Haggai From G-d’s Wrath To His Blessings

Another clear picture that G-d’s chastisement is for you to draw near and return to Him; not away from Him.

“Encouragement”

“The Temple”

Who is left among you who remembers this Temple in its original glory, and how do you view it now? Is it not like nothing in your eyes?
2:3
So now, be strong, O Zerubbabel — the word of Hashem — and be strong, the entire people of the land — the word of Hashem — and fulfill, for I am with you — the word of Hashem, Master of Legions —
:4
the matter [of the covenant] that I sealed with you when you went forth from Egypt, My spirit remains in your midst; do not be afraid.
:5
Mine is the silver and mine is the gold — the word of Hashem, Master of Legions.
:8
The glory of the latter Temple will be greater than [that of] the first, said Hashem, Master of Legions; and I will grant peace to this place — the word of Hashem, Master of Legions.”
:9
“Thus said Hashem, Master of Legions: Inquire, now, for a ruling from the Kohanim, saying,
:11
‘If a person carries ritually defiled flesh in the corner of his garment, and then he touches bread with his [garment’s] corner, and [the bread touches] stew, and [the stew touches] wine or oil or any other food — does [that food] become defiled?” The Kohanim answered and said, “No.”
:12
Haggai spoke up and said: So is this people and so is this nation before Me — the word of Hashem — and so is all their handiwork: what they offer there will be defiled.
:14
I had struck you with blast and blight and hail, upon all your handiwork, yet you are not [returning] to Me — the word of Hashem.
:17
… I am shaking the heavens and the earth.
:21
I will upset the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the strength of kingdoms of the nations; …
:22

1 In the seventh [month], on the twenty-first of the month, the word of the Lord came through Haggai the prophet, saying:
2 Say now to Zerubbabel the son of Shaltiel, the governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak the High Priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying:
3 Who among you is left, who saw this house in its former glory? And as you see it now, is it not as nothing in your eyes?
4 And now, be strong, Zerubbabel, says the Lord; and be strong, Joshua the son of Jehozadak the High Priest; and be strong, all the people of the land, says the Lord. And (for I am with you, says the Lord of Hosts) do
5 the thing that I set up with you when you left Egypt. And My spirit stands in your midst; fear not.
6 For so said the Lord of Hosts: [There will rise] another one, and I will shake up the heaven and the earth and the sea and the dry land [for] a little while.
7 And I will shake up all the nations, and they shall come [with] the precious things of all the nations. And I will fill this House with glory, said the Lord of Hosts.
8 The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, says the Lord of Hosts.
9 The glory of this last House shall be greater than the first one, said the Lord of Hosts. And in this place I will grant peace, says the Lord of Hosts.
10 On the twenty-fourth [day] of the ninth [month], in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Haggai the prophet, saying:
11 So said the Lord of Hosts: Now ask the priests the Torah, saying:
12 “Should a man carry contaminated flesh in the skirt of his garment, if it touches in his skirt the bread and the pottage and the wine and the oil, or any food, will it [the food] become contaminated?” And the priests replied and said, “No.”
13 And Haggai said, “If the contamination of a dead body touches all these, will it become contaminated?” And the priests replied and said, “It will become contaminated.”
14 And Haggai replied and said, “So is this people, and so is this nation before Me, says the Lord; and so is all the work of their hands, and whatever they sacrifice there is contaminated.
15 And now, consider from this day and before-before placing a stone upon a stone in the Temple of the Lord
16 so that they should not come to a heap of twenty measures, and there would be ten; [similarly,] when one would come to the winevat to draw off fifty press-measures, and there would be twenty.
17 I smote you with blast and with yellowing and with hail in all the work of your hands, and you are not [returning] to Me, says the Lord.
18 Pay attention now, from this day and before-from the twenty-fourth [day] of the ninth [month]- from the day that the Temple of the Lord was founded, pay attention.
19 The seed is still in the granary, and the grapevines, the fig trees, the pomegranate trees, and the olive trees have not yet borne [fruit]-from this day I will bless.”
20 And the word of the Lord came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth of the month, saying:
21 Say to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, saying: I am shaking up the heaven and the earth.
22 And I will overthrow the throne of the kingdoms, and I will destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations. And I will overthrow the chariots and their riders; and the horses and their riders shall come down, each one by the sword of his brother.
23 On that day, says the Lord of Hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, My servant; says the Lord, and I will make you as a signet; for I have chosen you, says the Lord of Hosts.