(Calvin on the Prophet Haggai. Part 3)
Chapter 2
Haggai 2:1-5
1 In the seventh [month], in the one and twentieth [day] of the
month, came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying,
2 Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah,
and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the
residue of the people, saying,
3 Who [is] left among you that saw this house in her first glory?
and how do ye see it now? [is it] not in your eyes in comparison of
it as nothing?
4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O
Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye
people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I [am] with you,
saith the LORD of hosts:
5 [According to] the word that I covenanted with you when ye came
out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.
The Prophet now states another reason why he had been sent by
God, in order that he might obviate a temptation which might have
hindered the work that was begun. We have seen that they were all
stirred up by the celestial spirit to undertake the building of the
Temple. But as Satan, by his many arts, attempts to turn back the
godly from their course, so he had devised a reason by which the
desire of the people might have been checked. Inasmuch as the old
people, who had seen the splendour of the former temple, considered
this temple no better than a cottage, all their zeal evaporated;
for, as we have said, without a promise there will continue in men
no ardour, no perseverance. Now we know what had been predicted by
Ezekiel, and what all the other Prophets had testified, especially
Isaiah, who had spoken highly of the excellency of the Church, and
shown that it was to be superior to its ancient state. (Isaiah 33:
21.) Besides, Ezekiel describes the form of the Temple, and states
its dimensions. (Ezek. 41: 1.) As then the faithful had learnt from
these prophecies that the new Temple would be more splendid than the
ancient, they were in danger, not only of becoming cold in the
business, but also of being wholly discouraged, when they perceived
that the new Temple in no respect reached the excellency and
grandeur of the ancient Temple. And these things are described at
large by Josephus.
But we may easily conclude, from the words of the Prophet, that
there was then a danger lest they should lay aside the work they had
begun, except they were encouraged by a new exhortation. And he says
that this happened in the seventh month, and on the first day of the
month.
Here arises a question, How was it that they so soon compared
the new with the old building. Seven or eight days had passed since
the work was begun: nothing, doubtless, could have been then
constructed, which might have afforded a ground of comparison. It
seems then strange, that the Prophet had been so soon sent to them.
An answer to this will be easily found, if we bear in mind. that
what I have stated at the beginning of the first chapter, that the
foundations of the Temple had been previously laid, but that there
had been a long interruption: for the people had turned to their own
private concerns, and all had become so devoted to their own
advantages, that they neglected the building of the Temple. For it
is wholly a false notion, that the people had returned from exile
before the appointed time, and it has been sufficiently refuted by
clear proofs; for scripture expressly declares, that both Cyrus and
Darius had been led by a divine impulse to allow the return of the
people. Hence, when the Jews returned to their country, they
immediately began to build the Temple; but afterwards, as I have
said, either avarice, or too anxious a desire for their own private
benefit, laid hold on their minds. As then the building of the
Temple had been for some time neglected, they were again encouraged,
as our Prophet has shown to us. They had now hardly applied their
hands to the work, when, through the artifice of Satan, such
suggestions as these crept in - "What are ye doing, ye miserable
men! Ye wish to build a Temple to your God; but what sort of Temple
will it be? Certainly it will not be that which all the Prophets
have celebrated. For what do we read in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and
Ezekiel? Have not all these testified that the Temple which would be
rebuilt after our return from Babylonian exile would be more
splendid than the other? But we now build a shed. Surely this is
done without authority. We do not then fight under the guidance of
God; and it would be better for us to leave off the work; for our
service cannot be approved of God, except it be founded on his Word.
And we see how far this Temple comes short of what God has
promised."
We now hence learn, that it was not without reason that Haggai
was sent on the eighth day to recover the people from their
indifference. And hence also we may learn how necessary it is for us
to be constantly stimulated; for Satan can easily find out a
thousand impediments, by which he may turn us aside from the right
course, except God often repeats his exhortations to keep us awake.
Eight days only have elapsed, and the people would have ceased from
their work, had not Haggai been sent to encourage them again.
