Presents
Haggai
God
will ask the question at the end of this Book.
Haggai,
"Is the seed still in the barn?"
Presents
Haggai
God
will ask the question at the end of this Book.
Haggai,
"Is the seed still in the barn?"
The Book of Haggai is the 10th book among the 12 Minor Prophets which are called "minor" because of their length, not because of their importance. In that regard Haggai is "minor" indeed for it is only two chapters long. However, to those servants of the Most High God who have "come out of Babylon" in these last days, (Hopefully you are one) who have graciously been given eyes to see and ears to hear. These two chapters are of MAJOR importance for they contain both instruction and admonition for the chosen builders of His Temple, the many membered body of Jesus Christ, as we approach the feast of the final harvest in this flesh age, (YES, the harvest of those souls who will receive eternal life at Christ's return!). In fact, the name "Haggai" in Hebrew means "feast" or "my feast" and his work concerns the "feast" during the famine, i.e. the bringing forth of God's Word, i.e. the building of the temple before Jesus Christ returns. You see, God will ask the question at the end of this Book, "Haggai, Is the seed still in the barn?", meaning has His Word been taken out and sown sufficiently for "harvest" for it is soon time for Him to come and "shake the nations and the heavens" and "overthrow the throne of kingdoms" (Haggai 2:21-22)! (Note: it is not being properly sown by most of the churches in our land.)
The historical setting and time frame for this marvelous work is Jerusalem, 410 BC, sixteen years after Cyrus gave the decree to rebuild the temple. Haggai's prophecy which contains four distinct messages covers but a short season of about four months from the sixth month to the ninth month on the Hebrew calendar, which corresponds to our Aug./Sept. to Nov./Dec. He was the first prophet through whom God spoke following the return from the 70 year captivity in Babylon, the period of time which lays between Zephaniah and Haggai. He was also a contemporary of Zechariah who began his prophecy in the eighth month of the second year of Darius (Zech. 1:1), two months later than Haggai and midway between Haggai's second and third messages. (See Companion Bible, pg. 1276.) The two books of Haggai and Zechariah together will give you a clear and concise picture of the "work" of God's hands, His elect, in this final generation!
As we mentioned in the opening paragraph, the Book of Haggai concerns the completion of the building of the temple, the body of Christ in these last days, which we shall fully document in a subsequent study. Nevertheless, students of God's Word should know from Paul's teachings that the events of HIStory recorded in scripture, the "things that happened" unto our forefathers, happened unto them for ensamples, as types and forerunners, and are written for us in this final generation in order that we might obtain a "visual" image in our mind's eye to literally "see" how things shall be in this final generation. The apostle Paul said it this way:
Therefore we will study the words of our Father through Haggai as they pertain to us "upon whom the ends of the world are come", i.e. as they pertain to this final generation of the fig tree, the generation which shall not pass away until all the things Christ foretold us in Mat. 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 come to pass and He returns as the King of kings and Lord of lords. To that end, it is also written that in these last days the servants and handmaidens of God, His "sons and daughters", would "see" (understand) the visions of the prophets and they would "prophesy", meaning as His "watchmen" they would teach those prophets to their brothers and sisters, the so-called "lost sheep" of the true House of Israel.1 Cor. 10:11
Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Here is Peter quoting from Joel the prophet on the first Pentecost Day following the resurrection:
And so it is that the teaching of the prophets, all of God's Word, goes forth from those "sons and daughters" who are the "brothers and sisters" of the churches of Philadelphia and Smyrna, the only "two churches" out of all the churches in this final generation that Christ finds no fault with (Rev. 2-3). The reason for that is that the brotherhood loves to study and keep His Word and teach others in the manner of "Thus saith the Lord", and "It is written", laying aside the vain (empty) traditions of men. They also know who the "lost tribes" of the House of Israel are and where they dwell today. In fact, that is one of the very things the "watchmen" bring forth in their teaching of His Word, i.e. the identity of those "lost tribes" who went north over the Caucasus Mountains after their captivity and migrated through Europe even to the "isles of the west", to Great Britain and later to the Americas. Those tribes were known as Cimmerians and Celts and Anglos and Saxons. Did you know that "Sax-sons" means "Sacs sons" or "Isaac's sons"?Acts 2:17
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:[18] And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
One month prior to the Feast of Trumpets, in the second year of Darius (Hystaspis), on the first day of the sixth month, the LORD sent His admonition and instruction to Zerubbabel and Jeshua concerning the completion of the temple! (The deeper student should take heed to the dates given here in the Book of Haggai coupled with the time in Ezra of the laying of the foundation to help better understand the time leading up to and the completion of the temple, relative to today of course.)Haggai 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,
First however, one must understand that this second year of Darius is 16 years after the decree of Cyrus was given to go forth and rebuild the temple. Work on the temple had begun soon after that decree was given, and the foundation of the temple was laid, i.e. finished, in the second year of the return:
Then the work on the temple ceased during 15 years of opposition! (See appendix 58 in the Companion Bible.) However, the foundation that was laid by Zerubbabel and Jeshua was a strong foundation according to the decree of the king!Ezra 3:8
Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the LORD...[10] And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.
