For the Pleasure and Glory of God

The Pleasure and Glory of God

Haggai 1:8 NKJV

Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the Lord.

God has a remnant

God called forth a remnant. They restored the altar and the foundation.

They began the work but stopped because of difficulties and opposition.

God sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to call the people to finish.

They began well

They restored the altar and sacrifice of the LORD. (Ezra 3:1-6)

Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

They laid the foundation. (Ezra 3:8-11)

Jesus Christ, Himself being the Cornerstone.

The work halts

Detractors: Resistance from enemies. (Ezra 4)

Distractions: They focused on their own houses and left the house of God unfinished. (Haggai 1:2-3)

God brings correction

Haggai 1:5–11 NKJV

Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways! “You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.” Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the Lord. “You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says the Lord of hosts. “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.”

The LORD did not allow them to prosper in their disobedience.

The LORD called them to “Consider your ways!”

God gives direction

Haggai 1:8 NKJV

Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the Lord.

The people repent and obey

Haggai 1:12 NKJV

Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him; and the people feared the presence of the Lord.

God is with them

Haggai 1:13 NKJV

Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, spoke the Lord’s message to the people, saying, “I am with you, says the Lord.”

Haggai 2:4–5 NKJV

Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says the Lord; ‘and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,’ says the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!’

God stirs His people

Haggai 1:14 NKJV

So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God,

To get back to work

To give to the work

To be holy

Haggai 2:10–14 NKJV

On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Now, ask the priests concerning the law, saying, “If one carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread or stew, wine or oil, or any food, will it become holy?” ’ ” Then the priests answered and said, “No.” And Haggai said, “If one who is unclean because of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?” So the priests answered and said, “It shall be unclean.” Then Haggai answered and said, “ ‘So is this people, and so is this nation before Me,’ says the Lord, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.

God requires His people to be holy as He is holy.

We must not transfer our uncleanness into the work of God.

The work of God must be done by a holy people.

God will shake the nations

Haggai 2:6–7 NKJV

“For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts.

Haggai 2:21–22 NKJV

“Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying: ‘I will shake heaven and earth. I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I will destroy the strength of the Gentile kingdoms. I will overthrow the chariots And those who ride in them; The horses and their riders shall come down, Every one by the sword of his brother.

God will fill His house with glory

Haggai 2:7–9 NKJV

and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.”

God will restore His blessing

Haggai 2:15–19 NKJV

‘And now, carefully consider from this day forward: from before stone was laid upon stone in the temple of the Lord— since those days, when one came to a heap of twenty ephahs, there were but ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty baths from the press, there were but twenty. I struck you with blight and mildew and hail in all the labors of your hands; yet you did not turn to Me,’ says the Lord. ‘Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid—consider it: Is the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded fruit. But from this day I will bless you.’ ”

God will exalt His people

Haggai 2:23 NKJV

‘In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says the Lord, ‘and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord of hosts.

Response to the Word

Jesus is building His church.

We must give ourselves to building for the pleasure and glory of God!