Bible Commentaries

Who [is] left among you that saw this ^a house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? [is it] not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?

(a) For the people according as had been prophesied in (Isaiah 2:2) and (Eze. 41:1-26), thought this temple should have been more excellent than Solomon's temple, which was destroyed by the Babylonians, but the Prophets meant the spiritual Temple, the Church of Christ.

Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and ^b work: for I [am] with you, saith the LORD of hosts:

(b) That is, go forward in building the temple.

For thus saith the LORD of hosts; ^c Yet once, it [is] a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry [land];

(c) He exhorts them to patience though they do not see as yet this temple so glorious as the Prophets had declared: for this should be accomplished in Christ, by whom all things should be renewed.

And I will shake all nations, and ^d the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

(d) Meaning Christ, whom all ought to look for and desire: or by desire he may signify all precious things, such as riches, and things like them.

The ^e silver [is] mine, and the gold [is] mine, saith the LORD of hosts.

(e) Therefore when his time comes he can make all the treasures of the world to serve his purpose: but the glory of this second Temple does not consist of material things, neither can it be built.

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give ^f peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

(f) Meaning all spiritual blessings and felicity purchased by Christ; (Philemon 4:7).

If one bear ^g holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No.

(g) That is, the flesh of the sacrifices, by which he means that a thing which of itself is good, cannot make another thing so: and therefore they ought not to justify themselves by their sacrifices and ceremonies: but contrary to this, he that is unclean and not pure of heart, does corrupt those things and make them detestable to God, which otherwise are good and godly.

And now, I pray you, consider from this ^h day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD:

(h) Consider how God plagued you with famine before you began to build the temple.

ⁱ Since those [days] were, when [one] came to an heap of twenty [measures], there were [but] ten: when [one] came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty [vessels] out of the press, there were [but] twenty.

(i) That is, before the building was begun.

Consider now from ^k this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth [month, even] from the day that the foundation of the LORD'S temple was laid, consider [it].

(k) From the time they began to build the temple, he promises that God would bless them: and even though the fruit has not yet come forth, yet in the gathering they would have plenty.

Is the ^l seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless [you].

(l) He exhorts them to have patience, and to remain until the harvest came, and then they would see God's blessings.

Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I ^m will shake the heavens and the earth;

(m) I will make a change, and renew all things in Christ, of whom Zerubbabel is here a figure.

And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the ⁿ kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.

(n) By this he shows that there will be no stop or hindrance, when God will make this wonderful restitution of his Church.

In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a ^o signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.

(o) Signifying that his dignity would be most excellent, which thing was accomplished in Christ.