Now before we return to Haggai 1:1, let us understand that it will be the same hands who laid the foundation of the temple whose hands shall also finish it! This is important and this we know to be true from the great Book of Zechariah, the prophet whose name means "Remembered of Yah".Ezra 6:3
In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;
Let us now repeat Haggai 1:1 and proceed with our understanding.Zech. 4:8
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,[9] The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.
Let's look at the meanings of the names in this verse for contained in them is a foundation of understanding:Haggai 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,
Zerub-babel means "sown in Babel" or "born in Babel". Babel of course means "confusion", out of which Zerubbabel came, just like God's elect in this final generation whose eyes and ears have been opened and who have come out of Babylon, i.e. religious confusion! Zerubbabel father's name "Shealtiel" means "I have asked God", i.e. inquired of Him. Joshua on the other hand means "Yah's savior" of whom Joshua was a type, this Joshua as well as the one who led our forefathers "across the river" and "into the promised land". You see, "Jo-sedech" is "Yah's-zadok" in Hebrew, which means "God's just", i.e. His elect!
So what do we have here? We have "two servants" of God whose fathers are of the "kingship" line of Judah and the "priesthood" line of Levi. That's right, the King of kings and Lord of lords! And we shall learn in this Book of Haggai that the spirit of those two servants along with the remnant of His people shall be stirred up by the LORD, i.e. by His spirit, to complete the temple, the many membered body of Christ, a work that must be complete before He shakes the heavens and the earth (Rev. 7:1-4). Let's peek ahead to Haggai 1:14.
Hi ho! Hi ho! It's off to work we go!Haggai 1:14
And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,
As we stated earlier Haggai's prophecy covered a period of time of about four months from the first day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king, to the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month which would be from about our mid-August to mid-December, the period of time we are in the midst of this very day. To wit, much has happened lately in our nation to cause many people to stop and consider what is really important in their lives. That is well and good for it causes the seed bed of their minds to become increasingly fertile which presents an opportune time for the servants of God to take the seed out of His barn and do some more planting in the field.
The question of the day then IS, to all the people of this nation including those with eyes to see and ears to hear, "What Time is It?". (Cue the former hit song by Chicago, "Does Anybody Know What Time It Is? Does Anybody Really Care?")You "see", those who really "do care" are going to learn from the words of this great prophet Haggai in the second chapter what time it really is! The discovery will be that it is SOON TIME, "it is a little while" (vs. 2:6) and God is going "to SHAKE the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land". That's the great tribulation my friend, the sound of the 6th Trump! And then He is going to "shake ALL nations and (then) the desire of all nations shall come" (vs. 2:7), even the King of kings and Lord of lords at the sound of the 7th Trump! If therefore you are a servant of God and can discern the signs of the times, to know the time, then our Father not only has a very important message for your ears but also very comforting words for your heart through His servant Haggai. What a privilege it is to live in this generation!
Let us now read, and learn, and consider our Father's Word through the prophet Haggai.
Haggai 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,
Do not overlook the fact that it is the "LORD of hosts" who is speaking. The "LORD of hosts" is "Yahveh Zebaoth" in Hebrew which is one of God's titles denoting the God of Israel as the Lord of ALL the hosts of both heaven and earth. There is none other as ALL the nations of the world shall soon discover![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.
Also, you will better understand what the LORD of hosts is saying in verse two if you read "nation" for "people" (look it up in Strong's Concordance). In other words, He is not speaking to Zerubabbel and Joshua here, but to the people of the land. When we read that the people say "The time is not come, no need to work on or be part of the temple" that should immediately remind us of what Peter said it would be like in these last days:
Peter writes his second letter to "stir up our brains" and to remind us all of something! Let's see what that something is!2 Peter 3:1
This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
We had better pay attention to what the prophets, like Haggai, have to say and heed the instruction of the apostles concerning these last days, keeping in mind the following fact:[2] That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
It seems everyone is so busy doing his or her own thing that if you even mention God's Word or the end of this earth age or the return of Christ, they just scoff and say "Yeah, right! People have been predicting that stuff since the beginning of time!Look, I've really gotta go now."[3] Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
You see, the problem is they are ignorant, by choice, because they just don't care or desire to know, of the fact that God ALREADY SHOOK the heavens and the earth ONCE BEFORE, in the first earth age, in the "world that then was" as Peter calls it! It is WRITTEN in HIS WORD (Gen. 1:2, Jer. 4:19-27, 2 Pet. 3:5-6)! That is how the dinosaurs and all the once living things we find in the fossil records PERISHED! Not only is it written in His Word but the physical evidence of that destruction is abundant and that it is was catastrophic is made clear![4] And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
Peter goes on to make the point that if you do not think He will do it again, i.e. shake the heavens and the earth, then you are a fool indeed! Yet most of our Christian preachers won't even acknowledge that there was a first earth age. No wonder our churches are filled with, as Paul would call us, "baby Christians". "Does anybody know what time it is? Does anybody really care?"[5] For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:[6] Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
Here comes a sign-of-the-times "time check" again. Question:Haggai 1:3
Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,
The word "cieled" means "lined" or "paneled" and is used as an adjective to denote that their houses were fancy and decorated. You are responsible to read the history of the suspension of the building of the temple during this time and how it is was that they spent a lot of time building and paneling their own houses while they ignored the house of God. "Does anybody know what time it is? Does anybody really care?" Does anybody have any idea of how close we are to fulfillment of the words of Jesus Christ who said in Mat. 24 and Mark 13 that the generation of the "fig tree" shall not pass away before He returns? Learn the "Parable of the Fig Tree" as per your Lord's instruction (Mat. 24:32) and you will know that He was speaking of the Baby Boomer generation, for the fig tree was set out in Judea on May 15, 1948. Take heed, the firstborn of that generation now carry AARP cards![4] Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?
