Haggai 2:20-22

Then the word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying, “Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, ‘I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots and their riders, and the horses and their riders will go down, everyone by the sword of another.’^[1]

This is a particularly harsh word from the Lord to Zerubbabel concerning his judgment on the nations. Presumably it is a word concerning the overthrow of the Persian Empire but one cannot be entirely certain. What it does show, however, is that the Lord will take care of His people. There was a purpose for their exile and now the reasons for their exile have come to an end. Now is the time for restoration.

God’s judgment does not last forever. Our God is patient and longsuffering. His desire is that none should perish, but all come to repentance. So when we come humbly before our Lord repenting of our sins we can count on being forgiven and restored. That is the good news. The bad news is that there will be a tremendous shaking in the heavens and the earth. This shaking could include everything from natural disasters, to cataclysmic events like volcanic eruptions.

It seems to be a lot to process, but obviously the Lord was not content to wait for a political solution to their national plight. Today we wait for the manifestation of many promises, but if we note the number of times the first person is used in these verses then one will most certainly know that God was speaking to Zerubbabel personally and specifically. It was a warning concerning what He was preparing to do. God has the same care and concern for His people today as He did for the people of Haggai’s day. He does not want His people to suffer unnecessarily but when they do He wants us to know that recompense is coming.

Dear Father, thank You for Your amazing grace and our endless mercy, for You have freely forgiven us of our sin and restored us to right relationship with You. Thank You for confounding the enemy who sought to bring indictment against us and attempted to derail our destiny. Help us to live in the light of our mercy and grace. Give us the capacity to go further and do more than we have done in the past. Make us watchmen on the wall able to discern the times. Keep us in the hollow of You hand and guide and direct our paths. This we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

^[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Hag 2:20–22.