John Calvin Commentary Haggai 1:12

"Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of Jehovah their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as Jehovah their God had sent him; and the people did fear before Jehovah." — Haggai 1:12 (ASV)

The Prophet here declares that his message had not been without fruit, for shortly afterward the whole people prepared themselves for the work. And he names both Zerubbabel and Joshua, for it was fitting for them to lead the way and, as it were, to extend a hand to others. For, if there had been no leaders, no one of the common people would have shown the way to the others. We know what usually happens when a word is addressed indiscriminately to all the people: they wait for one another. But when Joshua and Zerubbabel attended to the commands of the Prophet, the others followed them, for they were dominant not only in power but also in authority, so that they persuaded the people to willingly do their duty. One was the governor of the people, the other was the high priest; but the honesty and faithfulness of both were well known, so that the people spontaneously followed their example.

And this passage teaches us that though God invites all to His service, yet the more anyone excels in honor or in other respects, the more promptly they should undertake what is proposed by the authority of God. Our Prophet, no doubt, meant to point out this proper order of things by saying that he was heard first by Zerubbabel and Joshua, and then by the whole people.

But as not all had returned from exile, but only a small portion compared with that great number who, we know, had not availed themselves of the kindness allowed them—this is the reason why the Prophet does not simply name the people, but the remnant of the people, שארית העם, sharit eom.

Also, since the gift of prophecy had for a long time been rarer, and few appeared among the people who had any clear evidence of their call, such as Samuel, Isaiah, David, and others possessed, the Prophet, for this reason, here more carefully commends and honors his own office: he says that the people attended to the voice of Jehovah—How?

By attending, he says, to the words of Haggai the Prophet, inasmuch as Jehovah their God had sent him. He might have said more briefly that his labor had not been without fruit, but he used this indirect way of speaking so that he might confirm his own call; and he did this intentionally, because the people had for a long time been without the opportunity of hearing God’s Prophets, for there were none among them.

But Haggai says nothing here but what is common to all teachers in the Church: for we know that men are not sent by divine authority to speak in such a way that God Himself remains silent. Since, then, the ministers of the word detract nothing from the authority of God, it follows that only the true God ought to be heard.

It is not then a unique expression, to be restricted to one man, when God is said to have spoken by the mouth of Haggai, for he thus declared that he was God’s true and authorized Prophet. We may therefore gather from these words that the Church is not to be ruled by the external preaching of the word as though God had substituted men in His own place and thus stripped Himself of His own office, but that He only speaks by their mouth.

And this is the meaning of these words, The people attended to the voice of Jehovah their God, and to the words of Haggai the Prophet. For the word of God is not distinguished from the words of the Prophet as though the Prophet had added anything of his own. Haggai then ascribed these words to himself, not because he invented anything himself, so as to corrupt the pure doctrine which had been given to him by God, but because he only distinguished between God, the author of the doctrine, and His minister, as when it is said, “The sword of God and of Gideon” (Judges 7:20), and also, “The people believed God and Moses his servant” (Exodus 14:31).

Nothing is ascribed to Moses or to Gideon apart from God; but God Himself is placed in the highest honor, and then Moses and Gideon are joined to Him. In the same sense the Apostles write, when they say that “it had pleased the Holy Spirit” and themselves (Acts 15:22).

And thus it is evident how foolish and ridiculous are the Papists, who from this conclude that it is lawful for men to add their own inventions to the word of God. For the Apostles, they say, not only alleged the authority of the Holy Spirit, but also say that it seemed good to themselves. God then, they say, does not so claim all things for Himself as not to leave some things to the decision of His Church, as if indeed the Apostles meant something different from what our Prophet means here; that is, that they truly and faithfully delivered what they had received from the Spirit of God.

It is therefore a way of speaking which should be carefully noted, when we hear that the voice of God and the words of Haggai were reverently attended to by the people.—Why? Inasmuch, he says, as God had sent him; as if he had said that God was heard when He spoke by the mouth of a man.

And this is also worth noting, because many fanatics boast that they profess respect for the word of the Lord, but are unwilling to give credit to men, as that would be even preposterous; and they pretend that in this way what belongs to the one true God is transferred to creatures.

But the Holy Spirit most easily reconciles these two things—that the voice of God is heard when the people embrace what they hear from the mouth of a Prophet. Why is this so? Because it pleases God in this way to test the obedience of our faith, when He entrusts this office to man. For if the Lord were pleased to speak Himself, then men might justly be neglected; but since He has chosen this method, whoever rejects God’s Prophets clearly shows that they despise God Himself.

There is no need to inquire here why we should obey the preached word or the external voice of men, rather than revelations; it is enough for us to know that this is God’s will. Therefore, when He sends Prophets to us, we should unquestionably receive what they bring.

And Haggai also says expressly that he was sent by the God of Israel, as if he had said that the people had demonstrated their true piety when they acknowledged God’s Prophet in his legitimate calling. For he who loudly objects and says that he does not know whether it pleases God or not to send men to announce His word, shows himself to be entirely alienated from God; for it should be sufficiently clear to us that this is one of our fundamental principles.

He afterward adds that the people feared before Jehovah. Haggai confirms here the same truth—that the people did not receive what they heard from the mouth of a mortal man differently than if the majesty of God had openly appeared. For there was no visual appearance of God, but the message of the Prophet obtained as much power as though God had descended from heaven and had given clear signs of His presence. We may therefore conclude from these words that the glory of God so shines in His word that we should be so affected by it, whenever He speaks by His servants, as though He were near to us, face to face, as the Scripture says in another place. It now follows—