Are you beginning to get the picture? Here is what our people need to do, according to Yahveh Zebaoth:
This is a really good time for reflection, a time to consider your priorities and your relationship with your heavenly Father, and think soberly about where the path you are following is leading you, i.e. where are you headed? It is interesting that this word "consider" is used five times in Haggai since five is the number of "grace" in Biblical numerics. Consider these things now while the grace period is still with us for at the sound of that 7th Trump it shall suddenly end and the door shall be shut![5] Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
The first thing our Father says to "consider" is the following. Let's call it "Plan A", short for "Plan All gone", the plan most of our people have been following.
Have you ever read the Book of Ecclesiastes? If you do not fully understand that everything that is physical, EVERYTHING material you have under the sun, including your little ole flesh body, is vanity (emptiness, temporary, soon to be gone... as in PERISHED) then by all means read the incredible, eye opening, Book of Ecclesiastes! You can read it here @ (Live link)to-Ecclesiastes[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.
You see, there is nothing that can satisfy the flesh for any lasting duration. Worse yet, it is harder and harder in this generation to even accumulate wealth because since we have neglected His Word (vs. 9), the locusts have entered into the treasure house of our nation and have consumed the bounty through usury, inflation, and taxation. They have all but consumed the vineyard as well. But even so, even if you amass a great tower of fortune you cannot take it with you. In fact, the only things you can take with you when you die are your righteous acts. Those you get by doing what is right and doing the things that please your Father who can bless you far above what the locusts can consume! You see, there is no want of food at the table of the LORD. It is always a "feast".
So after considering "Plan A", all that is vanity and complete emptiness as far as eternity is concerned, consider next "Plan B", short for "Plan of Blessings", for it is what truly pleases our Father! And when you seek Him and please Him, He pours out His blessings upon you!
[7] Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
Here is wisdom my friend! After carefully "considering" the way you choose to follow from now on, IF you choose "Plan B" your Father will throw in "Plan A" for you as a BONUS and you will not have to be anxious or worrisome![8] Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.
Notice these are all the same things we highlighted in "Plan A" in Hag. 1:6.Matthew 6:31
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
This is almost embarrassing! We shouldn't even have to be told this about our Father. Don't you know your kids need food and clothing?[32] (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
This does not mean you can quit your "day job" and sit around and meditate on your LazyBoy recliner. God's servants are not lazy workers. It just means He will close up those many "holes in your bag" and bless the fruit of your labors![33] But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Next we will see if the words of Yahveh Zeboath through his servant Haggai inspire anyone to get busy and get back to work building His house! What are you planning to do?
If you took a survey among church-going Christians and asked the question "Do you believe the Bible is the Word of God?", many would be quick to answer "Yes, of course!" If you then asked them if God were to speak directly to them, and they knew for sure it was truly the Almighty, and He told them something quite different than their preacher had been telling them, who would they then believe? I'm sure they would tell you they would believe God. The point is that God does speak to us directly in these last days (Heb. 1:2), through His Word, because you see, Jesus Christ IS the Word of God. The final survey question is: "Have you heard His Voice lately or just your preacher's (see 1 Jn. 4:1)?"
Our Father, the Creator of Universe, Yahveh Zaboath, the God of Israel, the ONLY God there is, the One who has ALL POWER in both heaven and earth, has told us through Haggai the prophet and the messenger (Hag. 1:12, 13) that it is NOW time to stop and "CONSIDER" our ways for there is work to be done, as in finished, before He "shakes all nations, and the 'desire of all nations' [Jesus Christ] comes (Hag. 2:7)". In other words, the temple, which is the many membered body of Christ, must be completed before the consummation of the events in this final generation takes place. To that end, He is looking for men and women of God to be His WORKERS and finish the task at hand! We know from the great Book of Revelation that there must be a "sealing" of God's Word in the minds of our brothers and sisters of the true House of Israel before that shaking takes place. We know also that THINGS ARE ON HOLD UNTIL that job is finished. It should not be too difficult to put two and two together and come up with four!John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.[2] The same was in the beginning with God.
