INTERESTING FACTS : John Jay, PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS; DIPLOMAT; AUTHOR OF THE FEDERALIST PAPERS; ORIGINAL CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE U. S. SUPREME COURT; GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK

 

"Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation, to select and prefer Christians for their rulers."[1]

 

Daily Reading : HAGGAI

 

TEXT : Hag 1:1  In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying, Hag 1:2  Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD'S house should be built. Hag 1:3  Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, Hag 1:4  Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? Hag 1:5  Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Hag 1:6  Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Hag 1:7  Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

 

THEME : REBUILDING THE TEMPLE

 

Haggai

 

An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Prophecy of Haggai

 

The captivity in Babylon gave a very remarkable turn to the affairs of the Jewish church both in history and prophecy. It is made a signal epocha in our Saviour's genealogy, Mat_1:17. Nine of the twelve minor prophets, whose oracles we have been hitherto consulting, lived and preached before that captivity, and most of them had an eye to it in their prophecies, foretelling it as the just punishment of Jerusalem's wickedness. But the last three (in whom the Spirit of prophecy took its period, until it revived in Christ's forerunner) lived and preached after the return out of captivity, not immediately upon it, but some time after. Haggai and Zechariah appeared much about the same time, eighteen years after the return, when the building of the temple was both retarded by its enemies and neglected by its friends. Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them (so we read Ezr_5:1), to reprove them for their remissness, and to encourage them to revive that good work when it had stood still for some time, and to go on with it vigorously, notwithstanding the opposition they met with in it. Haggai began two months before Zechariah, who was raised up to second him, that out of the mouth of two witnesses the word might be established. But Zechariah continued longer at the work; for all Haggai's prophecies that are recorded were delivered within four months, in the second year of Darius, between the beginning of the sixth month and the end of the ninth. But we have Zechariah's prophecies dated above two years after, Zec_7:1. Some have the honour to lead, others to last, in the work of God. The Jews ascribe to these two prophets the honour of being members of the great synagogue (as they call it), which was formed after the return out of captivity; we think it more certain, and it was their honour, and a much greater honour, that they prophesied of Christ. Haggai spoke of him as the glory of the latter house, and Zechariah as the man, the branch. In them the light of that morning star shone more brightly than in the foregoing prophecies, as they lived nearer the time of the rising of the Sun of righteousness, and now began to see his day approaching. The Septuagint makes Haggai and Zechariah to be the penmen of Psa_138:1-8 and Psa_146:1-10,147, and Psa_148:1-14. [Matthew Henry][2]

 

TRUTH FOR TODAY : "CHRIST WILL BUILD HIS CHURCH!"

 

"The subject of Haggai is the temple. God having brought back the captives, they immediately seek their own ease without seeking to rebuild the house of Jehovah. Was it then a time to rebuild their own? There was tranquillity enough for the latter-it required no faith-the world made no opposition. The prophet exhibits the practical effect of this, the sensible chastisements of God even as to their temporal interests. And why these chastisements? They neglected God in neglecting His house. In truth, if they had thought of God, His house would have been their first object." [John Darby][3]

 

The Jews with the help of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi rebuilt the Temple. However, it would be destroyed again under the Roman Empire by Titus.[4] The first nine of the twelve minor prophets address coming judgment, while the last three deal with the rebuilding of Jerusalem's Temple. Ezra and Nehemiah speak to the rebuilding of the Temple and the city of Jerusalem.

 

Now, since the Messiah has come, we are assured His Temple will be built and never destroyed! First is the Church that is comprised of you and I who believe on the LORD Jesus Christ.

 

Mat 16:13  When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? Mat 16:14  And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. Mat 16:15  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Mat 16:16  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Mat 16:17  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

 

Then, as we read in Ezekiel, a final Temple will be built during the one thousand year rule of Christ. In either case, it is encouraging to know that the destruction of either the Church [Christ's people] or the restored earth and the Temple at Jerusalem cannot happen again. Christ at His Second Coming will rule sovereignly. No nation or government will be able to prevent Him in any way from being our Leader.

 

Therefore, take heart! We read of the Jews building and rebuilding the Temple. We also read of their defection from the LORD. Yet, the Day is fast approaching when there will be no more failed attempts or departures from the LORD. For when HE comes, He will be heralded as King of Kings and LORD of LORDS!

 

Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. Rev 19:12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. Rev 19:13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. Rev 19:14  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. Rev 19:15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. Rev 19:16  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

 

Fausset, Andrew Robert. Faussaet's Bible Dictionary. Public Domian, 1821 - 1910.