Weekly Sermon
This sermon is a companion to three previous sermons: Consider Your Priorities - Haggai 1:5
Consider the Lord's Pleasure - Haggai 1:8
Consider Our Lord's Purpose - Haggai 2:10-19
Haggai 2:10 gives the report, “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.” Then in Haggai 2:18-19 we come to the conclusion of that message where our Lord declared through His prophet, “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. 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.” Finally, in Haggai 2:20-23 our Lord delivered a second message on the same day through His prophet Haggai. There we read, “And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying, Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; 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. 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.”
In Haggai 2:15-17 the Lord had instructed His people at that time to consider His hand of chastening against them and to consider His purpose in that chastening. Yet in Haggai 2:18-19 the Lord instructed them to consider another matter. In these two verses, the Lord gave promise to reverse their situation. Until that time His hand of chastening had been against them, but from that time forward He promised to open His hand of blessing upon them. At the end of verse 19, the Lord proclaimed, “From this day will I bless you.” He had confronted them and chastened them for their sinful priorities and ways, and they had repented of those sinful priorities and ways. Thus from that day of their repentance forward, the Lord promised to bless them. Even so, the Lord instructed them to consider His promise. In like manner, we ourselves also need to consider our Lord’s promise to those who will repent of their sinful ways and return unto the Lord.
This sermon is a companion to three previous sermons: Consider Your Priorities - Haggai 1:5
Consider the Lord's Pleasure - Haggai 1:8
Consider Our Lord's Purpose - Haggai 2:10-19
Haggai 2:10 gives the report, “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.” Then in Haggai 2:18-19 we come to the conclusion of that message where our Lord declared through His prophet, “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. 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.” Finally, in Haggai 2:20-23 our Lord delivered a second message on the same day through His prophet Haggai. There we read, “And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying, Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; 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. 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.”
In Haggai 2:15-17 the Lord had instructed His people at that time to consider His hand of chastening against them and to consider His purpose in that chastening. Yet in Haggai 2:18-19 the Lord instructed them to consider another matter. In these two verses, the Lord gave promise to reverse their situation. Until that time His hand of chastening had been against them, but from that time forward He promised to open His hand of blessing upon them. At the end of verse 19, the Lord proclaimed, “From this day will I bless you.” He had confronted them and chastened them for their sinful priorities and ways, and they had repented of those sinful priorities and ways. Thus from that day of their repentance forward, the Lord promised to bless them. Even so, the Lord instructed them to consider His promise. In like manner, we ourselves also need to consider our Lord’s promise to those who will repent of their sinful ways and return unto the Lord.
We must consider our Lord’s promise concerning the fellowship of His presence.
For this promise we must go back to the first message of Haggai 2. In Haggai 2:1-4 we read, “In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying, 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, 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? 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.” Also the Lord had given this same promise Haggai 1:12-13 where we read, “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. [That was the day of their repentance and return unto the Lord.] Then spake Haggai the LORD’S messenger in the LORD’S message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD.”
Even so, in the New Testament passage of 1 John 1:3-7, the wondrous promise of our Lord’s fellowship with us is given. There we read, “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Yes, if we will repent of our sin and return unto the Lord, the Lord our God Himself, the Lord God of heaven and earth, the Lord of hosts, will raise us up spiritually to walk in daily, spiritual fellowship with Him. What greater blessing could there be! Daily we can walk, and abide, and fellowship in and with our Lord as our all in all. From the day of our repentance and return unto Him, He will bless us with the fellowship of His presence.
We must consider our Lord’s promise concerning the enabling of His Spirit.
In Haggai 2:5 our Lord’s message of promise to His people at that time continued, saying, “According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.” This also was our Lord’s great promise in Zechariah 4:6 where we read, “Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” They had no need to fear any personal weakness, any external opposition, or any circumstantial tribulation. Yea, they had no need to fear because the Spirit of the Lord remained among them and would enable them.
