The message of Haggai, chapter two, is a message of coming glory (see Haggai 2:3, 7, 9; compare 1:8). The importance of the message is shown in the time in which it was given.
Josiah continues to turn Israel back to the Lord. He establishes a covenant with God and cleanses the land from all spiritual defilement. However, judgment is still set to come and after the death of Josiah, the nation goes down quickly.
The revival under the reign of Josiah is one of the great stories in the Bible.
Two evil reigns follow the good reign of Hezekiah. We see the dangers of idolatry in these two reigns. We also see the influence a leader of the people has on those people. In both cases, the people follow their king.
When you compare the description of Saul’s death in this chapter with that in 1 Samuel 31, you will find two different stories of how Saul died. 1 Samuel 31:4-5 tells us that he died at his own hand by falling on his own sword. In 2 Samuel 1:9-10 we are told that he was killed by the Amalekite. Is there a contradiction? No. The second account is that of the Amalekite himself who thought he would receive a reward for killing David’s enemy.
The crossing of the Jordan River marks a major change in the lives of the Israelites. They are leaving the wilderness behind and entering into the Promised Land.
