John Calvin Commentary Haggai 2:1-5

"In the seventh [month], in the one and twentieth [day] of the month, came the word of Jehovah by Haggai the prophet, saying, Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying, Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes as nothing? Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith Jehovah; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith Jehovah, and work: for I am with you, saith Jehovah of hosts, [according to] the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, and my Spirit abode among you: fear ye not." — Haggai 2:1-5 (ASV)

The Prophet now states another reason why he had been sent by God, so that he might prevent a temptation that might have hindered the work that was begun. We have seen that they were all stirred up by the heavenly spirit to undertake the building of the Temple.

But as Satan, by his many schemes, attempts to turn back the godly from their course, so he had devised a reason by which the desire of the people might have been checked. Since the old people, who had seen the splendor of the former temple, considered this temple no better than a cottage, all their zeal evaporated; for, as we have said, without a promise, no fervor, no perseverance will continue in men.

Now we know what had been predicted by Ezekiel, and what all the other Prophets had testified, especially Isaiah, who had spoken highly of the excellence of the Church, and shown that it was to be superior to its ancient state (Isaiah 33:21). Besides, Ezekiel describes the form of the Temple and states its dimensions (Ezekiel 41:1). Since then the faithful had learned from these prophecies that the new Temple would be more splendid than the ancient, they were in danger, not only of becoming cold in the business, but also of being wholly discouraged, when they perceived that the new Temple in no way reached the excellence and grandeur of the ancient Temple. And these things are described in detail by Josephus.

But we may easily conclude from the words of the Prophet that there was then a danger that they might lay aside the work they had begun, unless they were encouraged by a new exhortation. And he says that this happened in the seventh month, and on the first day of the month.

Here a question arises: How was it that they so soon compared the new with the old building? Seven or eight days had passed since the work was begun; undoubtedly, nothing could have been constructed then that might have provided a basis for comparison. It seems strange, then, that the Prophet had been sent to them so soon.

An answer to this will be easily found if we bear in mind what I stated at the beginning of the first chapter: that the foundations of the Temple had been previously laid, but that there had been a long interruption. For the people had turned to their own private concerns, and all had become so devoted to their own advantages that they neglected the building of the Temple.

For it is an entirely false notion that the people had returned from exile before the appointed time, and it has been sufficiently refuted by clear proofs; for Scripture expressly declares that both Cyrus and Darius had been led by a divine impulse to allow the return of the people.

Hence, when the Jews returned to their country, they immediately began to build the Temple; but afterwards, as I have said, either avarice or too anxious a desire for their own private benefit took hold of their minds. Since then the building of the Temple had been neglected for some time, they were again encouraged, as our Prophet has shown us.

They had now hardly applied their hands to the work when, through the craftiness of Satan, such suggestions as these crept in: “What are you doing, you miserable men! You wish to build a Temple to your God; but what sort of Temple will it be? Certainly, it will not be that which all the Prophets have celebrated. For what do we read in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel? Have not all these testified that the Temple which would be rebuilt after our return from Babylonian exile would be more splendid than the other? But we now build a shed. Surely this is done without authority. We do not then fight under the guidance of God; and it would be better for us to abandon the work, for our service cannot be approved by God unless it is founded on His Word. And we see how far this Temple falls short of what God has promised.”

We now learn from this that it was not without reason that Haggai was sent on the eighth day to recover the people from their indifference. And from this, we may also learn how necessary it is for us to be constantly stimulated; for Satan can easily find a thousand obstacles by which he may turn us away from the right course, unless God often repeats His exhortations to keep us awake. Only eight days had elapsed, and the people would have ceased from their work had Haggai not been sent to encourage them again.

Now the cause of this cessation, which the Prophet designed to address and to remove, should be especially noted. The people had previously ceased to work because they were excessively devoted to their own interests, which was a proof of shameful ingratitude and of profane impiety. For those who had no care for building the Temple were most ungrateful to God; and then their impiety was intolerable, since they sought paneled houses to dwell in, not being content with decent houses without having them adorned, while the Temple was left, as it were, a wilderness.