[3] All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Next, here comes a messenger, which is what the word "angel" means (look it up in Strong's Concordance)!Rev. 7:1
And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
Hold it! Do not shake the nations 'till the temple is complete! That's pretty much what ole Haggai is saying in his book which concerns the "completion of the temple" before the all the "shaking" begins![2] And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,[3] Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
Rev. 7:4
And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
Let us review:
Haggai 1:7
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
We also learned that things do not work out too well for many of us in this nation, even our nation as a whole which through ignoring God's financial laws, has been made subject to an evil, enslaving, debt-system economic plan known as central banking. As a Baby Boomer I am reminded of a once popular song sung by Tennessee Ernie Ford called "Sixteen Tons", the lyrics of which went something like this:[8] Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.
"I move sixteen tons and what do I get? Another day older and deeper in debt. Saint Peter don't you call me, 'cause I can't go. I owe my soul to the company store!"WHY? Need we be told why? This is such a simple matter of cause and effect, yet one that is apparently not too obvious to most of our people. You see, disobedience to the Word of God, which is to ignore studying His Word even while going to church and doing many good deeds in the name of Christ (Mat. 7:22-23), causes His blessings to be withheld. There are many instructions our Father has for His sons and daughters, i.e. His servants and handmaidens in this final generation (Acts 2:18), a major one of which we are reading about here in the Book of Haggai! Obedience to those commands pleases Him greatly because it shows Him that you love Him! It is those who know and keep His commands, even like the one we just read in Hag. 1:8, who truly love the Lord. At least that is what Jesus Christ says!Haggai 1:9
Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.
Jesus is not just talking about the 10 Commandments here but all of His commands, i.e. all of His words (vs. 23) which is His voice, the written Word of God!John 14:15
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Go to Him, to His Word, and hear with ears to hear (listen intently, i.e. study) what He has to say to you and you will get to know Jesus Christ very well and you know what else? He will get to know you very well too, seeing that you live together with Him and He with you![21] He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Unfortunately, many of our brothers and sisters and loved ones have been deceived into believing that churchianity is where it is at! In other words, they are taught that if one goes to church every week and brings his or her tithes and offerings and helps out with the food drives and chicken barbeques and this function and that, that he or she is in good standing with the Lord. Please understand that I am not knocking church or the doing of good deeds. I am just pointing out that one cannot come to know the Living Word of God, Jesus Christ, without knowing the Written Word of God, for they two are inseparable. Do you know that it is written that not everyone who claims to be Christian is going to enter into the kingdom of heaven? In fact, MANY will not![23] Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
You must be careful to read and study His will for yourself and get your instructions directly from Him, from His Word? Do not blindly trust your soul to some friendly preacher who tells you what he thinks God's will is for you. That doesn't mean you cannot listen to nor study God's Word with a teacher of His Word. Just make sure you do your own homework and check everything out.Matthew 7:21
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Of course, if your preacher isn't teaching God's Word chapter by chapter and line by line, then you should perhaps be concerned about whose house he is really building. "Consider your ways" and consider the words of the Lord in these next two verses:
Consider their ways, i.e. all the wonderful things people do in the name of Christ! What we must understand is that these folks are NOT atheists and non-believers! They are active Christians doing what they think is the right thing to do (Prov. 14:12). They follow like blind sheep after the traditions of men but never quite get around to studying their Father's Word thereby getting to know Him and doing His will.[22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Here is what He will say to them:
Yes, many are so busy building and taking care their own houses, even their own cieled houses, that they ignore God's Word and the building of His house. Many are mainly concerned with themselves and their own salvation which is really what makes the any-moment rapture theory so popular, especially among the Baby Boomer generation who made "fast food" (albeit junk food) a way of life. The analogy is fitting as our people do not take the time to eat nutritious meals prepared from the table of the Lord, but would rather eat "junk food" from MacDonalds... Margaret MacDonald that is... the woman who began the any-moment "rapture" theory in the year 1830 in Glasgow Scotland. This quick "salvation-in-a-bun" which is served by most Christian churches today is fast, it's easy, and it's painless!No need to work and study to show yourself approved according to God's Word (2 Tim. 2:15)! Just sing "I'm a Believer" and wait for the Rapturemobile to come take you "Up, Up and Away"![23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
I guess maybe we do need to be told WHY His blessings are withheld:
Do you truly love the Lord? Do you love your brothers and sisters who are suffering from the famine (of truth) in this final generation? Think about it because the "dew" spoken of here is His "doctrine", even the latter day rain from heaven (Deut. 32:2). That "dew" has been stayed and our land has become a "valley of (spiritually) dry bones" (Ezek. 37) and we are in the midst of a great drought! (Live Link)to-Ezekiel chapter 37Haggai 1:9... Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.[10] Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.
The "drought" and "famine" in these last days is NOT physical as many preachers teach, i.e. it is not for H20 and Wonder Bread, but rather for the hearing of the true words of the LORD, words directly from His mouth, from the Word of God![11] And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.
Drought and famine, the lack of His truth, produce pestilences and diseases and create an environment whereby people can be easily taken captive, even easily terrified to the point that the basic "common sense" required to protect their "unalienable rights" fails them for the fear of things to come (Luke 21:26). Advantage "NWO"! If you want freedom and peace of mind then study the Word of God. John 8:32 "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." "Feast" (which is what "Haggai" means) at His table, the table of Lord where we are to get our "daily bread", and then lead your brothers and sisters to His table, i.e. His Word. It is where the lush green pastures are and where the rivers of living water flow abundantly!Amos 8:11
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:[12]And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.
