Haggai 2:4-6
What is written? (ESV)
Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts, according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land.
What does it say?
The Lord declares for you to be strong, Zerubbabel and High Priest Joshua, son of Jehozadek. He says for all the people of the land to be strong. Work [at building the temple] for I am with you, according to the covenant [Mosaic] made together when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst so fear nothing. For the Lord declares: Yet once more in a little while I will shake the heavens and all the earth.
What is its immediate context?
Haggai is prophesying to those who returned to the land from Babylonian captivity. Released by Cyrus the Great of Persia, they returned to their home [promised] land and had to rebuild their lives. Haggai [and Zechariah his contemporary] encouraged them in the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem – sometimes referred to by historians as “Zerubbabel’s temple” (verses “Solomon’s” prior and “Herod’s” later in the first century).
God’s statements here are in a response to their specific underwhelmed reaction to the temple not being like “its former glory” (vs 3). Verse 6 of this passage is applied by the inspired writer of Hebrews to the second coming/final judgment of Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 12:25-29). Specifically, in Hebrews the writer contrasts the Christian’s place in the unshakable, spiritual kingdom of God with the second coming of Christ and the literal “removal of things that can be shaken.”
How Haggai 2:4-6 is applied across Bible answers
What is God’s time in relation to man’s?
God, through Haggai, tells the people to "fear not" since "in a little while" He will bring judgment.
Approximately 500 years later, in the first century, an inspired writer confirms this still has not yet happened.
Where is the Holy Spirit dwelling today?
God, through Haggai, assures the people that His Spirit is still in their midst. However, He promises a future glimpse of something even greater. The "Yet once more" statement is defined and interpreted for us by an inspired writer in Hebrews 12:26-29.
The Haggai and Hebrews passages don't explicitly speak to the dwelling of God's Spirit. However, in Haggai, God's encouragement and promise of the future were in response to their noting the absence of God's glory (Spirit) in their temple rebuild. Likewise, with the Hebrews passage, we know of many other passages that connect the coming of God's kingdom with His Spirit dwelling and God returning "in their midst".