But the cause was different when Haggai was sent the second time, for their indifference then arose from a good principle and a genuine feeling of religion. But from this we see what a subtle contriver Satan is, who not only draws us away openly from God’s service but insinuates himself in a hidden manner, so as to turn us away, under the cover of zeal, from the course of our calling.

Why did the people become negligent after they had begun the work? It was because it grieved the old men to see the glory of the second Temple so far inferior to the first. For though the people animated themselves with the sound of trumpets, yet the old among them drowned the sound with their lamentations.

Why was this? It was because they saw, as I have said, that this Temple was in no way equal to the ancient one; and hence they thought that God was not yet reconciled to them. Had they said that such great expense was not necessary, that God did not require much money to be spent, their impiety would have been openly manifested. But when they especially wished that the splendor of the Temple would be such as might surely prove that the restoration of the Church had come, such as had been promised by all the Prophets, we undoubtedly perceive their pious feeling.

But we are thus reminded that we should always beware of the intrigues of Satan when they appear under the cover of truth. When, therefore, our minds are disposed to piety, Satan is always to be feared, lest he stealthily suggest to us what may turn us away from our duty; for we see that some leave the Church because they require in it the highest perfection.

They are indignant at vices which they deem intolerable when they cannot be corrected; and thus, under the pretext of zeal, they separate themselves and seek to form for themselves a new world in which there is to be a perfect Church. And they seize upon those passages in which the Holy Spirit recommends purity to the Church, as when Paul says that it was purchased by Christ, that it might be without spot or wrinkle.

Since then these are inflamed with a zeal so rigid that they depart from God Himself and violate the unity of the Church, so also there are many proud men who despise the Church of God because it does not shine forth among them in great pomp. And they think that God does not dwell among us because we are obscure and of no great importance, and also because they regard our small number with contempt.

In all these there is some appearance of piety. How is this so? Because they would have God be reverenced, so that they would have the whole world be filled with the fear of His majesty; or they would have much wealth be gathered, so that sumptuous offerings might be made.

But, as I have already said, Satan thus cunningly insinuates himself; and therefore we should fear his intrigues, lest, under plausible pretenses, he dazzle our eyes. But the best way of caution is to regard what God commands, and so to rely on His promises as to proceed steadily in our course, though the accomplishment of the promises does not immediately correspond with our desires; for God deliberately keeps us in suspense in order to test our faith.

Though He may not yet fulfill what He has promised, let it still be our course to attempt nothing rashly while we are obeying His command. It will then be our chief wisdom, by which we may escape all the crafts of Satan, simply to obey God’s Word, and to exercise our hope so as patiently to wait for the right time when He will fulfill what He now promises.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as we are not only alienated in mind from You, but also often relapse after having been once stirred up by You, either into perverseness, or into our own vanity, or are led astray by various things, so that nothing is more difficult than to pursue our course until we reach the end of our race—O grant that we may not trust in our own strength, nor claim for ourselves more than what is right, but, with our hearts raised above, depend on You alone, and constantly call on You to supply us with new strength, and so to confirm us that we may persevere to the end in the discharge of our duty, until we shall at length attain the true and perfect form of that temple which You command us to build, in which Your perfect glory shines forth, and into which we are to be transformed by Christ our Lord. Amen.

[Exposition continues from previous day's lecture]

The Prophet, after having declared why it was necessary to add new stimulants, now exhorts Zerubbabel and Joshua, and also the people, to be courageous, and thus to proceed with the work. And he again repeats what he had said, that the Lord was with them; I am with you, he says. Now this one thing is enough for us, that is, when God declares that He is with us; for His aid, we know, is stronger than the whole world, however Satan may on every side attempt to resist us.

