Immerse: Prophets - Flipbook - Page 412
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IMMERSE
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PROPHETS
1:15–2:15
high priest, and the enthusiasm of the whole remnant of God’s people.
They began to work on the house of their God, the Lord of Heaven’s Ar
mies, on September 21 of the second year of King Darius’s reign.
Then on October 17 of that same year, the Lord sent another message
through the prophet Haggai. “Say this to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, gov
ernor of Judah, and to Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the
remnant of God’s people there in the land: ‘Does anyone remember this
house—this Temple—in its former splendor? How, in comparison, does
it look to you now? It must seem like nothing at all! But now the Lord
says: Be strong, Zerubbabel. Be strong, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high
priest. Be strong, all you people still left in the land. And now get to work,
for I am with you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. My Spirit remains
among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be
afraid.’
“For this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while
I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land.
I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be
brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the Lord of
Heaven’s Armies. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord
of Heaven’s Armies. The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its
past glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring
peace. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”
On December 18 of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the Lord sent
this message to the prophet Haggai: “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s
Armies says. Ask the priests this question about the law: ‘If one of you is
carrying some meat from a holy sacrifice in his robes and his robe happens
to brush against some bread or stew, wine or olive oil, or any other kind of
food, will it also become holy?’”
The priests replied, “No.”
Then Haggai asked, “If someone becomes ceremonially unclean by
touching a dead person and then touches any of these foods, will the food
be defiled?”
And the priests answered, “Yes.”
Then Haggai responded, “That is how it is with this people and this
nation, says the Lord. Everything they do and everything they offer is
defiled by their sin. Look at what was happening to you before you began
