Haggai-Something Amazing Will Happen In This Temple

By Mary Vee
Ezra 5 and Haggai 1

From Haggai's Journal

Photo Courtesy The Prophet Haggai

My name is Haggai. I am a prophet sent by God to give His message to the Jews living in Jerusalem.

I was sad to see the people working so hard on fixing their homes, making clothes to wear, building up businesses, planting crops to store food.

I was sad because these people who have been chosen by God have neglected the most important job for their return. King Cyrus gave them permission to return to their home and build the temple.

They were even given supplies by the Jews who chose to stay in Babylon.

I've already told them of God's unhappiness. Now I will say the next part of the message to them. This is what I said and was told to me by God:

"Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house so I may take pleasure in it and be honored. You expected to have a lot to use in building the temple but as you see, it has turned out to be a little. Why is that? Because I blew it away with everything else you have wasted. Go now and get new materials."

The people listened. Because of their fear for the Lord, they set to work and within three weeks the construction of the temple began.

God gave me a new message for the people, "I am with you." Which meant He was pleased.

A month later, God gave me a new message. He saw the older men and women crying. These were the ones who saw the temple before Nebuchadnezzar burned it. The building was much larger and wonderful to look at. God told me to say,

"Who has seen the temple in its former glory. How does it look to you now? Does it seem like nothing? Don't weep. Be strong and work. For I am with you. I will keep my promises. My Spirit will remain with you. Do not fear.

"In a little while I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all the nations and I will fill this house with glory. The silver is mine and the gold is mine. The glory of this temple will be greater than the glory of the former temple. And in this place I will grant peace," declared the Lord Almighty.

Like the other leaders, I thought about God's words. Something amazing would happen in this temple we were now building. 


Come back next time to see what happened.

*********************************************************************************************

1.  Who is Haggai

2.  What had the people done wrong?

3.  What did they need to do to fix the problem?

4.  What happened when they obeyed?
5.  Why did the older men and women cry?
6.  How did God comfort them?