“The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth: for the Father seeketh such to Worship Him.” − John 4:23
As we continue to meditate upon the Foundation of our Christian Heritage: that of we, being built upon the Prophets, the Apostles, and Jesus Christ being the Chief Corner Stone, let us look at the physical things of the Old Testament and glean some spiritual insight. The Old Testament is about God’s dealings with His chosen people, the Israelites, Instructing them, guiding them, caring for them, and setting forth a pattern of worship! We now turn our attention to Haggai and Zechariah, prophets of the rebuilding of the Temple. The time was such: Nebuchadnezzar had captured Jerusalem, and the Temple had been completely destroyed. The Temple was the most important part of Israel’s worship as the Church should be to the Christian. Now the Temple lay in ruins. It was 50 years before the Jews were allowed to return to their beloved Jerusalem. They came with great joy and in haste begin to clear away the debris of their sacred Temple, but alas the hostility of the Samaritans, [the enemy always causes conflict] and the taxing labor, they soon lost interest and began building their own houses. 16 years pass when Haggai is summoned by God to bring the Prophetic Message for the hour. Not much is known about Haggai, He has only two chapters in the Bible, he was older, he had a deep conviction regarding the Temple of God that he loved so much … His prophetic Word was blunt and to the point, something like this: “Consider your ways, you have built your homes and the Lord’s house lays in ruin.” The spiritual concept here is: They had turned away from spiritual matters and took on the cares of life. To this moment God sends Zechariah who comes alongside of Haggai. He is compassionate, full of vision, enthusiastic and is in the project for the long haul. The Priest of the Temple rebuilding was Ezra and he records the laying of the foundation, Ezra 3:10-11, When the builders laid the foundation of the Temple of the Lord, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the Lord, after the ordinance of David king of Israel. And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord; because He is good, for His Mercy endureth forever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the Foundation of the House of the Lord was laid! I imagine God heart is full of Joy when we perfect our foundation!
Loving you, Pastor
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