Haggai 2:23Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In this Son, God also seals us in His image; as we are transformed into Christ, we gain a resemblance to God. Accordingly, the Son is the exact representation of God the Father, and He “chose” Him, designating Him as beloved and chosen. At the banks of the Jordan, God affirmed Him with the words, “This is My beloved Son, of whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17), for it pleases God the Father to restore all things to their original order and state, as expressed by the apostle Paul, “to head ... the things that are in heaven and the things that are on earth” in Christ (Ephesians 1:10).

Just as Abraham rejoiced at the sight of Christ’s day (John 8:56), and as John pointed out the Lamb of God (John 1:29), so this individual, perceiving the kingdom of the Son of God, embodies all triumphs. There are various interpretations regarding this particular passage; some interpret it in relation to Christ’s first coming, while others link it to His second coming, when He will manifest in all the glory of His majesty. We view it in the context of both the first and second comings, for His reign was established during His arrival, and He will reign again afterward. If we seek understanding relating to the end times, we might refer to the apostle's words to the Corinthians, indicating the necessity to abolish every dominion, authority, and power, so that God may become all in all (1 Cor. 15:24-28). With profound mysteries foretold about the culmination of all things, Haggai is instructed to deliver a message solely to Zerubbabel, whom we recognize as a type of the Savior because of his lineage from David. He is informed of what is to occur at the end: the former creation shall fade away, replaced by a new heaven and a new earth; the Lord shall shake heaven and earth, overthrowing all rulers and authorities, scattering the kings of nations, and destroying all evil power. This act will allow those who once dominated and governed nations to experience the collapse of their authority, leading to a cessation of strife and the arrival of peace. This is encapsulated in the words about overthrowing the chariots and their riders, as well as the horses and their riders being cast down. To clarify what the downfall of chariots and falling of horses represents, we can refer to Zechariah’s description of Christ: the gentle king shall come, riding on a young donkey, and shall disperse the chariots of Ephraim (Zechariah 9:9-10) and the equestrian forces of Jerusalem, creating one flock under one Shepherd. Consequently, all soldiers, both Jewish and Gentile, will live in harmony under the guidance of a peaceful Shepherd, thus doing away with all that is corrupt, leading to conflicts where every individual rises against his neighbor, eliminating all opposition. The conclusion of this is indeed the most glorious. After the dismantling of thrones and the abolition of reigning powers, as well as the defeat of chariots and horsemen, the Lord Almighty declares: behold, I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel. He is referred to as a servant from a human perspective, for then both the Son will subject Himself to the One who has made all things subject to Him, and the Conqueror Himself will be seen in submission. When this is accomplished, God will engrave Him as a signet in His hand; for God the Father has marked Him (John 6:27). He is the image of the invisible God and the manifestation of His essence. Therefore, all who place their faith in God will, in a sense, be sealed with this same mark. I urge you, reader, to be patient with the one who has written this quickly and not to look for the beauty and refinement I may have lost after such extensive study of the Hebrew language, despite my critic Alecto continually calling me naïve and inarticulate. To him, I respond: The Lord will empower the messenger of good news and grant strength to those who bring forth much (Psalm 67:12).

I find it astonishing that Apollinarius would attempt to twist these clearly foretold events to suggest an alternate meaning, asserting that the forces of Gog and Magog have yet to appear, but will emerge at the end of this age. This so-called wise individual overlooked the continuous thread of the prophecy, which states that directly following the foretelling of Gog and Magog's defeat, the Prophet added, "In that day, says the Lord Almighty, I will take you, Zerubbabel my servant, says the Lord," and so forth.

Therefore, if Apollinarius envisages a different Zerubbabel, one who will arise in those times, let his interpretation stand as nothing more than a fantastical tale. If the passage indeed refers to Zerubbabel, who governed the people following their return from exile, then it is under his leadership that those Gentile nations were defeated, and after their downfall, he attained glory and renown.

Apollinarius should have acknowledged that the delay in constructing the temple, stemming from a state of poverty, led the Lord of all to promise that these nations would be assembled and their wealth allocated for the building of the temple. For this reason, it is further stated, "My silver and my gold, and the glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former."

Setting aside Apollinarius and his mockery, let us cling to the truth and implore our compassionate Lord to bestow upon us peace and tranquility, enabling us to please Him in all things and receive His assistance. May we evade the reproaches of unseen foes, living in accordance with His divine commandments, that we might partake in the promised blessings, through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ. To Him be glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.