the high priest Joshua

December 24, 2017

Take courage because Yahweh was with them (Hag 2:4-2:5)

“Says Yahweh!

‘Yet now take courage!

O Zerubbabel!

Take courage!

O Joshua!

Son of Jehozadak!

The high priest!

Take courage!

All you people

Of the land!’

Says Yahweh.

‘Work!

I am with you!’

Says Yahweh of hosts.

‘According to the promise

That I made you

When you came

Out of Egypt.

My Spirit abides

Among you!

Fear not.’”

Haggai used the same formula titles for all his oracles.  Everyone was to have courage, including Governor Zerubbabel, the high priest Joshua, and all the people of the land.  They were to get to work.  Yahweh was going to be with them, just as he helped them to come out of Egypt.  They were not to be afraid, because he had promised that his Holy Spirit would abide with them.

December 24, 2017

Who saw the original Temple? (Hag 2:2-2:3)

“Haggai said.

‘Speak now to Zerubbabel,

The son of Shealtiel,

The governor of Judah.

Speak now

To Joshua,

The son of Jehozadak,

The high priest.

Speak now

To all the remnant

Of the people.’

Say.

‘Who is left among you

That saw this house

In its former glory?

How does it look to you now?

Is it not in your sight

As nothing?’”

Haggai once again spoke to the people of Jerusalem with the same enumeration as in the preceding chapter, Governor Zerubbabel, the high priest Joshua, and the remnant of the people.  Haggai wanted to know who was there who remembered the old Temple, since they would have to be then 70 or 80 years old.  Who remembered the former glory?  How did it look now in ruins, as if it was nothing?

December 24, 2017

Haggai stirred up the spirits of the people of Jerusalem (Hag 1:14-1:15)

“Yahweh stirred up

The spirit of Zerubbabel,

The son of Shealtiel,

The governor of Judah.

Yahweh stirred up

The spirit of Joshua,

The son of Jehozadak,

The high priest.

Yahweh stirred up

The spirit of all the remnant

Of the people.

They came.

They worked

On the house

Of Yahweh of hosts,

Their God.

This was

On the twenty-fourth day

Of the month,

In the sixth month.”

Yahweh stirred up the spirits of the people of Jerusalem.  This included the 2 leaders, Governor Zerubbabel and the high priest Joshua.  Once again, they were mentioned with their father’s name and title also.  All the rest of the people in Jerusalem were also stirred up.  Thus, they came to work on the house of Yahweh, their God, 23 days after Haggai had first spoken to them at the beginning of this chapter.

December 23, 2017

Everyone was to obey Haggai (Hag 1:12-1:12)

“Then Zerubbabel,

The son of Shealtiel,

With Joshua,

The son of Jehozadak,

The high priest,

With all the remnant

Of the people,

Obeyed the voice

Of Yahweh

Their God.

They obeyed

The words

Of the prophet Haggai.

Yahweh,

Their God,

Had sent him.

The people feared

Yahweh.’”

The rulers and the remaining people of Jerusalem gathered to hear the voice of Yahweh, via the prophet Haggai.  This included the governor of Judah, Zerubbabel, and the high priest Joshua, as mentioned earlier.  They would obey Haggai as the voice of Yahweh, since they feared Yahweh.  Yahweh had sent them Haggai as a prophet to speak in his name.