“‘Yet now, be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says the Lord; ‘and be strong, Joshua … and be strong, all you people of the land … and work; for I am with you,’ … For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Once more 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 … the glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:4, 6-7, 9
Through the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, God gave Zerubbabel and Joshua a message of encouragement. They were rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem but were experiencing discouragement because the task seemed insurmountable. They and the people were weary, wondering if the work would ever be accomplished. It was at this time that the prophets came, reminding the people that the Lord still had much work to do and had a great plan for their future. And I believe that God has a great plan for our future as well.
God Is At Work
Turn on the news and you will hear nothing but doom and gloom, people forecasting dark days and rough times ahead. Yet this negative outlook is due to a loss of perspective. In reality, God is still at work! And I believe God’s desire is to do great things. I can get discouraged like anybody else, but the Lord always brings me back to the realization of what He’s presently doing and reminds me of the promises He has made and the things He has shown me. God is still building His church all over the world, and we have a part to play. God has something for every one of us to do. So I am approaching the future with excitement and optimism about the fresh new things that God is going to do.
Words From the Lord
Haggai received three specific words from the Lord: First, a word of instruction; second, a word of intention; and third, a word of empowering. In the coming weeks, we will be looking at each of these in turn. But I would encourage you to be strong. Maybe there are trials in your life that seem insurmountable. Remember that God is with you, and pray for God’s greater glory to be shown in these last days.