LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH
SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2023
HAGGAI 2 VERSES 1 TO 9
By the time we reach the opening verses of this chapter, the Children of Israel had realised their waywardnes and submitted themselves to the will and word of God. While working on constructing the temple the Lord has another word for them. Their hands were maybe keen to do the work but their heads and hearts were not. People were becoming discouraged, looking behind them. They were thinking of previous victories and blessings. In this reading they were assured of God's presence with them. God reassured them. They had no need to fear for the Lord was with them. The timing of this message to Haggai on October 17th was the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. A period of time devoted to God, thanking God for the harvest and their time in the wilderness. But this was also a reminder of King Solomon when he dedicated the first temple - 1 Kings 8 verse 2 "And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month." Rather than being discouraged from building the temple they were reminded by Haggai that God was with them. They were being encouraged.
A time of reflection - verse 3 "Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory ad how do ye see it now? is it not in our eyes in comparison of it as nothing." In this verse the people are asked 3 searching questions. They are asked to think backwards and then forwards. There is a reference to the glory of the first temple. It was addressed to the older generation of Jews. Haggai was curious to know how many saw the construction and dedication of the first temple. We know that the people were in captivity for 70 years and this chapter took place some 15 years after their return to the land and since the foundations had been laid for this temple. There were young people participating in the construction of this temple who knew nothing of the previous temple. They were not around when the glory of Solomon's temple was on display. This was all a new work, they had never experienced it before. They had a real zeal and excitement as they started building. That was going to change. They would no longer be enthusiastic. They would become disappointed and their gusto would soon lag. The older generation would be looking on at the work in the temple. The more the building took shape the more their faces were put out of shape. They were comparing Solomon's temple with all its gold. The older people made their feelings known to the young men. They could remember the gold and precious stone with its magnificent porch. They were living in the past. It blurred their vision for the future. It is not wrong to reflect on past blessings but we shouldn't let it affect the present. We can learn from the past but we are not to learn from the past. A grandmother was telling her grandchild the stories of the bible when her granddaughter said "wasn't God exciting then?" Perhaps that is how many of us feel today. God is no longer exciting. He was only for a past age. Too many Christians are focused not on what God is going to do in the present and future but rather look to the past. Do you believe that what God is able to do in the past he is able to do in the present and future? It weakened the hands of the young men who were working. What desire would they have to press onwards when their old men were looking backwards? Let's look forward - Ecclesiastes 7 verse 10 "Say not thou, what is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this." Let's look to the future with expectancy and anticipation. A time of reflection
A time of resolve - verse 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." After facing much discouragement they were to receive encouragement to the soul. This took the form of a threefold encouragement to 3 different categories of people - "be strong O Zerubbabel", "be strong O Joshua" and "be strong all ye people." Although the message was the same it was personal to every group of people. God wanted this people to continue on and finish it. There were no drop outs in the Lord's work. Even with all the discouragement. It is one thing to start something and another to finish it. There are many casualties, many who never finished their calling. Dropped out because of discouragement and disillusionment. Maybe you are on the verge of giving up. You started out well and yet received so many knocks. You were tempted to give up and walk away. That is not what the Lord wants from those called by him. He expects his own people to finish building the temple. When God calls us to do something for him we must strive on and finish the work. Paul said "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4 verse 7) Discouragement will come, there is no question of that but may we be determined with God's help to finish the course. The people of God who were working had no need to be discouraged. They had the presence of God with them That is the greatest encouragement anyone can have when labouring for the Lord. It came with a freshness to the people of Israel. It was not the first time they had been told this - chapter 1 verse 13 "I am with you saith the Lord." He had told them then that he would be with them. He sought to give them encouragement, to be a strong consolation. Maybe you need that fresh word of encouragement today. Whatever you are doing for the Lord he is with you. When you give your testimony, share with a work colleague, hand out a tract, stand before a Sunday School class or preach the word of God. He is before us, he is around us, he is behind us. "Fear thou not for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." (Isaiah 41 verse 10) The leaders of the people of Israel who were involved in this great work were assured of his presence but also of his power - verse 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." God was reminding them once again that they would be empowered with the Holy Ghost. We need that power to do anything for Christ today. Philippians 2 verse 13 "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." If we are going to be used as instruments of God we need to rely on the gift of the Holy Spirit. Often people are so strong in their own minds that God cannot use them. Think of King Uzziah - 2 Chronicles 26 verse 15 "And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong." When we are weak before God we will be empowered by God. "If God were to take the Holy Spirit out of the world much of what we are doing in our churches would go right on and no-one would know the difference." A W Tozer. As we go forward to build the kingdom of God we need the Spirit of God, the power and presence of God. They will be ours if we depend on the Lord.
A time of reassurance - verses 6 and 7 "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. 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." Haggai was looking forward to the second coming of Christ. God will shake the nations and come in mighty power. The unbeliever dreads this event because God will have ultimate control. The believer does not fear this day because the future is in God's hand. The words 'the desire of all nations' refers to both the Christian and Jewish nation. The title is used by both to refer to the Messianic title of God. He is the one people yearn for. The Lord is the only one who can fulfil the deepest longing of the earth and bring peace to the world. He is the only one who will satisfy our soul. The Lord Jesus Christ is peace. The Lord assured these people of his provision in time of deprivation - verse 8 "The silver is mine and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts." The workers building the temple had no need to worry about getting supplies. They would receive it from the hand of the Lord when they needed it. This gave them courage to continue on with their work. God will not supply us with resources for a lifetime of work in a day. He will provide it for our needs day by day. Knowing that truth should make us more willing to work for him. "My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4 verse 19) There would come a time when Zerubbabel's temple would be destroyed. Some would ask the question "what is the point of rebuilding the temple if ultimately it was going to fall?" "It is better to fail in an endeavour you will ultimately succeed in than succeed in an endeavour you know will ultimately fail." Warren Wiersbe. There would be a more glorious temple in its place that no-one could destroy or defile. The weakened hands would be strengthened to complete the work. May we not be discouraged by living in the past. We are living in a new day. We need to wait for strength for today, don't allow it to blur our vision for the future. What God has done in the past he can do in the future. The times may change but the Lord never changes, he is the same yesterday, today and forever. May we not only reflect on the good old days but may we strive for good days yet to come. May we strive for God to encourage us, help us, provide for us. A time of reflection. A time of resolve. A time of reassurance.
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