If you are a classical music lover or if you have ever been to an Easter performance of George Frederick Handel’s Messiah, then you may already know something of what Haggai’s prophecy is all about. Very early on in...
If you are a classical music lover or if you have ever been to an Easter performance of George Frederick Handel’s Messiah, then you may already know something of what Haggai’s prophecy is all about. Very early on in that magnificent oratorio the choir announces, “The glory of the Lord shall be revealed!” And this is followed by a powerful bass solo which proclaims the words of Haggai 2:6-7
“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.”
Handel composed the “Messiah” in 1741, and I’m sure millions of people all over the world have been to performances from that time to this. Perhaps this could make Haggai the most famous “minor prophet” of all. And the Book of Haggai is only two chapters long.
Haggai wrote at the time in Israel’s history after the northern kingdom of Israel had been defeated and destroyed by the Assyrians and the southern kingdom of Judah, along with its lovely city of Jerusalem and temple, had experienced a similar fate at the hands of the Babylonians. The people of Judah were exiled to Babylon and lived in exile there for seventy years until God moved the king, Cyrus, to send a contingent of Jews back home to rebuild the temple that had been destroyed. Although many Jews had settled down and become comfortable in Babylon, a fairly large group returned to Jerusalem to begin work on rebuilding the temple. When they laid the foundation, the people celebrated and praised God for His grace and goodness to them. But many of the older people wept aloud because they remembered the glory of the former temple and knew that it could never be the same. Discouragement grew as many difficulties arose. The surrounding pagan peoples opposed and plotted against the Jews until their discouragement turned into defeat. The building was stopped and other priorities, such as building their own homes, took precedence in their daily lives. The people lived for fifteen years in an atmosphere of economic hardship. They were apathetic and demoralized.
Are you ever been like those returned exiles? Have you ever felt God calling you to a task but then become discouraged and failed to finish? Perhaps you questioned if you really heard God calling in the first place? Or maybe you compared your work to someone else and began to feel that yours was inferior and God was not blessing you. Or perhaps you quit because those around you failed to support your efforts or even worked against you. Or maybe the task was much more difficult than you anticipated. Haven’t we all been tempted in some situation like one of these? Maybe you’re facing a similar difficulty right now. If you’ve ever been tempted to be a quitter, God has a message for you, and it is found in Haggai’s prophecy.
It was fifteen years after the quitters quit, that God raised up the prophets Zechariah and Haggai to call the people to reassess their situation and their priorities and get back to the task of rebuilding the temple. And, as is typical in God’s Word, the messages to the Jews way back then are applicable to us in the twenty-first century as well.
Haggai’s prophecy is a series of messages from God, beginning with a challenge to the people to take a close look at themselves and get back to construction. Happily, this is followed by a positive response from the people and their obedience in taking up the challenge, even though they were deeply discouraged. The final portion of Haggai’s prophecy is filled with encouragement from God. He reminds the people that He is with them and He will judge those who have opposed and mistreated them. He has rich blessings in store for them, and He will keep His promise to bless the whole world through them. It is God’s message of encouragement in Chapter 2, verses 6 and 7 that Handel wrote into his “Messiah”, it is the promise of the Messiah and His coming to set all things right.
“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 isn’t that where we should find our encouragement? The "desire of all nations" has come and He has told us that "All things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23). God did not call us to begin and then quit. He called us because he had good works planned for us before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 2:10). He called us to be a blessing to those around us -- a blessing which He will use to spread His Name and His Glory throughout the world. Who knows how far your small local influence may be spread by the power of God and His Holy Spirit.
I hope you’ll read Haggai’s prophecy. Then go see a performance of the Messiah this Easter, And be encouraged to carry on with joy where God has called you.
With love,
~Suzie
“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.”
Handel composed the “Messiah” in 1741, and I’m sure millions of people all over the world have been to performances from that time to this. Perhaps this could make Haggai the most famous “minor prophet” of all. And the Book of Haggai is only two chapters long.
Haggai wrote at the time in Israel’s history after the northern kingdom of Israel had been defeated and destroyed by the Assyrians and the southern kingdom of Judah, along with its lovely city of Jerusalem and temple, had experienced a similar fate at the hands of the Babylonians. The people of Judah were exiled to Babylon and lived in exile there for seventy years until God moved the king, Cyrus, to send a contingent of Jews back home to rebuild the temple that had been destroyed. Although many Jews had settled down and become comfortable in Babylon, a fairly large group returned to Jerusalem to begin work on rebuilding the temple. When they laid the foundation, the people celebrated and praised God for His grace and goodness to them. But many of the older people wept aloud because they remembered the glory of the former temple and knew that it could never be the same. Discouragement grew as many difficulties arose. The surrounding pagan peoples opposed and plotted against the Jews until their discouragement turned into defeat. The building was stopped and other priorities, such as building their own homes, took precedence in their daily lives. The people lived for fifteen years in an atmosphere of economic hardship. They were apathetic and demoralized.
Are you ever been like those returned exiles? Have you ever felt God calling you to a task but then become discouraged and failed to finish? Perhaps you questioned if you really heard God calling in the first place? Or maybe you compared your work to someone else and began to feel that yours was inferior and God was not blessing you. Or perhaps you quit because those around you failed to support your efforts or even worked against you. Or maybe the task was much more difficult than you anticipated. Haven’t we all been tempted in some situation like one of these? Maybe you’re facing a similar difficulty right now. If you’ve ever been tempted to be a quitter, God has a message for you, and it is found in Haggai’s prophecy.
It was fifteen years after the quitters quit, that God raised up the prophets Zechariah and Haggai to call the people to reassess their situation and their priorities and get back to the task of rebuilding the temple. And, as is typical in God’s Word, the messages to the Jews way back then are applicable to us in the twenty-first century as well.
Haggai’s prophecy is a series of messages from God, beginning with a challenge to the people to take a close look at themselves and get back to construction. Happily, this is followed by a positive response from the people and their obedience in taking up the challenge, even though they were deeply discouraged. The final portion of Haggai’s prophecy is filled with encouragement from God. He reminds the people that He is with them and He will judge those who have opposed and mistreated them. He has rich blessings in store for them, and He will keep His promise to bless the whole world through them. It is God’s message of encouragement in Chapter 2, verses 6 and 7 that Handel wrote into his “Messiah”, it is the promise of the Messiah and His coming to set all things right.
“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 isn’t that where we should find our encouragement? The "desire of all nations" has come and He has told us that "All things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23). God did not call us to begin and then quit. He called us because he had good works planned for us before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 2:10). He called us to be a blessing to those around us -- a blessing which He will use to spread His Name and His Glory throughout the world. Who knows how far your small local influence may be spread by the power of God and His Holy Spirit.
I hope you’ll read Haggai’s prophecy. Then go see a performance of the Messiah this Easter, And be encouraged to carry on with joy where God has called you.
With love,
~Suzie
