ENCOURGAGEMENT FROM
THE LORD
Haggai 2:20-23,
Zechariah 4:5-14
Haggai 2:20 - 23
V:20. " The word of the Lord came to Haggai a second
time on the twenty-fourth day of the month."
A. The Lord speaks
often to those who listen to Him and follow His command.
1. As often as
the Lord spoke to Haggai, he willingly responded in obedience.
2. God does not
reveal to us all He has planned for us at once.
3. He gives us
as much as we can handle at one time.
B. We should be open
at all times to hear a word from the Lord.
1. We never know
when God will speak to us, but what we know for sure is
He will
speak to us.
2. What God
tells us to do is not only good for us, but also for those around us.
V:21 "Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah
A. Sometimes, God
gives us a word of encouragement for others.
1. Zerubbabel was
on a project to rebuild the Temple
to keep
moving forward.
2. The devil
always steps in to discourage us from following God.
3. God is more
than the whole world against us.
B. Whatever God tell
us to do, He make provisions for us to do it.
1. God provides
the environment for our success. I will
shake the heavens.
a. God can
rain down all the resources we need.
b. Our
blessing can come from unexpected places.
c. We don't
have to see how we can accomplish something.
d. We should believe
that God will provide what we need.
C. The resources we
need are all around us. God will shake the earth.
1. Sometimes
Bible prophecy speaks too the present situation and at the same time
events that
will take place in the far distance future.
2. Immediately
after the death of Jesus on the cross, there was an earthquake
in Jerusalem
a. At the
same time, there was darkness in the middle of the day.
b. God
shook the heavens and the earth.
V.22. " I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the
power of the foreign kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and their drivers;
horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother."
A. At the time of the
rebuilding of the Temple Israel
1. During the
same time frame, God gave Daniel a similar prophecy of the fall of the
Babylonian
empire.
2. By the time
Jesus was born in the flesh, Israel
empire.
3. When we can't
control ourselves because of our disobedience, God will put us
under the control of someone who can
control us as a punishment.
B. While we are under
the chastisement of the Lord, He encourages us with the
promise of a
future restoration.
1. Israel
2. Zerubbabel was
from the royal line of David.
a. God
promised David that His kingdom would have no end.
b. This was a
prophecy concerning the coming of Jesus in the flesh as the king of
3. Through Haggai,
Zerubbabel was encouraged to keep the faith in the promises of
God.
a. While we
are going through tough times, it is important to trust God.
23 "'On that day,' declares the Lord Almighty, 'I will
take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,' declares the Lord, 'and I
will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,' declares the Lord
Almighty."
A. God has a purpose
for our troubles.
1. Zerubbabel was
chosen and given the authority to lead Israel
times of
rebuilding the temple and restoring the confidence of Israel
the Lord
Almighty.
2. The signet
ring was the sign of Zerubbabel's authority over Israel
a. His
official position was governor, but his spiritual position was King.
b. His
official position assigned by the King of Babylonian.
c. His
spiritual position was assigned by the Lord Almighty.
3. God reminds us
that man has no authority over His people.
1. He allows
local governments, but He is the only authority.
B. The nations around
Israel
1. The pagan
nations threaten the very existence of Israel
2. God has more
power in the fingers of His hands than all the nations
combined.
3. What God has
chosen us to do cannot be stopped by man.
Zechariah 4:1-4
1. Then the angel who talked with me returned and wakened
me, as a man is wakened from his sleep.
2 He asked me, "What do you see?" I answered,
"I see a solid gold lamp stand with a
bowl at the top and
seven lights on it, with seven channels to the lights.
3 Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of
the bowl and the other on its left."
Zechariah 4:5-14
V:5. " He answered, "Do you not know what these
are?" "No, my lord," I replied. "
A. Sometime God
reveals His plans for us through dreams and visions.
1. Sometimes God
gives us encouragement through dreams and visions.
2. The golden
lamp stand could represent the Word of God.
a. Gold is a
valuable commodity. The Word of God is the most valuable
resource
we have in our lives.
b. We can
stand on God's Word with confidence.
3. At top of the
lamp stand was a bowl with seven lights.
a. Seven is
the number of completion.
b. We are
made complete in the Word of the Lord.
c. In God, we
lack nothing.
4. The seven
lights may represent the Word as the light of the world.
a. We have
complete knowledge of the Lord through His Word.
b. All
believers serve as a light to a darken world.
5. Notice that
from the bowl there were seven channels to each light.
1. The Word of
God is an unlimited resource to all who believe in Him.
6. The two olive
trees provide and unlimited source of oil for the lights.
1. Once we have
Word we have an unlimited source of wisdom for our
lives.
2. Our source
of wisdom will never be used up or dry out.
