Haggai 2

Spirit Training

In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the Word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying,

2 Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying,

3 Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? And how do ye see it now? Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?

4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts:

5 According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.

It seems that the Lord is just not yet done with his people. Consider too how that he knows us so well. Indeed, it matters not wherever we've been just that we look unto him in the end. How often had Scripture once said for just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up and you know when that has happened he will draw all men unto himself. Sometimes the lifting up all men doesn't occur upon a cross but rather in the hearts and the lives of all men so that he himself might receive preeminence being before all things and through all things and by all things and in all things that these too might hold together and so as just to do all his good pleasure. That these things might accomplish whatever his Word has put them to do there in the end. Thus it is a frightful thing indeed to be without and in need of the Word that would guide us down here below no matter where we wander or wherever we'd go. The messenger has come a mighty long way as with the people he'd lead and hush now for what our God has to say. There's a leaving off that has come of his house and a former glory compared with what God had intended instead. Indeed, that even Solomon and all his glory was not arrayed like one of these, that of the birds or the lilies whose sole purpose is trusting God in this world down here below. Though if there's anything left of it at all, it just remains as unto the Lord. It's a fulness and glory that leavess nothing undone in his sight, nothing left out, nothing that our eyes wouldn't have seen or known about but a just unto him. Indeed, he fills the whole earth for his power and glory have done this thing that we see. The strengthening that comes then, for I have a feeling that some have been quakening is that of the Lord for there's none besides him in the other earth, none besides him rather who'd get down inside. It might be nothing for the moment that you came from but when you've got a faith and a trust in the Lord, he's everything up to and including your whole world and even your greatest reward. Thus his Covenant has come forth from the Lord when as out of Egypt so long ago he'd called his Son and us also who'd but trust in him. So if it's seen at all of his Spirit, it's to us rather which much as it'd like to say have known him the best, though the Lord in his glory isn't just a prize to be won, some consolation trophy to stick on the shelf back at home.

Shifting the Issue

6 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.

9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

He's living and breathing, alive among us you see, with nothing that remains but his power and his glory. Indeed, proof enough that the former things have long since been forgotten all swallowed up in the breath of the Lord. It's a shaking then that comes forth from his throne. Just as so long ago when he gave the law from Mount Sinai and that place had shaken and quaked, so too also the people trembled down at the base. It's spread far beyond that even now into the territory of filling the whole earth up with his Word. For the Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament tells it as well. How much more should not our own hearts and our lives be turned to him in the end as fully surrendered without any differences or anything between that would be. Our God is a consuming fire isn't he, unlike some of us would naturally be. Thus, the shaking comes on down to it as that of the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world though he's not always been but the Lion, the self-same and of the own tribe of Judah. So the Lamb that was slain will not always be victorious rather But instead is just coming again to receive all of his children there to him then. He's the good Father unlike that of some of us we'd have known. It's a filling instead with not all of good things but those that are needful for himself to come in. So that if there's silver and gold in the house, it's merely the Lord's own doing as well. Indeed, he's the one who tries the hearts and the reigns and the lives of all who'd but come to him. Thusly he purifies his saints and also them I'm afraid also who ain't. It's much a picture seen as of the lion of J that came and barked at the fig tree though the Lord's the one who shakes the whole world. Then it's seen that if there's some silver and gold as of those that have tried the whole world, it's not just as unto men but a testament to him then. Perhaps some might've heard of the God who once smote the Philistines with mice and with emerods and with all of the plagues simply for their doing what with his Word. So that when the ark was finally sent back to the house of their God, it returned with some gold on beside as of that which might've been not purified.

Holiness as Unto

10 In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,

11 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,

12 If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No.

13 Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.

14 Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.

Thus has the Lord spoken to all of the people then in the end. The messenger better make sure that what is spoken is just what comes forth as unto the Lord. It's a frightful thing indeed to fall into the hands of a God who is wroth with his children. Only God could make the difference between changing the perception and our lives rather just the way that it should. Thus, there's the flesh touching the things of the garment, the skirt, or the service. In order for this to happen in the natural course of the action, this people must first have their hearts changed by the Lord. He makes all their lives to line up with his Word. Then the second is that of a dead body of one that has passed coming on back into the house once again. Thusly is the whole house put to no good use due to what had been sanctified and put out becoming undone once again. Before if you remember how that the silver and gold it all was the Lord's, that implies some purifying to be found in the denying. Perhaps you've been like Judas selling our Lord for but thirty pieces of silver or the Philistines who'd have had plenty of gold but were still coming up to harry all of God's people and even so had stolen their providing for then. Though you know when our Lord changes that thing, he makes even our hearts and our minds to line up with his Word and to be like unto his in the end. At first there's some works of our hands that's just not of him and some offerings also as that would've come in as just unto him. So it requires the Lord to have done that thing once again. Though when it comes to the law and the prophets he's the fulfillment of them all very much rather. Thus, there's not one jot and not one title that passes away from his Word except that all be fulfilled. Then again in all the work of his hands will he cause it to prosper for then. Only God could change the uncleanness here that you see as in Joshua the priest that stoof before the Lord clad in an awfully unclean looking robe. So then it follows just the breath of the Lord as of that which would changing the situation around for our good. Certainly when it comes to the Lord, he's not the bad, bad Father that some have supposed. That in all of our borders there's holiness as unto the Lord. Only he could bring about the shift or change in perspective and so to glorify his name among men being so also just as he said.

