Haggai 2:20-23 says...Bible reading week 27, day 5

We finish up the book of Haggai with chapter 2 and verses 20 through 23 which read,

20 - Then the word of the LORD came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying,

21 - "Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, 'I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.

22 - I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots and their riders; and the horses and their riders will go down, everyone by the sword of another.'

23 - 'On that day,' declares the LORD of hosts, 'I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,' declares the LORD, 'and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,'" declares the LORD of hosts.

A recap is that a remnant of God's people, the Israelites, have returned to the Promise Land from Babylon.  They are under the direction of Zerubbabel.  The goal is to rebuild the temple that was destroyed and also restore the religious structure of the people and for the people.  They started but then opposition arose and they put down their tools to rebuild the temple and just focused on their own dwellings.  Haggai, the prophet, is given words of the Lord to proclaim to the people.  God said to go back up into the mountains to get more wood and pick up those tools to get the temple finished.  The people obeyed and with it came the blessings of God that had be not experienced because they were not living in a way to glorify Him.  They were to "consider your ways" and they did and now the message from God was, "I am with you," and "I will bless you."

Now Haggai gets a second message from the Lord in one day.  The people are going to get a second sermon, a twofer from God.  Actually this message is directed to their leader, Zerubbabel.  God tells him that He, God, will shake up the nations around them.  God will overthrow the opposition.  He will turn over the chariots and the riders which is the sign of a very powerful nation to have an army with chariots and riders.  God will defend them.

God says, "I am going," "I will overthrow," "I will take you," "I will make you," and "I have chosen you."  There are a lot of "I's" from God to take in.  God is a god of action.  God is a god of power.  God is a god of direction.  God is a god of discipleship.  God is a god of provision.

With any of the prophets there is an element of the Messianic prophecies and there is one here.  It says, "on that day."  What day?  The day of all days when the Messiah is known by all, when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.  It is a day in our future that comes through Jesus, the Messiah, of the earthly line of David.  Zerubbabel is of that line but the signet ring, the symbol of royalty, has been taken from the family by God.  Jeremiah 22:24 says,

"As I live," declares the LORD, "even though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were a signet ring on My right hand, yet I would pull you off; and I will give you over into the hand of those who are seeking your life, yes, into the hand of those whom you dread, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of the Chaldeans."

Jehoiakim is the grandfather of Zerubbabel and so the line is restored in him as they are settled back in the land of Israel but also restoring an obedience to God.  Zerubbabel is like a signet ring.  He is a picture of One who is to come who is chosen by God.  The One to come is Jesus who came to save sinners and to be the sinless sacrifice who willingly took His place on the cross to face the wrath of God.  A reign will happen during the time of Zerubbabel that will be like the ultimate reign of the Messiah "on that day."

We end this book with the Israelites walking in the right direction and also a look into the future of a Messiah to come who will reign forever.  He will shake, He will overthrow, He will take, and He will make because He has been chosen by God to do so.  He will shake our world.  He will overthrow Satan.  He will take His faithful to be with Him forever.  He will make us to be Christ-like.  He, the Chosen One of God, will be because the Lord of hosts declares it.  Let us pray.

"Lord, it is so great to read a book of the Bible where the people of God are actually following after You.  They were corrected of their wrong and repented to rise in obedience to You.  May we follow this example when we are corrected of our wrongs.  May we repent and turn to rise in obedience to the One who was chosen of God to come to us.  Amen."

Pastor Adam