THE GLORY OF THE LATTER HOUSE

THE GLORY OF THE LATTER HOUSE

Study Text: Haggai 2: 1 – 9

Introduction:

-          At the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah, the Jews who had returned from Babylonian Captivity renewed work on the unfinished temple.

-           When it was finished, they could not help but compare it to the original temple built by Solomon and destroyed by the Babylonians.

-          In comparison, it was as nothing (Haggai 2:3). But the prophets do not want them to be discouraged. They are not to despise the day of small things (Zechariah 4:10).

-          Haggai promises that the glory of the latter house will be greater than the glory of the former (Haggai 2:9).

-          There are three things to consider:

1.         A Backward Look - (verses 1-3): Something in the former that is better            than the presence

2.         An Upward Look - (verses 4-5): Holding onto God for a better future

3.         A Forward Look – (verses 6-9): Receiving the Prophecies and promises            for a better             future

1.         A Backward Look

-           God wants us to look backward and see those things we were doing well or that we have done well before that are better than our current situations.

-           God wants us to remember the past to help us and not to hurt us. That is we are not to live in regret of the past or to carry the pains of the past to now, but to see how our lives now and the future can be better than the past.

-           God is a God of progress, and everything in our lives should be moving forward and not to be depreciating.

-           We are to look backward in the following areas of our lives, so that we can receive the challenge for a better now and the best future:

1.         Our relationship with God. 2 Cor 13: 5

-           A lot of people started well with God, but for one reason or the other, they have fallen away from His grace.

-           A critical examination of our present relationship with God compared with what it used to be in the past can help us for a turning around for a glorious now and a better future.

2.         Our zeal for the work of God. 2 Tim 4: 10

-           A lot of people today are like Demas who was zealous and faithful in the work of the kingdom in time past, but who at present has lost the zeal.

3.         Our relationship with our family, Church members, friends and neighbours

-           There are people who were living in peaceful and loving relationships with their spouses, family members, Church members and friends in the past, but have changed to something worse today.

-           For one reason or the other known to them, they can no longer show kindness and long sufferings towards others.

4.         Our commitment to growth in our spiritual and physical lives

-           Many that were committed to their growth and development in both the spiritual and the physical aspects of their lives has gone back today.

-           They have gone back in effective praying, diligent study of the word of God, faithful attendance in Church services, and willingness to participate in spiritual activities.

-           Some are no longer committed to academic excellence and business progress and development as before.

5.         Our hope of Heaven and anticipating His return

-           Many have lost the hope of eternity in heaven, probably due to life challenges and the delay in the coming of the Lord

2.         An Upward Look.     Hebrews 12: 1-2

-           No matter how our present compare with the past, we must never be discouraged, but to look up onto God for a better now and a glorious future.

-           Absolute faith God, His words and His power is a necessary condition to walk with God, and to be blessed by Him. Hebrews 11: 6.

-           Looking upward involves:

1.         Trusting God for help in whatsoever situation we find ourselves. Proverbs 3: 3-5

-           We are not to depend on our power, on our experience or our ability, because they will fail us.

-           We are not to put our trust in other men, connections and influences of people in high position, but only on God. 2 Chronicles 20: 1-4

2.         Making our requests to be known to God in prayers. Phil. 4: 6-7

-           Even though God knows our needs, He desires and commands us to discuss them with Him in prayer and thanksgiving. 1 Chronicles 4: 9-10.

3.         Standing on the promises of God

-           We must believe and depend on the promises that God has given us in His words even when situations appear to be contrary to What He has said.

4.         Obeying completely all clear instructions

-           A biblical evidence of our love for God is the willingness and readiness to obey Him at all times.

-           Partial obedience is no obedience at all. We must depend on His grace to obey Him at all times, even when His commands seem foolish or difficult for us to carry out.

5.         Cultivating the attitude of praise and thanksgiving

-           God is not pleased with people that are murmuring and complaining about their situation, but delights in those that can praise Him and give in thanks over every situation. 1 Thess 5: 18.

3.         A Forward Look Phil. 3: 12 -14

-           We must never allow our lives to get stocked in one place. We need to forget whatever is in the past, and believe God for a better future that He has promised us.

-           There are prophesies and promises for us in the Bible assuring us of a glorious end, not minding what the past or the present is indicating.

-           There are also prophetic utterances that come unto us as we faithfully participate in listening to the word of God and in prayer through the anointed servants of God.

-           We must receive them with gladness, and believe God for the fulfilment and manifestations of those words for our glorious future.

-           All these prophesies and promises are meant for our blessings and all-round progress in this world and in the one to come.

-           In Haggai 2:9, God gave us a promise, that the glory of the latter house shall be more than the former. That is, whatever the former is in our lives, the latter shall be better, bigger, greater and more enjoyable to us. Some of these promises include:

1.         The promise of His presence

-           As seen in Matthew 18:20 which says, “For where two or more are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them”.

2.         The promise of His peace

-           In Phillipians 4:7, He promised us His peace, saying that the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

3.         The promise of His power

-           Which was given to us in Matthew 28:12

4.         The promise of His provision

-           In Phillipians 4:19, He promised us His provision.

5.         The promise of His coming

-           He promised to come again and receive unto greater glory in heaven. 1 Thess 4: 15-18

Conclusion:

-          The prophesy that the glory of the latter house shall be more than the former calls for our backward look to see areas of our lives now we need to make amendment for a better future.

-          It calls for our total trust and dependence on God for a glorious transformation of our lives and situations for a better future.

-          And also calls for our holding onto the promises of God until we see the manifestations in our lives for a better now and a glorious tomorrow.