So. Go up into the hills. Bring down timber. Build the house.
Go up into the hills, bring down lumber, and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified, says the LORD.
Every post in Haggai, in order. Tap a post for the whole conversation, or the book icon for the verses.
That was me. First day of the sixth month, in Darius’s second year. The LORD gave me a message for Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest. The people are saying it isn’t the right time to rebuild the LORD’s house.
Then two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, start speaking to the Jews in the name of the God of Israel. Zerubbabel and Jeshua get up and start building again, and the prophets are right there with them, helping.In the second year of the reign of Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, stating that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.’”
Replying to @haggai
I mean, it isn't, though? Not yet. It's not the time to build the LORD's house. Got my own place to sort first.
that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.’”
Think carefully about how it’s going. You’ve planted a lot and harvested a little. You eat and you’re never full. You drink and you’re still thirsty. You put clothes on and you’re never warm. You earn wages and put them in a purse with holes in it.
Now this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Consider carefully your ways. You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes but never get warm. You earn wages to put into a bag pierced through.”
Replying to @haggai
The purse with holes in it. Okay. That one landed.
You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes but never get warm. You earn wages to put into a bag pierced through.”
So. Go up into the hills. Bring down timber. Build the house.
Go up into the hills, bring down lumber, and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified, says the LORD.
We listened. Joshua, me and everyone who came back. The LORD stirred all of us up. Work on his house started on the twenty-fourth of the month.
Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, as well as all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the words of the prophet Haggai, because the LORD their God had sent him. So the people feared the LORD. So the LORD stirred the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, as well as the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and began the work on the house of the LORD of Hosts, their God, on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius.
Replying to @zerubbabel
The LORD’s message for all of you was short. I am with you.
Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, delivered the message of the LORD to the people: “I am with you,” declares the LORD.
Twenty-first day of the seventh month. The LORD had me ask: who’s left who saw this house in its first glory? How does it look to you now? Like nothing?
On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet, saying: “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and also to the remnant of the people. Ask them, ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not appear to you like nothing in comparison?’
Replying to @haggai
But now be strong, Zerubbabel. Be strong, Joshua. Be strong, everyone. Work, because I am with you, says the LORD. My Spirit is still among you. Don’t be afraid.
But now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. And be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work! For I am with you, declares the LORD of Hosts. This is the promise I made to you when you came out of Egypt. And My Spirit remains among you; do not be afraid.”
He asked who’s left who saw the first one. Still me.
I saw the first temple. When I saw this foundation I cried out loud. I couldn't stop. A lot of us old ones were the same.‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not appear to you like nothing in comparison?’
In a little while, he says, he’ll shake heaven and earth, sea and land, and all the nations, and their treasures will come here. The silver is his and the gold is his. The glory of this house will be greater than the first one’s. And in this place he’ll give peace.
For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all the nations, and they will come with all their treasures, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of Hosts. The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, declares the LORD of Hosts. The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former, says the LORD of Hosts. And in this place I will provide peace, declares the LORD of Hosts.”
Twenty-fourth of the ninth month. Asked the priests for a ruling today. If someone carries holy meat in a fold of his robe and it touches bread, or stew, or wine, does that become holy? And if someone unclean from touching a dead body touches any of it, does it become unclean?
On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Haggai the prophet, saying, “This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Ask the priests for a ruling. If a man carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and it touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other food, does that item become holy?’” “No,” replied the priests. So Haggai asked, “If one who is defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled?” “Yes, it becomes defiled,” the priests answered.
Replying to @haggai
Ruling as follows. First case: no. Second case: yes.
If a man carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and it touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other food, does that item become holy?’” “No,” replied the priests. So Haggai asked, “If one who is defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled?” “Yes, it becomes defiled,” the priests answered.
Think back to before a single stone was laid on the temple. You’d go to a heap of grain expecting twenty measures and find ten. To the winepress for fifty and draw twenty. Is there any seed left in the barn? The vine, the fig, the pomegranate and the olive haven’t produced. But from today, he says, I will bless you.
Now consider carefully from this day forward: Before one stone was placed on another in the temple of the LORD, from that time, when one came expecting a heap of twenty ephahs of grain, there were but ten. When one came to the winepress to draw out fifty baths, there were but twenty. Consider carefully from this day forward—from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, the day the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid—consider carefully: Is there still seed in the barn? The vine, the fig, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yet yielded fruit. But from this day on, I will bless you.”
Second message today, and it’s just for Zerubbabel. The LORD is about to shake heaven and earth and overturn the thrones of kingdoms. And on that day, he says, I’ll take you, my servant, and make you like my signet ring. I’ve chosen you.
For the second time that day, the twenty-fourth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to Haggai, saying, “Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am about to shake the heavens and the earth: I will overturn royal thrones and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overturn chariots and their riders; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother. On that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will take you, My servant, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, declares the LORD, and I will make you like My signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the LORD of Hosts.”