EXPOSITION
RECOMMENCEMENT OF THE BUILDING IN THE SECOND YEAR OF DARIUS. PREACHING OF HAGGAI AND ZECHARIAH (Ezra 5:1-17 :l, 2). It appears from the extant prophecies of these two prophets that the long frustration of their hopes had had its natural effect on the spirits of the people. They had begun to weary of endeavours which produced no practical result, and to despair of accomplishing an object which all their efforts did not perceptibly advance. A reaction had set in. The burning enthusiasm which had shown itself on the first arrival of the exiles with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:68, Ezra 2:69; Ezra 3:11) had faded away; indolence had succeeded to activity, and a selfish desire of comfort to zeal for the honour of God. Instead of watching eagerly for an opportunity of recommencing the great work, and seizing the first occasion that offered itself, the people had come to acquiesce in its indefinite postponement, and to say among themselves, "The time is not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built" (Haggai 1:2). Laying aside all idea of moving further in the matter of the temple, they had turned their energies to the practical object of establishing themselves in good and comfortable houses (Haggai 1:4, Haggai 1:9). The great revolution in Persia, by which the Pseudo-Smerdis was dethroned and slain, Magism put down, and the (comparatively) pure religion of Zoroaster re-established as the religion of the Persian state, failed to stir their minds or raise their hopes. A whole year was allowed to elapse, and nothing was done, no fresh effort made. It was the second year of King Darius (Ezra 4:24)—nay, it was the sixth month of that year, the month Elul, corresponding to our September, as we learn from Haggai (Haggai 1:1)—and still no step was taken. The nation was "eating," and "drinking," and "clothing itself" (Haggai 1:6), and making for itself "cieled houses" (Haggai 1:4), while the house of God lay "waste" (Haggai 1:9)—in that unsightly condition always presented by works commenced and then suspended for years. Even Zerubbabel and Jeshua the civil and ecclesiastical rulers—acquiesced apparently in this miserable state of things—this tameness, sloth, indifference to God's honour, and general pursuit of mere carnal delights. Such was the situation, when suddenly, unexpectedly, to the people's consternation rather than their joy, a Prophet appeared upon the scene. "In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel." Prophecy had been in abeyance for sixteen years, since the "third of Cyrus," when Daniel uttered his last warning (Daniel 10:1). It was now revived. Haggai came forward, self-proclaimed a prophet of Jehovah (Haggai 1:13), and rebuked the people in the old prophetic tone, and "stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel and the spirit of Jeshua" (Haggai 1:14), and by exhortations, and warnings, and threats brought about in little more than three weeks (Haggai 1:15) the resumption of the work, which was henceforth pressed forward with zeal. Haggai's mission continued only for a very short space from September, b.c. 520, to December of the same year; but before his work came to an end God raised up a second prophet—"Zechariah the son of Iddo"—who carried on his task, sustained the spirit of the people and the rulers, and saw the happy accomplishment of the great undertaking, which he had previously announced as near (Zechariah 4:9), in the sixth year of Darius, b.c. 516.