Stones into Children

15 And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD:

16 Since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty.

17 I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD.

18 Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid, consider it.

19 Is the seed yet in the barn? Yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.

Perhaps how that you've heard of the Old Covenant practice of stoning the children, that is the ones who were disobedient at times as prone to wander far from the Lord. Though that's just how the Lord feels at times towards his people as not willing that nay should perish but that all should just come to a knowledge of him. Isn't he though also the stone laid in Zion, the chief cornerstone over which the builders at times would've stumbled as them that had ceased from his Word. As the chief Cornerstone, he's incredibly precious there for all of his children working in us a far more eternal weight of glory that some would've understood and greater even than that of his power that works in us through all our tribulations. Certainly at times having falled upon him would we have been broken though when it comes down to him that just let him fall to the ground, as the one on whom it shall fall the same shall be ground into powder. It's our God isn't he then for and not just unto men. It's awfully strange isn't it at times like unto this that you'd have gone to the bank and went to draw out your wages but found there's less there than you actually had. You'd have gone to the pressfat, whatever that is, maybe all sorts of good things in particular such as that of the oil and the wine that's running over instead. Then there's lesser than there actually is. It's a strange turns of events indeed unless you're the one in need of knowing the Lord. It'd require a knowing him truly and just to do all his good will. He's the Governor but how's he supposed to be reigning in all this disorder that we'd seen down here among men. There's blasting and mildew and hail in all the works of the hands yet it seems at such a time oas this that we're in sore need of the Governor instead. Perhaps the works have so suffered yet that's the whole purpose when it's our hands we're looking for as unto men and not instead as unto God there in the end. It wasn't to destroy them though only to prompt a return to the Lord. Then too that the stone that's laid in Zion how precious and holy it is almost as though that of his own dearest of children. So that in Daniel if his Word returns not unto him void but accomplishes therewith whatever he's said or sent it to there in the end, it's only the going for and the message that seeks a blessing from him. See, even before the stone made without hands that filled the whole earth with his power and glory, how precious it was having never once ceased from the glory. That it to say it was there in his sight all along being that of our God who leads us along. So that if you're finding the vine and the fig tree and the pomegranate and the olive are needing a shelter from storm or the weather or simply from bearing fruit there on the whole, there's but a blessing from God in the end and so also to them that consider he's the very best Savior that ever there was unto men having been found in like fashion as unto them with a humbling as unto the cross and to death it is said.

Shaking of Nations

20 And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying,

21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;

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.

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.

See if you will there's the second shaking mentioned here on the matter. In fact, it's about as far removed from the first as you'd consider though there's some similarities to them here on this matter. Instead, the Lord has taken instead to instructing his messenger to speak to Zerubbabel of what's to come. It seems at such a time as this that God our first and last always will be who ever has been. It's not for nothing that Scripture calls him thus, Alpha and Omega there in particular. In fact, he's the I am for there's none besides him on the issue. Zerubbabel might've been some mighty strange places and seen some mighty strange things yet he was no match for the Lord and his glory who'd have entered thus far. Indeed, our God's at the door as the time draws near to an end just as the harvest and seedtime and summer and winter thus far have not ceased from the being. Though when our God would have entered, he himself has been changing this thing, turning it around for his glory thus far. Then at such a time as this it would seem that our God has shaken all heaven and earth once before. Indeed, it was upon the cross wasn't it back then, though perhaps locally as some would've thought yet still with time in his hands. Thus it's his place as the Governor of the hearts and lives of all men and not just of his people instead. Though the horses and chariots speak certainly not just of the eathen but also the legions of Egypt as out of bondage the Lord had once called his Son in the end. It's so that some of us would have rest from the bondage and fear and just find a simple trust in the Father God there for certain. It's a displacement though almost equal with that of the mistakes that've been made which makes for the quaking for of some of the men though it's spread out for certain to all of the people when they know just how near our God is to consider. The Lord is awfully near to the hearts and lives of his children, isn't he then in the end. Thus, that if we're broken down and in ruins at times much as was the temple of God from the first, it's seen that we're just the hands and feet of his children to do all his good will and so to consider.