And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.
Haggai 2:20 And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying,
Haggai 2:21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;
Haggai 2:22 And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.
Haggai 2:23 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.
The verse centers on "overthrow", "throne", "kingdoms", "destroy", "strength", and "heathen". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "overthrow" and "throne", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.
The nearby context moves from verse 21's "Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah saying..." into verse 23's "In that day saith the LORD of...", so "overthrow" and "throne" belong inside that flow. In Haggai context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.
A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "overthrow" and "throne" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.