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On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet, saying:
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“Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak,(a) the high priest, and also to the remnant of the people. Ask them,
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‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not appear to you like nothing in comparison?’
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But now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. And be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work! For I am with you, declares the LORD of Hosts.
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This is the promise I made to you when you came out of Egypt. And My Spirit remains among you; do not be afraid.”
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For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth,(b) the sea and the dry land.
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I will shake all the nations, and they will come with all their treasures, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of Hosts.
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The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, declares the LORD of Hosts.
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The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former, says the LORD of Hosts. And in this place I will provide peace, declares the LORD of Hosts.”
Blessings for a Defiled People
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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,
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“This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Ask the priests for a ruling.
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If a man carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and it touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other food, does that item become holy?’” “No,” replied the priests.
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So Haggai asked, “If one who is defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled?” “Yes, it becomes defiled,” the priests answered.
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Then Haggai replied, “So it is with this people and this nation before Me, declares the LORD, and so it is with every work of their hands; whatever they offer there is defiled.
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Now consider carefully from this day forward:(c) Before one stone was placed on another in the temple of the LORD,
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from that time, when one came expecting a heap of twenty ephahs of grain,(d) there were but ten. When one came to the winepress to draw out fifty baths,(e) there were but twenty.
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I struck you—all the work of your hands—with blight, mildew, and hail, but you did not turn to Me, declares the LORD.
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Consider carefully from this day forward—from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, the day the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid—consider carefully:
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Is there still seed in the barn? The vine, the fig, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yet yielded fruit. But from this day on, I will bless you.”
Zerubbabel the LORD’s Signet Ring
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For the second time that day, the twenty-fourth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to Haggai, saying,
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“Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am about to shake the heavens and the earth:
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I will overturn royal thrones and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overturn chariots and their riders; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother.
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On that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will take you, My servant, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, declares the LORD, and I will make you like My signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the LORD of Hosts.”
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