He also adds that His Spirit would be in the midst of them; and then He says that there was no reason for them to fear. By His Spirit, God means the power by which He strengthened their minds, that they might not give way to their trials, or that fear might not hinder them. And what is particular is joined to what is general; for God is present with His own in various ways, but He especially shows that He is present when, by His Spirit, He confirms weak minds. He then bids them all to be of a courageous mind. This is one thing. But He also shows from where this courage proceeded; for He sustained them by His Spirit when they were growing faint or when they were not able to resist fears. The Prophet reminds them by these words that courage was to be sought from God.

From this we learn that what belongs to our calling and duty is not required from us as if we were able to perform everything; but when the Lord, according to His own right, commands, He offers the help of His Spirit. And thus we should connect the promise of grace with the precept, of which foolish men take no notice, who deduce free will from what is commanded. For they reason thus: that it is in vain to require from us what is above our ability, and that as God requires us to form our life according to the rule of the highest perfection, it is therefore in our power to perform the highest justice.

But the Prophet here, in the first place, exhorts Joshua and Zerubbabel, and the whole people, to be courageous, and then, he immediately adds, that the Spirit of God would be in the midst of them; as if He had said that there was no reason for them to despond, though they had not sufficient strength in themselves, for courage was to be sought from the Spirit of God, who would dwell among them.

In short, the Prophet teaches us that the faithful are to strive in such a way as not to claim anything for themselves, but to offer themselves to be ruled by the Lord, that He may supply them with weapons as well as with strength, and thus conquer in them. For though the victory is ascribed to us, it is yet certain that God conquers in us.

He then adds, According to the word; for so I render the particle את, at. Those who think that the Jews are here reminded that it was their duty to obey God, and purely to serve Him, and truly to keep His law, according to what He had commanded them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt, depart far from the design of the Prophet. For the Prophet pursues the same subject, and in the latter clause He confirms what I have just mentioned—that the Spirit of God would be in the midst of them.

He therefore shows that He promises nothing new, but what God had formerly engaged to give to their fathers. If anyone prefers taking the particle את, at, in an explicative sense, I do not object; for the meaning would be the same—that this is the word which He had promised.

The object of the Prophet is by no means doubtful, for He means to teach us that God is faithful and constant in His promises, and that the Jews would find this to be the case, for He would perform what He had formerly promised to their fathers. The word, He says, which I had covenanted with you when I brought you out of Egypt.

For the Prophets were accustomed to remind the faithful of the ancient covenant, that they might gain more credit for their special prophecies. We indeed know that whatever God had promised to the Jews was founded on their first adoption. When, therefore, the Prophets brought forward the ancient covenant, it was the same as if they led the Jews back to the fountain itself; for the promises, which now and then occurred, were like streams which flowed from the first spring, even their gratuitous covenant.

We now see then why an express mention is made of the ancient compact which God had made with the chosen people at their departure out of Egypt.

It must also be observed that God became then the Redeemer of His people, in order to be their eternal Father, and thus to be the perpetual guardian of their safety. Hence the design of what the Prophet says is to show that their fathers were not formerly redeemed so that their children might reject God, but that He might continue His favor to His people to the end. But the ultimate issue is to be found in Christ, that is, the full accomplishment; for God does not cease to show kindness in Him to His chosen people, but performs much more fully and abundantly what He had previously exhibited under types and shadows. For whatever He conferred on His ancient Church was, as it were, a prelude of His vast bounty, which was at length made known by the coming of Christ.

We now clearly understand what the Prophet meant: For He upbraided the Jews for their stupidity, because they did not consider that their fathers were formerly delivered from Egypt so that God might defend them to the end. Hence He bids them maturely to examine the design and character of the covenant which God made at their departure from Egypt; for He entered into covenant with them that He might be their Redeemer and confer on them the fullness of all blessings. Since it is so, He says, the time has now come when God will perform what He then promised to your fathers; and whatever faithfulness you have until now found in God should be applied for this end—that you may feel assured that you have now been restored to your country, in order that He might re-establish His Church, and that you might not continue in that low condition which now depresses your minds. Since then you should look for that fullness of happiness which God formerly promised, either His covenant is void and He unfaithful, or you should with cheerfulness and alacrity proceed with the work. It follows—