Topical Studies
What the Bible says about
Kislev 24 Prophecy
(From Forerunner Commentary)
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Haggai 2:10
Within the pages of the Bible, relatively few dates are mentioned. Because of this, and because God works in similar patterns and many of the prophecies have a dual fulfillment, when prophetic dates are mentioned, they take on a special significance. The book of Haggai is one that is noted for its exactly dated prophecies. Specifically, its last two prophecies are given on, and revolve around, the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, a day known simply as Kislev (or Chislev) 24. Kislev falls during the months of November and December on the Gregorian calendar, near the beginning of winter. This date—Kislev 24—is easy to calculate because it is always the day before the Jews celebrate Hanukkah (Kislev 25). Historically, this date has been highly significant on a number of occasions. It was on Kislev 24 that the Temple was freed from the grasp of Antiochus Epiphanes. The cleansing of the Temple, desecrated by Antiochus, began that evening, which, since it was after sunset, was technically Kislev 25. This historical event constitutes the origin of Hanukkah. A lesser-known fact is that it was also on Kislev 24 in 1917, during World War I, that British troops liberated Jerusalem from the Ottoman Empire. Just as the Temple was destroyed on the same date—Av 9—on two different occasions, hundreds of years apart, so also the Temple has been liberated from foreign hands on the same date—Kislev 24. Because Kislev 24 has been highly momentous in the history of Jerusalem and the Temple, the appearance of the date in Haggai, may be significant again, especially considering the dualities of these prophecies.
David C. Grabbe
A Blessing in Winter?
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Haggai 2:10-19
The first Chislev 24 prophecy, found in this passage, concerns the uncleanness of the covenant people and God's response to it. Through a series of questions that Haggai asks the priests, God makes the point that uncleanness is transferable, but holiness is not. Defilement or impurity can spread from an object to a person to another object, but purity and holiness cannot. This is especially relevant in light of what was happening at the time. The people and the leaders were finally in the process of building the dwelling place of the Holy God. It contained a number of objects that were also holy, as well as the Most Holy Place. Yet, even the presence of God could not, by itself, make the people clean. In order to make the nation clean, it would take something more than just having the Temple nearby, with all of its holy objects and even the glory of God. Something else was required to cleanse the people. This prophecy has a curious ending. It does not contain a call to repentance, except perhaps by implication. God says that His people are unclean, that the presence of something holy cannot make them clean, and that their hearts were not turned to Him—then He suddenly announces that from this day forward, He would bless. In this first prophecy, God does not specify exactly what the blessing will be, though there is a hint in verse 19: "Is the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded fruit. But from this day I will bless you." This hint becomes clearer in the next Chislev 24 prophecy (Haggai 2:20-23).
David C. Grabbe
A Blessing in Winter?
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