365 Reflections

God constantly calls His people to Himself. The prophet Haggai called on people to restore the Temple so that proper worship might once again live in the land. As he did this, the prophet Zechariah called the people back to whole-hearted devotion to the Lord.  Zechariah 1:1–3 (ESV)  In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, 2 “The LORD was very angry with your fathers. 3 Therefore, say to them, Thus declares the LORD of hosts: Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. Yes, God sent them away in His anger over their sin. But the exile was a temporary discipline to destroy idolatry in their hearts and ultimately bring them back to Himself, rightly restored to a proper relationship.  Zechariah 1:4 (ESV) Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, Return from your evil ways ...

In chapter 2, Haggai asks the Priests a question from the Lord regarding ceremonial purity. The questions are intentional to draw out the truth that contact from holy objects to defiled cannot make them clean, while contact from defiled objects to clean objects DOES make them defiled.  Haggai 2:10–13 (ESV) On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, 11 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Ask the priests about the law: 12 ‘If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment and touches with his fold bread or stew or wine or oil or any kind of food, does it become holy?’ ” The priests answered and said, “No.” 13 Then Haggai said, “If someone who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?” The priests answered and said, “It does become unclean.” Haggai applies this principle to the nation’s spiritual condition. He concludes that the people and their nation stand defi...

We can easily get stuck in the past. That was one of the problems with Israel's leaders who returned from exile to rebuild the nation, starting with the Temple. The destruction of the former things left them heartsick over what was lost, rather than focused on what God would restore to them. And into this atmosphere, the Lord speaks through Haggai.  Haggai 2:1–3 (ESV)  In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet: 2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, 3 ‘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? Sixty-six years had passed since the exile and destruction of Solomon's temple. Perhaps only a few people remembered the former things. But sometimes you just need a hint of the past to get stuck in the pres...

Spiritual stagnation can be just as dangerous as sin.  We come to the book of Haggai. God's people have returned to the land after their exile and settled in the city and land that had been taken from them. They have made life not only bearable but quite prosperous. The work to rebuild the Temple, begun years earlier, was, however , stalled. It seemed everyone was caught up in their own well-maintained domicile and neglected the house of prayer where they met with the Lord. If the spiritual problem of Israel before the exile was idolatry and injustice, the spiritual problem after it was apathy and low interest in the very thing that made them special - the presence of God among them.  Into this situation, the prophet speaks: Haggai 1:1–4 (ESV) In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozad...

The book of Zephaniah ends on a beautiful note of hope. A famous line describes God's love for His people and rings deeply in the heart of every grateful saint He has saved. As the prophets began in Isaiah, so Zephaniah continues here, some will be saved from the day of judgment.  Isaiah 1:9 (ESV) If the LORD of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah. What should be our response to this great salvation? Zephaniah 3:14–15 (ESV) Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! 15 The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. The Lord's remnant is called to sing, for they have escaped the judgment against the city. How? Through their humility and seeking the Lord, as was mentioned in verse 11. And then that remnant is promised God's prote...

If you ever get frustrated with the sort of people who claim to be Christians and clearly are not by their lifestyle and beliefs, which they promote and practice, do not be alarmed. Zephaniah makes clear that many in his day believed they were God's people, but the day of judgment separated the remnant from among them.  The prophet begins chapter three, condemning the "holy" city.  Zephaniah 3:1–2 (ESV) Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the oppressing city! 2 She listens to no voice; she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the LORD; she does not draw near to her God. Jerusalem was a shell of religious pretense. She looked pious, but inwardly was far removed from pure devotion to God.  Zephaniah 3:3–4 (ESV) Her officials within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves that leave nothing till the morning. 4 Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men; her priests profane what is holy; they do violence to the law. Notably, and again emphasized by t...