Ezra 5 and Zechariah 1, Haggai 2
From Zechariah's Journal
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| Photo Courtesy The Prophet Haggai |
Haggai and I were sent by God to give messages to the people. Haggai was like a father to me. He had seen the temple before the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, destroyed it.
He knew how magnificent the temple was. I could only imagine with what he and the other priests told me. I would have liked to have seen that temple. The good news is the message Haggai last gave the people.
God told him to tell the older people a special message. They had cried because they remembered how wonderful the temple was. God told Haggai to tell the people "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."
A year had gone by. The Lord spoke to me and asked me to bring a message to the people. This is what He said:
"I, the Lord was very angry with your forefathers. Return to me, and I will return to you. Don't be like your forefathers, the ones who would not turn from their evil ways.
I sent prophets to tell them, to remind them to listen, but they wouldn't. Where are they now? And will the prophets live forever to constantly remind you to turn from evil?"
"Your forefathers repented of their ways, but they waited too long. They said, 'God has done to us what our evil ways deserve. He is a just God.'"
The next month Haggai received another message from God. This one he was to deliver to those working in the house of the Lord.
"You men who work in the house of the Lord, don't assume that because you work in the temple that you are holy. Your personal lives must be holy as well. Follow the laws that have been given to you. You are my example to the people. Holiness is to be in every part of your lives.
"Think about the seed you have tried to plant. There has not been strong crops, right? Now that you are doing the work on the temple and are obeying my words, From this day on I will bless you."
This was the last message God sent with Haggai. The people continued their work on the temple as God commanded...until...
Come back next time to see what happened.
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1. Who is Zechariah?
2. What message did God give Zechariah for the people?
3. God asked Haggai to deliver one last message. What was it?
4. Why do you think God asked certain prophets to give certain messages. Like in today's story God asked Zechariah to say one message, and he gave Haggai a different message?
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