The glory of the latter house

In the seventh month in the twenty first day – That is, 27 days since the second message, 1:15, and 51 days since the first message, 1:1, in the second year of Darius his reign, 1:1. See the end of the argument of this book. … residue of the people – But a remnant or small number of them did then return. … And yet multitudes behind, as appears in the Book of Esther. So slow they were to return; so little zeal and piety was in them.

The one and twentieth day – some seven weeks after the first, mentioned in the first chapter, and about one month after they began to build, or at least prepared for building the temple. … Speak now – once again acquaint them with what I now impart for their encouragement.

In the seventh [month] – The month Tisri, which answers to part of September and part of October: in the one and twentieth [day] of the month; being a month, wanting three days, from the time the Jews came and worked in the house of the Lord, Hag 1:14 it was toward the close of the feast of tabernacles: see Leviticus 23:34.

who is left – Here he meets with a new temptation that hindered them in the building. Satan will cast in the way of well-doing more rubs than one. The former was their neglect and contempt of God’s worship, preferring their own covetous desires, and carnal pleasures before it. Here is pretended a religious zeal of God’s glory; thus Solomon’s Temple was glorious: and the promises of the Prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, are, that the second Temple to be built after the return should be rather more glorious. But that which they began now to build was far inferior. And therefore sure they were not in the right way, but should desist from going on in this building. Thus cunning a craftsmaster is Satan. … as nothing? – In comparison of Solomon’s Temple, Ezra 3:12. … A much-like temptation is nowadays, when some forsake the Church because of that high perfection, which they require, but do not see in it.

Who is left among you? – there are surely some that are of that age as to have seen the temple which our father’s sins, God’s just displeasure, and the Chaldean malice burnt; who are they? and where may they be found? This question implieth there were such, and by Ezra 3:12–⁠13 it appears there were many, for the cries and sobs of them equalled the shouts of the younger, who rejoiced to see the foundations of the second house laid.

Yet now be strong – We see how needful it is often to renew exhortations and encouragements, Josh 1:6–⁠7, 9; 23:6; Deut 31:6–⁠7; Ezra 10:4; Isa 35:3–⁠4; Zech 8:9, 13. We must simply and manfully obey God, and his Word; and so exercise and inure our hope as patiently to expect God’s own time to fulfill what he has promised; though the effect of them do not yet answer our present desires. … I am with you – He graciously repeats it again. See on Haggai 1:13. This shows that this strength is to be sought of God. The promise of his presence is to be joined to the precept. The precept of itself shows not what we are able to do, but what we are bound to do; and the promise directs us to whom, and where we are to seek for strength to do it.

Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord – Take heart, be of good courage, do not be dismayed at these things; … and work; that is, continue working, for they were at work; … nor is it only to be considered as directed to the people, but to the prince and priest also; for they had all work to do in the house of the Lord, as all ranks and degrees of men now have in the church of Christ; of which that house was typical: the prince or civil magistrate, not to prescribe laws and rules to be observed in it, which only belongs to Christ, who is the sole Head, King, and Lawgiver.

According to the word – Some would understand this of that eternal Word, John 1:1–⁠4; 1 John 1:1–⁠2; Prov 8:22. And so that 2 Samuel 7:11. And these would deduce from this verse a testimony for the Trinity of persons. But this seems more acute than sound. The plain meaning appears in the words following. that I covenanted with you – According to my promise made at that time with your fathers, and you in them. So that here in effect he promises no new thing; but will perform what he promised of old. … my Spirit remaineth – My power to strengthen you, and carry you on against all temptations, and obstructions; my Spirit of grace, light, virtue, and holiness. See Isaiah 63:11; Neh 9:20.

The word – either the word of promise to give them his presence, and to carry them through all opposition, or, the Word, the Son of God, promised to them and us; so it refers to Christ, in whom all the promises are yea and amen. … Fear ye not – let no discouraging surmises settle in your mind or weaken your hands. There were as many improbabilities lay in bar to your getting out of Egypt, yet my word, covenant, and Spirit overcame all; fear not therefore, I am the same, and with you, as with your father’s.

[According to] the Word that I covenanted with you, when ye came out of Egypt – Or rather, “with the Word, in or with whom I covenanted”, &c. as some render it; that is, Christ, the essential Word, who was promised to the people of Israel at that time, Deut 18:15 and in whom all the promises are, and the covenant of grace itself; and which covenant was indeed made with him from eternity, but was made manifest, or more clearly manifest, to the Jewish ancestors, when they came out of Egypt: … so my Spirit remaineth among you: or rather, “and”, or “also, my Spirit standeth”, continueth “in the midst of you”; not only Jehovah the Father, and his divine Logos or Word, were with them; but his Spirit also, his Holy Spirit, the third Person in the Trinity, of which these words are a proof.

yet once – This one, and once only, repetition of the covenant shall be needful, and the renovation and confirmation of it by the Gospel. … This one only renewing of my covenant by the Gospel of Christ shall be needful. That covenant with you, when ye came out of Egypt, was not available. And to this meaning it seems the Apostle bends, in alleging this place, Heb 12:26. and I will shake the heavens – He shook the earth, when he brought them out of Egypt, and Babylon. But now he will do something greater than that. … In the coming of Christ, and the preaching and administration of the Gospel, the power of God does much more illustriously appear, than formerly it did; he now speaks from heaven unto us, and that by his own Son, Heb 1:1–⁠2; 2:2–⁠4; 12:25.

