Past and present.
I. A SUGGESTION—Of the continuity of human history. Haggai's question assumes that the structure then erecting was not a new edifice (which it really was), but the old building set up again, though in faded splendour, which also it was, inasmuch as it was based on the foundations of the earlier pile. "This house in its former glory" meant that the prophet looked on the two houses as one, and the two eras represented by these houses, not as two distinct and separate periods, but as one continuous period. As it were the national life, for seventy years interrupted by the exile, again flowed on, restoring the temple, reinstituting the religion of Jehovah, and pervading the whole fabric of society. The present was not so much a fresh commencement as a prolongation of the past. And this is true of human history and life in general. No age or individual is entirely disconnected from and independent of the ages and individuals that have gone before. A perfectly new beginning in human history or in individual life has never yet taken place. Even in the Incarnation, the second Adam was connected with the first through his human nature. The civilization of the nineteenth century is built upon the foundations laid by preceding centuries. The maturity of manhood in wisdom or virtue is developed from the gains in knowledge and goodness made in youth.
II. AN ILLUSTRATION—Of the tendency to glorify the past at the expense of the present. "Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? and how do you see it now? asks the prophet; is it not in your eyes as nothing?" In certain respects this depreciation of the post-exilic temple, in comparison with the Solomonic, was justifiable—the material splendour of the second building was vastly inferior to that of the first; but in other respects the glory of the latter house would ultimately far eclipse that of the former (verse 9)—it would be the centre and scene, the instrument and support of a purer worship than had been maintained in the former, and would be honoured by the visit of a greater potentate than Solomon himself, even by the Messenger of the covenant and the Lord of the temple, after whom were going out the desires, not of Israel alone, but of all nations (verse 7). And upon the foundation of the old structure of cedar wood and gold, and to glorify the old which seventy years before had perished in the going down of their nation before the might of Babylon, so does it seem to be a tendency in human nature to exalt the past and to depress the present, to extol the men and institutions, the characteristics and occurrences of other days at the expense of the present, even when there is as little ground for doing so as there was for the depreciatory remarks of the builders. It is not difficult to account for either this laudation of the past or this disparagement of the present. On the one hand, lapse of years allows the memory of past discomforts, irritations, deficiencies, imperfections, blemishes, to fade away, while present evils obtrude themselves upon the notice and press upon the hearts of the passing generation; on the other hand, the present is too near for its peculiar excellences to be rightly gauged, while the glories of the past, like distant mountains, shine out with augmented splendour. Yet the verdict which prefers the past to the present is incorrect (Ecclesiastes 7:10). Unless the world is a hopelessly bad world, which it is not (Romans 8:20), and the grace of God that bringeth salvation is effete, which is not the mind of Scripture (Titus 2:11); unless the predictions of the Word of God are to be falsified (Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14; Revelation 11:15), which cannot be (Isaiah 4:1-6 :11; Matthew 24:35), and the aspirations of good men's hearts are to be disappointed, which would be clean contrary to what God has led them to expect (Psalms 145:19);—there can be little doubt that the world is and must be surely but slowly becoming better.
"For I doubt not through the ages one increasing purpose runs;
And the thoughts of men are widened by the process of the suns."
(Tennyson.)
To the widening of the thoughts add the purifying of the hearts and the elevation of the lives of men.
III. AN EXHORTATION—to earnest diligence in discharge of present duty. "Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord," etc. The duty of the builders was to prosecute the work in which they were engaged, the erection of the temple, even though the temple should be inferior to its predecessor, and the circumstances for its erection less favourable than had been those for the construction of the former—perhaps all the more their duly on that account. So were the present age inferior to the ages which had gone before, the same duty would be incumbent on all ranks and classes—the duty, viz. of working with earnest diligence at one's daily calling, "the trivial round, the common task," if assigned by God, and more especially at the upbuilding of God's spiritual temple in the individual soul and in the world at large. Without this the present age cannot grow better than the past, and is certain to grow worse.
IV. A CONSOLATION—in the guaranteed fellowship of God. Jehovah would be with them—always, of course, conditionally if they continued with him (2 Chronicles 15:2).
1. Not merely externally, as through his immanent presence he is with all, but internally, by his Spirit abiding amongst them as a community, and in their hearts as individuals, as he still does in the midst of his Church and in the souls of believers, when these remain true to him, no matter how degenerate the age may be in which their lot is cast.
2. Not now for the first time, but as he had ever been since the day when they came forth from Egypt; without which, indeed, they had never become a nation having access to Jehovah through their priests and sacrifices, and receiving from him revelations and spiritual quickenings through the medium of their prophets (Hebrews 1:1); and without which they could not now be prospered in their undertaking. God's Spirit is the secret source and ultimate cause of all good in either Church or nation.
3. Not of constraint, but willingly, according to his own covenant engagement, which are never imposed on him by any of his creatures, but always freely proposed and executed by himself—whence they are rightly styled covenants of grace. It is the existence of such a covenant that guarantees the indestructibility and perpetuity of the Christian Church.
4. Not as an unseen presence only, but as an actively cooperating power, imparting to them strength for their work as well as boldness in it (see homily on Haggai 1:13, Haggai 1:14), both of which would be theirs in proportion u they realized the cheering truth that they were fellow labourers with God. In like manner also, and for similar ends and purposes, is Christ, by his Spirit, present with his Church (Matthew 28:20; John 14:6).
LESSONS.
1. The inheritance of the past a cause of thankfulness.
2. The imperfections of the present a stimulus to duty.
3. The glorious times of the future a reason for cheerfulness and hope.
The shaking of the heavens and the earth.
I. HISTORICAL ILLUSTRATIONS.
1. At Sinai, when Jehovah manifested himself to Israel (Exodus 19:16-19; Psalms 68:7, Psalms 68:8). Preparatory and prophetical.
2. At the birth of Christ, when Jehovah appeared on earth in the Person of his Son (Joel 2:30, Joel 2:31 : Luke 2:8-14; Acts 2:19, Acts 2:20). Furthering and fulfilling.
3. At the end of time, when Jehovah will a third time appear, in the Person of the glorified Christ, to save his people and judge his foes (Isaiah 24:19, Isaiah 24:20; 2 Peter 3:10). Culminating and completing.
II. SCRIPTURAL INTERPRETATIONS. According to the writer to the Hebrews, "This word, Once more, signifieth the removing of the things that are shaken, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain" (Hebrews 12:27). In other words, the object of each successive Divine interposition has been and will be the abrogation of institutions that have served their day, the correction of errors that have hindered the truth, the alteration of circumstances and conditions that are no longer suited to the new era about to be introduced.
1. At Sinai were shaken and removed
while the things that could not be shaken and remained were
(3) the capacity for religion which no amount of oppression had been able utterly to destroy.
2. At the birth of Christ were shaken and removed
while the unshakable things that remained were
3. At the end of time will be shaken and removed
while as things that cannot be shaken, shall remain
Learn:
1. That nations and individuals mostly advance by means of struggle and commotion.
2. That peace and quietness may often mean stagnation and death rather than progress and life.
3. That truth and right will eventually prevail over falsehood and wrong.