Haggai 2
(1) God is with Israel
On the 21st of month 7, the Existing One’s message came from Haggai, the spokesperson. He said,
“Ask Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the rest of the people, ‘Who is still around today that saw this temple in its former glory? And how does it look now? Doesn’t it seem like nothing in comparison?
“‘But take courage, Zerubabel, Joshua, and everyone else—take courage, because I am with you. Just like I promised when you left Egypt, My Spirit lives in your midst. So don’t be scared!
“‘In in a little while I will shake the heavens, earth, and sea again. I’ll shake every country and fill this house with glory. The silver and gold are Mine. The glory that will fill this house will be even greater than it used to be. And I’ll distribute wholeness and peace in this place.’”
(10) God will Bless Israel now that They’re Building His Temple
On the 24th day of month 9 in Darius’s second year of being king, the Existing One’s message came to Haggai, the spokesperson. Haggai said,
“The Existing One says, ‘Ask the priests for a ruling: If someone carries sacred meat in the fold of his shirt, and then he uses that fold to touch bread, cooked food, wine oil, or any other food, will the new thing he touches become sacred?’”
The priests answered,
“No.”
Then Haggai said,
“Let’s say someone has been tarnished by coming into contact with a corpse. If that person touches any of those things, will the thing he touches become tarnished?”
The priests answered,
“Yes, it will become tarnished,”
Haggai said,
“‘That’s how this people group is, and that’s how this country is!’ says the Existing One. ‘And so every kind of work you guys do with your hands is tarnished—and everything you offer is also tarnished.
‘Think about what’s been happening before you started laying bricks to build the My temple: whenever someone came to get 20 buckets of grain from the barn, there would only be 10. And whenever someone came to get 50 cups of wine from the wine vat, there would only be 20. I was blasting you guys and all your hard work with diseases for your crops, mildew, and hail—yet you never came back to Me. Think about how it used to be before the 24th day of month 9 (that’s the day My you started working on My temple). Ask yourself: was there food in the barn? Even the vines, fig trees, pomegranate trees, and olive trees didn’t produce much fruit.
‘Yet from this day forward, I will bless you.’”
(20) God Has Chosen Zerubbabel
Then the Existing One’s message came to Haggai a second time on that same day of the 24th. He said,
“Tell Zerubbabel that I will shake the heavens and the earth. I will overthrow empires and erase whatever power countries have. I will flip chariots and their riders. Their horses and riders will go down as everyone kills each other with swords.
“On that day, I will take you, Zerubbabel, My servant, and make you like a signet ring, because I have chosen you.”
