Haggai 2:5
According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
The returning exiles needed this reminder because they felt spiritually inferior to their ancestors. They had no Ark of the Covenant, no visible Shekinah glory, no fire from heaven consuming sacrifices, no prophetic voices like Moses. The temptation was to assume God's presence and power belonged to the past—to the Exodus generation, to David and Solomon's era—but not to their small, struggling community.
God refutes this assumption. The same covenant made at Sinai remained in force. The same Spirit who led Israel through the wilderness was still among them. God's faithfulness wasn't contingent on their circumstances, resources, or visible manifestations of glory but on His unchanging character. This encouraged the builders to complete the temple, which they did in 516 BC, just four years after Haggai's ministry began.
For Christians, this promise finds ultimate fulfillment in Christ and Pentecost. Jesus is the new Moses who leads the new exodus from sin and death. The Holy Spirit now permanently indwells believers, not just leaders or special occasions. The covenant God made with Israel finds its yes and amen in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20), guaranteeing that God's presence, power, and promises remain with His people in every generation.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's past faithfulness in your life or in salvation history provide courage for present challenges and future uncertainties?
- In what ways are you tempted to think God's power and presence belonged to 'spiritual giants' of the past but isn't available to you today?
- How does the indwelling Holy Spirit—God's permanent presence in believers—equip you for obedience, worship, and perseverance?
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Analysis & Commentary
According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.—God anchors present encouragement in past covenant faithfulness. The phrase "the word that I covenanted" (אֶת־הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־כָּרַתִּי/et-hadavar asher-karati) refers to the Mosaic covenant established at Sinai after the Exodus. God's covenant wasn't mere agreement but divine commitment backed by His character and promises—unchanging, unbreakable from His side.
"When ye came out of Egypt" (בְּצֵאתְכֶם מִמִּצְרָיִם/betzetkhem miMitzrayim) invokes Israel's foundational redemption narrative. The Exodus demonstrated God's power over the greatest empire of that era, His faithfulness to promises made to Abraham centuries earlier, and His ability to sustain His people through wilderness wandering. If God brought them out of Egyptian slavery, sustained them for forty years with manna and quail, and brought them into the Promised Land, He could certainly empower them to rebuild a temple.
"So my spirit remaineth among you" (וְרוּחִי עֹמֶדֶת בְּתוֹכְכֶם/veRuchi omedet betokekhem)—the Hebrew verb "remaineth" (עֹמֶדֶת/omedet) means stands, abides, endures. God's Spirit wasn't absent from the post-exilic community despite the absence of visible Shekinah glory. The same Spirit who hovered over creation's waters (Genesis 1:2), empowered judges and kings, and inspired the prophets was actively present among the rebuilders. This anticipates Pentecost, when the Spirit would permanently indwell all believers (Acts 2).
"Fear ye not" (אַל־תִּירָאוּ/al-tira'u)—God's command not to fear appears over 100 times in Scripture. Fear paralyzes action, distorts perception, and reveals misplaced trust. God addresses fear not by denying real challenges but by asserting His greater reality: His covenant stands, His Spirit abides, therefore courage is both possible and required.