“³ Who is left among you that saw this house in her firstglory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it asnothing? ⁴ Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and bestrong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all yepeople of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORDof hosts: ⁵ According to the word that I covenanted with you when yecame out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not” (Haggai2:3-5).

The book of Haggai is the first of three propheticbooks written by prophets who lived after the exile of God’s people. It is thesecond shortest book in the Old Testament. Only Obadiah is shorter. But themessage in Haggai is a very powerful one, which shaped the history of God’speople in a very dramatic way.

To understand the ministryof Haggai, we must remind ourselves of the ministry of the pre-exilic prophets.What was the recurring theme of the pre-exilic prophets? The recurring theme iswarning of judgement against God’s people for their sin and departure from God.

Despite their urgent andrepeated call, the people became apostate. God would not allow His name tocontinue to be blasphemed. He would judge the people.

Judgementfor God’s people in the North fell on 722 BC with the invasion of theAssyrians. The 10 Northern tribes of Israel were scattered. They neverreturned, at least not significantly. Judgement for the people in the Southfell on 586 BC. In that year, God allowed his temple to be destroyed by theBabylonians. God was chastising His people.

The destruction of thetemple marked the end of an era in national and religious life of the Jewishpeople. During the next 70 over years, the Jews would be without a temple toworship in. It was only when King Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylonia in 539 BCthat he allowed a large group of Jews, of almost 50,000, to return to Jerusalemunder the leadership of Zerubbabel.

The Jews arrived in 538 BC,and one of the first things they did was to rebuild the altar to worship theLord with burnt offerings (Ezr 3:1-6).

Thenext year, having collected sufficient funds, they began to rebuild the temple.They laid the foundation of the temple and there was a great celebration (Ezr3:8-13).

But sadly, there was verylittle further progress in the rebuilding effort. At first, the people werediscouraged because of the harassment by the Samaritans who were living in theland. The Samaritans were bothjealous and sore that the Jews were building the temple and would not allowthem to have anything to do with it. So they made things very difficult for theJews.

Well,eventually the Jews became so discouraged that they actually gave up and becameapathetic towards building the temple. They began rather to build their ownhomes.

So for about 16 years thetemple remained in ruins. What happened ought to serve as a warning to us. Itis so easy for us to become discouraged and to give up. Satan would be mosthappy to see anyone of us giving up.

Butthank God that though the people of old gave up, God did not give up with them.After allowing them to stray and wander for 16 years, God began to restorethem.

It wasin the second year of King Darius in 520 BC that year, God raised up theprophet Haggai to encourage the people to complete the rebuilding of the temple(cf. Ezr 5:1-2).

We don’t know much about theHaggai. Jewish tradition says that he was a young priest who returned fromBabylon. But many commentators believe that he was an aged prophet who saw theTemple of Solomon before its destruction. If so, Haggai must have been at least70 or 80 years old.

In any case, Haggai’s callwas to preach to the leaders and the people of Judah to awake them out theirspiritual slumber and apathy so that they might pick up where they left off inthe rebuilding of the temple.

His ministry was short andsuccinct. If this book contains all that he preached, then he preached only 4short messages. Chapter 1 contains his first message, whereas chapter 2contains the other 3 messages! Brevity must have been one of his strong points.But these short messages,—in the hand of God,—were so powerful that the peoplewere provoked to begin rebuilding the temple again.

Haggai’s labour wassupplemented by Zechariah who began preaching two months later and continueduntil the rebuilding of the temple was completed in 515 or 516 BC. But it wasHaggai who started the ball rolling.

In this short study, theLord helping us, we want to consider the promissory part of Haggai’s 2^ndsermon from chapter 2, verses 1-9. This sermon or sermonette has 2 parts. Thefirst part from verse 3-5 contains a promise of the LORD help to those whowould be involved in rebuilding the temple. The second part, from verses 6-9 isa proclamation of the future glory of the temple. For our purpose we will onlybe looking at the promise.

Let’s approach our studyunder 3 heads. First, let us ask: (a) What is the Occasion of the Promise? (b)Whom is this promise for? (c) What is this promise?

1. The Occasion of the Promise

Haggai’s 2^ndsermon was preached on the 21^st day of the 7^th month ofthe Jewish Calendar (v. 1). That would be October 17, 520 B.C. It was the lastday of the Feast of Tabernacles, nearly a month after the rebuilding work onthe temple resumed.

