Today's Blog Title: "The Command To Build God's House"
Today' Blog Scripture Reading: Haggai 1:1-15
Today's Blog Key Verse: Haggai 1:7-8 "Thus says the LORD of hosts" "Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorify," says the LORD."
"Zerubbabel and Joshua" Verse 1: Ezra 2:2 identifies Zerubbabel as the individual who led the exiles back to Judah. He a member of the royal family of David. Joshua the high priest is mentioned in both Ezra 3:2,8 and Nehemiah 12:1,8. He held the highest priestly rank. It is significant that the two most influential leaders in Judah, responded so quickly to the prophets message. When leaders respond quickly to God, is much easier for the believing community to follow.
"The time has not come" Verse 2: The people had decided that rebuilding the Lord's dwelling among His people was not important. How modern an objection! Sorry, "there just isn't enough time right now for PRAYER." "I'd like to read my Bible, but I have to get up EARLY for WORK." "I'm too TIRED to do ANYTHING but COLLAPSE and read the news." The people of Judah were also busy with their own AFFAIRS to have TIME or MONEY to INVEST in rebuilding the temple of God. As a result they LOST OUT!
"Elaborate homes" Verse 4: The principle building material in Jerusalem was stone. Those who wanted to make their "houses" elaborate installed wood panels. The people of Haggai's time were making their homes elegant, rivaling royal residences and the holy temple itself. But they STILL did not FEEL that the "time was right" to begin WORKING on the renewed temple. While this verse is not a blanket condemnation of elegant living among God's people, it certainly calls for a re-evaluation of priorities.
"Consider your ways" Verses 5-6: What a series of images in these two verses. Their point is so clear. The harder the people of Judah worked, the further behind they got! Compare also verses 10-11. There is a lesson here for us today. God is the one who makes any EFFORT BEAR FRUIT. We NEED to PUT God FIRST. When we DO, the Lord will BLESS us.
"That I may take pleasure in it" Verse 8: The people were instructed to go to great lengths to get "wood" for paneling the temple of the Lord, verse 4. "That I may take pleasure in it," means that God's JOY in the temple is related to His PLEASURE in the people who would WORSHIP Him there. "Be GLORIFIED," clearly means that God does not need to receive more glory, Psalms 24:7-10, however, He gladly receives the adoration of His people.
"Runs to his own house" Verse 9: Because of their preoccupation with personal comfort, the people were IGNORING the central spiritual concerns of their LIVES. Their FAULTY principle of life was being SHAKEN by the Lord. Jesus would later PROCLAIM the TRUE and ABIDING principle for the LIFE of FAITH: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you," Matthew 6:33
In Verse 10, the BLESSING and CURSING formula of the Lord's Covenant with His people comes into play, Deuteronomy 28. "Dew" is a poetic way of speaking of "rainfall."
"The remnant of the people" Verse 12: The remnant of the people were literally those who made the trek back to Judah from their place of captivity in Babylon; it also refers to those with a larger population who are FAITHFUL to the Lord.
"I am with you" Verse 13: What a message from the Lord! Despite the fact that you've ignored Me, I'm on your side. Don't misunderstand the troubles you've had, I'm on you side. God so often must overlook our failures and on our part, we MUST learn to interpret our disappointments as CORRECTIVE of GUIDING events. We must NEVER FORGET that God is on our SIDE. In Haggai's day, that meant TRUSTING God enough to leave each individual's personal pursuits to rebuild the temple. In our day, that means you and I TRUST God enough to GIVE His Word, and His Work, our DAILY PRIORITY.
Verse 14, bears witness to the work of God's Spirit on the human "spirit" of His leaders and His people to ACCOMPLISH His tasks. It is reminiscent of God's work in stirring up the people to BUILT the original tabernacle, Exodus 35:29, 36:2. ALWAYS within Israel a remnant existed. Paul stated there was such a remnant in Elijah's time, Romans 11:2-4 and then compare 1st Kings 19:18.
Click on this link at www.cindi-davis.blogspot.com for a Bible Verse Writing from 1st John 4:9-11.
