Jesus- Desire of Nations

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The Desire of All Nations

I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts (Haggai 2:7).

The message of the Prophet Haggai marks the era of reconstruction in relation to the city of Jerusalem and the temple. The previous temple built by Solomon, which had stood on Mount Moriah for four hundred and ninety years, had a full complement of significant symbols and suggestive types which represented higher spiritual realities. These shadows of better things to come were given to attract attention and draw out the real devotion of the nation of Israel in worship. Types and symbols, however, never maintain loyalty of aspiration and adoration for long. On this account, when the returned exiles from the captivity in Babylon had reconstructed the city and temple, the rebuilt edifice was denied the five most desirable symbols—those of the ark of the covenant with its mercy seat, the tables of the law, the holy fire, the sacred oracle and the Shekinah glory. These had been but tentative shadows of the true substance, which is Christ. he is in reality the expression of the glory of God, He is the genuine Oracle through whom God speaks; He is the Mercy Seat for our sins and is pledged in this prophecy to come to the rebuilt temple, that the glory of this latter house may be greater than the former.

The blessed One came and the Apostle John records, “We beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Christ Himself said, “In this place is one greater than the temple” (Matthew 12:6). Wherefore in the context He gave the invitation, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). The Desire of all nations, the divine Mediator, had come and announced the assurance, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). “No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). Therefore He is the Desire of all those who wish to come to the eternal Father, to His holy habitation and heavenly heritage.

The greatest desire the world over is to find one who is able to lead us back to God, to love, to light, to life, to liberty and to everlastingness. The brightest promise of God’s blessed favor is the guarantee that He would send such an One. Who but the Spirit of God could foresee this to foretell it? Who could have given the types without knowing what they were to typify?

How dearly we should cherish such a treasure as we have in Christ. He is like the rich spices that breathe out their own perfume. His very vesture is tinged with the vermilion of splendor and the azure of hope. His virtues are holy in honor and His victories are flaming with fame. how we should magnify and glorify this precious One who is so admirably suited in affinity and able to meet the greatest need of mankind. When we pause to consider His matchless name of priceless merit, of changeless might, of ceaseless music and of endless song, we know well that without Him there would be no truth of saving grace, no touch of spiritual healing, no title of abiding sonship, no trumpet of jubilee, no triumph over death, no thornless paradise, no tearless society and no tombless world to come. What an heirloom! The marvel of it! The wonder of it! How amazing is the goodness of God! The Desire of all nations, the merciful Mediator, Reconciler and Redeemer, came.

“Art thou He that should come, or look we for another?” asked the mighty prophet, John. Nay, none other can ever be like Him. He of all celebrities is most to be desired, the choicest, loveliest, fairest, chiefest, the altogether lovely and lovable, both in His kingship as King of kings and His lordship as Lord of lords. As the one Mediator between God and men, Christ is of all most desirable, without rival in His regal beauty, without equal in His royal majesty, without parallel in His faithful constancy, and without sequel in His eternal finality.

Rolls, C. J. (1984). The Indescribable Christ: Names and Titles of Jesus Christ: A-G. Loizeaux Brothers.