What kind of a harvest and a feast will there be when Jesus Christ returns? Haggai has informed us about the drought upon the land (Hag. 1:11) and that God wants the "dew" to come forth and the "latter day rain" to fall. The LORD of hosts has spoken! Which of His servants love Him enough to obey His command and "go up to mountain and bring wood and build His house"?
LOOK! There are those servants who have "come out of Babylon" (Zerubbabel) who shall obey His voice, His Word, and work to "deliver" (Joshua) His people. They are the remnant (God's elect) who have "considered" and who shall take heed and love and serve the LORD. (The word "fear" used here means to "revere", i.e. to love the LORD.)Haggai 1:12
Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the LORD.
Note: When we get to the next book in these Minor Prophets, the Book of Zechariah, we will learn a great deal more about these servants, even the two churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia. (Live Link)to-Zechariah'sVisions
Do you believe this with all your heart and mind and soul? Do you have any doubts that He is with you? Remember, He is the One who has ALL POWER in both heaven and earth and He is the WORD OF GOD! And you have that Word, ALL THAT POWER, with you, don't you? Listen to these words directly from Him: (These are His final words in the Book of Matthew!)[13] Then spake Haggai the LORD'S messenger in the LORD'S message unto the people, saying,I AM with you, saith the LORD.
LOOK again! His disciples obeyed His voice and went "up into a mountain" to receive His instructions! Imagine that!Matthew 28:16
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
Uh oh! That little "doubt" entered in, know what I mean? And these aren't new recruits here! These are the eleven disciples! By the way, the word "doubted" means to "waver"![17]And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him: but some doubted.
So... knowing that some had doubts, here is what Jesus said to His servants:
He also has given that power unto His servants! Luke 10:19 "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."[18] And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
[19] Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
The end of this world (age) is soon upon us! There is work and witnessing yet to be done! If things start to look a little scary and that little "doubt" enters in, just remember that our Father is in complete control and He has ALL POWER and He is WITH US to the end! Be comforted and be inspired by His Words![20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I AM with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
[14] And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,
Three weeks from the inspiring words given to them by the prophet and messenger of the LORD of hosts, they went back to work on the temple! Let the Word of God lift up your spirit, dear ones, and let's all be about our Father's business![15] In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
By the time Haggai and Zechariah gave their prophesies, the foundation of the temple had already been laid. You see, it is upon that foundation which is already laid that the temple in these last days, the body of Christ, must be built. Let it be no mystery what that foundation is.
Paul explains it for us:
If you are a builder of the temple and you do not build upon the Rock, Jesus Christ, the Word of God, then you are not a "wise" builder and whatever house you build WILL NOT stand the final "shaking" soon to come! So listen carefully to the Word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai!1 Cor. 3:10
According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.[11] For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
The time of year given here, the 21st day of the 7th month, corresponds to our mid-October, so we can consider this special message the LORD now has for His workers (vs. 4) to be very timely.Haggai 2:1
In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying,
Do you remember we examined the meanings, call them interpretations if you will, of all the names given in this verse in the beginning of this study? Are you one who is like Zerubbabel? In other words, were you "sown (born) in Babel (confusion)" and have now matured in His Word and come forth out of that "land of confusion" (Babylon, "Baby Land")? Are you one of Yah's Zadok, His son or daughter, a son of Josedech, one who is "destined" to reign with the King of kings (governor) and Lord of lords (high priest) for a thousand years during the Millennium (Rev. 20:4)? It is not written that He has made us kings and priests unto Himself to reign with Him?[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,
"Kings" and "priests" are certainly honorable titles for God's elect! Would you like to see their job description during the Millennium? For sure, they will be WORKING, not sitting around on fluffy clouds playing Freecell or Solitaire or strumming harps!Rev. 5:10
And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
They are priests and kings and therefore they will perform the duties of priests and kings... i.e. they shall teach and judge just as it is written in the Millennial chapters of the great Book of Ezekiel concerning the "Zadok", God's elect:
The point is, God's elect also have WORK to do right HERE and NOW! The question is, "Are you one of His workers? Do you have a purpose and a destiny, a job to do... as in work to perform for your Father?" "Consider your ways", He has told us! "Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD (Haggai 1:8)."Ezekiel 44:23
And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.[24] And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my sabbaths.
Just know that whatever your part is in building the temple, listen carefully to what the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai has to say beginning with the following questions:
Do you have eyes to see and ears to hear? How do you "see" the temple of the Lord being built today? Of course we know that the glory of the temple is Jesus Christ who is in the midst of it, which means one cannot physically see the glory of the temple with flesh eyes, only with spiritual eyes to see! But perhaps also, in your mind's eye, the work you do does not seem to you as important and glorious as the works of the prophets or disciples! That is hogwash! Do you realize that the prophets and disciples all wanted to be where you are today? That is why they kept asking what it would be like in our generation! Therefore do NOT look back upon the work of old as being more glorious than that which you build today!Haggai 2:3
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?
