The Glory to Come, 1-9

2:1 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the LORD spoke again through the prophet Haggai: 2:2 “Ask the following questions to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the remnant of the people: 2:3 ‘Who among you survivors saw the former splendor of this temple? How does it look to you now? Isn’t it nothing by comparison? 2:4 Even so, take heart, Zerubbabel,’ says the LORD. ‘Take heart, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you citizens of the land,’ says the LORD, ‘and begin to work. For I am with you,’ says the LORD who rules over all. 2:5 ‘Do not fear, because I made a promise to your ancestors when they left Egypt, and my spirit even now testifies to you.’ 2:6 Moreover, the LORD who rules over all says: ‘In just a little while I will once again shake the sky and the earth, the sea and the dry ground. 2:7 I will also shake up all the nations, and they will offer their treasures; then I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the LORD who rules over all. 2:8 ‘The silver and gold will be mine,’ says the LORD who rules over all. 2:9 ‘The future splendor of this temple will be greater than that of former times,’ the LORD who rules over all declares, ‘and in this place I will give peace.’ ”

v7 “They will offer their treasures” – AV: ‘The desire of all nations shall come’.  NIV: ‘The desired of all nations will come’.  Both objects and persons could be spoken of as ‘desired’.

A Messianic interpretation, reflected in the AV and other older translations, has a long history in Jewish and Christian commentary.  Kaiser favours such an interpretation:

‘Just as the first temple was filled with the glory of God, so this temple will yet be filled with the divine glory in Christ (Jn 1:14), a glory which shall be revealed at his Second Coming (Mal 3:1).’

Such an interpretation has found its way into popular Christian thinking through Charles Wesley’s line: ‘Come, Desire of nations, come.’

But many modern commentators think that a reference to precious gifts makes good linguistic and contextual sense.  The idea would be (as Kaiser explains in Hard Sayings of the Bible) that:

‘The precious gifts would compensate for the temple’s lack of adornment. Accordingly, the Gentiles would come laden down with gifts for the temple out of homage to the Lord of the earth, a foretaste of the good things to come in the New Covenant.’

This latter interpretation follows the LXX and is adopted, in essence, by RV, RSV, NEB and others.

“I will fill this temple with glory” – ‘When Jesus was brought to the temple as a child the aged Simeon identified him as a light to the Gentiles and glory for Israel (Luke 2:32). A messianic connection with “glory” would be strengthened if “the desired (or “desire”) of all nations” in 2:7 also refers to Christ.’ (Wolf, EDBT)

“The future splendour of this temple will be greater than that of former times” – ‘In the Old Testament the glory of the Lord referred to the pillar of cloud that filled the tabernacle and then the temple. Such occasions were among the most significant in Israel’s experience (see Exod. 40:34–35; 1 Kings 8:10–11), so Haggai is anticipating a future for the remnant even more glorious than the nation’s illustrious past.’ (Wolf, EDBT)

The Promised Blessing, 10-19

2:10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month of Darius’ second year, the LORD spoke again to the prophet Haggai: 2:11 “The LORD who rules over all says, ‘Ask the priests about the law. 2:12 If someone carries holy meat in a fold of his garment and that fold touches bread, a boiled dish, wine, olive oil, or any other food, will that item become holy?’ ” The priests answered, “It will not.” 2:13 Then Haggai asked, “If a person who is ritually unclean because of touching a dead body comes in contact with one of these items, will it become unclean?” The priests answered, “It will be unclean.”

2:14 Then Haggai responded, “ ‘The people of this nation are unclean in my sight,’ says the LORD. ‘And so is all their effort; everything they offer is also unclean. 2:15 Now therefore reflect carefully on the recent past, before one stone was laid on another in the LORD’s temple. 2:16 From that time when one came expecting a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty measures from it, there were only twenty. 2:17 I struck all the products of your labor with blight, disease, and hail, and yet you brought nothing to me,’ says the LORD. 2:18 ‘Think carefully about the past: from today, the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, to the day work on the temple of the LORD was resumed, think about it. 2:19 The seed is still in the storehouse, isn’t it? And the vine, fig tree, pomegranate, and olive tree have not produced. Nevertheless, from today on I will bless you.’ ”

Zerubbabel the Chosen One, 20-23

2:20 Then the LORD spoke again to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month: 2:21 Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah: ‘I am ready to shake the sky and the earth. 2:22 I will overthrow royal thrones and shatter the might of earthly kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and those who ride them, and horses and their riders will fall as people kill one another. 2:23 On that day,’ says the LORD who rules over all, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant,’ says the LORD, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ says the LORD who rules over all.”

‘The obscure reference to the signet ring is illuminated by Jeremiah 22:24, where Zerubbabel’s ancestor, Jehoiachin, is pulled off like a signet ring and handed over to Nebuchadnezzar. By making Zerubbabel “like my signet ring” the Lord may be reversing the curse against Jehoiachin, reinstating his family so that a descendant of his could again sit on the throne of Israel. Zerubbabel was not destined to be a king, but Christ was his descendant and eligible for the throne. Both Jeconiah—another name for Jehoiachin—and Zerubbabel are included in Christ’s genealogy in Matthew 1:12.’ (Wolf, EDBT)