Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Haggai 2:23
In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.
23. will I take thee ] In such expressions as this (comp. Deu 4:20; 2Ki 14:21; 2Ki 23:30) the word “take” simply introduces the following action. It has not therefore the sense which some have here given it, “I will take thee into my care and protection.”
as a signet ] This promise is referred to by the writer of the Book Ecclesiasticus, in his panegyric of the “famous men” of his nation: “How shall we magnify Zorobabel? even he was as a signet on the right hand,” ch. Sir 49:11 . Among the Orientals great honour and importance attached to signets or seals. They were often “engraved stones pierced through their length and hung by a string or chain from the arm or neck, or set in rings for the finger” (Son 8:6; Jer 22:24). “The custom prevalent among the Babylonians of carrying seals is mentioned by Herodotus i. 195 and the signet ring is noticed as an ordinary part of a man’s equipment in the case of Judah (Gen 38:18), who probably, like many modern Arabs, wore it suspended by a string (rendered ‘bracelets’ in E. V.) from his neck or arm.” Dict. of Bible, Art. Seal.
I have chosen thee ] “With these words the Messianic promise made to David was transferred to Zerubbabel and his family among David’s descendants, and would be fulfilled in his person in just the same way as the promise given to David, that God would make him the highest among the kings of the earth (Psa 89:27). The fulfilment culminates in Jesus Christ, the son of David, and descendant of Zerubbabel (Mat 1:12; Luk 3:27), in whom Zerubbabel was made the signetring of Jehovah. Jesus Christ has raised up the kingdom of His father David again, and of His kingdom there will be no end (Luk 1:32-33). Even though it may appear oppressed and deeply humiliated for the time by the power of the kingdoms of the heathen, it will never be crushed and destroyed, but will break in pieces all these kingdoms, and destroy them, and will itself endure for ever (Dan 2:44; Heb 12:28; 1Co 15:24).” Keil ad loc. Clark’s Theological Library.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I will make thee as a signet – God reverses to Zerubbabel the sentence on Jeconiah for his impiety. To Jeconiah He had said Jer 22:24, though he were the signet upon My right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence; and I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life. The signet was very precious to its owner, never parted with, or only to those to whom authority was delegated (as by Pharaoh to Joseph Gen 41:42, or by Ahasuerus to Haman Est 3:10 and then to Mordecai Est 8:2.); through it his will was expressed. Hence, the spouse in the Canticles says, Son 8:6. Set me, as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm. The signet also was an ornament to him who wore it. God is glorianfied in His saints; 2Th 1:10. by Zerubbabel in the building of His house. He gave him estimation with Cyrus, who entrusted him with the return of his people, and made him (who would have been the successor to the throne of Judah, had the throne been re-established) his governor over the restored people.
God promises to him and his descendants protection amid all shaking of empires. He was a type of Christ in bringing back the people from Babylon, as Christ delivered us from sin death and hell: he built the temple, as Christ built the Church; he protected his people against the Samaritans who would hinder the building, as Christ protects His Church: he was dear and joined to God, as Christ was united to Him, and hypostatically united and joined His Humanity to the Word. The true Zerubbabel then, i. e., Christ, the son and antitype of Zerubbabel, is the signet in the hand of the Father, both passively and actively, whereby God impresses His own Majesty thoughts and words and His own Image on men angels and all creatures. The Son is the Image of God the Father, having His entire and exact likeness, and in His own beauty beaming forth the nature of the Father. In Him too God seals us also to His own likeness, since, being conformed to Christ, we gain the image of God. Christ, as the Apostle says, is Heb 1:3 the Image of the invisible God, the brightness of His Glory and the express Image of His Person, who, as the Word and Seal and express Image, seals it on others. Christ is here called a signet, as Man not as God. For it was His Manhood which He took of the flesh and race of Zerubbabel. He is then, in His Manhood, the signet of God;
1) as being hypostatically united with the Son of God;
2) because the Word impressed on His Humanity the likeness of Himself, His knowledge, virtue, holiness, thoughts, words, acts and conversation;
3) because the Man Christ was the seal, i. e., the most evident sign and witness of the attributes of God, His power, justice, wisdom, and especially His exceeding love for man. For, that God might show this, He willed that His Son should be Incarnate. Christ thus Incarnate is as a seal, in which we see expressed and depicted the love power justice wisdom etc. of God;
4) because Christ as a seal, attested and certified to us the will of God, His doctrine law commands, i. e., those which He promulgated and taught in the Gospel.
