Today’s Reading:
Haggai 2:1-10
In the seventh month, on the twenty-first of the month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying: ”Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying: ”Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing? Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel, says the Lord, and be strong Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land says the Lord, and work; for I am with you, says the Lord of the host, According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear! For thus says the Lord of the host, ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory, says the Lord of the host. The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, says the Lord of hosts. ’The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place, I will give peace, says the Lord of hosts.”
(Haggai 2:1-10)
As with the first shaking of the nation when God gave Moses the Law at Sinai (Ex. 19:16), the shaking in today’s passage was to prepare the way for the Messiah and His kingdom (Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8). There would still be another shaking of cosmic dimensions at the end of the age (v. 21; Heb. 12:26-28). The people of Judah had been in exile in Babylon in 586 B. C; Jerusalem and the temple had been destroyed. Under the reign of Cyrus, King of Persia, the Jews were allowed to return to Judah to rebuild the ruins of the temple. The rebuilding had not been completed when the people started living in affluence. Prophet Haggai now warned of the danger of putting their desires, possession, and jobs ahead of God. Although the Temple being rebuilt was less impressive than the Temple that had been destroyed (v. 3), God pointed the builder to the future glory of His Temple, which He assured them would be greater than its past glory (vv. 7, 9). In essence, the temple being rebuilt is a temporary structure compared with His future plans for His people. The Temple in God’s future kingdom will be like nothing anyone has ever seen. But this will be revealed when Jesus Christ returns to rule and personally minister in the Temple of God. The climax of this promise reached in the message for Zerubbabel (vv. 21-23).
Our focus today is placed on the community of faith, as individual believers house the temple of God, and so the community is a collective temple of God. And as believers we are fellow workers with God, we are God’s field, we are God’s building according to the grace which God has given to each one of us in wisdom to build up ourselves, after the foundation of our church forefathers (1 Corinthians 3:9- 16). Christ has paved the way for us to work, to live the good life in him, trust him and to obey him. We are experiencing the activities and operations of Satan, our powerful and aggressive enemy, in the world today. The spirit of the ‘Beast’ has taken over human lives and is using humanity to destroy humanity as never before, devastating and destroying lives and properties. It has come to devastate, oppress, and destroy the work of God. Ultimately, our joy is that he cannot triumph over the works of God. (Rev. 13). As children of the Highest, let us not be discouraged by what is going on in the world today and in our nations. Let the message of Haggai to the Jews encourage us to hold tight unto Christ, to be strong and courageous and continue to work, to rebuild the community of Christ. God has promised and He is present in our midst. Let us hold on to His promise that he will bless all our efforts. Let us continue to encourage and strengthen our brothers and sisters who have sustained both spiritual and physical hurts and injuries. This is not the time to put all our energy into acquiring wealth for ourselves. Our concentration now should be on rebuilding and strengthening the community of faith. And may God help us all, in Jesus name. After all, said and done, may we partake of the glory that would come after all these, in Jesus name.
As the people did in the days of Haggai, let us as believers focus on the latter glory of Jesus’ magnificent kingdom. Let us not be weary of giving thanks and praises to God by worshipping him with holy reverence, fear, and awe. In whatever way positive, we can, let us continue to help our fallen, depressed, and devastated brothers and sisters around us – by the grace provided, giving them life, hope and succour. And resolve to continue in doing things that are pleasing unto God.
OLUFUNMILAYO TITILOLA ADEKUSIBE
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the assurance that you are in control in whatever situation that’s confronting us as individuals, and nation, in Jesus name.
Father send your ministering angels to help and encourage me, in Jesus name.
At this trying period, hold our youths by your right hand of power and lead them in the way they should tread, in Jesus name.
Father send your ministering angels to help and encourage the body of Christ at these trying times, in Jesus name.
Father thank you for Your intervention in the situation in our nation. Pull down every stronghold of wickedness and expose, dismantle and disgrace all agents of the devil in our nation, in Jesus name.
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