Haggai 1:13 Commentary and Bible Study

Then comes the change. The people have responded, and God therefore changes his tone with them. As the apostle Paul who represented the Lord said to the Galatians: ‘I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice’ (Galatians 4:20), so now the Lord changes his voice as he desires to do. The Lord wants his people to be a happy people. He does not bring trials into our lives because he wants us to be permanently miserable, but because they are necessary to correct us, to build our faith. God now says to them what he knows the spiritual among them will want to hear, and what will make such a difference to them: ‘I am with you.’ That is the great promise; that makes all the difference. Haggai goes back nine centuries and quotes God’s previous promise: ‘Fear not, for I am with thee’ – God’s words to Isaac (Genesis 26:24), and to Jacob at Bethel: ‘behold, I am with thee’ (Genesis 28:15), and to Joshua (Deuteronomy 31:23). If God is with us, then what we do for him will succeed; he will guide us through every difficulty; our enemies will not overcome us. Haggai will use the same language again in the next chapter. This is the first point of his four-point sermon: obey the Lord and you will be blessed.