No one, John saith Joh 1:18, hath seen God at any time: the Only-Begotten Son Who is the Image the Father, He hath declared Him. Hence, God gave to Christ the power of working miracles, that He might confirm His words as by a seal, and demonstrate that they were revealed and enjoined to Him by God, as it is in John Joh 6:27, Him hath God the Father sealed. Christ is also the seal of God, because by His impress, i. e., the faith grace virtue and conversation from Him and by the impress in Baptism and the other sacraments, He willed to conform us to the Image of His Son, Rom 8:29. that 1Co 15:49, as we have borne the image of the earthly Adam, we mnay also bear the image of the heavenly. Then, Christ, like a seal, seals and guards His faithful against all temptations and enemies. The seal of Christ is the Cross, according to that of Ezekiel, Seal a mark upon the foreheads of the men who sigh, and in the Revelation Rev 7:2, I saw another Angel having the seal of the living God. For the Cross guardeth us against the temptations of the flesh, the world and the devil, and makes us followers, soldiers, and martyrs of Christ crucified. Whence the Apostle says, Gal 6:17. I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
This is said without doubt of the Messiah, the expected; says even a Jewish controversialist , who shall be of the seed of Zerubbabel; and therefore this promise was not fulfilled at all in himself: for at the time of this prophecy he had aforetime been governor of Judah, and afterward he did not rise to any higher dignity than what he was up to that day: and in like way we find that God said to Abraham our father in the covenant between the pieces, Gen 15:7, Gen 15:18. I am the Lord who brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees to give thee this land to inherit it, and beyond doubt this covenant was confirmed of God to the seed of Abraham, as lie Himself explained it there afterward, when He said, In that day God made a covenant with Abraham, saying, To thy seed have I given this land etc., and many like these.
Abarbanel had laid down the right principles, though of necessity misapplied. Zerubbabel did not reign in Jerusalem and did not rule in it, neither lie nor any man of his seed; but immediately after the building of the house, he returned to Babylon and died there in his captivity, and how saith he, In that day I will take thee? For after the fall of the kingdom of Persia Zerubbabel is not known for any greatness, and his name is not mentioned in the world. Where then will be the meaning of And I will place thee as a signet, for thee have I chosen? For the signet is as the seal-ring which a man putteth on his hand, it departeth not from it, night or day. And when was this fulfilled in Zerubbabel? But the true meaning, in my opinion, is, that God showed Zerubbabel that this very second house would not abide, for after him should come another captivity, and of this he says, I shake the heaven etc., and afterward, after a long time, will God take His vengeance of these nations which have devoured Jacob and laid waste his dwelling place; and so he says I will overthrow the thrones, etc., and He sheweth him further that the king who shall rule over Israel at the time of the redemption is the Messiah of the seed of Zerubbabel and of the house of David; and God saw good to shew him all this to comfort him and to speak to his heart; and it is as if he said to him, It is true that thou shalt not reign in the time of the second temple, nor any of thy seed, but in that day when God shall overthrow the throne of the kingdoms of the nations, when He gathereth His people Israel and redeemeth them, then shalt thou reign over My people, for of thy seed shall he be who ruleth from Israel at that time forever, and therefore he saith, I will take thee, O Zerubabbel etc., for because the Messiah was to be of his seed he saith, that he will take him; and this is as he says, Eze 37:24. And David My servant shall be a prince to them forever; for the very Messiah, he shall be David, he shall be Zerubbabel, because he shall be a scion going forth out of their hewn trunk Isa 11:1.