To that end, hear what the Word of the LORD God of ALL has to say this very day, YET NOW!
This verse says it all. In fact, it pretty much sums up the message of the great Book of Haggai regarding His "feast". God's elect in this final generation need to be strong, strong, strong, saith Yahveh, saith Yahveh, saith Yahveh Zeboath, the God of Israel and Lord of ALL the host of both heaven and earth (just so we know)! God's elect must even be "strong and of good courage" because the task which lies before them in this final generation is not for spiritual wimps! God's elect shall encounter strong opposition and some of them shall be delivered up! Not only that, but as we already noted one cannot "see" the glory of the temple with his or her flesh eyes because the temple is not some huge glass cathedral or magnificent Six Flags Over Jesus. No, the glory of the temple is Jesus Christ (vs. 9) whose Spirit dwells in the midst of His many membered body! So where will that strength come from that shall be required to complete the task at hand, to finish the WORK? Answer: It comes from Him! It comes from His Word! He has promised to BE WITH YOU right up to the end of this flesh age... remember? "...Lo, I AM with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:20)."[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:
Perhaps we should point out that Haggai's contemporary, the prophet Zechariah whose name means "Remembered of Yah", began his prophecy on the 1st day of the 8th month, shortly following this message of Haggai. He also instructs God's elect who have "ears to hear in these days" to be strong, even to let their hands be strong, which refers to the work they do for Him!
Do you "hear" these words by the mouth of the prophets? Do you hear what Haggai is saying? The LORD has promised that He will be with His people and His promise has not changed! Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." Yahveh Zeboath, the very same God who brought our forefathers out of Egypt with a "mighty hand (Deut. 7:8)" and was with them and made His covenant with them, is with YOU this day! He has NO LESS POWER than He had back then! Therefore, there is NOTHING and NO ONE to fear for He can still handle the "raging waters" and "armies of chariots"! Terrorists BEWARE!Zech. 8:9
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.
Note: Dr. Bullinger points out in the Companion Bible, the word "remaineth" used here would better be translated "abideth"!Haggai 2:5
According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.
Question: Do you know why this message of Haggai is so important at this time? Because "the time" of the "great shaking" is close at hand! You see, the countdown has already begun on the final events of this flesh age and the "earthquake" of His coming, likened to the earthquake in the days of Uzziah (Amos 1:1, Zech. 14:5), draws ever so near! "Uzziah" means "Yah's Strength" for it is Yahveh Zaboath who does the shaking of the nations! Zech. 14:5 "And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee."
How long O Lord...(Rev. 6:10)? In a little while the FINAL, once and for all, shakedown WILL take place! This 6th verse in Haggai chapter 2 is quoted by Paul in his letter to the Hebrews.[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;
What was that He said to us in Haggai 1:8... "Go up to the mountain..."?Hebrews 12:22
But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
[23] To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
The Greek word for "Yet once" that Paul used here is "hapax" which means "once more", i.e. it will be the final shaking![24] And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.[25] See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
[26] Whose voice then shook the earth: but now He hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
I hope you are not easily shaken! You see, "houses" whose foundations are built upon The Rock shall remain and withstand the shakings! All others shall be leveled! Luke 6:48 "He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock." So build a strong house! You know where to go to get the wood, don't you? Yes,"THE BIBLE":[27] And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
Our Father wants His house completed before He comes and pours out His wrath and shakes this earth to its foundations! However, the work of Rev. 7:1-4 must be finished first. Knowing that He is patient and longsuffering, let's get to work! REMEMBER, He has promised to be with us, even through all the "shakings", and then shall the "Desire of all nations come"! Terrorists and all evil doers BEWARE of our Father and His Word for He is a consuming fire and you are stubble indeed![28] Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:[29] For our God is a consuming fire.
The "desire of all nations" is Jesus Christ who WILL shake all nations and fill His house with His presence! He is THE GLORY thereof!Haggai 2:7
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.
Remember what the LORD said in Haggai 1:8, "Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD"? Well, Haggai 2:8 makes reference to the gold and silver (glory) of the former temple, the magnificent temple of Solomon, emphasizing that the glory spoken of in vs. 7, which is Him, is far more glorious than all the gold and silver of the former house. In other words, the GLORY (analogous to gold and silver) is His, it belongs to Him! We therefore give Him all the glory![8] The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.
There will be peace because The Prince of Peace, The Desire of Nations, will be there. Did you know that the very last words in the Book of Ezekiel are "Yahveh Shammah" which means "the LORD is there" (Ezek. 48:35)?[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.
What a glorious time that will be!
The Book of Haggai, written by the prophet and messenger (vs. 1:13) whose name means "feast" or even "my feast", concerns the building of the temple, the many membered body of Christ in these last days, even those virgins who will attend the wedding "feast" following the great shaking of the nations at Messiah's return. These wondrous words of instruction and wisdom through Haggai are presented to those servants of God who have come forth from Babylon, i.e. out of confusion, to do the Work of God according to His will in these last days. His prophecies and messages commenced in the second year of the reign of Darius the king which was about sixteen years after Cyrus gave the degree to go forth and rebuild the temple. At that point, with the foundation having already been laid, Haggai brought forth for our admonition and edification four distinct messages. These were all given within a four month period of time during which he exhorts us five times to "consider" the things our Father would have us know. The first two things we were to consider was to consider our ways!
