Things Shaken and Things That Cannot Be Unshaken

Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. are shaken...: Or, may be shaken - Hebrews 12:26-27

    The Old Testament passage to which the apostle refers is Haggai 2:6. ― “For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land.” Here, as in Hebrews 12, the Lord is reminding the people of the time when He shook the world when He descended upon Mt. Sinai and gave the law to Moses (Exodus 19:16-20; Heb. 12:26).

    Things Shaken

    But the Lord here speaks of a time when the shaking of the world would be far more violent and would affect the heavens and the earth. All nations would be affected and even the islands of the sea by this shaking. This is a prophecy of Christ’s coming into the world. Yet, it reaches beyond his incarnation, and spans all time, from the time of his first advent to the time of his glorious second advent. This “shaking” is a herald, a prophecy of the coming of the Lord to judge the nations of the earth. It is talking about the whole gospel age (Isa. 13:13; 24:18-23; Ezek. 33:19-33; Joel 3:15-21). Haggai seems to see the whole universe in convulsions that affect every nation. Peter speaks of the same thing in 2 Peter 3:10-13.

    When God shakes the heavens and the earth, nothing in the universe will ever be the same again. He will break the power of the nations. The ultimate fulfillment of this passage will be, as I have said, at the second Coming of Christ (Hag, 2:21-23).

    But, it is terribly erroneous to look upon this as only a prophecy of our Lord’s second advent. This is a promise and prophecy of God’s work today by the gospel. Our great God is the absolute sovereign of the universe. He establishes, uses, and overthrows all the powers and kingdoms of the universe, at his will, for the building of his house, for the salvation of his people. He is sovereign over the nations. Wars and revolutions are nothing but his shaking of the Gentiles. The Lord God reigns. He uses these cosmic events to accomplish his eternal purpose of grace, which is the salvation of his elect (Rom. 8:28-30). He says, “and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts” (Hag. 2:7).

    The Desire of Nations

    Our Lord Jesus Christ is that One of Whom the prophet here speaks. — He is “the Desire of all nations” (Gen. 49:10; Mal. 3:1). Coming to Christ, God’s elect from the four corners of the earth, the whole Israel of God, come together as one. Thus, as Calvin suggested, “The nations will come, bringing with them all their riches, that they might offer themselves and all their possessions as a sacrifice to God.”

    The word “desire” might be translated “consolation.” The Gentile nations will come to Christ, the Desire of all nations, the Messiah. He is the object of desire in the renewed heart, that in which a man finds pleasure, joy, consolation, and value. Both Isaiah and Micah speak of all nations flowing to the mountain of God to worship him and hear His Word. Christ is the one in whom the nations find their treasure and riches. He is the “Pearl of Great Price.”

    That shaking spoken of in Haggai 2 and Hebrews 12 is followed by this result, or produces this effect, God’s elect are gathered from all nations, tongues, and peoples to fill his house and make it glorious, far more glorious than the Temple of old (Isa. 40:9-11; Mic. 4:1-2).

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    Things Unshaken

    There are, however, some “things which cannot be shaken.” The purpose of God, and all that is involved in that purpose are things unshakable. The Lord God speaks of the great glory of his house (Hag. 2:8-9). The result of all this shaking of the universe will be the filling of the Temple with the glory of the Lord. ― “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.”

    Our God is the Possessor of all things. God’s Church and Kingdom shall never lack anything. His cause, his Church, his Gospel is never in lack of supply and is never dependent upon anything outside himself. When God saves his people, they sell all they have for the Pearl of Great Price. They bring all they possess into his house (Acts 5). And, when all things have been accomplished, all the glory and honor of the universe shall be brought into the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:22-27).

    The glory of God’s house, since the coming of Christ, far exceeds, and forever shall exceed, by infinite measure, the glory of the former house. — That house was shaken and destroyed. This house cannot be shaken. Haggai’s prophecy began to be fulfilled when Christ was brought into the temple after his birth (Luke 2:21-38). It was more fully fulfilled when he came into the temple and cleansed it. The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle and Solomon’s temple when they were dedicated. The type began to be fulfilled when the Lord God came to his temple in the person of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what Malachi spoke of in Malachi 3:1. Christ himself, as the incarnate Word in whom the “glory of the Lord” was and is beheld, in whom the glory of the Lord is, fulfilled Haggai’s prophecy when he came into the temple. He brought a greater glory to the temple with his own presence, not in symbolic form, but true divine glory.

    The glorification of the house of God commenced with the incarnate Son of God and will reach its consummation when he returns (Heb. 12:26-27; Rev. 21:10-11, 22-24).

    Place of Peace

    In the last sentence of Haggai 2:9 the Lord God declares, “In this place I will give peace.” Christ is the glory of God. He is the Prince of Peace. In him alone sinners find peace. The Prince of Peace is one who brings peace to Jerusalem. When he comes again in his glory, the world will know everlasting, perfect peace, and not until then (Mic. 5:4; Joel 4:17; Ps. 72:17; Isa. 9:7; 60:18; 66:12; Luke 2:14).

    “The glory of the latter house shall be greater than that of the former one” (Hag. 2:9). At the second coming of Christ Haggai’s prophecy will be fully accomplished and fully realized. Jesus Christ, the Desire of all the nations, will rule without rival in the hearts of all who dwell in the new creation. His is a kingdom that cannot and will not be shaken (Heb. 12:26-28). The glory and honor of the Gentile nations will be brought into it (Rev. 21:24, 26). The promise will be fulfilled in the New Jerusalem, where “the dwelling of God is with men” (Rev. 21:3; 22). And this shall be God’s work alone (Zech. 4:6-7).

    Still, there is more. Between the first and second advents of Christ, throughout this Gospel Age, the Lord God continually shakes the nations. Christ, “the Desire of all nations,” comes. He fills his house with glory; and he has promised, “In this place will I give peace” (Ps. 80:1, 3-4, 7, 14, 17-19; Isa. 64:1-2). Once more, O Lord, once more, shake heaven and earth! Once more, O Lord, once more, come and fill your house with glory!