For I have chosen thee – Gods forecoming love is the ground of all the acceptableness of His creature 1Jo 4:19. We love Him, because He first loved us. Zerubbabel was a devoted servant of God. God acknowledges his faithfulness. Only, the beginning of all was with God. God speaks of the nearness to Himself which He had given him. But in two words He cuts off all possible boastfulhess of His creature. Zerubbabel was all this, not of himself, but because God had chosen him. Even the sacred manhood of our Lord (it is acknowledged as a theological truth) was not chosen for any foreseen merits, but for the great love, with which God the Father chose it, and God the Son willed to be in such wise incarnate, and God the Holy Spirit willed that that Holy Thing should be conceived of Him. So God says of Him Isa 42:1, Behold My Servant whom I uphold, Mine elect in whom My soul delighteth; and God bare witness to Him Mat 3:17; Mat 17:5, This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Hag 2:23
Will make thee a signet: for I have chosen thee.
Gods acceptance of Zerubbabel
This text acquaints us with Gods gracious purpose to magnify Zerubbabel, and to put honour upon him. Consider it in a threefold notion,
I. As a prophecy. Directed to Zerubbabel, acquainting him with the future events in the world, and what shall betide him, and his people under him. It is the privilege of His Church, and chosen ones; they have those arcana imperii made known unto them. It is His care for them to settle, and support them against future events.
II. As a promise. It betokens good to him. It is a reward assured to Zerubbabel for what he had done. He had been zealous for his God, for His temple and worship; a promise of his future advancement. In a mystical sense the text is understood of Christ. The text is a Royal Charter made to Zerubbabel Here is the time set; in that day. The person to be advanced; Zerubbabel, My servant. The author of the advancement; that is God. The advancement itself; I will make thee a signet. The ground and reason; for I have chosen thee. The ratification of this promise; it is sealed with the seal of the living God. Apply this text to ourselves.
1. It is our comfort that we may do so, that we stand in such terms with God, that the promises to His ancient people may, with good warrant, be applied and transferred to us,
2. Is it not a blessing and comfort that we have a Zerubbabel to be prince and captain of this people of God? (By Zerubbabel the preacher here refers to Charles I.) (Geo. Stradling, S. T. P.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 23. In that day, saith the Lord] Some think, says this same learned writer, that Zerubbabel is put here for his people and posterity: but it may well be said that the commotions foretold began in the rebellion of Babylon, which Darius besieged and took; and exercised great cruelties upon its inhabitants. – Herod. lib. iii., sec. 220. Justin. i. 10. Prideaux places this event in the fifth year of Darius; others with more probability, in the eighth year. Compare Zec 2:9.
And will make thee as a signet] I will exalt thee to high dignity, power, and trust, of which the seal was the instrument or sign in those days. Thou shalt be under my peculiar care, and shalt be to me very precious. See Jer 22:24; Cant. Son 8:6; and see the notes on these two places.
For I have chosen thee] He had an important and difficult work to do, and it was necessary that he should be assured of God’s especial care and protection during the whole.
ON the three last verses of this prophecy a sensible and pious correspondent sends me the following illustration, which I cheerfully insert. Though in many respects different from that given above, yet I believe that the kingdom of Christ is particularly designed in this prophecy.
“I think there is an apparent difficulty in this passage, because the wars of the Persians and Babylonians were not so interesting to the rising commonwealth of the Jews as many subsequent events of less note in the world, but which were more directly levelled at their own national prosperity; and yet neither the one nor the other could be termed ‘a shaking of the heavens and the earth, and an overthrow of the throne of kingdoms.’
“I know not if the following view may be admitted as an explanation of this difficult passage. I take ‘the shaking of the heavens and earth’ here (as in Hag 2:6) to have a more distant and comprehensive meaning than can belong to Zerubbabel’s time, or to his immediate posterity; and that it extends not only to the overthrow of kingdoms then existing, but of the future great monarchies of the world; and not excepting even the civil and ecclesiastical establishments of the Jews themselves. For I take ‘the heavens,’ in the prophetic language, uniformly to denote the true Church, and never the superstitions and idols of the nations.
