After being
released from exile in Babylon, the people of Israel neglected the
rebuilding of the temple of the LORD and concentrated upon building
their own houses. Haggai the prophet proclaimed the LORD's warning,
instruction and penalties for forsaking His house, and the people
including their leaders were motivated to begin the work again. In
chapter one and verse thirteen of his prophecy, Haggai declared the
LORD's words “saying, I am with you” where we read:
Then spoke
Haggai the LORD'S messenger in the LORD'S message unto the people,
saying, I
am with you, says
the LORD.
The
verse begins, “Then spoke Haggai the LORD'S messenger in
the LORD'S message unto the people,...” Haggai
began with, “Then spoke”
or “uttered, answered and avowed” “Haggai” whose
name means “festive” and was “tenth in order of the
minor prophets and the first prophet to prophecy after the captivity”
“the LORD's” or
“Yehovah or Jehovah” who is “the existing One” and “the
proper name for the one true God” “messenger” which
literally means “angel” and refers to a “representative” “in
the LORD's” or “Yehovah or
Jehovah” who is “the existing One” and “the proper name for
the one true God” “message”
which means “speech, utterance or answer” “unto the
people” or “nation, member
of one's people, compatriots, country-men, kinsman or kindred”.
Haggai was the LORD's representative, and he declared the
“message” of the LORD to the
people of Israel.
The
verse goes on to say, “...saying,
I am with
you, says the LORD.” Haggai continued,
“saying” or
“uttered, commanded, promise, intend, to be told, said or called”
“I am with you” or
“I with you” which means “utters, declares, revelation or
declaration that the LORD is present” “says”
or “utters or declares” “the LORD”
which refers to “Yehovah or Jehovah” who is “the existing One”
and “the proper name for the one true God”. The LORD's promise is
that He is “with”
those who are rebuilding the temple and have prioritized the things
of God.
When
we think about the LORD's words through Haggai the prophet, His
announcement is one of the greatest promises we may ever hear. The
fact that He is “with us” is not only comforting but
inspiring for the work we are to do. The Israelites began the work on
the temple again, and they received the promise that the LORD was
“with” them. When we make the “Kingdom of God” our
first priority and Jesus Christ as “LORD” of our lives, we
know He is “with” us too. Let us enjoy the idea that the
LORD is “with us”, and may we ever be about His business.
Next
time the LORD “stirs up the spirit of”
the leaders and people of Israel, so read ahead, 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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