King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Thursday, September 19, 2024
Chapters: Haggai Chapters 1-2, Psalm Chapter 137
Message: The Power of Faith With Works
Hello My Friend,
As I was reading the chapters for today I felt some sorrow as it has been quite some time since I had a church home that I served God in. I miss teaching Sunday School, taking care of babies in the nursery, practicing choir songs, and baking cakes and cooking meals for church socials. I believe that every saved born again Christian is wired to serve God with the talents that He has given them in their local church, even if all they are called to do is to pray for them, which is why it is so hard for me to just sit in a pew. However, God, showed me something today, we can worship and serve Him anywhere, [Colossians 3:16-17 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.]
As we have been reading through the books that relate to the Jews while they were in Babylon, we did not hear much about the common folk who were faithful to God and what they were going through when they had been taken captive to Babylon for seventy years. This Psalm gives a bit of an insight, it seems that they use to gather to some place by the Euphrates River and would bring their musical instruments with them to sing and praise God with the spiritual songs and hymns they loved to sing in the temple.
[Psalms 137:1-6,8 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. 2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. 3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. 4 How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land? 5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. 6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. 8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.]
[How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land?] When the locals heard the wonderful hymns they insisted upon being entertained by them, but the Jews felt that these songs were only meant to be sung in the temple and it seemed like an insult to ask them to sing them to them. Of course, God does not want His people turning the prayers, songs, and hymns meant for Him into something for the world to profit off of, but He does want us to sing to Him. This is a reminder that it does not matter where God takes us, even if we are not in a church, it is important to keep singing those Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, [Ephesians 5:17-20 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;]
And speaking of the will of the Lord, we may not always know and understand where He is taking us, but another important thing to remember is that God does not want us to just sit on the sidelines and wait for Him to make a move, He wants us to do our part and by faith watch Him do the rest, [James 2:14-18 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.]
Yesterday, we read from Ezra how the Jews were forced to stop the rebuilding of the temple for quite some time before God sent Haggai and Zechariah to encourage them to get back to work. As we pause from the reading of Ezra we come to the reading of Haggai, this is his testimony of what happened. The Book of Haggai contains two chapters, the author is Haggai, and it was written to the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem from Babylon after being in captivity for seventy years, the timeline is approximately 520 BC. The purpose of the book was to inspire Israel to have a new zeal for God and remind the leaders of their responsibility to rebuild the temple of worship. What we are to learn from the book is that God expects to have first place in our lives, [Haggai 1:7-8 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.]
Haggai, goes into more detail of what was going on when God had sent him to the new governor who was Zerubbabel and the high priest. What we may have thought was only a couple of years turned out to be fourteen since they laid the foundation and left the temple untouched and yet were taking care to rebuilding their own homes and lives. Naturally, God, was not too happy that they were content to go back to things as usual while no effort was made to get the temple built and that was when He sent Haggai.
[Haggai 1:1-5 In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying, 2 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD’S house should be built. 3 Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? 5 Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.]
[This people say, The time is not come,] You see, many saved, born again Christians are content to just sit on their sofas and watch church nowadays instead of actually being in church, and the biggest problem with that means that they are not tithing either. It is one thing to be without the means to physically walk into a church, it is another to not be a part of a church at all. While God has blessed the Church with the ability to allow shut-ins and those looking for a New Testament church with streaming services, they were never meant to replace being a member of the Church, they really are laying waste as they are being neglected, [Malachi 3:8-9 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.]
Nearly every week a true New Testament church is closing their doors because they do not have enough help or tithes and offerings coming in to keep them open. This angers God because all He sees is His people working to better themselves while there are lost souls heading for hell because His work is being neglected. Through Haggai, God explains why the Christian who neglects His work works so hard and gets barely anything in return.
[Haggai 1:6-9 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. 7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD. 9 Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.]
[he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.] Does any of this sound familiar? There are so many Christians struggling, working two and three jobs, yet cannot earn enough money to provide for their families. Jesus, said it this way, [Matthew 6:33-34 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.]
[Consider your ways.] In other words, it really is time to consider our ways, start doing things for God, and start building up His Church, beginning with our own temples that the Holy Spirit dwells in, [1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.]