“What, then, are we to understand by the promise made to Zerubbabel, ‘I will make thee as a signet?’ In the first place, the restitution of the religious and civil polity of the people of Israel, conformably to the promises afterwards given in the four first chapters of Zechariah. And, secondly, as the royal signet is the instrument by which kings give validity to laws, and thereby unity and consistence to their empire; so Jehovah, the God and King of Israel, condescends to promise he will employ Zerubbabel as his instrument of gathering and uniting the people again as a distinguished nation; and that such should be the permanency of their political existence, that, whilst other nations and mighty empires should be overthrown, and their very name blotted out under heaven, the Jews should ever remain a distinct people, even in the wreck of their own government, and the loss of all which rendered their religion splendid and attractive.
“In confirmation of this interpretation, I would refer to the threatening denounced against Jeconiah, (called Coniah, Jer 22:24,) the last reigning king of Judah, and the progenitor of Zerubbabel. I apprehend I may be authorized to read Jer 22:24 thus: ‘As I live, saith the Lord, though Coniah, the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, be the signet upon my right hand, yet will I pluck thee thence, and I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life,’ c.
“If it be considered that the kings of Judah were in an especial and peculiar manner the delegates of Jehovah, governing in his name and by his authority, a peculiar propriety will appear in their being resembled to signets, or royal seals contained in rings. Compare Ge 41:42 Es 3:10; Es 3:12; Es 8:2; Es 8:8; Da 6:7. And the promise to Zerubbabel will be equivalent to those which clearly predict the preservation of the Jewish people by the Divine command. see Zec 2:4-13; and the faithfulness of God to his covenant concerning the Messiah, who should be born of the seed of Abraham, and in the family of David, of whose throne he was the rightful Proprietor.
“According to this view, by the promise, ‘In that day; – I will make thee as a signet,’ c., must be understood, that the preservation of the Jews as a distinct people, when all the great empires of the heathen were overthrown, would manifest the honour now conferred on Zerubbabel as the instrument of their restoration after the Babylonish captivity. Thus the promise to Abraham, Ge 12:2-3, ‘I will make of thee a great nation – and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed,’ evidently referred to a very distant future period and the honour connected with it could not be enjoyed by Abraham during his mortal life.” – M. A. B.
I think, however, that we have lived to see the spirit of this prophecy fulfilled. The earth has been shaken another shaking, and time shall be swallowed up in eternity.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
In that day; during those days of troubles, wars, and destruction, and particularly towards the end of them. I will take thee; advance, honour, defend, and own. O Zerubbabel: personally understood it respecteth the beginning of those days. Politically understood, it refers to all those times in which God promiseth he would, and indeed did, preserve, guide, and honour such governors of his people, who were as Zerubbabel was; somewhat of which promise and performance you may observe in the times succeeding unto, and through, the Maccabees times. Typically this refers to Christ, and the setting up of is kingdom, shadowed out by the government of Zerubbabel. My servant: the style changed seems to point to him who was Gods most beloved servant, Isa 42:1; 52:13. The son of Shealtiel, who was one of the progenitors of the Messiah, Mat 1:12; Luk 3:27. Will make thee as a signet: which is very highly valued, carefully kept, and used to confirm and ratify gifts, edicts, and patents, Dan 6:17. So shall the antitypical Zerubbabel, the Messiah, be advanced, loved, and inviolably preserved King, and supreme over his church, for he is the chosen One, the beloved One, in whom God was well pleased, as the Chaldee paraphrast, and Mat 3:17.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
23. take theeunder Myprotection and to promote thee and thy people to honor (Ps78:70).
