Haggai 2:9

New International Version (NIV)

‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty.

For Meditation

The people have returned from their seventy-year exile in Babylon. The magnificent temple of the Lord, constructed by Solomon, lies in ruins. The people start to reconstruct it for the restoration of the temple worship. Halfway into the project, the work comes to a screeching halt. “We are living in challenging times, and so we cannot continue the temple project”, they say. Meanwhile, they have enough resources to construct paneled houses for themselves. The Lord rebukes and warns the people to consider their priorities (Haggai 1:3-11), and they repent and get back to work on the temple (14-15).

That’s all God expects from His people when He speaks – obedience! It pleases God when His people obey Him and change their ways. He sent a word of encouragement to the people (2:1-7), reminding them that the silver and gold are His (8). God promised them that “The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house” (9).

We can use such encouragement, assurance, and promise in our lives today; and the Lord will give to us. But we have to learn that it starts with simple obedience. God calls us in many ways to consider our priorities by putting Him first in our lives. We are His temple and His glory increases in our lives as we live in obedience to Him in everything.

1. Do we recognize the people God sends our way to warn, encourage, and challenge us to walk with Him in holiness (1:1)?
2. Do we hear His call for personal assessment and change of our priorities (5)?
3. Can we open our eyes to the negative effects of our poor choices (6)? Can we use that as motivation for spiritual renewal?
4. Can we get into His word to mine encouraging words to strengthen our feeble arms and weak knees?
5. God promises that we will grow from one degree of glory to another as we obey Him. Can we believe Him?

I pray we do, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Cor. 4:17).

So: May you obey the Lord in everything, despite the difficult and challenging times; and may the Lord carry you into eternity with increasing glory, in the name of Jesus.

Shalom