Now the cause of this cessation, which the Prophet designed to
obviate and to remove, ought to be especially noticed. The people
had before ceased to work, because they were immoderately devoted to
their own interest, which was a proof of base ingratitude and of
profane impiety: for those who had no care for building the Temple
were most ungrateful to God; and then their impiety was intolerable,
inasmuch as they sought boarded houses to dwell in, being not
content with decent houses without having them adorned, while the
Temple was left, as it were, a wilderness. But the cause was
different, when Haggai was sent the second time; for their
indifference then arose from a good principle and a genuine feeling
of religion. But we hence see what a subtle contriver Satan is, who
not only draws us away openly from God's service, but insinuates
himself in a clandestine manner, so as to turn us aside, under the
cover of zeal, from the course of our vocation. How was it that the
people became negligent after they had begun the work? even because
it grieved the old men to see the glory of the second, so far
inferior to the first Temple. For though the people animated
themselves by the sound of trumpets, yet the old among them drowned
the sound by their lamentations. Whence was this? even because they
saw, as I have said, that this Temple was in no way equal to the
ancient one; and hence they thought that God was not as yet
reconciled to them. Had they said, that so great an expense was not
necessary, that God did not require much money to be laid out, their
impiety should have been openly manifested; but when they especially
wished that the splendour of the Temple would be such, as might
surely prove that the restoration of the Church was come, such as
had been promised by all the Prophets, we doubtless perceive their
pious feeling.
But we are thus reminded, that we ought always to beware of the
intrigues of Satan, when they appear under the cover of truth. When,
therefore, our minds are disposed to piety, Satan is ever to be
feared, lest he should stealthily suggest to us what may turn us
aside from our duty; for we see that some leave the Church because
they require in it the highest perfection. They are indignant at
vices which they deem intolerable, when they cannot be corrected:
and thus, under the pretext of zeal, they separate themselves and
seek to form for themselves a new world, in which there is to be a
perfect Church; and they lay hold on those passages in which the
Holy Spirit recommends purity to the Church, as when Paul says, that
it was purchased by Christ, that it might be without spot or
wrinkle. As then these are inflamed with a zeal so rigid that they
depart from God himself and violate the unity of the Church; so also
there are many proud men who despise the Church of God, because it
shines not forth among them in great pomp; and they think that God
does not dwell in the midst of us, because we are obscure and of no
great importance, and also because they regard our few number with
contempt.
In all these there is some appearance of piety. How so? Because
they would have God to be reverenced, so that they would have the
whole world to be filled with the fear of his majesty; or they would
have much wealth to be gathered, so that sumptuous offerings might
be made. But, as I have already said, Satan thus cunningly
insinuates himself; and hence we ought to fear his intrigues, lest,
under plausible pretences, he should dazzle our eyes. But the best
way of caution is to regard what God commands, and so to rely on his
promises as to proceed steadily in our course, though the
accomplishment of the promises does not immediately correspond with
our desires; for God designedly keeps us in suspense in order to try
our faith. Though then he may not as yet fulfil what he has
promised, let it yet be our course to attempt nothing rashly, while
we are obeying his command. It will then be our chief wisdom, by
which we may escape all the crafts of Satan, simply to obey God's
word, and to exercise our hope so as patiently to wait the
seasonable time, when he will fulfil what he now promises.
Prayer.
Grant, Almighty God, that as we are not only alienated in mind from
thee, but also often relapse after having been once stirred up by
thee, either into perverseness, or into our own vanity, or are led
astray by various things, so that nothing is more difficult than to
pursue our course until we reach the end of our race, - O grant that
we may not confide in our own strength, nor claim for ourselves more
than what is right, but, with our hearts raised above, depend on
thee alone, and constantly call on thee to supply us with new
strength, and so to confirm us that we may persevere to the end in
the discharge of our duty, until we shall at length attain the true
and perfect form of that temple which thou commandest us to build,
in which thy perfect glory shines forth, and into which we are to be
transformed by Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Calvin... on the Prophet Haggai)
(continued in Part 4...)
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