a signet (Son 8:6;Jer 22:24). A ring with a seal onit; the legal representative of the owner; generally of preciousstones and gold, c., and much valued. Being worn on the finger, itwas an object of constant regard. In all which points of view thetheocratic people, and their representative, Zerubbabel the type, andMessiah his descendant the Antitype, are regarded by God. The safetyof Israel to the end is guaranteed in Messiah, in whom God hathchosen them as His own (Isa 42:1Isa 43:10; Isa 44:1;Isa 49:3). So the spiritualIsrael is sealed in their covenant head by His Spirit (2Co 1:20;2Co 1:22; Eph 1:4;Eph 1:13; Eph 1:14).All is ascribed, not to the merits of Zerubbabel, but to God’sgratuitous choice. Christ is the “signet” on God’shand: always in the Father’s presence, ever pleasing in his sight.The signet of an Eastern monarch was the sign of delegatedauthority; so Christ (Mat 28:18;Joh 5:22; Joh 5:23).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
In that day, saith the Lord of hosts,…. When all these kingdoms, and their thrones and strength, are destroyed; which shows that what follows cannot be understood literally of Zerubbabel, who lived not to see these things done:
will I take thee, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the Lord; that is, the Messiah, as is owned by Abarbinel; who says x,
“the King Messiah shall come, who is of the seed of Zerubbabel; and he shall be the seal of the structure, and the end of the kingdoms; as it is said, “I will make thee as a signet, for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts”; for this no doubt is said concerning the days of the Messiah:”
and another Jewish writer y, quoting the above author for the sense of this passage, and Eze 37:25, adds,
“for the King Messiah he will be David, and he will be Zerubbabel, that he may be a rod going out of their stem;”
and another z on these words observes,
“without doubt this is said concerning the expected Messiah, who will be of the seed of Zerubbabel; and therefore this promise was not at all fulfilled in him; for in the time of this prophecy he was but governor of Judah, and he never rose to greater dignity than what he then had:”
indeed these writers wrongly suppose the Messiah yet to come, and whom they in vain expect; and apply this, as they do many other prophecies, to the coming of Christ in the flesh, which belong to his spiritual appearance in his churches, or to his personal coming at the last day: however, this shows the conviction on their minds of the application of this and such like prophecies to the Messiah, who may be called Zerubbabel, as he is sometimes David, because he sprung from him, was of his lineage, and because he was a type of him, in bringing the people of the Jews out of the Babylonish captivity, in rebuilding the temple, in the government of the people, and in being chosen of God, and precious; as well as a servant of the Lord, as here expressed, and which is often mentioned as a character of the Messiah, Isa 49:3:
and will make thee as a signet; preserve, protect and defend, love, value, and esteem, and advance to great honour and dignity, power and authority: the signet or seal on a man’s right hand, being what he always wears, is ever in sight, and he is careful of; as well as is what he greatly esteems, and is dear unto him, and he highly values; and by which a prince signs his decrees and edicts; see Isa 49:2 So 8:6:
for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts; to be the Redeemer and Saviour of his people; to be their King and Governor, and the Judge of the world. Christ is peculiarly God’s elect, and in whom all his people are chosen; be is the chosen of God, and precious, Ps 89:19. The Targum is,
“for in thee I am well pleased;”
which is said by God the Father concerning Christ more than once, Mt 3:17. It is a prophecy of the exaltation of Christ after he had done his work, as the Lord’s servant, and especially in the latter day, when he shall be King over all the earth; all which cannot be so well applied to Zerubbabel; unless with Reinbeck we understand it of the time of his resurrection from the dead at the last day; when great honour shall be put upon him as a faithful servant, and great love and affection expressed to him; but that will be no other than what will be common to all the saints and chosen of God; Christ, in whom all prophecies terminate, and so this, is doubtless intended.
