HAGGAI 2:8

Haggai 2:8. As the Bible says:

“The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts”. This seems designed to anticipate an objection taken from the gold and silver, with which the first temple was decorated or in gifts dedicated to it.

And which, it could easily be foreseen, would be deficient in the second temple; and in response to what the Lord observes, that all gold and silver in the world was His, was made by Him, and was at His disposal; and therefore, all that was given to the ancient temple was only giving Him.

To which he had a prior right, and it was not an accession of wealth or honor for him; and then it would be the same, that he should spend himself on this; and therefore it was a very insignificant article of little importance; nor did he consider it, or was he delighted with anything of this kind.

And, if he were so willing, he could easily command all the gold and silver in the world, and bring it into this house, to enrich and adorn it, without harming any person. But these were things in which he did not delight; and, moreover, he had a far greater glory in view of putting on this house.

The silver is mine and the gold is mine. These words, which have caused some to think, that God, in speaking of the glory with which He should fill the house, was referring to our material riches, suggest the contrary.

For silver was not the ornament of Solomon’s temple. Everything was covered with gold. In the tabernacle there were silver bowls, in Solomon’s temple they and all were of gold 1 Kings 7:50; 2 Chronicles 4: 8.

1 Kings 10:27

He made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, for abundance”. Rather, as God says by the Psalmist Psalm 50: 10-12, “Every beast of the forest is mine; so is the cattle upon a thousand hills: I know all the birds of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are mine”.

If I were hungry, I would not tell you: for the world and its fullness is mine: “so here he says to you that for the glory of his house he needed neither gold nor silver: for all the riches of the world are his.

They had no reason “to weep then, for they could not equal the magnificence of Solomon who had an abundance of gold and silver. Everything belonged to God. He would fill it with divine glory. The desire of all nations, Christ, must come and be a glory, for which all created glory is nothing.

What Does God Say ?

“God says really and truly that silver and gold are his, which he created with the greatest generosity, and in his most just government he administers, so that, without his will and dominion, the wicked also cannot have gold and silver for the punishment of greed, nor of good for the use of mercy. Their abundance does not inflate the good, nor does their desire crush it: but the evil, when given, blinds: when taken away, it tortures.

“It is as if He were to say:” Do not think that the temple is not glorious, for, perhaps, it will not have a portion of gold or silver, nor its splendor. How should I? “For mine is the silver, and mine is the gold,” says the Lord Almighty.

“I seek rather true worshippers: with their radiance I will guide this temple. Let him come who has the right faith, is adorned with grace, shines with love for me, is pure in heart, poor in spirit, compassionate, and good.

“This makes the temple, that is to say, the Church, glorious and famous, be glorified by Christ. For they have learned to pray, Psalm 90:17. The glory of the Lord our God be with us.

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