Haggai 2:1-9 – ENCOURAGING WORDS
(Second of three of a series on Haggai)
In 1933 the church I once pastored experienced a terrible tragedy. The church building burned! Imagine how the people of a small country church must have felt when their church home was destroyed. And this happened in the middle of the Great Depression. Although I wasn’t around at that time, I’m sure the people needed some encouraging words.
There are so many people today who need encouraging words. There is so much sickness, so many accidents, so much sorrow, so many hard feelings, and so much sin.
Such was the case also in the days of Haggai. He was a prophet in Jerusalem during the days of the return from the 70-year captivity. The people had been stopped from building the temple. They stopped when they didn’t have to. They got busy building their paneled houses, and procrastinated by saying that it wasn’t time to build the Lord’s house (See Haggai 1.)
Haggai was one of two prophets who encouraged the building program. The other was Zechariah. Haggai told the people to get busy, or today he might have said “Just do it!” In Haggai 1:12-15 we are told that the leaders and people listened and returned to building the temple.
Haggai rebuked his listeners in chapter 1. He gives them encouraging words in 2:1-9.
THE PROBLEM OF SIZE – Vss. 1-3
Vs. 2- Haggai’s message was directed to the civic leaders, religious leaders and the people themselves.
Vs. 3 – He addresses the fact that many of the older men were discouraging the people, because they were remembering what the previous temple looked like. It was much larger. When we compare ourselves to others or to the past, it is easy to become discouraged.
THE PRESCRIPTION OF SERVICE – Vss. 4-5
Haggai’s antidote for the discouragement is a prescription of service that contains four thoughts.
1. “Be strong” – Vs. 4
2. “Work” – Vs. 4
3. “I am with you” – Vss. 4-5
4. “Fear not” – Vs. 5
THE PROSPECT OF SUCCESS – Vss. 6-9
A shaking will take place. I believe that this will be when Christ establishes His kingdom. Vss. 6-7
He promised to fill His house with glory.
I believe He’s talking about the Millennial temple.
The glory of the Millennial temple will be greater than the glory of what was the current temple. Vss. 8-9