1In the seventh month, in the twenty-first day of the month, Yahweh’s word came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 2“Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying, 3‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Isn’t it in your eyes as nothing? 4Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says Yahweh. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ says Yahweh, ‘and work, for I am with you,’ says Yahweh of Armies. 5This is the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, and my Spirit lived among you. ‘Don’t be afraid.’ 6For this is what Yahweh of Armies says: ‘Yet once more, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land; 7and I will shake all nations. The treasure of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, says Yahweh of Armies. 8The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,’ says Yahweh of Armies.
Within 3 weeks of Haggai’s first message the people had started the work on the temple. The foundations were fixed and the walls were going up, it was finally starting to take shape. Of course, some people were not happy, those who remembered the former glory of the temple and how it used to be, began to complain. It’s not as good as it used to be, in my day there was more gold and the curtains were a richer fabric, the court yard was bigger, discouragement was endless. Zerubbabel and Jeshua along with the people began to lose heart.
God prompts Haggai to go and tell them not to be discouraged. ‘Be strong Zerubbabel…be strong Jeshua, don’t be afraid for I am still with you.’ God reminds them that he is still God, all the silver and gold and wealth in the world belongs to him anyway, the ornateness of the temple will not take anything away from who God is. God calls the by name Zerubbabel and Jeshua, he tells them to focus on him. He challenges them to be strong and not to be afraid. Then they are reminded of who God is sovereign, mighty, lacking in nothing. When he has clarified of all that, he tells them once more that He the Lord of Heavens armies is with them.
Are you discouraged, feeling weak or afraid? Do you hear the voice of the discouragers over the work that you are trying to do for God? Do you feel like giving up? Be reminded today that God is still sovereign overall and today he whispers your name and tells you to be strong. Today he sees the efforts of all that you do and tells you not to be afraid. In the journey and work of each day the Lord God of Heavens armies is with you.