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hotsaucygma -> RE: Come build with me. (6/26/2008 10:13:24 AM)
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Morning everyone. Ok, not only did I "read" again, I pulled out 2 different study bibles after reading through again without "commentaries". One was a Chuck Swindoll Study Bible, one was a NIV version Life Application Study Bible. What was kind of cool was that some of what I was thinking about was "in" the commentaries. Things like "...the desired of the nations..." I was wondering if it could be a reference to the Messiah. One of the commentaries mentioned that! It said that the Hebrew word used could refer to individuals or to articles of value, that it could mean the contributions of King Darius to the temple, or could refer to Jesus - and I thought or to both! In later reading, the part about "shaking the earth, sea and nations" (mentioned in 2 places), could have been something (I believe it was Persia that invaded or something again- a bit rusty about that kind of thing) to happen "soon", or could be the 2nd coming of Jesus. Again, why couldn't it be both? After all, God knew both of them were going to happen! What we call the Bible is the living word of God. Why would it be limited to a point in time? Then the line "Word of God speak..." came to my mind, and I thought how cool that he was "speaking" to those of Haggai's time at the same time he was speaking to me, thousands of years in the future. Pretty Cool.
Another thing one Study Bible mentioned was that in those days, God manifested his presence in the place of worship. If there was no temple, the tangible or visable presence of God, a shining light, was not among his people. They didn't have the Holy Spirit in them yet. It also said that the captives were taken 66 years before Haggai's message. That there had been 16 years between their starting the building of the temple when they had first come home to Zion and when Haggai began to speak. Wow, 16 years in between. 16 years of putting off the building of God's house. Did you also notice that what God first said was "These people have said..." not "MY people", "THESE people". In 2:14, He says "This people". They were still not referred to as "His" yet. There was futility in all their pursuits- planting but not much to harvest, drinking/eating but not being filled, clothed but not being warmed, money that did not go far enough (boy can I relate to that one!)...
They had returned to Zion, the Holy land, the home of God's temple, but they were not obeying the Lord. They were not "a holy people"- not "My people". I was kind of mulling this around in my mind, not as well put together as this, but kind of mulling/rolling it around when I read the part of the commenarty that said that consecreted meat was meat set aside for sacrifice- "holy" meat. Because the consecrated meat came into direct contact with the garment it would make the garment "holy", but this would not extend to a 3rd item touched only by the garment. Transmitting (cermonial) holiness was not as easily done as transmitting (cermonial) uncleaness. It made me think - how much easier is it for each of us to sin that to be "holy"? Hmm, that which I want to do (that is good/holy), I do not do; but that which I do not wish to do (sin)... that I do. Who will ransome me from this life of sin and death?--- [:D] Thank you Jesus!! Have I heard this somewhere before [:D]?
I think (not sure if I'm remembering right at the moment) the last time Haggai spoke the Lords words, he said "So it is with this nation, this people" that everything they had done to that point was "unclean", not acceptable to God. But when they had again rebuilt, or at least started the rebuilding- not sure how far they were at that point, and winter planting time came; the Lord said From this day on He would bless them.
"Give careful thought to your ways" says the Lord" ... are we listening? Am I listening?
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