Because the
Israelites were giving attention to their own houses rather than the
temple of the LORD, God told them twice through the prophet Haggai to
“consider your ways”. In chapter one and verse eight of
his prophecy, Haggai told the Israelites to “go up to the
mountain” where we read:
Go up to
the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house;
and I will
take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, says the LORD.
The
verse begins, “Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build
the house;” Haggai began with the phrase “Go up” which
mean “ascend and climb” “to the mountain” which refers
to “the hill, hill country or mount”, “and bring wood”
or “go in or come with trees, stock, plank, stalk, stick or
gallows”, “and build” which means “rebuild, establish
and cause to continue” “the house” which refers to
“dwelling place, shelter, home or place”. The LORD gave the
directive for the Israelites to go to their source of wood which
would be used to rebuild His temple.
The
verse goes on to say, “and I will
take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, says the LORD.”
Haggai
continued with, “and I will take
pleasure in it”
which is all one Hebrew word “ratsah”
which means “favorable, accepted, acceptable and satisfied”, “and
I will be glorified”
which is “kabad”
in the Hebrew and means “heavy, weighty, honorable and glorious”,
“says”
or “utters, avows and answers” “the
LORD” or
“Yehovah or Jehovah” who is “the existing One” and “the
proper name for the One true God”. The result of the people obeying
the LORD would be favor, acceptability, and satisfaction from the
LORD, and the LORD would be honored in it.
When
we think through these words of Haggai, we begin to understand the
LORD's plea for the people to gather the “wood”
for the “rebuilding of His temple”. Not only would they receive
the “pleasure and favor” of the LORD, but He would be “glorified”
in their activities. We too have the opportunity to turn our hearts
and lives toward gathering the resources to “rebuild” His temple,
His church. May we use the LORD's words as inspiration and motivation
for us to be about His business, and in the name of the Lord Jesus,
let us build His “church”.
Next
time Haggai tells the Israelites they “look for much”
and “it came to little”
and begin rebuilding the temple, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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