x Mayene Jeshuah, fol. 13. 4. Vid. & Mashmiah Jeshuah, fol. 67. 2. y Abendana in Miclol Yophi in loc. z R. Isaac, Chizzuk Emunah, par. 1. c. 34. p. 289, 290.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(23) Signet.On the figure of the signet-ring applied to one on whom confidence and affection are bestowed, see Son. 8:6; Jer. 22:24.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
REFLECTIONS
READER! Pause, and consider, while going over this blessed prophecy, concerning the person, work, character, and offices of the Lord; whether He, who is here said by Jehovah himself, to be the desire of all nations, is the first, and last, and comprehensive object of all thy desire; for life and death, for time and eternity? Behold the Lord Jesus in this most blessed and delightful point of view. Sweetly was it prophesied of Him by another Prophet, that He should sprinkle many nations. And when we discover him as the One great and glorious ordinance of heaven for salvation, neither is there salvation in any other: When we look at him as Jehovah’s gift, for the common, and only remedy, for the sins of a whole world: When we know the suitability, and all-sufficiency of the Lord Jesus on the one hand, and the freeness, fulness, greatness, and everlasting nature of that rich grace of God the Father on the other; surely the Lord Jesus doth appear so blessedly answering to this character, as the desire of all nations. And did all nations but know him, all nations would be in love with him. As one sun in the heavens answers for all the world; and one ocean supplies all the earth; so one Lord Jesus Christ is enough for all, and answers the wants of all. Reader! Bring home the point to your own person, and enquire whether He is so altogether lovely in your view, as to be the fairest and chiefest among ten thousand? It is indeed truly blessed, when a man’s own experience bears a correspondence to the divine testimony; and Christ is formed in the heart, as the one desire of the heart, and the hope of glory. Precious Lord Jesus! Thou, who by thine appearance in our flesh, in thy temple didst fill the latter house with greater glory than the former; do thou fill thy Church now upon earth, as thou art filling thy Church in heaven, with thy presence. Surely, thou thyself, O Lord, art the temple, the altar, the mercy-seat, the propitiation, the High Priest, and the sacrifice! All, all is centered in thee, for all before thee were but types and shadows. Thou, thou art He, whom Jehovah hath chosen, the signet of the Lord of hosts, and the seal of the covenant of peace between heaven and earth! Oh! then precious Jesus, grant that on thee, as the foundation, thy whole Church being built, all thy redeemed upon earth may be growing up unto an holy temple in the Lord, for an habitation of God through the Spirit, until we join the Church above, when the last stone of the spiritual building is brought home with shoutings, crying, grace, grace unto it. Farewell Haggai! W e thank thy Lord, and our Lord, for thy ministry and testimony concerning our Jesus. Once upon earth, thou didst witness the weeping of some, and the joy of others, in beholding the second temple. Ere long thou wilt behold the whole body of Christ, forming one temple, of his body the Church, in glory. And then, when the Lamb is on his throne, and encircled by the innumerable multitude of Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apostles, and all the redeemed out of every nation, kindred, and clime, then will the hymn of salvation be sung amidst the vast host, where all tears are wiped away from all eyes, and the song of redemption to God and the Lamb, will be the everlasting song of heaven! Amen.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Hag 2:23 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.
Ver. 23. I will take thee, O Zerubbabel ] That is, O Christ, of whom Zerubbabel was both a father and a figure, Luk 3:27 Zec 4:10 “I will take thee,” that is, I will advance and exalt thee. See this expounded and applied by that great apostle, Phi 2:5-12 .
And will make thee as a signet
For I have chosen thee
Saith the Lord of hosts
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
as a signet. Compare Son 8:6. Jer 22:24. See also, for this honour, Zec 4:7-10; Zec 6:13; and compare Gen 41:42. Est 3:10.
chosen thee. As David and others were chosen (1Ki 8:16; 1Ki 11:34, &c).
thee. This must refer to the true prince and governor of Isa 9:6, Isa 9:7.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
O Zerubbabel: It seems evident that the Messiah is here described under the name of Zerubbabel, as elsewhere under that of David, whose kingdom, after these mighty convulsions, should supersede all others.
