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Prophets and Kings
with His purpose, He was renewing His covenant that His Spirit should
remain among them; and He bade them, “Fear not.”
To His children today the Lord declares, “Be strong, ... and work:
for I am with you.” The Christian always has a strong helper in the
Lord. The way of the Lord’s helping we may not know; but this
we do know: He will never fail those who put their trust in Him.
Could Christians realize how many times the Lord has ordered their
way, that the purposes of the enemy concerning them might not be
accomplished, they would not stumble along complainingly. Their
faith would be stayed on God, and no trial would have power to move
them. They would acknowledge Him as their wisdom and efficiency,
and He would bring to pass that which He desires to work out through
them.
The earnest pleadings and the encouragements given through Hag-
gai were emphasized and added to by Zechariah, whom God raised up
to stand by his side in urging Israel to carry out the command to arise
and build. Zechariah’s first message was an assurance that God’s word
never fails and a promise of blessing to those who would hearken to
the sure word of prophecy.
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With fields lying waste, with their scant store of provisions rapidly
failing, and surrounded as they were by unfriendly peoples, the Is-
raelites nevertheless moved forward by faith in response to the call of
God’s messengers, and labored diligently to restore the ruined temple.
It was a work requiring firm reliance upon God. As the people endeav-
ored to do their part, and sought for a renewal of God’s grace in heart
and life, message after message was given them through Haggai and
Zechariah, with assurances that their faith would be richly rewarded
and that the word of God concerning the future glory of the temple
whose walls they were rearing would not fail. In this very building
would appear, in the fullness of time, the Desire of all nations as the
Teacher and Saviour of mankind.
Thus the builders were not left to struggle alone; “with them were
the prophets of God helping them;” and the Lord of hosts Himself
had declared, “Be strong, ... and work: for I am with you.”
Ezra 5:2
;
Haggai 2:4
.
With heartfelt repentance and a willingness to advance by faith,
came the promise of temporal prosperity. “From this day,” the Lord
declared, “will I bless you.”
Verse 19
.