The Lord Will Make A Way

 The book of Haggai, which is also connected to the books of Ezra, Nehemiah and Zechariah is an interesting, terse and revealing book in the section of the Bible that we consider the Minor Prophets. They are not minor because of content, but minor because of the brevity of their works. Consider that Isaiah is 66 chapters whereas Haggai is only two chapters.

In reading the book of Haggai, there is some important information that needs to be shared in order for us to understand and appreciate what is going on here. Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed the temple in Jerusalem and taken the Israelites into captivity. Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25) and Daniel (Daniel 9) both prophesied this and God allowed the people to be taken into captivity as punishment for their disobedience and their idolatry. Haggai discusses some of the events after the return from Babylonian captivity which consisted mainly of rebuilding the temple. There were interruptions and distractions (See Ezra 4-6 and Nehemiah 4) but eventually the temple was finished. The foundation was laid first (See Ezra 3), there was a lag because of fear of enemies (15-16 years to be exact) and then the temple was completed.

With this in mind, let's rewind to the book of Haggai. Haggai, Ezra and Zechariah were catalysts to the rebuilding process. They had to remind the people that the state of God's temple was important as it represented their spiritual health. According to Haggai, the people had become self absorbed and were only concerned with their own places and their "paneled" houses. Because of their neglect of God's house, they were constantly chasing their tails. Read the first chapter of Haggai for a clear picture of this. One verse in particular says it all:

Haggai 1:9 "You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house."

Let me pause here to ask, have we been in a situation where we have put ourselves before God and because of that, we have lost more than we gained? If we ever get to the point where our life is more important that God's will, we can always expect trouble.

So we see, close to the end of chapter 1, God getting the people ready to work. God says in verse 7, "Consider your ways, go up to the mountains and get wood and build my house. that I may be pleased with it and be glorified." God gives the people the directive to build. They have resources but not enough to build a temple! So, here is the question, IF God has commissioned this rebuilding, how would they carry it out? Once the people obeyed and showed reverence to God, the bible says that He promised His presence and stirred the spirits of the governor, the high priest and the people (Haggai 1:13,14). They had the energy but they did not have the resources...what were they to do? Here is another great point, reverence + obedience will ALWAYS lead to God's presence and His divine energy to do whatever He has purposed!

Now we get to the meat of this post. I want to encourage anyone reading that the Lord will make a way, sometimes out of no way- but always when He has given us an assignment! Let's look at it beginning in chapter 2. What do we need to see in order to understand that the Lord will make a way?

1. We need to arecognize the truth, admit the severity of the situation and be OK with it. Chapter 2, verse 3 speaks of the former glory of the temple. "‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes?" The old men that saw this foundation wept when they thought back to the previous temple (See Ezra 3:13). They were devastated but that's OK. When there is a rebuilding project that must take place in our lives, we need to understand that if it is bad, that's OK, because God specializes in turning bad into good and that He can do miraculous things when we trust Him and operate in faith.

2. We need to be willing to do what God requires to bring His will to fruition. Verse 4: "now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts..." God says here, first of all, be encouraged, secondly...WORK! We cannot think that things will simply fall into our laps. God making a way will always require some effort on our part. If God supplies the job, doesn't it seem logical that we might have to show up to the interview? God values work, especially work done in faith.

3. We need to understand that God is with us regardless of the circumstances. Verse 5: "according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not." God says three times in these two chapters (1:13, 2:4, 2:5) that He is with them. How can we fear when God gives this type of reassurance?! In Joshua 1:5, God gave Joshua a promise that has lasted throughout the ages. Interestingly enough, God said to Joshua, "I will never leave you nor forsake you..." and this is the ONLY time in the Bible where God says this. It is repeated by Joshua in several places and in Hebrews 13:5 it is quoted, but God only said it once. There is a reason for that...God doesn't break promises and therefore doesn't have to keep repeating Himself. He repeats Himself for our benefit to strengthen our faith, but once He says anything, that is it; It is settled and His word cannot come back void.

4. Know that God controls ALL resources, all people and all things! This is how God is able to make a way, because EVERYTHING belongs to Him. When God gives a task but we cannot see where the resources are coming from...that is not time to check out and go to la la land. That is the time to realize that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. Psalm 24:1 says that the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and all that dwell within it! When the resources are scant, trust God that IF He has commissioned it, He will "finance" it, spiritually or materially! Look at the text: Verses 6-8 "For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts."

Here, it says that God will SHAKE the heavens, the earth, the seas and the nations and the treasures of the nations will come in. Here, God provided everything that the Israelites needed to finish their project. Do you not think that He will do the same for us? The bible says that God shall supply ALL of our needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19)! He controls all the resources in the earth, there is nothing that he will withhold from those of us that walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11). We are not to try to figure out where the shaking is occurring, who the resources are coming from or anything like that. Our job is to simply trust God!

Hebrews 12:26 repeats this same scripture with a clearer picture. When shaking occurs, the things that move are in the kingdom but have not submitted to God...therefore they are movable, whereas everything that is in the kingdom of God is immovable, including those of us who have reconciled with God the Father through Jesus the Son! Everything that moves is fair game for those that are immovable and that's good news. That lets me know that I serve a God in heaven that can take care of me even when I cannot see where the resources are coming from. Here is a great time to remember the scripture in 2 Corinthians 5:7...we walk by faith and not by sight!

Now, let's connect this to the most important event that happens in the life of every believer in Jesus. Before we met Jesus, all of our temples were decimated and destroyed. Believe it or not, many times our temples were destroyed by self-inflicted wounds. God's grace is such that although our temples were in ruins, He says, "Consider your ways...build my house!" God wants his house not only rebuilt but holy. God asks us to be holy as He is holy…He’s given us a huge task, but it is not something that we can accomplish on our own. God says, to us we need to rebuild the temples of our lives- sin was dominant, sin was controlling us and it was not just enough to be a “good person”

 You may ask, "How do I get there? My temple is a mess!"God says, "it’s going to cost!"You ask, "where are the resources, How do I pay?"God says, “you don’t have enough to pay!”

 God says, "I have to shake some things up"…so God shook up heaven! ALL the silver and gold in the world couldn’t pay for OUR rebuilding projects! We needed something lasting and something more precious than gold, we needed the precious blood of a Lamb without spot or blemish. We needed Jesus to get up off His throne, come to earth, lay aside his prerogative to his godly attributes, suffer the same things we suffer and come PAY for your sins and my sins! There is a popular song that says Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe, sin left a crimson stain but He washed me white as snow! Thank you Jesus for being the payment for my sins (1 John 2:2)and giving me the right to eternal life.

We needed to rebuild our temples and restore our relationship with the Father- BUT WE COULDN’T AFFORD WHAT IT WOULD COST TO DO THAT! WE DIDN’T HAVE THE RESOURCES! That's why the Lord had to make a way! I don't know about you but I am so glad that He made a way. Our temples were in shambles and we did not have the resources to rebuild them but God said, “I will make a way!” Jesus is our rebuilding resource! In Him, all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. In Him, we live and move and have our being. In Him, we are justified (Romans 5:21), we are sanctified (John 17:17) and we are the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21)! He is the way, the truth and the life! The Lord made a way for us to return home from wandering in the far country, He made a way for us to reconcile with Him and He made a way for us to live with Him for all eternity. The Way is Jesus. Grace and peace to you.