Let us now read and understand the third message our Father wants us to pay attention to.
Remember Haggai's prophecy began about four months prior to this date in the 2nd year of the reign of Darius the king. This 9th month would correspond to our Nov-Dec. Those who are interested in overlaying these dates with prophecy should know that the temple was actually finished on the 3rd day of the 12th month (Adar) in the 6th year of the reign of Darius. The next upcoming 3rd of Adar would correspond to our Feb.Haggai 2:10
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,
Through the prophesying (teaching) of Haggai and Zechariah, they built and finished the temple according to God's Word! Can you hear Him say "Well done my good and faithful servants?"Ezra 6:14
And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
So the Word of the LORD came to Haggai on the 24th day of the 9th month, three months after the work resumed on the temple (vs. 1:15). Haggai was instructed by the LORD of hosts to go ask the priests a matter concerning the law, the Torah.[15]And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
This is really important for it is in the name of Yahveh zeboath, LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, that the questions are to be ask of the priests. Unfortunately, most priests and ministers in this nation do not even know where true Israel resides today! Most teach that the tiny nation in the Middle East which calls itself Israel is in fact the House of Israel spoken of in the Bible. That is totally incorrect. The nation today called Israel is in fact the house of Judah and then only in part, for Judah has been infiltrated by the sons of Cain (kenites), the bad figs referred to in Jer. 24. These bad figs, the kenites (sons of Cain, "Kayin" in Hebrew), are those who call themselves Jews, i.e. they claim they are of Judah, even God's chosen people, but they are not. They are liars and of the synagogue of Satan (Rev. 2:9, 3:9). No, they are not the house of Israel for the nations comprising the true house of Israel today are basically the Christian nations of western civilization, i.e. the US, Great Britain, Canada, Germany, Australia, etc. (For more information on the migrations and locations of the so-called 10 Lost Tribes of the House of Israel contact Artisan Publishers at www.artisanpublishers.com and purchase the little booklet The Abrahamic Covenant, by E. Raymond Capt.) or log unto pamphlets #1064 and #1020 on this web site.)Haggai 2:11
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,
The point is that our Father wants an answer from the lips of the priests themselves that they may be held accountable according to their very own words! Do you remember we spoke earlier about what the job of a true priest of God is? It is not to play church and organize social functions but to teach God's people the difference between the holy and profane, even the difference between Christ and Satan, before and also when he comes to earth claiming he is christ, between the Tree of Life and Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, between good fruit and bad fruit, and then to teach the people how to DISCERN between the UNCLEAN and the CLEAN!
Here are the words spoken to Aaron, the father of the Levite priests:
Remember we also learned that this is what the priests, the Zadok, i.e. God's elect, shall do even during the Millennium.Leviticus 10:10
And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;[11] And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.
Therefore, the priests had better be able to discern for themselves, wouldn't you say? Now notice that the questions Haggai is instructed to ask of the priests has to do with CLEAN and the UNCLEAN! Again, this is very important because if one is going to build God's house, His temple, the many membered body of Christ, he or she had better do it His way or all the sacrifice and work he or she does will be totally unacceptable to Him!Ezekiel 44:23
And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.
Here is question #1 to the priests concerning the Torah:
Let's make this real simple for those who may not be familiar with the "shadows" of ceremonial law. No matter who we are or what sacrifice we make, neither you nor I have ANYTHING to do with the holiness of the bread or the pottage or the wine or the fruit or the oil, understanding of course what those things represent spiritually. So just because some priest or preacher handles the Word of God, that doesn't mean what he or she is teaching is the truth.Haggai 2:12
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.
On the contrary, a spiritually dead priest or preacher can surely pollute the Word of God and cause the sacrifice of others to be unclean.
The term "dead body" used here does not mean "dead corpse" but rather "dead soul", i.e. a spiritually dead person! (See note in the Companion Bible). That is the whole point, i.e. the people have become spiritually dead, as we shall see in the next verse when Haggai answers back.[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.
"So is this people" what? (Notice He does not call them "my people"... to emphasize that they are spiritually unclean indeed!) So is this people, this whole nation, a bunch of "dead souls", i.e. spiritually dead. However, you can be sure they do not think they are spiritually dead and that they think their works, their polluted sacrifices upon the altar, will sanctify them and make them whole. The fact is though, if you do not build your house according to God's will, according to His Word, your good works become unclean, even iniquitous.[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.