and will: Son 8:6, Jer 22:24, Joh 6:27, 2Ti 2:19
for: Isa 42:1, Isa 43:10, Isa 49:1-3, Zec 4:6-14, Mat 12:18, 1Pe 2:4
Reciprocal: Ezr 3:2 – Zerubbabel Isa 49:16 – I have Zec 9:16 – as Mat 1:12 – and
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Hag 2:23. In that day, .. make thee as a signet. The last word is defined in the lexicon as, “a signature-ring.” It has been rendered also by “seal” elsewhere in the A.V. The thought is that when Zerubbabel performs his full duty of completing the work of the temple, he will be accepted by the Lord and his work will have the divine approval. And as a prediction in the nature of a type, when the Lord does the “shaking” predicted. those who carry out the work of the new kingdom will have the approval of “the God of heaven” who had set up the kingdom according to Dan 2:44.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Hag 2:23. In that day will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, &c. Amidst the commotions which I will cause in the world, I will so order it, that Judea shall remain safe under thy government, O Zerubbabel, and thy successors, and be molested by none. A signet, or seal, particularly a royal one, is kept with great care; therefore the promise of making Zerubbabel as a signet, signified keeping him safe, or preserving him as a person of great estimation. For I have chosen thee To be the ruler of my people. This whole prophecy, from Hag 2:21, addressed to Zerubbabel, is considered by Bishop Chandler, Mr. Lowth, and many others, as parallel to that contained in Hag 2:6-9; that the same commotions and shaking of nations are intended in both passages; and therefore that by Zerubbabel here, the Messiah, typified by him, is chiefly intended. That the prediction could not be properly and fully accomplished in Zerubbabel, personally considered, is evident, as in all likelihood he did not live many years after the finishing of the temple, and certainly did not see any of those great changes here foretold; and therefore the Messiah must be here described under the name of Zerubbabel, as he elsewhere is under that of David. He is, indeed, the signet on Gods right hand; for all power is given to him, and derived from him, he being constituted Head of the church, and Judge of the world. In him the great charter of the gospel is signed and sanctified, and it is in him that all the promises of God are yea and amen. And what is foretold, Hag 2:22, respecting the overthrow of the throne of kingdoms, may probably ultimately refer to his second coming, or to that illustrious display of divine power, whereby a period shall be put to all anti-christian empires, and the kingdoms of this world shall be made the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ, Dan 2:44; Rev 11:15.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2:23 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a {o} signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.
(o) Signifying that his dignity would be most excellent, which thing was accomplished in Christ.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
When He did that, the Lord promised to make Zerubbabel His servant. The title "my servant" is often messianic in the Old Testament (cf. 2Sa 3:18; 1Ki 11:34; Isa 42:1-9; Isa 49:1-13; Isa 50:4-11; Isa 52:13 to Isa 53:12; Eze 34:23-24; Eze 37:24-25). Zechariah, Haggai’s contemporary, used another messianic title to refer to Zerubbabel: the branch (Zec 3:8; Zec 6:12; cf. Isa 11:1; Jer 23:5-6; Jer 33:14-16). The Lord would make Zerubbabel like a signet ring because He had chosen him for a special purpose. A signet ring was what kings used to designate royal authority and personal ownership (cf. 1Ki 21:8; Dan 6:17; Est 8:8). God had chosen Zerubbabel to designate royal authority and personal ownership, namely, the coming Messiah. God had revealed through Jeremiah that if Jehoiachin, Zerubbabel’s grandfather, was His signet ring, He would take it off and give it to Nebuchadnezzar (cf. Jer 22:24-25). Thus it is clear that this figure of a signet ring views Zerubbabel as the descendant of David and Jehoiachin through whom God would provide the victory promised in Hag 2:21-22. He will do that not through Zerubbabel personally but through one of his descendants, namely, Jesus Christ (cf. Mat 1:21).
The curse on Jehoiachin that none of his descendants would sit on David’s throne or rule in Judah (Jer 22:30) may have referred to his immediate descendants (i.e., children). However, Jesus Christ qualified as a Davidic king because He was the physical descendant of Nathan, one of David’s sons, not Solomon. Jesus was the legal son of Joseph, who was a physical descendant of Solomon and Jehoiachin (cf. Mat 1:12-16; Luk 3:23-31).
"God reverses to Zerubbabel the sentence on Jeconiah." [Note: Edward B. Pusey, The Minor Prophets, 2:320. Cf. Chisholm, Handbook on . . ., p. 455; and Kaiser, p. 252.]
