one more glance at the empty barn, and the fruitless trees, the prophet adds

the words 'from this day will I bless you'.

The fourth and final prophecy of Haggai reverts to the central theme of

the second prophecy, namely:

'Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the

earth, and the sea, and the dry land' (2:6).

Here the wording is changed, but the theme is the same:

'Speak unto Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the

heavens and the earth' (2:21).

This shaking overthrows the throne of the kingdoms of the nations, for

when the day of Israel's glory dawns, the time of the Gentiles will have been

The prophecy concludes with the symbol of a 'signet' and looks back to

the judgment that fell upon Coniah (Jer. 22:24).  Here, however, is

assurance, for the Lord says, 'I will make thee as a signet: for I have

chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts' (2:23).

'We are now walking on a terrestrial surface, not more compact,

perhaps, than the one we shall hereafter walk upon, and are now wearing

terrestrial bodies, not firmer and more solid, perhaps, than those we shall

hereafter wear.  It is not by working any change upon them that

we could realize, to any extent, our future heaven.  The spirituality of our

future state lies not in the kind of substance which is to compose its

framework, but in the character of those who people it.  There will be a firm

earth, as we have at present and a heaven stretched over it, as we have at

present; and it is not by the absence of these, but by the absence of sin,

that the abodes of immortality may be characterized'. -- Dr. Chalmers.

'It will exist as a real city, the glorious home and capital of a

glorified humanity.  There are many things in the description that have their

most natural (their normal) application to such an abode, as is evident upon

the bare perusal.  (1) A material dwelling place is as necessary for

resurrected saints as was Eden for Adam, or Canaan for Israel.  (2) It should

occasion no surprise if the same loving care that will raise and glorify the

body should prepare a fitting and glorious abode for it.  (3) It should be

regarded as no strange thing if He Who prepares for the body should grant us

an inspiring, though general, description of its future abode.  (4) On the

contrary, the giving of such a description would be but in accordance with

Jehovah's dealing with Israel before leading them into Canaan, and in

continuance of the information given by the prophets concerning the

Palingenesia*, and especially by the apostle Paul (Rom. 8:20,21)'. -- E. R.

Craven, D.D.

*

Palingenesia = regeneration; see Titus 3:5.