform the works of God. However, we cannot do the works of God beforehand, unless we fear the face of the Lord, and believe, and enter the temple of God, and perform those things that are worthy of the house of God. But since we are still in the world, and the time of our building is under the reign of Darius, in which generation, marriages, and carnal servitude are observed; therefore, in the sixth number, when the world was made, and in the second year, which divides the union (for the matter in which the renewal of the world and the birth of offspring consist loves the double number), we enter the house of the Lord, and with both peoples gathered together, we build the temple of God. For the sum of the twenty-fourth number consists of two of the twelve numbers, because just as from circumcision and from the Gentiles, the first Church of Christ, which had been destroyed, was built. But we can also say this, because the eighth number, which is holy, and is taken in the type of true circumcision, triples the twenty-fourth number, figuratively teaching us to build the house of the Lord through the cutting off of the flesh and the circumcision of vices, and to believe in the true purity in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, another six times a fourth number is computed, and four refers to the elements of the world, from which we subsist; but six refers to the condition of the world, in which the elements themselves revolve. And it says: because we are still in matter, and are surrounded by a heavy body, and serve generations, indeed we are to build a temple and enter into the house of God, and as if awakened from a heavy sleep, our spirit; but still to do the same thing on the twenty-fourth day.

And the Lord stirred up the spirit - It is not only necessary that the judgment should be enlightened, but the soul must be invigorated by the Spirit of God, before any good work can be effectually done.

HAGGAI CALLS THE PEOPLE TO CONSIDER THEIR WAYS IN NEGLECTING TO BUILD GOD'S HOUSE: THE EVIL OF THIS NEGLECT TO THEMSELVES: THE HONOR TO GOD OF ATTENDING TO IT: THE PEOPLE'S PENITENT OBEDIENCE UNDER ZERUBBABEL FOLLOWED BY GOD'S GRACIOUS ASSURANCE. (Hag 1:1-15) second year of Darius--Hystaspes, the king of Medo-Persia, the second of the world empires, Babylon having been overthrown by the Persian Cyrus. The Jews having no king of their own, dated by the reign of the world kings to whom they were subject. Darius was a common name of the Persian kings, as Pharaoh of those of Egypt, and CÃ&brvbrsar of those of Rome. The name in the cuneiform inscriptions at Persepolis is written Daryawus, from the root Darh, "to preserve," the Conservator [LASSEN]. HERODOTUS [6.98] explains it Coercer. Often opposite attributes are assigned to the same god; in which light the Persians viewed their king. Ezr 4:24 harmonizes with Haggai in making this year the date of the resumption of the building. sixth month--of the Hebrew year, not of Darius' reign (compare Zac 1:7; Zac 7:1, Zac 7:3; Zac 8:19). Two months later ("the eighth month," Zac 1:1) Zechariah began to prophesy, seconding Haggai. the Lord--Hebrew, JEHOVAH: God's covenant title, implying His unchangeableness, the guarantee of His faithfulness in keeping His promises to His people. by Haggai--Hebrew, "in the hand of Haggai"; God being the real speaker, His prophet but the instrument (compare Act 7:35; Gal 3:19). Zerubbabel--called also Shesh-bazzar in Ezr 1:8; Ezr 5:14, Ezr 5:16, where the same work is attributed to Shesh-bazzar that in Ezr 3:8 is attributed to Zerubbabel. Shesh-bazzar is probably his Chaldean name; as Belteshazzar was that of Daniel. Zerubbabel, his Hebrew name, means "one born in Babylon." son of Shealtiel--or Salathiel. But Ch1 3:17, Ch1 3:19 makes Pedaiah his father. Probably he was adopted by his uncle Salathiel, or Shealtiel, at the death of his father (compare Mat 1:12; Luk 3:27). governor of Judah--to which office Cyrus had appointed him. The Hebrew Pechah is akin to the original of the modern Turkish Pasha; one ruling a region of the Persian empire of less extent than that under a satrap. Joshua--called Jeshua (Ezr 2:2); so the son of Nun in Neh 8:17. Josedech--or Jehozadak (Ch1 6:15), one of those carried captive by Nebuchadnezzar. Haggai addresses the civil and the religious representatives of the people, so as to have them as his associates in giving God's commands; thus priest, prophet, and ruler jointly testify in God's name.

Lord stirred up the spirit of, &c.--God gave them alacrity and perseverance in the good work, though slothful in themselves. Every good impulse and revival of religion is the direct work of God by His Spirit. came and did work--collected the wood and stones and other materials (compare Hag 1:8) for the work. Not actually built or "laid the (secondary) foundations" of the temple, for this was not done till three months after, namely, the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month (Hag 2:18) [GROTIUS].