Zerubbabel represents or typifies the Messiah here (cf. Joshua’s similar role in Zec 6:9-15). His name becomes a code name (atbash) for the promised Messiah. [Note: See Herbert Wolf, "The Desire of All Nations in Haggai 2:7: Messianic or Not?" Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 19 (1976):101-2.] The certainty of this promise is clear from the threefold repetition of "Yahweh," twice as "Yahweh of hosts."
". . . key events of the past (David’s coming to power, Sodom, the exodus, Gideon) became symbols of the coming day, and the same is true of key people. David became so identified with what the Lord would yet do that not only was every successive king compared with him but the Messiah was even called David (Eze 34:23)." [Note: Motyer, p. 1002.]
Other passages that speak of Messiah as David include Jer 30:9 and Hos 3:5.
"By calling Zerubbabel His ’servant’ and ’chosen’ one God gave him the same status David had enjoyed (cf. 2Sa 3:18; 2Sa 6:21; 2Sa 7:5; 2Sa 7:8; 2Sa 7:26; 1Ki 8:16). The comparison to a ’signet ring’ indicates a position of authority and reverses the judgment pronounced on Zerubbabel’s grandfather Jehoiachin (cf. Jer 22:24-30).
"The words of Hag 2:21-23, though spoken directly to Zerubbabel, were not fulfilled in his day. How is one to explain this apparent failure of Haggai’s prophecy? Zerubbabel, a descendant of David and governor of Judah, was the official representative of the Davidic dynasty in the postexilic community at that time. As such the prophecy of the future exaltation of the Davidic throne was attached to his person. As with the Temple (cf. Hag 2:6-9), Haggai related an eschatological reality to a tangible historical entity to assure his contemporaries that God had great plans for His people. Zerubbabel was, as it were, the visible guarantee of a glorious future for the house of David. In Haggai’s day some may have actually entertained messianic hopes for Zerubbabel. However, in the progress of revelation and history Jesus Christ fulfills Haggai’s prophecy." [Note: Chisholm, "A Theology . . .," p. 422.]
"Perhaps the prophecy should be taken at face value, but with an implicit element of contingency attached. The Lord may have desired to restore the glory of the Davidic throne in Zerubbabel’s day, only to have subsequent developments within the postexilic community cause him to postpone that event, thereby relegating Zerubbabel to an archetype of the great king to come." [Note: Idem, Handbook on . . ., p. 455.]
"Were these pronouncements actually fulfilled in Zerubbabel? Did he usher in a restoration of Israelite monarchy that was accompanied by the overthrow of Gentile nations in the fashion that Haggai describes? The history of this period provides no evidence that he did so. Haggai’s promises did not come to fruition in the person of Zerubbabel. On the contrary, not long after this prophecy was given, Zerubbabel dropped into obscurity and passed off the scene. History is silent about what became of him or under what conditions he concluded his life." [Note: Taylor, pp. 198-99.]
"That Haggai himself necessarily expected a delayed fulfillment of his words is not likely. He had no way of anticipating the temporal distances that might exist between prediction and fulfillment." [Note: Ibid., p. 201.]
This final oracle promises a future overthrow of the Gentile nations that were, in Haggai’s day, exercising sovereignty over Israel. A descendant of King Jehoiachin, and before him David, would be God’s agent in that day. He would come from Zerubbabel’s descendants and would be similar to Zerubbabel in that He would be the political ruler of God’s people. Whereas God had withdrawn His signet ring (symbolic of divine selection and investiture with authority) from Jehoiachin (Jer 22:24), He would give it back to a future descendant of Zerubbabel. This was an act of pure grace and faithfulness on sovereign Yahweh’s part since the Israelites did not deserve such a future nor could they bring it about on their own. Such a message would have encouraged and motivated the returned exiles to complete the temple since there was still a glorious future for their nation in God’s plans.
"Haggai’s sermons alternated between accusation and encouragement. (This is true of most of the prophets and in a sense should characterize all ministry.) The first sermon was basically negative. The second one aimed to encourage. [The third] . . . one is again essentially chiding and accusation. And . . . the last one is positive and uplifting." [Note: Alden, p. 588.]