A Warning and a Promise from the Prophet Haggai

A warning and a promise from the prophet Haggai  August 2020

This word for the Church comes at the beginning of the Days of Repentance, Teshuvah, 30 days before the Feast of Trumpets.

In Jewish tradition, these are days of seeking God and of returning to Him in repentance and humility before the day of judgment comes, the Day of the Blowing of the Trumpets (the Feast of Trumpets).

The LORD says to the Church, “Is it time for you to dwell in your paneled houses while the LORD’s house needs repair?” But the people say, “the time has not come, the time that the LORD’s house should be repaired”. Then the LORD says, “Consider your ways! You have sown much but bring in little; you eat and drink but do not have enough. You earn wages only to put into a bag with holes. Consider your ways! Repair my house that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified. You looked for much, but it came to little because you have neglected my house while dealing with your own interests and concerns. Therefore, heaven above withholds blessings”.

What is this saying to the Church today? Like in Haggai’s day, a foundation of God’s house, the apostles and prophets, has been laid, but something is in disrepair and needs to be built.

[Eph 2:20 NKJV] having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner[stone],

The Church has been busy building its churches from buildings, to congregations, making plans, and building programs, but is it what the Lord calls “His House”? What is His House? It is a “House of Prayer for all Nations”.

[Isa 56:7 NKJV] Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices [Will be] accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations."

[Mar 11:17 NKJV] Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.' "

What is “a house of prayer for all nations”? Could it be a spiritual covering and a restrainer of evil and lawlessness for all nations?

[2Th 2:7 NKJV] For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains [will do so] until He is taken out of the way.

What would this “restraining” look like? It would not just be a passive voice making a weak protest against all of the evil, sin, and wickedness in the world right now. It seems to me that it would be a passionate people, not only praying against the evil but actively working and speaking out and standing against it. It would be a people that know how to wage spiritual warfare, from the personal level of setting people free from demonic oppression, to building walls of spiritual protection over families, congregations, cities, and nations. It would be a people that know how to litigate (present a case against evil before God) in the courts of Heaven. It would be people that know who they are in Christ. A people who know their authority and power in the Holy Spirit and are well trained in how to use that authority and power.

The hope found in the words of Haggai comes in that he tells us that the remnant of the
God’s people did heed the words and did repent and return to God’s command to build His house before the day of judgment of the Feast of Trumpets.

Then the leaders of the Church, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God; and the people feared the presence of the LORD. Then the LORD says, “I am with you”. And the work began six days before the Feast of Trumpets.

During this process of building God’s house into this “house of prayer for all nations”, the Lord says to His remnant people “I am with you”. Therefore, as this remnant Church stands strong against the evil in our day, they are to be strong and courageous and not to fear because the Lord is with them until all the work of the service of the house of the LORD is finished.

[Dan 7:9 NKJV] "I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment [was] white as snow, And the hair of His head [was] like pure wool. His throne [was] a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire;

[Dan 7:10 NKJV] A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, And the books were opened.

[Jos 1:9 ESV] Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

[Jos 10:25 ESV] And Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous. For thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight."

[1Ch 28:20 ESV] Then David said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the LORD God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.

[Rom 8:31 ESV] What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, just before the Day of New beginnings (Shemini Atzeres), the LORD says to the leaders of the Church and all the people, “Now be strong and work for I am with you! My Spirit remains among you; do not fear! Once more in just 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 Me, and I will fill my Temple, my people, with glory”. The glory of this latter Temple shall be greater than the glory of all the previous temples. And in this place, I will give peace.”

After the Feast of Tabernacles, a feast of rejoicing and dwelling with the Lord, just before the Day of New beginnings (Shemini Atzeres) the Lord issues a warning to the world. He prophecies that a great shaking is coming upon the nations of the earth. This shaking will cause many to come to Him, and He will fill His Temple, this House of Prayer for all nations, His people, with glory and He will give peace to them.

The next message Haggai gives to us today is related to the day of Hanukkah, the prophecy of the anointing of His Temple, His house.

On the first day of Hanukkah, the LORD says this; “Before you sowed much but reaped little. But from this day on I will bless you.

For God’s Church, there is a great blessing coming related to the day of Hanukkah. But for the world, great trouble is coming.

[Psa 112:1 ESV] Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments!

[Psa 112:6 ESV] For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.

[Psa 112:7 ESV] He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.

[Psa 112:8 ESV] His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.

[Rev 3:10 NKJV] "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

“But now says the LORD, 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; they shall all come down, every one by the sword of his brother. And in that day, I will take my Servant and make Him King of kings and Lord of lords.”

First, the LORD promises that from this day on, He will bless His people. But, He will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, destroy the strength of Gentile kingdoms, and overthrow armies. In this day, the LORD says He will enthrone God the Son, Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords. This the final fulfillment of the Day of Atonement, the day the Lord Jesus returns as the King.

[Job 34:20 NKJV] In a moment they die, in the middle of the night; The people are shaken and pass away; The mighty are taken away without a hand.

[Job 38:13 NKJV] That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it?

[Psa 18:7 NKJV] Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken, Because He was angry.

[Isa 2:19 NKJV] They shall go into the holes of the rocks, And into the caves of the earth, From the terror of the LORD And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily.

[Isa 13:13 NKJV] Therefore I will shake the heavens, And the earth will move out of her place, In the wrath of the LORD of hosts And in the day of His fierce anger.

[Isa 24:18 NKJV] And it shall be [That] he who flees from the noise of the fear Shall fall into the pit, And he who comes up from the midst of the pit Shall be caught in the snare; For the windows from on high are open, And the foundations of the earth are shaken.

[Isa 24:19 NKJV] The earth is violently broken, The earth is split open, The earth is shaken exceedingly.

[Mat 24:29 NKJV] "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

[Mar 13:25 NKJV] "the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

[Luk 21:26 NKJV] "men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

[Rev 6:15 ESV] Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains,

[Rev 6:16 ESV] calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,

[Rev 6:17 ESV] for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"

[Rev 22:20 NKJV] He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

[Rev 22:21 NKJV] The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with you all. Amen.