3. The Lord we
serve is unlimited in the resources He provides for us.
7. God will never
direct us to do something with out the resources to complete
the task.
V:6. "So he said to me, "This is the word of the
Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the
Lord Almighty. "
A. We cannot complete
our mission in life by our limited strength or power.
1. We have to
depend on the Lord to give us what we need when we need it.
2. The Spirit of
the Lord is the power of the Church.
B. The vision God
gave Zechariah may have been a prophecy of the coming of Jesus
Christ and the
giving of the Holy Spirit to the Church.
1. We need the
Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit to complete
the task God
has placed before us.
2. Zerubbabel
needed the word of encouragement that God was the unlimited
resource
behind all his efforts.
V:7 "What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel
you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of
'God bless it! God bless it!'"
A. Zerubbabel was
facing a mountain of discouragement.
1. There were
enemies outside of Jerusalem
of the nation.
2. There was the
discouragement of the people who did not want to commit
to the
rebuilding of the Temple
3. There was the
problem of rebuilding to Temple
4. There was the
discouragement of the Israelites because of their failing crops.
B. God encouraged
Zerubbabel with the message that He had all the resources they
needed to
complete the temple.
1. God is more
than all the problems we face.
2. God is able
to deliver us through troubling time.
3. If we could
only see God as our high tower, we would not worry.
V:8 Then the word of the Lord came to me:
V:9 "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation
of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the
Lord Almighty has sent me to you. "
A. When we are
working according to the will of the Lord, success is guaranteed.
1. What God
causes to start, He will ensure it's completion.
2. Zerubbabel was
commanded to rebuilt the Temple
a. The Father
set the environment, prepared the hearts of the people and
provided
the resources to ensure the completion of the Temple
V:10. "Who despises the day of small things? Men will
rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. "(These
seven are the eyes of the Lord, which range throughout the earth.)"
A. This new Temple Temple
1. Some of the
older members who remembered Solomon's Temple
at the sight
of the new temple.
B. God is not
interested in the size of the Temple
temple.
1. It is not the
size of wallet, but the size of our heart that God is interested in.
2. Jesus said
where two or more are gathered in my name, He would be in the mist.
3. We should
rather have Jesus in the House than a crowd of none believers.
C. Men should rejoice
at the sight of the Temple
1. David said, I
glad when they said, let's go into the House of the Lord.
2. When we gather
to praise the Lord, He inhabits our praise.
D. The seven means
the eyes of the Lord is everywhere all the time.
1. God knows the
condition of His people and the thought of those who oppose them.
2. God will
protect His people from all harm and danger.
3. God will cause
the world to rejoice when believers start being the Church
of
V:11 "Then I asked the angel, "What are these two
olive trees on the right and the left of the lamp stand?"
A. In heaven we are
told that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father.
1.There is no
mention of the person seated at the left
had of the Father.
2. It is the
Holy Spirit who intercede for us on earth.
3. Perhaps the
Holy Spirit is seated at the left hand of the Father.
B. The Father is our
lamp stand.
1. Zerubbabel
the governor and Joshua the high priest were the two
servants of
the Lord represented by the olive trees during the temple
reconstruction.
2. The servants
of the Lord are the sources of light to the world outside
the Church.
V:12. " Again I asked him, "What are these two
olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?"
A. The olive branches
represents the servants of the Lord.
1. We should
always be considered of those who serve the Lord in spirit and truth.
2. We should ask
ourselves are we God's servants?
3. Are we playing
our part in building the Church of Jesus Christ?
4. Do we sit on
the sidelines while others work for the Lord?
B. We will be held
accountable for our service or lack of service.
1. We have no
need to be discouraged because God assures our success.
V:13. "He
replied, "Do you not know what these are?" "No, my lord," I
said."
A. The prophet
replied that He did not know what was represented by the
olive branches.
1. It may be
that we are not serving the Lord because we don't know what
our role is in building the Church of Jesus
Christ.
2. It may be
that we are not serving the Lord because we don't consider
ourselves
important in the body of Christ.
B. The Israelites
were called to rebuild the temple.
1. They were
called to reestablish true worship of the Lord.
2. They were
called to rededicate themselves to the Lord.
3. They were
called to submit themselves to the service of the Lord.
4. We have
that same call today.
V:14. " So he said, "These are the two who are
anointed to serve the Lord of all the
earth."
A. The two olive
branches represent the Word and the Holy Spirit.
1. Jesus is the Word.
2. Jesus is the
light of the World.
3. The Work of
Jesus was completed on the cross.
4. Jesus is now
seated at the right hand of the Father, making intercessions
for us.
B. The Holy Spirit
indwells us, giving us the power and the authority to do
work of the
Lord.
1. The Holy
Spirit continues to work in us, reminding us of the Grace of our
Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
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