Let's listen to Jesus Christ expound upon what we are learning here in Haggai:
These are not atheists nor people of other faiths or religions. These are present day Christians who say Lord, Lord, Praise the Lord. If you want to attend the wedding "feast" of the true Bridegroom, you had better carefully "consider" the words of Christ, even those He speaks through His servant Haggai.Matthew 7:21
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
People do many wonderful charitable works in the name of Christianity, but these poor spiritually "dead souls" do not "do the will of their Father". In fact, most are so Biblically illiterate they do not even know what His will is! That is not a criticism of our beloved brothers and sisters, but merely a statement of fact! Having never been taught, they do not know the difference between the holy and profane, between God's Word and the traditions of men! They have eaten the polluted fruit from the hands of so-called Christian ministers all their lives and they truly and sincerely think that their sacrifices and works will sanctify them. Consider what Jesus Christ will say to these hard working Christians "in that day", the day of His return![22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Again, these Christians do not believe that they are working iniquity. It is just that they are sorely deceived by priests and preachers who tell them Jesus is Lord all right but then proceed to pollute the Word of God with the UNCLEAN traditions of men! Is that not exactly what Christ said would happen in these last days?[23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mark 13:5-6 "And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: [6] For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." "Take heed" is "blepo" in Greek which means to "consider carefully". It is used 5 times in Mark 13 just as "consider" is used 5 times in the Book of Haggai whose message is to be wise and "consider carefully" your ways and the way in which you build God's house! You see, your foundation had better be built upon the Rock of His Word or you are in big trouble when the "mighty shakings" come! (Live Link)to-"Take heed"
You know the rest of the story! Again, that foundation upon which we must build His house is Jesus Christ, the Word of God. Take Heed! Consider![24] Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
There is much being said here, but let us at least understand this on a simple level. Consider the time and where you go from here! Also, you who have eyes to see and ears to hear consider how things were before a stone was laid, i.e. before you "came out of confusion (Babylon)" as one like Zerubbabel, whose name means "sown or born in babel"! Remember?Haggai 2:15
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:
There wasn't much bread and wine produced, was there? You see, if one does not labor according to His ways, holding fast to His righteousness, i.e. His Holy Word, using the straight and true plumbline when building His house, just like Zerubbabel did which we shall learn about in Zech. 4:10 concerning God's elect, then the LORD will not bless you. Moreover, He will even curse the filthy "works of your hands". The next verse documents it for us.[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.
Go ahead and "touch" the polluted bread and wine and oil and fruit from the hands of the unclean priests. God will send the pestilence and allow the "locusts" to come and consume all your gardens and vineyards and fig trees and olive trees. Take Heed! Consider! Which do you choose, Feast or Famine, Blessings or Cursings? Deut. 30:19 "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live."[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.
How does one turn to the LORD... by going to church and doing wonderful works in the name of Christ? NO! By turning to His WORD!Amos 4:9
I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.
Again, consider, take heed, how things have been up to now! Think long and hard about it! Take personal inventory! How productive have the temple workers been? According to Rev. 7:1-4 we still have work to do and you know what? We learn from this great Book of Haggai that the LORD has promised to BE WITH US to the end and He has also promised to BLESS US if we do the job according to His will. You see, for God's elect, His servants, there need never be famine, for at His table there is always a "feast"! Do not participate in the famine of the end times! Eat heartily and then get to work (see Ezek. 3:1).Haggai 2:18
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.
You want to participate in His blessings?Again, the choice is yours... Feast or Famine! The work which lies ahead of us is to make sure the seed, His Word, is no longer left in the barn! We must take it out and make sure it gets sown and planted among our brothers and sisters! First however, we must make sure we study His Word and know the difference between that which is holy and that which is profane in order that we can discern between the clean and the unclean. Else how can we teach others?[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.
Oh, there is one more beautiful message from the LORD to the "Zerubbabels" of the final generation to be understood and considered on this same day, the four and twentieth day of the month (which is obviously an important date seeing that it is repeated twice for emphasis).
Haggai 2:20
And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying,
You know that when the LORD comes as King of kings and Lord of lords at the sound of the 7th Trump, He is going shake the heavens and the earth and overthrow the kingdoms of this world and the powers that be (horses, four hidden dynasties) along with their riders too, right?[21] Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;
That's right, the kings and rulers of this world shall all submit their "crowns" unto Christ. He is taking over complete rulership of this earth from here on out, for ever and ever![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.
And when He overthrows those kingdoms and nations He shall establish the eternal kingdom of God upon this earth.Rev. 11:15
And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
The question is: "To whom do you suppose He is going to delegate His power and authority in that kingdom?" Rev. 5:10 "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."Daniel 2:44
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
That's right, His "chosen ones" shall reign and rule.
A "signet" is a signature ring, i.e. the seal of a king. Have you been chosen to carry His seal? Are you one of God's elect chosen before the foundation of this world (Eph. 1:4)? Then you are blessed indeed. What a fulfilling future He has in store for you!Haggai 2:23
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.
Remember though, there is a "sealing" to be done before that first resurrection takes place (Rev. 7:1-4)! So let us all be renewed through the words of Haggai and be about our Father's business!Rev. 20:6
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Thank you Father for your Word, in the name of Yeshua Messiah, Jesus the Christ. Amen.
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To know you,
He must have
seen your face regularly in the pages of His book!
Yes, the little
black one, right there on your coffee table.