Haggai Series: Overcoming Discouragement in the Lord's Work (Hag 2:1-9)

Overcoming Discouragement in the Lord's Work

On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the Lord’s message came through the prophet Haggai again: “Ask the following questions to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the remnant of the people: ‘Who among you survivors saw the former splendor of this temple? How does it look to you now? Isn’t it nothing by comparison?’ Even so, take heart, Zerubbabel,” decrees the Lord. “Take heart, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. And take heart all you citizens of the land,” decrees the Lord, “and begin to work. For I am with you,” decrees the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Do not fear, because I made a promise to your ancestors when they left Egypt, and my spirit even now testifies to you.’ Moreover, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has said: “In just a little while I will once again shake the sky and the earth, the sea and the dry ground. I will also shake up all the nations, and they will offer their treasures; then I will fill this temple with glory,” So the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has said. “The silver and gold will be mine,” decrees the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “The future splendor of this temple will be greater than that of former times,” the Lord Heaven’s Armies has declared. “And in this place I will give peace”, decrees the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Haggai 2:1–9 (NET)

How can we overcome discouragement in our service to the Lord? After seventy years of exile in Babylon because of their sin, the post-exilic Jews returned to Jerusalem in 538/537 BC under Zerubbabel, their governor, and Joshua, the high priest, and vigorously started rebuilding God’s temple. In 536 BC, they completed the foundation. However, because of attacks by the surrounding people, a decree from the king of Persia, Artaxerxes, and their spiritual apathy, they stopped working (Ez 4). On August 29, 520 BC, after sixteen years of inactivity, Haggai challenged the post-exilic Jews about building their own houses and living in luxury while God’s house lay in ruins. In response, the post-exilic Jews repented and began to gather wood from the hills to begin building. On September 21, 520 BC, they actually started the building, and Haggai encouraged them with his second message from God, “I am with you” (Hag 1:13).

Haggai’s third message in chapter 2:1-9 takes place on October 17th, just shy of a month after they started building. Unfortunately, the seventh month of the Jewish calendar (which overlaps with September/October) was full of religious festivals, which slowed the building. The first day of the month was the Feast of Trumpets (Num 29:1), followed by the Day of Atonement on the tenth day (Lev 23:26-32). The Feast of Booths was from the fifteenth to the twenty-first (Lev 23:33-36), and the last day of that feast was October 17th, when Haggai gave his third message. The Feast of Booths was when the entire population moved out of their homes to live in leafy shelters in memory of Israel’s exodus wanderings.

Apparently, after about a month of on and off building, the post-exilic Jews were discouraged. We can discern this from the fact that God said to them three times, “take heart” in verse 4, and says to them, “begin to work. For I am with you.” He also told them, “Do not fear” in verse 5. Clearly, they were discouraged and had stopped working in the midst of all the festivals and other distractions. It’s easy to begin something, but it’s really hard to finish it. It’s easy to be excited when everybody else is excited, and there is something new to do, but it’s hard to keep going after the work becomes monotonous and opposition and delays are experienced. That’s what happened to the post-exilic Jews.

We experience this in our labor for the Lord as well, whether that is in our school, job, ministry as a spouse, parent, child, or in a local church. We all experience times of discouragement and, at times, want to quit for various reasons. The question then remains, how do we overcome these discouragements and not quit or slow down in the work God has given us? We learn principles about overcoming discouragement in our ministry to the Lord in Haggai’s message to discouraged laborers in Haggai 2:1-9.

Big Question: What principles about overcoming discouragement can we learn from Haggai 2:1-9?

