In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
In the four and twentieth day - 23 days after the first message of Haggai (Haggai 1:1), "in the first day of the month."
Remarks:
(1) In the inspiration of the men by whose 'hand' (margin, Haggai 1:1) Scripture hath come, God was the Speaker; the prophet by whom "the word of the Lord came" was but the instrument, though an intelligent, conscious instrument, not an inanimate unintelligent machine. The human medium of God's revelations was "the Lord's messenger in the Lord's message:" he was (Haggai 1:13) invested not only with the Lord's commission and authority in fulfilling the Lord's embassage, but also with the power of the Divine Spirit directing his spirit, so that, both in the subject-matter and in the mode of expression, his word was not merely his own word, but altogether "the word of the Lord" (2 Peter 1:21).
(2) How ready men are to find plausible pretexts to excuse their indolence and niggardliness about the work of the Lord! Where the will is lacking, there men are sure not to see their way to helping in the cause of the Lord. The Jews in Haggai's time did not say, We will not build the temple, but, "The time is not come" (Haggai 1:2). So, in the great work for which we were born into this world, multitudes procrastinate, putting off until tomorrow that which is the work of today. Their conscience will not let them say, We will never set about the business of eternity; but they put off conscience with the plea, There is time enough yet. So the great work is never done at all, because not done now in the accepted time, now in the only day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:1-2).
(3) What a reproach to many professing Christians it is, that they are more careful about the comfort and luxurious adornment of their own "cieled houses" than about the rearing and completion of the spiritual temple of God-the Church of Christ. They can find "time" in abundance (Haggai 1:4) for "running" (Haggai 1:9) keenly after the gains, pleasures, comforts, or honours of the world; but they can find no time, and only the most stingy gifts, for devoting to the welfare of perishing souls at home and abroad.
(4) God is now solemnly appealing to us all, "Consider your ways." Men would be infinite gainers for time and eternity if they would set their heart (note, Haggai 1:5) in earnest to reflect both on God's ways toward them, and on their ways toward God. Do men really gain, or not, by seeking self at the sacrifice of God? Let the experience of the Jews in Haggai's time answer the question. With all their toils and cares, the "much" seed which they sowed brought in but "little" produce. Their meat, their drink, their clothes, did not fully satisfy them. Their hard-earned "wages" seemed as if they were "put into a bag with holes" (Haggai 1:6). They "looked for much, and, lo, it came to little." Why? Because "when they brought it home, the Lord blew upon it," so that it was scattered and blighted by the breath of the Lord's anger (Haggai 1:9). Men would understand God's dealings with them in His providence, and thereby learn what is His will concerning them, if they would consider His dealings in the light of Scripture, and with meditation and prayer. There can be no true prosperity where there is neglect of duty. The sin and the punishment are inseparably joined. The very evils which men think to escape by neglecting God's ordinances they actually bring on themselves by such unbelieving neglect. If we "labour" only or mainly "for the meat which perisheth," we often, like the Jews, miss even that, and, at best, can only have it for a very short time. But if we "labour for the meat which endureth unto everlasting life" (John 6:27), we "know that our labour is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58): and even in this life "the blessing of the Lord maketh rich" (Proverbs 10:22), and "no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly" (Psalms 84:11).
(5) The Jews were moved by the word of the Lord to "fear before the Lord," and to "obey the voice of the Lord their God" (Haggai 1:12). To realize personally and experimentally that God is our God, is sure to prompt us to reverent obedience.
(6) The blessed result of obedience immediately followed. At once the Lord passed from upbraidings to gracious assurances. As soon as the people had shown the sincere purpose of doing the Lord's will, even before they had actually begun the work, the Lord instantly said by His inspired "messenger," "I am with you, saith Yahweh." God's presence with us is the sure pledge of success in all our undertakings for His glory. And the moment that, with hearty submission and willing obedience, we have respect to all His will, He blots out all our past sins of unfaithfulness for His dear Son's sake, and tenderly welcomes us to His abiding presence.
(7) When God has a great work to do He finds the right men, and endues them with the right spirit for the due execution of the work. However sluggish and inactive men's "spirit" (Haggai 1:14) may be naturally in regard to the things of God, when God wills it, He can revive His work in the Church, and "stir up" its members to holy energy and devoted perseverance in all that is good. Then, like the Jews, each and all come forward, volunteering to "work in the house of the Lord," whom they now know as "their God" (Haggai 1:14). Let those of us who have fallen into spiritual torpor, but who are now awakened, endeavour to make up, so far as is possible, for past time that we have lost, by redoubled diligence for whatever time there may still be left to us. The longer we have loitered, the more let us henceforth redeem the time in self-devoting labours for the Lord.