November 29, 2008 - Don't Compare With The Past

Meditation on Haggai 2

Haggai the prophet continued with his successful messages to encourage the people of God to complete the task God has given them in chapter two. Basically he explained to them that they should not look back in two ways.

A. Though what they were building was like nothing in comparison to Solomon's temple, but they should take courage for God is with them. And Haggai prophesied that "The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former," says the LORD of hosts, "and in this place I will give peace," declares the LORD of hosts." (v. 9 NASB) This was predicting the future temple where the glory of the Messiah would dwell as Ezekiel did.

B. Haggai also explained that they should not look back to the former time of difficult livelihood. They were not blessed because of their heart and lives that were not dedicated to God. Their unfaithful hearts caused their works to be contaminated and therefore unholy and unacceptable before God. Though they attended worship and offered sacrifices, their lives were still unclean. But now God will bless them in their labor, protect them from their enemies and establish the authority (signet ring) of their leader, Zerubbabel.

When we are living for the Lord and doing what He has commanded, we do not need to worry about the past, but reaching forward to the things ahead.