To Overcome Discouragement, We Must Recognize the Reasons, Understand God Knows and Cares, and Entrust Them to Him

On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the Lord’s message came through the prophet Haggai again: “Ask the following questions to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the remnant of the people: ‘Who among you survivors saw the former splendor of this temple? How does it look to you now? Isn’t it nothing by comparison?’ Even so, take heart, Zerubbabel,” decrees the Lord…

Haggai 2:1-4a

Haggai began speaking to the post-exilic Jews sixty-six years after the temple was destroyed. Some of the Jews were in exile even before its destruction. There were three major exiles altogether in 605 BC (when Daniel was exiled), in 597 BC (when Ezekiel was exiled), and in 586 BC when the temple was destroyed. For those who were exiled in 586, they would be around sixty-six years old, but only those who were seventy and above would probably remember the first temple. Haggai asked them this question in verses 3 and 4, “Who among you survivors saw the former splendor of this temple? How does it look to you now? Isn’t it nothing by comparison?” Most likely, there were only a few who remembered the former temple and its glory, but they probably shared their discouragement with others. Solomon’s temple was glorious, filled with all types of precious metals, while the second temple was only in its beginning stages and full of rubble. In Ezra 3:12-13, when the initial foundation was completed in 536 BC (sixteen years prior to Haggai’s exhortation), the older Jews wept loudly because they remembered the beauty of the previous temple, while the younger Jews shouted. It says,

Many of the priests, the Levites, and the leaders—older people who had seen with their own eyes the former temple while it was still established—were weeping loudly, and many others raised their voice in a joyous shout. People were unable to tell the difference between the sound of joyous shouting and the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people were shouting so loudly that the sound was heard a long way off.

It's clear that God knew about their discouragement and had Haggai ask them questions to expose the reason for it. He cared, understood, and sought to encourage them. It’s important for us to know God cares about our worries and concerns as well. With Abraham, after he defeated four kings to rescue his nephew, Lot, in Genesis 14, and was worried about them possibly seeking vengeance, God encouraged him, in Genesis 15:1, by saying, “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield and the one who will reward you in great abundance.” With Christ’s disciples, in Matthew 6:25-34, when they were worried about their futures, he called them not to worry about what they woud eat, drink, or wear because God knew their needs and would provide for them as they sought his kingdom and righteousness first. Likewise, with the post-exilic Jews, God did not minimize their feelings; he exposed them and provided encouragement. He does the same with us.

Application Question: As seen with post-exilic Jews, what are common reasons we struggle with discouragement?

The reasons we struggle with discouragement while serving the Lord are legion:

1. We commonly struggle with discouragement in serving the Lord because of comparing ourselves with others or even comparing different seasons of our own life or ministry.

According to Josephus, after the second temple’s completion, it was still only half the height of Solomon’s temple. The post-exilic Jews who left Babylon with excitement to rebuild God’s temple were discouraged with the progress and its projected outlook. Comparison steals joy, demotivates, and leads to depression. Because of this, we must be careful not to compare ourselves with others. God has called one person to plant and another to water. He has called one to be the mouth (with a prominent, visible ministry) and another the liver (with a less visible ministry). If we focus on one another instead of God, we will find ourselves prideful or discouraged. In 1 Corinthians 3:6-8, Paul said it this way, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused it to grow. So neither the one who plants counts for anything, nor the one who waters, but God who causes the growth.” Also, in 2 Corinthians 10:12, Paul said:

For we would not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who recommend themselves. But when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.

As mentioned, when we compare ourselves with others, it typically leads to pride (we’re better than others), apathy (we’re about the same as others and don’t need to work harder), or discouragement (we’re not as good as others), and all three are sinful. A. W. Tozer gives a very insightful and challenging prayer we should reflect on and consider praying when we struggle with comparison and the urge to compete with others in our various ministries.

Dear Lord, I refuse henceforth to compete with any of Thy servants. They have congregations larger than mine. So be it. I rejoice in their success. They have greater gifts. Very well. That is not in their power nor in mine. I am humbly grateful for their greater gifts and my smaller ones. I only pray that I may use to Thy glory such modest gifts as I possess. I will not compare myself with any, nor try to build up my self-esteem by noting where I may excel one or another in Thy holy work. I herewith make a blanket disavowal of all intrinsic worth. I am but an unprofitable servant. I gladly go to the foot of the cross and own myself the least of Thy people. If I err in my self judgment and actually underestimate myself I do not want to know it. I purpose to pray for others and to rejoice in their prosperity as if it were my own. And indeed it is my own if it is Thine own, for what is Thine is mine, and while one plants and another waters it is Thou alone that giveth the increase.”

