As the physical progress on the temple stalled, a great conversation ensued. The passage I read this morning spoke clearly: God loves to communicate with His people! Isn't that cool? I am not sure why instead of listening, I often choose to tell Him what I think He ought to be doing. In any case, the prophetic word in this period of time had a neat progression. Here's my rather loose paraphrase:
What are you doing? Why are you ignoring me? When the people heeded the call, He spoke again:
I am with you. Great things are coming your way. (In fact, He moved in with them!! The Spirit dwelt among them and stirred the spirits of men up!) Only then did God say He had been displeased with their predecessors--He urged them not to be like the ones who went before. He revealed that holy things do not make other things holy but that impure things will defile. I see a reminder in that to be serious about seeking God, to be humble about our actions. Blessings follow that sort of living.
Then Zechariah saw the Angel of the Lord in a quiet, peaceful grove of myrtle trees...trees that stay green all the time. The Angel asked God how much longer the Children of God would have to wait. Though the words are not recorded, we're told the answer from God to the Angel was good and comforting. And the Angel told Zechariah, "Cry out. Tell the people God is jealous for His holy dwelling place. He sees. He is at work."
Can your heart hear that? We are His dwelling place. He is jealous for us--we are the Apple of His Eye and He is at work in our lives. Just as early in the passage, the Spirit stirred people up to good works, He does it for us today. The New Testament tells us "For it is the Lord who works in you to desire and do His good will." But the greatest nugget from my reading this morning is this statement from the God of Angel Armies:
What are you doing? Why are you ignoring me? When the people heeded the call, He spoke again:
I am with you. Great things are coming your way. (In fact, He moved in with them!! The Spirit dwelt among them and stirred the spirits of men up!) Only then did God say He had been displeased with their predecessors--He urged them not to be like the ones who went before. He revealed that holy things do not make other things holy but that impure things will defile. I see a reminder in that to be serious about seeking God, to be humble about our actions. Blessings follow that sort of living.
Then Zechariah saw the Angel of the Lord in a quiet, peaceful grove of myrtle trees...trees that stay green all the time. The Angel asked God how much longer the Children of God would have to wait. Though the words are not recorded, we're told the answer from God to the Angel was good and comforting. And the Angel told Zechariah, "Cry out. Tell the people God is jealous for His holy dwelling place. He sees. He is at work."
Can your heart hear that? We are His dwelling place. He is jealous for us--we are the Apple of His Eye and He is at work in our lives. Just as early in the passage, the Spirit stirred people up to good works, He does it for us today. The New Testament tells us "For it is the Lord who works in you to desire and do His good will." But the greatest nugget from my reading this morning is this statement from the God of Angel Armies:
"Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit."
He is all we need! Glory to God.
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