This first month of workmust have been extremely difficult. There was 66 years of dirt, rubble andrubbish to clear, and the place must have been overgrown with weed and thorn.All these things had to be removed manually. They did not have modern machineryin those days. And the people did not have a fraction of the tremendousreservoir of raw material that Solomon had when he first build the temple. Andnot only that, but they could not afford to pay any skilled craftsman asSolomon did.

The progress at rebuildingwould have been very slow; and no doubt made slower by the fact that theyentered into the 7^th month a week after they begun. Now, the 7^thmonth is a very busy month in the Jewish Calendar (cf. Lev 23).

Nodoubt, this would have been quite discouraging for the people who had beenstirred up in their spirit to do the work. Some might even have been tempted togive up.

It is no wonder that Godcalled Haggai to preach another message on the last day of the Feast ofTabernacles to encourage the people to persevere on zealously in the work thatthey had begun.

Withthis in mind, we can think of how the promise we are considering tonight wouldserve especially to prod God’s people on the in good work that they have begunin obedience to the Lord.

Belovedbrothers and sisters in the Lord, Christ our King has begun a good work in ourmidst. He has been working in us and through us.

Yes, there arediscouragement and setbacks along the way. There are the cares of the world.There are disciplinary issues. There are relationship issues. There aredepartures from the church—whether to the Lord, to other churches, to othercountries or to the world.

But shall we allow ourselvesto be side tracked and cease from the great work that the Lord has called usto? The Lord forbids. Let us rather turn to the Lord to find strength from Him,especially from His promises.

But who must especially takeheed to the promise we are considering tonight?

2. Beneficiaries of the Promise

Haggai begins the sermon byaddressing specific parties in the congregation:

³ Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? And howdo ye see it now? Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?

It was 66 years since thetemple of Solomon was destroyed. Most of the people who were listening toHaggai would not have seen it, not to mention remember anything about it.

But there were a few of the very aged men who wouldremember the glory of the former temple. Haggai himself was probably amongthese. So he knew how they must have felt.

It must have been a verypoignant feeling. 16 years earlier, when the people first rebuilt thefoundation of the temple, the same feeling had overwhelmed those who saw thefirst temple. Ezra tells us that many of them wept when they saw the smallnessof the foundation laid (Ezr 3:12).

How sad it must have been forthese aged people who knew the days of Israel’s glory and the splendour of theformer temple. All that was gone; and by the look of things, it does not seemat all possible that the temple will ever regain its former glory.

How discouraging it must havebeen for them. That thought, together with all the difficulties they werefacing as they try to rebuild the temple must have made many of them wonder: Isit worth it? Is it worth it even to try to do the rebuilding? If we cannotbring back the former glory why not leave it in memory, rather than frustrateourselves more by trying to achieve that which is impossible.

Haggai knew how they must have felt. Godunderstands. God understands too how some of us who began this congregationtogether can become disillusioned and discouraged because our vision for thechurch has not materialised.

But let us not revel in negativism.Let us look to the Lord and find strength from Him. We can do all things inChrist who strengtheneth us (Phil 4:13).

⁴ Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, OJoshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of theland, saith the LORD, and work:…

‘Yet!’ what a wonderful wordfrom the mouth of God. Everything is so discouraging, yet! Everything does not seem to work out, yet! It does not seem worth it to try, yet!

God’s ‘yet’ is not a pathetic,resigned-to-the-situation ‘yet.’ It is a ‘yet’ of encouragement. ‘Yet now be strong!’ I understand yourdiscouragement, yet be strong! You have every reason to be strong!

Notice how the call to be strong is given threetimes. “be strong, O Zerubbabel”; “be strong, O Joshua”; “be strong, all yepeople of the land.” God wants the leaders of the church to take the lead to beenthusiastic and optimistic. And He wants the people to take courage and bestrong. He is urging them not to be discouraged by all the difficulties.

Elders and deacons of God’sflock—you must take the lead to be strong. God’s people, let not your handshang down. Straighten your feeble knees, strengthen your arms. Be strong and golabour on!

But on what basis should theybe strong?

3. The Promise

“For I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts”

What a simple promise! But whata strong consolation and assurance! The LORD of host, Jehovah Tsabaoth (t/ab;x] hw:hyÒ) is with us. If he whois with were merely a strong leader and a great preacher, we will find someencouragement. But He is not just a strong leader or a great preacher. If He iswho is with us were a mighty angel, we would have found much encouragement. ButHe is not just a mighty angel. He is the LORD of hosts, the Creator of theheavens and the earth, the one who decreed all things and brings all things topass by His mighty power.

