Devotions

I Will Fill This House With Glory

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The work on the temple had stopped. The people were going about their lives. The opposition was still there. Then the word of the Lord comes to stir them to work. God confirms that he is with them. He explains the drought that resulted from them stopping work on the temple. And, he reminds them that the earth is his and he will now bless their work. Then the Lord goes one step farther and says he will make Zerubbabel a signet ring and will bring down nations, kingdoms, and armies. This was his plan for them, that they be a signpost for every nation that the Lord is God of the earth and the heavens.

The Latter Glory Will Be Greater

Haggai 2:6–14
God has been stirring them up to do the work of rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple. Now in Haggai 2:9 he says “the latter glory of this house will be greater than the former”. They had come from exile, servants in another land and when they came home they faced opposition. Then the biggest problem of all, apathy. They weren’t progressing, they had been there working but were not prospering. Now God reminds them who created this planet, in Haggai 2:6-8 he also reminds them that it is all his and he is sending it their way, “the treasures of all nations will come”.

From This Day Forward I Will Bless You

Haggai 2:15–19
Yes, in Haggai 2:16-17 their work came to nothing. They had arrived with a blessing from Cyrus, with timbers from Cyrus, with money to buy materials from their neighbors in Babylon. How did they miss their opportunity? How did they get caught in the routine of life and lose their zeal for God? But now, in Haggai 2:18-19 “from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month … I will bless you”.

I Will Make You A Signet Ring

Haggai 2:20–23
A second-time on the same day, the Lord came to Haggai. It wasn’t enough that he was going to bless the people. Before he said in Haggai 2:6-7 “I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and dry land. 7 I will shake all the nations …”. He said again in Haggai 2:21-22 “I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, 22 and I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the military strength of the kingdoms of the nations”. Nations will change, kingdoms will fall, armies will destroy each other. And in Haggai 2:23 he says to Zerubbabel, “I will make you a signet ring”. This represents not only a great honor but real delegation of authority. For example, “A Pharaoh’s ring carried the highest authority in Egypt and empowered subordinates to act for the king; in their positions of authority, they literally were the king”.1

Return To Me

Zechariah 1:1–6

I Am Very Jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion!

Zechariah 1:7–17

Four Skilled Craftsmen

Zechariah 1:18–21

Jerusalem Shall be Inhabited

Zechariah 2:1–5

Flee From the Land of the North

Zechariah 2:6–13

Operation Exodus

is helping Jewish people return to their homeland. You might fund one that desires to go home. http://operationexodususa.org/Overview

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Haggai 2:6-23
  • Zechariah 1:1-21
  • Zechariah 2:1-13

References

  • 1. Freeman, J. M., & Chadwick, H. J. (1998). Manners & customs of the Bible (p. 79). North Brunswick, NJ: Bridge-Logos Publishers.