Nancy: Welcome to immerse: the daily bible reading experience.
day 200 and79
immersed in Haggai.
The year was five 20 bc.
The exiles had returned to Judea nearly 20 years earlier and had enthusiastically
begun the work of rebuilding the temple.
However, they had been forced to stop construction after the Temple
Foundation was completed because their opponents complained to
the ruler of the Persian Empire.
But now there was a new ruler Rais, and his policies allowed
the rebuilding to continue.
Still, the people claimed the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.
They had become so involved in building their own luxurious homes that they
were neglecting the Lord's house.
So God sent the prophet Haggai to deliver a series of messages to the exiles.
Haggai explained to the people that since they were so interested in
material things, God had been trying to get their attention through
drought, blight, mildew, and hail.
You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor.
Why?
Because my house lies and ruins says the Lord Challenged and
inspired by haggai's words.
Rebel, the governor and je the high priest, led the people to resume
reconstruction of the temple in words that echo God's encouragement to Joshua
when ancient Israel was about to enter the promised land, rebel and Joshua are told
to be strong and to complete the task.
Israel is being renewed and God's spirit is with them.
Just like when the Lord brought the people out of Egypt.
Over the next few months, God gave Haggai three more messages
to encourage them in this project.
Even though the rebuilt temple would be very modest compared to the one
Solomon had commissioned, God promises that the future glory of this temple
will be greater than its past glory for Israel, the temple was the focal point
of God's special presence among them.
They knew that ultimately blessings and peace could only
come to them when he lived.
Among them.
In Israel's story, monarchy and temple always belonged together.
So God also sent one more reassuring message through Hagi keeping his promise
of a lasting dynasty through King David.
This assurance seemed to be in jeopardy when Jeremiah at the height of the
people's resistance to his warnings.
Said that King Jokin would never return from exile and that none
of his children will succeed him.
On the throne of David.
God even told Jokin, even if you were the signet ring on my
right hand, I would pull you off.
But now God tells us a rub.
Jo's grandson, I will make you like a signet ring on my
finger for I have chosen you.
God has not forgotten his covenant.
The promised restoration of a Davidic king will surely come.
Haggai is a prophet for both the present and the future.
The people must rebuild God's house now, but the book ends with a vision
of a time when God will shake the heavens and the earth and overthrow
all those who oppose his rule.
The prophet Hagi.
On August 29th of the second year of King Arias rain, the Lord gave a message
through the prophet Haggai to Za Rubal, son of Shal, governor of Judah, and to
Jesu son of Jeh deck, the high priest.
This is what the Lord of Heaven's armies says.
The people are saying, the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.
Then the Lord sent this message through the Prophet Haggai.
Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies and ruins?
This is what the Lord of heaven's armies says.
Look at what's happening to you.
You have planted much but harvest.
Little.
You eat but are not satisfied.
You drink but are still thirsty.
You put on clothes but cannot keep warm.
Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes.
This is what the Lord of Heaven's armies says.
Look at what's happening to you now.
Go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house.
Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord.
You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor.
And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away.
Why?
Because my house lies in ruins, says the Lord of heaven's armies.
While all of you are busy building your own fine houses, it's because
of you that the heavens withhold the dew and the earth produces no crops.
I have called for a drought on your fields and hills.
A drought to wither the grain and grapes and olive trees and all your other
crops, a drought to starve you and your livestock and to ruin everything
you have worked so hard to get.
Then rebel son of Xia and Jesu, son of Jeh, the high priest and the whole
remnant of God's people began to obey the message from the Lord their God.
When they heard the words of the prophet Haggai, whom the Lord their God
had sent, the people feared the Lord.
Then Haggai the Lord's Messenger, gave the people this message from the
Lord, I am with you, says the Lord.
The Lord sparked the enthusiasm of Rebel Son of Shol, governor of Judah,
and the enthusiasm of Jesu, son of Jeh, the high priest, and the enthusiasm
of the whole remnant of God's people.
They began to work on the house of their God, the Lord of Heaven's
armies on September 21st of the second year of King Dora's reign.
Then on October 17th of that same year, the Lord sent another message through
the prophet Haggai, say this to rebel son of Shia, governor of Judah, and to Jesu,
son of Jeh, the high priest, and to the remnant of God's people there in the land.
Does anyone remember this house?
This temple in its former splendor?
How in comparison does it look to you now?
It must seem like nothing at all, but now the Lord says, be strong, zup.
Be strong.
Jesu, son of Jehoiada, the high priest.
Be strong.
All you people still left in the land and now get to work.
For I am with you, says the Lord of heaven's, armies.
My spirit remains among you.
Just as I promised when you came out of Egypt.
So do not be afraid for.
This is what the Lord of Heaven's armies says.
In just a little while, I will again shake the heavens and the
earth, the oceans, and the dry land.
I will shake all the nations and the treasures of all the nations
will be brought to this temple.
I will fill this place with glory says the Lord of heaven's armies.
The silver is mine and the gold is mine.
Says the Lord of Heaven's armies.
The future glory of this temple will be greater than its past.
Glory says the Lord of heaven's armies, and in this place I will bring peace.
I the Lord of heaven's armies have spoken
on December 18th of the second year of King Doras Rain.
The Lord sent this message to the prophet Haggai.
This is what the Lord of heaven's armies says.
Ask the priests this question about the law.
If one of you is carrying some meat from a holy sacrifice in his robes and his
robe happens to brush against some bread or stew wine, or olive oil, or any other
kind of food, will it also become holy?
The priests replied, no.
Then Haggai asked if someone becomes ceremonially unclean by touching a
dead person and then touches any of these foods, will the food be defiled?
And the priests answered, yes.
Then Haggai responded.
That is how it is with this people and this nation says the Lord.
Everything they do and everything they offer is defiled by their sin.
Look at what was happening to you before you began to lay the
foundation of the Lord's temple.
When you hoped for 20 bushel crop, you harvested only 10.
When you expected to draw 50 gallons from the wine press, you found only 20.
I sent blight and mildew and hail to destroy everything
you worked so hard to produce.
Even so you refused to return to me, says the Lord.
Think about this 18th day of December, the day when the foundation
of the Lord's temple was laid.
Think carefully.
I am giving you a promise now while the seed is still in the barn.
You have not yet harvested your grain and your grapevines.
Fig trees, pomegranates and olive trees have not yet produced their crops, but
from this day onward, I will bless you
on that same day.
December 18th, the Lord sent this second message to Haggai.
Tell Zabel the governor of Judah, that I am about to shake
the heavens and the earth.
I will overthrow royal thrones and destroy the power of foreign kingdoms.
I will overturn their chariots and riders.
The horses will fall and their riders will kill each other.
But when this happens, says the Lord of heaven's armies.
I will honor you.
Rebel son of Shia, my servant.
I will make you like a signet ring on my finger, says the Lord.
For I have chosen you.
I the Lord of heaven's armies have spoken.
This concludes today's immerse reading experience.
Thank you for joining us.