Even so, in the New Testament passage of John 14:26, our Lord promised that His indwelling Holy Spirit will enable us to learn the truth of God’s Word. There He declared, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” Again in the opening portion of John 16:13, our Lord promised that His indwelling Holy Spirit will enable us to walk after the way of truth. There He declared, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.” Again in 2 Corinthians 3:18 God’s Word promises that His indwelling Holy Spirit will enable us to grow in spiritual maturity. There we read, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Again in Galatians 5:16 God’s Word promises that His indwelling Holy Spirit will enable us to overcome the desires of our sinful flesh. There we read, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Again in Galatians 5:22-23 God’s word promises that His indwelling Holy Spirit will enable us to bring forth the fruits of righteousness. There we read, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
Again in Romans 8:26 God’s Word promises that His indwelling Holy Spirit will enable us to maintain a spiritually effective prayer life. There we read, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” Again in Acts 1:8 our Lord promised that His indwelling Holy Spirit would enable us to be faithful witnesses for Him. There He declared, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Finally, in Ephesians 3:16 God’s Word promises that His indwelling Holy Spirit will enable us to be spiritually strong in the power of the Lord’s might. There we read, “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.” This is our Lord’s promise to those who will repent and return unto Him. From that very day of our repentance and return unto Him, He will bless us with the enabling of His Spirit.
We must consider our Lord’s promise concerning the victory of His power.
Again in Haggai 2:6-7 our Lord’s message of promise to His people at that time continued, saying, “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 why did the Lord promise to shake the heavens, the earth, the sea, the dry land, and the nations. In Haggai 2:21-22 our Lord revealed the answer, saying, “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; 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.” The great adversaries of God’s chosen people Israel in that time were the opposing nations around them. Yet the Lord promised that He would shake those opposing nations and would overthrow them by His almighty power. Yea, He promised His people the victory of His power over their adversaries.
Even so, our Lord has also promised us the victory of His power. Yet our great adversaries today are not flesh and blood adversaries, but are spiritual adversaries. Ephesians 6:12 declares, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Our great adversary today is the devil and his spiritual forces against us. 1 Peter 5:8 declares, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” Yet our Lord has promised us victory through His almighty power over our adversary the devil. In Ephesians 6:10-11 the instruction and promise is given, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Again in James 4:7 the instruction and promise is given, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” If we will repent of our sin, return unto the Lord, and submit ourselves to the Lord, we shall be able to stand spiritually victorious over our adversary the devil. Yea, we shall find so great a spiritual victory through our Lord’s power that the devil will flee from us. From the day of our repentance and return unto the Lord, He will bless us with the victory of His power.
We must consider our Lord’s promise concerning the glory of His Savior.
Yet again in Haggai 2:7-9 our Lord’s message of promise to His people at that time continued, saying, “And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations [that is – the Savior of the world, God the Son in human flesh] shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts. 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.” In its physical appearance the temple that Zerubbabel built was not as grand as the temple that Solomon had built. Yet the glory of the temple that Zerubbabel built would be greater for “desire of all nation” would come to it. Yea, God the Son in human flesh, the Lord Jesus Christ, would come to it and would give Himself from it as the Sacrificial Lamb of God and as the Spiritual Savior of the world. The glory of God’s Savior and of God’s salvation for sinners would rest upon it. Yea, the glory of God’s salvation through God’s Savior would flow forth from it that many might be saved from their sins.
Even so, if we will repent of our sin, return unto the Lord, and be revived through the Holy Spirit, the glory of the Savior would also be in our midst as a church ministry and would also flow forth from us to the lost world around us. Yea, then we would shine forth as spiritual lights into this spiritually dark world; and then our Lord would shine forth the spiritual light of His glorious gospel through us that many souls might be saved. In the New Testament passage of 2 Corinthians 4:6, God’s Word declares, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Again in Philippians 2:14-16 God’s Word declares, “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.” Yet again in Matthew 5:16 our Lord declared, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Brethren, from the day of our repentance and return unto the Lord, He will bless us with the glory of His Savior shining forth from us that lost souls might be saved.
We must consider our Lord’s promise concerning the comfort of His peace.
Finally, in the closing portion of Haggai 2:9, our Lord’s message of promise to His people at that time concluded, saying, “And in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.” In like manner, in Isaiah 48:17-18 our Lord declared, “Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! Then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.” Yea, in Isaiah 26:3-4 God’s Word declares, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.”
Even so, in the New Testament passage of Matthew 11:29, our Lord Jesus Christ declared, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Again in John 14:27 our Lord declared, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Yet again in Philippians 4:6-7 the instruction and promise is given, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” If we will repent of our sin, return unto the Lord, submit ourselves to His yoke, and trust in His care, we shall receive His perfect peace, that surpasses all human understanding, to keep and to guard our hearts and our minds from trouble. From the day of our repentance and return unto the Lord, He will bless us with the comfort of His peace.
Posted in Weekly Sermon, Haggai, Repentance of Sin, Spiritual Revival, Fellowship with the Lord, The Holy Spirit,
Spiritual Enablement, Spiritual Warfare, Glory of the Lord, Godly Witnessing, Spiritual Peace
Please share this post with others:
RSS Feed
