• Title Page
• Pentateuch
• History
• Poetry
• Prophets
• Post Captivity Prophets
  • Lesson 33: Summing Up The Ante-Captivity Prophets
  • Lesson 34: Daniel
  • Lesson 35: Ezra and Haggai
  • Lesson 36: Zechariah
  • Lesson 37: Nehemiah and Malachi
• Gospels, Acts
• Pauline Epistles
• General Epistles

The people had now begun to build on the foundations previously reared and God had begun to bless them (Haggai 2:19, last clause). They could see no visible signs of the blessings as yet, but it was in operation in the earth in their fields, and vines, and trees, and when harvest-time came they would know that God had done it. In days gone by, while living in disobedience, they had often, in harvest-time, expected to gather a heap of twenty measures in a field where they got no more than half of it; and fifty vessels of wine were looked for out of the press, and they only got two-fifths of the quantity. Everything was against them in those days, and yet they did not see the causes of it all to be their own sin (Haggai 2:16-17). But it would be different now. Let them remember the date well (Haggai 2:18). It was the date when they really began to serve God in earnest, and showed their faith by their works. Harvest-time had not yet come, the seed was in the ground and not in the barn, the trees and vines had not yet blossomed, nevertheless, “From this day will I bless you” (Haggai 2:19). God begins when we begin. There is a great lesson here for ourselves and for the people we teach.

Zerubbabel’s Resurrection

The fourth discourse concludes the book, and seems to have been given on the same day as the preceding one (Haggai 2:20). To whom is it particularly addressed (Haggai 2:21)? What indicates that how ever the prophecy may have applied approximately to Zerubbabel’s own time, its ultimate application is yet to come (Haggai 2:22)? Reference having already been made to these verses they need not be dwelt upon again. But what about Zerubbabel personally, “in that day” (Haggai 2:23)? That he will be raised from the dead we all know, but is he to stand in that day in some representative capacity before Israel literally as a witness and testimony to this promise? There are those who believe this, but I am inclined to think with another, that he is here alluded to as the representative of the Davidic family and type of the true David to come, i.e., Jesus Christ our Lord. He was chief of that family at this time, as we saw previously, and this promise was to assure him that God remembered his covenant with his forefather, and that it would be fulfilled.

Zechariah

The introduction of Haggai, in the last chapter, will serve sufficiently for Zechariah who was contemporary with him. Zechariah, like Haggai, held really a two-fold mission, to strengthen