We need to take a step back outof the situations in life that we are in to see who it is that is with us in allthat we go through! It is the LORD of hosts!

The LORD of hosts has promisedto be with us, to help us and to bless us.

He is with us as He was withthe Jews as their covenant God, verse 5—

⁵ According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out ofEgypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.

What was the word that Godcovenanted with the people when they came out of Egypt? Turn to Exodus 19:5—

“⁵Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then yeshall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth ismine: ⁶ And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holynation.…”

God had redeemed a people for Himself.He has covenanted to take them as His people and to be a God unto them. Hepromises to be with them and to bless them. As long as they walked according to his laws, the people would be apeculiar treasure unto Him; and a kingdom of priest and a holy nation. As longas they feared Him, God’s Spirit would remain with them, and the need not fearanything else!

“My spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not,” says the Lord throughHaggai. The LORD would later enlarge on this promise through Zechariah when Hesays: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit” (Zec 4:6).

Now, this is a remarkable promise, isn’t it? Godpromises to be with us by His Spirit. His Spirit will always be there. As longas we are walking in His fear, He is working in us and through us by Hisspirit. We need not pray for revival as if God has withdrawn His Spirit. No,no; unless we have, as a congregation, apostatised, we need not doubt that theSpirit of Christ is with us. He is there to give us His seal of approval. He isthere to strengthen us and to encourage us.

The Jews rebuilding the templeneed not fear that they could not finish the work, nor do they need to bediscouraged by at the setbacks? If God is with them, why should they worryabout not having sufficient resources or time to do the work? If God is withthem and has called them to rebuild the temple, why should they worry about thetemple not being as glorious as the previous?

Dearly beloved brethren, this word of encouragementis for us too. Some of us are discouraged when we think about the smallness andlack of progress in the church and in our lives. Some of us may even be temptedto say: Why bother? Why bother to start a church when it cannot be great andhuge and so cannot have much of an impact on the society, and cannot have allour dreams fulfilled?

Well, remember that we startedbecause we desired to walk in the ways of the Lord. We started because wewanted to obey God’s voice truly and keep His covenant.

When you remember this, thenbring to mind the covenant that God made with the people after He rescued themfrom Egypt; and remember that the same promise is applied by the apostle Peterto the New Testament Church in 1 Peter 2:9-10.

Oh beloved brethren, let us notbe discouraged nor despise the days of small things. Is it not enough for us toknow that the Lord is with us? And the LORD of hosts is with us by His Spiritto empower us to serve Him!

Therefore, let us be strong! Bestrong elders! Be strong deacons! Be strong brothers and sisters in the Lord!Be strong, boys and girls! The Lord is with us. His Spirit dwells with us andis ever working in and through us. Let us serve Him faithfully and fearlesslywithout allowing Satan to distract us.

Today is a day of small things, tomorrow we shallknow exceeding glory. The suffering of this present time is not worthy to becompared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.

Conclusion

Dearly beloved brethren andchildren, have you grown discouraged in your service and walk for the Lord?

May Iencourage you to be strong! You are doing a great work. As you are beingpolished to be part of the great heavenly temple, you are also involved inbuilding the temple.

ThankGod for the part you play. May the Lord grant you strength! May you takecourage that God is with us and His spirit dwells with us according as we walkin His ways!

But let us also repent ofour hardness of heart and sluggishness.

Haggai preached on the last day of the feast ofTabernacles. He offered the people words of encouragement. More than 500 yearslater, the Lord Jesus Christ, the antitype of the temple, stood in the verytemple that Haggai was urging the people to rebuild.

It was also the last day ofthe feast of Tabernacles. It was the 552^nd anniversary of Haggai’ssecond sermon. Christ preached a sermon on that day. What did the Lord have tosay on that day? Turn to John 7:37—

“³⁷ In the last day, that great day of thefeast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me,and drink. ³⁸ He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said,out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-38).

Have you become complacent,beloved brethren? Have you become spiritually dry as a result?

Will you not flee toChrist and ask Him for a drink? Will you not go to Him to ask Him to renew aright spirit in you that you may serve him with new zeal for His own glory?Amen. Ω