You see, for those fourteen years, the Jews were tending to rebuilding the city, while the remains of what was started of the temple just sat there decaying. They invested so much time and money into rebuilding the crops, buildings, homes, and businesses, but nothing prospered. Now, God, is telling them what they need to do in order for Him to be pleased and bless their hard work. That was when Zerubbabel was stirred up and a revival began. They did not care about the decree, they wanted to build God’s house.
[Haggai 1:12-14 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, 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 did fear before the LORD. 13 Then spake Haggai the LORD’S messenger in the LORD’S message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD. 14 And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,]
[And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel…and the spirit of all the remnant] There is nothing that God has called us to do that we are not capable of doing, we just need a little revival of our spirit sometimes. And I am preaching to the choir here as God is telling me the same thing about my ministry today, [2 Corinthians 7:11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.]
Notice that not all of the people that returned came back to help, only a remnant of them returned to assist in the reconstruction of the temple. Nevertheless, everything was being reconstructed just as David had laid out the plans for the first temple, at least, I imagine that it was the pattern they used. God, sends Haggai to the people with a question.
[Haggai 2:3-6,9 Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? 4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts: 5 According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not. 6 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; 9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.]
[be strong, all ye people of the land…and work: for I am with you,] Remember where you were when you first got saved? The struggles you faced? When you first started serving Him? When He started changing your life? The blessings we receive now for our work are amazing, and yet will be nothing compared to when we get to spend eternity with Jesus, [Luke 12:30-32 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.]
[The glory of this latter house shall be greater] Well, little did they realize at the time that God was not talking about the temple that they just built, He was referring to a much bigger house. This is all about Jesus, and His indwelling the souls of His believers. And you want to talk about peace, He surely gives us the peace that passes all understanding, [Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.]
One thing we can be sure of is that when we put God’s work first He will be there for us and see us through every step of the way of it. And the work we do for God is not necessarily in a physical church, it is wherever He takes us. Remember, we are the church. God, will use us in whatever place He needs us, whether it be an office, a store, or a parking garage, but if we do not have His best interest, then He will not have ours. Now, three months into building the temple God sent Haggai to the priest with a message, some of them were working with unclean hands.
[Haggai 2:11-14,18-19 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, 12 If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No. 13 Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean. 14 Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean. 18 Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD’S temple was laid, consider it. 19 Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.]
[Consider now from this day and upward..from the day that the foundation…was laid,] Oh my goodness, so many Christians get caught up in what they have done in the past that it hinders them from being a faithful worker. Forget about yesterday, move forward. We mess up, I mess up, but you confess your sin, clean yourself up with Christ leading the way, and go forward, then you will see His blessings unfold like never before. Trust me, I know this to be true, [James 4:7-10 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.]
Working for God is twofold, it blesses us and others with the knowledge of Him so they too can come to know Christ as their Saviour. Even if we never see God give us anything here on earth for our good works, we have something much more incredible awaiting us, and that is the day that we spend eternity with Christ. Praise God! Well, God, also reminds the Jews of this, in His oh so, unconventional way.
[Haggai 2:21-23 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; 22 And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. 23 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.]
[O Zerubbabel, my servant…will make thee as a signet:] [Signet; That which is very highly valued, and carefully kept.] Zerubbabel, is in reference to the Messiah, who is God’s beloved, and inviolably preserved king, and supreme ruler over His Church. He is indeed the signet on God’s right hand. For all power is given to Him, and derived from Him. In Him is the gospel signed, sealed, and sanctified through His blood. One thing we can be sure of is that when we put God’s work first He will be there right with us and see us through every step of the way. The work we do for God is not necessarily inside the church walls, but wherever He takes us, as we must realize that nothing we do for God is vain or turns void, [1 Corinthians 15:57-58 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.]
Jesus Christ Revealed/Magnified: [Haggai 1:8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD. Haggai 2:23 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for the reminder of Your amazing promise to always be with us when we accept Your Son as our Saviour. You have purposed every one of Your people to work for You in some way so that we can bring others to Your Son. As life starts to bring sorrow to our song, it is easy to set Your work aside in order to try to endure it, and of course, that brings more problems instead of solutions. Lord, Help us to make and keep Your work first place in our lives so that You can show us solutions to our problems. Give us Your power, strength, wisdom, mercy, grace, and guidance to do the work You called us to do, and open our hearts so that we can do it with all our heart. And in everything we do, let us keep singing to You. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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