AS A SIGNET

The prophecy of Haggai is a remarkable book. The time span of the prophet’s work is from the first day of the sixth month, 1. 1, through to ‘the four and twentieth day of the ninth month’, 2. 10. In that relatively short period, Haggai delivered five messages from the Lord. Our passage today is concerned with the last one of those messages which is specifically for ‘Zerubbabel, governor of Judah’, v. 21.

In our comments upon Habakkuk chapter 3 we pointed out the awesome power of God. The same is true here in the last of Haggai’s prophecies. God says, ‘I will shake the heavens and the earth’, v. 21. It suggests that the whole of creation is affected. The power and seeming authority of earthly kingdoms will be over­thrown and destroyed and their military might crushed, v. 22. The carnage will be widespread with brother rising against brother but all falling before the sovereign power of God. But will such a political upheaval and destruction of kingdoms leave a vacuum and the rise of anarchy? No.

For most today the signet ring is more decorative than func­tional. However, in the day in which Haggai’s prophecy was written the signet was ‘a seal of royal authority or personal own­ership’, F. D. Lindsey. It is in this context that it is used here to convey in a pictorial way the power and influence that is being bestowed upon the one of whom Zerubbabel was a type. God has His man who will reign, having put down all opposition and having destroyed every foe.

The Lord Jesus is the executor of Divine judgement. He bears the title, ‘my servant’, Isa. 42. 1. He is the Son of the royal line of David, as was Zerubbabel, Matt. 1. 12; Luke 3. 27. As He carries the signet of authority so ‘His hand will imprint His majesty upon the world’, P. Harding. As the Chosen One of God, Matt. 12. 18; 1 Pet. 2. 4, He will sit upon His holy hill of Zion, Ps. 2. 6.

So the short ministry of Haggai ends. The man for whom there is no record of his personal history passes on. But what a legacy he left! ‘His words aroused a lethargic nation and con­verted a slothful people’, F. A. Tatford. What of our ministry?