November 01, 2024 | Be God's Light
Haggai Calls the People to Rebuild the Temple
Scripture: Haggai 1:1-2:9(NIV)
1 In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest:
2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.’”
3 Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”
5 Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 6 You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”
7 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 8 Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the Lord. 9 “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house. 10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. 11 I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.”
12 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared the Lord.
13 Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with you,” declares the Lord. 14 So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month.
1In the second year of King Darius, on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: 2 “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, 3 ‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? 4 But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 5 ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’
6 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. 8 ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 9 ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
Devotional
The reconstruction of the temple in Jerusalem had been put on hold for a decade. The 50,000 Jews who returned from exile halted their work because of opposition and fear. In the meantime, they spent their time rebuilding their homes and resuming their lives in and around Jerusalem. God’s word through Haggai had to sting: “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”
But it was when Haggai’s message from the Lord, “I am with you,” was delivered that the spirits of Governor Zerubbabel, High Priest Joshua, and the whole remnant of people were stirred (1:13-14). They got to work rebuilding the temple after a ten-year respite. God followed this up by saying, “But now be strong, Zerubbabel… Be strong, Joshua… Be strong, all you people of the land… and work. For I am with you” (2:4).
Opponents may stir up trouble, but God stirs the heart. Challengers may try to weaken, but God offers strength. The ignorant may sow seeds of doubt, but the Lord makes a promise: “I am with you.”
God said, “I am with you” to Abraham when he was awaiting the birth of a son.
The Lord said, “I am with you” to Moses at the burning bush, calling him to the impossible task of freeing the people of God from Egyptian slavery.
God said, “I am with you” to Joshua as he prepared to enter and take the promised land.
He said, “I am with you” through the prophet Isaiah, calling the people to return to Him.
Jesus said, “I am with you always” as He ascended into heaven.
What does it mean to you that the Lord promises to be with you?
Poem
Our Souls Are Restless
Our souls are restless
As we try to quench the needs of
Shelter with lodgings
Harvest with planting
Hunger with food
Thirst with water
Chill with clothing
Provision with wealth
Only when we rest in God
Are all our longings satisfied
God becomes our Home
God gives bounty to the Lord of the Harvest
God satisfies the hungry heart with the Bread of Heaven
God quenches with the Living Water
God covers us with the Robe of Righteousness
God supplies our every need by way of the Prince of Peace