Your Sister in Christ,
Cindi
Today' Blog Scripture Reading: Haggai 1:1-15
Today's Blog Key Verse: Haggai 1:7-8 "Thus says the LORD of hosts" "Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorify," says the LORD."
"Zerubbabel and Joshua" Verse 1: Ezra 2:2 identifies Zerubbabel as the individual who led the exiles back to Judah. He a member of the royal family of David. Joshua the high priest is mentioned in both Ezra 3:2,8 and Nehemiah 12:1,8. He held the highest priestly rank. It is significant that the two most influential leaders in Judah, responded so quickly to the prophets message. When leaders respond quickly to God, is much easier for the believing community to follow.
"The time has not come" Verse 2: The people had decided that rebuilding the Lord's dwelling among His people was not important. How modern an objection! Sorry, "there just isn't enough time right now for PRAYER." "I'd like to read my Bible, but I have to get up EARLY for WORK." "I'm too TIRED to do ANYTHING but COLLAPSE and read the news." The people of Judah were also busy with their own AFFAIRS to have TIME or MONEY to INVEST in rebuilding the temple of God. As a result they LOST OUT!
"Elaborate homes" Verse 4: The principle building material in Jerusalem was stone. Those who wanted to make their "houses" elaborate installed wood panels. The people of Haggai's time were making their homes elegant, rivaling royal residences and the holy temple itself. But they STILL did not FEEL that the "time was right" to begin WORKING on the renewed temple. While this verse is not a blanket condemnation of elegant living among God's people, it certainly calls for a re-evaluation of priorities.
"Consider your ways" Verses 5-6: What a series of images in these two verses. Their point is so clear. The harder the people of Judah worked, the further behind they got! Compare also verses 10-11. There is a lesson here for us today. God is the one who makes any EFFORT BEAR FRUIT. We NEED to PUT God FIRST. When we DO, the Lord will BLESS us.
"That I may take pleasure in it" Verse 8: The people were instructed to go to great lengths to get "wood" for paneling the temple of the Lord, verse 4. "That I may take pleasure in it," means that God's JOY in the temple is related to His PLEASURE in the people who would WORSHIP Him there. "Be GLORIFIED," clearly means that God does not need to receive more glory, Psalms 24:7-10, however, He gladly receives the adoration of His people.
"Runs to his own house" Verse 9: Because of their preoccupation with personal comfort, the people were IGNORING the central spiritual concerns of their LIVES. Their FAULTY principle of life was being SHAKEN by the Lord. Jesus would later PROCLAIM the TRUE and ABIDING principle for the LIFE of FAITH: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you," Matthew 6:33
In Verse 10, the BLESSING and CURSING formula of the Lord's Covenant with His people comes into play, Deuteronomy 28. "Dew" is a poetic way of speaking of "rainfall."
"The remnant of the people" Verse 12: The remnant of the people were literally those who made the trek back to Judah from their place of captivity in Babylon; it also refers to those with a larger population who are FAITHFUL to the Lord.
"I am with you" Verse 13: What a message from the Lord! Despite the fact that you've ignored Me, I'm on your side. Don't misunderstand the troubles you've had, I'm on you side. God so often must overlook our failures and on our part, we MUST learn to interpret our disappointments as CORRECTIVE of GUIDING events. We must NEVER FORGET that God is on our SIDE. In Haggai's day, that meant TRUSTING God enough to leave each individual's personal pursuits to rebuild the temple. In our day, that means you and I TRUST God enough to GIVE His Word, and His Work, our DAILY PRIORITY.
Verse 14, bears witness to the work of God's Spirit on the human "spirit" of His leaders and His people to ACCOMPLISH His tasks. It is reminiscent of God's work in stirring up the people to BUILT the original tabernacle, Exodus 35:29, 36:2. ALWAYS within Israel a remnant existed. Paul stated there was such a remnant in Elijah's time, Romans 11:2-4 and then compare 1st Kings 19:18.
Click on this link at www.cindi-davis.blogspot.com for a Bible Verse Writing from 1st John 4:9-11.
Your Sister in Christ,
Cindi
Hi,
ReplyDeleteYour article is fabulous. Thanks for sharing.
Foreign Trade Policy India