It is a little while – comparatively it was little; though five hundred and seventeen years from the second of Darius Hystaspes to the incarnation of Christ, a long time to us, who are short-lived, and short-sighted, but a little time compared with that between the first promise to Adam and Christ’s coming; or take any other shorter period, as between Abraham or David and Christ, this last period is short, a little while. I will shake – whether it be metaphorical or literal, it was verified at the time of Christ’s coming into the world. After the return of the captivity, what with the commotions among the Grecians, Persians, and Romans, which began soon after this time, (the prophet points at this,) it was metaphorically fulfilled, all states were shaken either with invasions from abroad, or intestine dissensions among themselves: literally it was fulfilled by prodigies, and earthquakes, etc., as some have observed and recounted, at the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ.

And I will shake all nations – By the power of my Spirit, and the preaching of my Gospel. … God shakes the will, and subdues, and changes it, and then we willingly follow Christ, and receive his yoke. And the desire of all nations shall come – Namely, Christ, desired of the faithful in all nations. Though some, not so well, understand this of the elect of all nations, the desirable ones among them. Or, their desires all shall be to come; they of all nations with all their desires shall come. And I will fill this house with glory – By Christ’s bodily presence. … Or thus, to the like effect, this reedified Temple shall be honored with Christ’s bodily presence; and the spiritual Temple, which is the Church, shall be honored by my presence in Spirit, and by the abundance of my graces, by the light of my Word, and virtue of my Spirit.

The Desire of all nations shall come – Christ, the most desirable, because the most helpful to all nations, which some proselytes in all ages did come to the knowledge of, and did earnestly desire; and who was desired by all that knew their own misery, and his sufficiency to save them, who was to be the light of the Gentiles as well as the glory of his people Israel. … I will fill this house – which you now build, this second temple. The first had a fulness of glory in its magnificent structure, rich ornaments, and costly sacrifices, but this was a worldly glory; that which is here promised is a heavenly glory from the presence of Christ in it. He that was the brightness of his Father’s glory, who is the glory of the church, appeareth in this second temple. With glory – of my presence, preaching, healing, and comforting, saith the Messiah, the King of glory, who entered these everlasting doors, Ps 24:7–⁠8. This was before the desolation of this temple by the Romans, a demonstration that the Messiah should come whilst this second temple stood.

The silver is mine – If I pleased, it were an easy matter for me to beautify this Temple with precious ornaments like unto the first; for all silver and gold is in my power, and at my disposal; but I do prepare endless glory, far greater than that, for it, when the full time is come.

The glory of this latter – He fixes upon this conclusion, and relates principally to the excellency of the gifts and saving graces of the Spirit that should then abound in the days of the Gospel. … The Lord by his Prophet here has no reference to Herod’s new Temple, more large, sumptuous, and magnificent, than that of Solomon, if the story of it be true. … I will give peace – Peace and prosperity, but chiefly the preaching and enjoying of spiritual peace, Phil 4:7, founded upon the reconciliation of men with God through Christ, who is our peace, and did show himself in this house. All shall be after a while, when Christ shall bring with him the fullness of glory, when God the Father in the person of his Son shall appear therein.

Greater than of the former – more truly glory, and in higher degrees; the least of Christ is greater glory than all the magnificence of Solomon. There were no more but two houses built by God’s appointment, into the latter of which the Messiah was personally to come, as Malachi 3:1; therefore he came before that latter temple was destroyed, that is, 1684 years ago, when at two months old he was presented in the temple, embraced and confessed by Simeon, some seventy years before the temple was burnt by the Romans. … Will I give peace – a spiritual, internal, and heavenly peace, in pardoning guilt and destroying sin, which displeaseth God, and disquieteth man himself. Christ made peace on his cross, preached or published it to the world, and gives it to them by the power of his Spirit.

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts – The Jews themselves own there were several things wanting in the latter which were in the former, as the “ark”, the “Urim” and “Thummim”, the “fire” from heaven, the “Shechinah” (or, as in some books, the anointing oil, and, in others, the cherubim), and the “Holy Ghost”: … It remains, that what gave it the greater glory was the personal presence of the Messiah in it, his doctrines, and his miracles: … in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts; not temporal peace, for there was little of that during the second temple; witness the times of the Maccabees, and the wars with the Romans; but spiritual peace, through the blood and righteousness of Christ.