With that said, not only can comparing ourselves with others lead to discouragement in ministry, as we consider others’ gifts, jobs, spouses, children, etc., but also comparing different seasons of our own life and ministry. The season of schooling is different from the season of working full-time. The season of singleness is different from the season of marriage and raising kids. The season of old age and decreasing energy is different from the season of young age and vigor. Often, we can discourage ourselves by constantly looking back or constantly looking ahead. God gives us different seasons with different assignments for a purpose, and we must be faithful in them all. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 says:

For everything there is an appointed time, and an appropriate time for every activity on earth: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing … a time to keep silent, and a time to speak. A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

If we compare the season of planting with the season of uprooting, the season of breaking down with the season of building up, or the season of being silent with the season of speaking, we’ll be discouraged. We must be careful of the sin of comparison as we serve the Lord, both comparing ourselves with others and also comparing the different seasons of life and our own ministry.

2. We commonly struggle with discouragement in ministry when our expectations are unmet or delayed.

Again, with all the holy days in their seventh month, there was little movement. Even the day after Haggai’s third prophecy, the twenty-second day of the month, was a day of solemn rest (Lev 23:39), further delaying building. However, that didn’t remove God’s command to build God’s temple. It would just take longer than they wanted and perhaps expected. In fact, it would take four years, from 520 to 516 BC. With God, this is normal, since his time frame is not ours. After God told Abraham in Genesis 12 that he was going to have a child who would become a great nation, Isaac wasn’t born for twenty-five years. With Joseph’s vision of his father and siblings bowing down to him, that didn’t happen for about twenty-two years. It was about fifteen years between David being anointed as a boy and him reigning in Judah as a thirty-year-old (2 Sam 5:4). Since God is primarily concerned with our character and not our destination, the process is very important. In the waiting seasons, he develops character traits like patience, perseverance, and joy. It’s not uncommon for our expectations of his work to be unmet or delayed for a season (even a long one).

3. We commonly struggle with discouragement in ministry when there is opposition.

Again, since God said to the post-exilic Jews, “Do not fear,” in verse 5, there was probably opposition. According to Ezra 5, there was a Persian governor named Tattenai who questioned their authority to rebuild the temple, and after getting their response, sent a message to King Darius, which no doubt caused some anxiety since they had previously been told to stop working (Ez 4). With that said, if we are serving the Lord, there will always be opposition. We are in a spiritual war, and Satan wants to hinder our personal spiritual progress and any labor we do for the Lord. With Job, the spiritual opposition showed up in normal ways like sickness, financial loss, the death of relatives, and relational conflict. Behind all these was an evil force and person who wanted to attack God’s servant, hinder his witness, and turn him away from God. Satan wants to do the same to us. This is why Ephesians 6:10-13 calls us to put on the armor of God, referring to right attitudes and actions, so we can stand against the spiritual forces that assault us and God’s work. In fact, opposition, in some ways, should be an encouragement. It means that we are working. There is no need to oppose someone who is not progressing or seeking to help others progress. There is no need to oppose those who are not serving God. Opposition is a proof of faithfulness. In fact, Christ said this in Matthew 5:10-12:

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me. Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.

Opposition, persecution, and heavenly reward were the lot of the prophets, and it will be our lot as well if we faithfully serve the Lord.

4. We commonly struggle with discouragement in ministry when it’s a long-term ministry, and the initial excitement wears off.

Certainly, this may have played into the post-exilic Jews’ discouragement. It would take four years to complete the temple, from 520 to 516 BC. Even after just a month of rebuilding, the initial enthusiasm had already worn off. As mentioned, it’s easier and often more exciting to begin something than to faithfully see it to the end. This is called the honeymoon stage, but it soon wears off, especially when problems arrive. With the post-exilic Jews, the prospect of rebuilding their historic temple was initially exciting, but moving timber, clearing rubble, organizing people into teams, working through relational and administrative issues, and the reality of restoring a sixty-six year old ruin soon dampened that initial enthusiasm. With that said, ministry that really makes a difference whether that be building a church, doing missions, raising a godly family, or caring for the marginalized and hurting is often a long term ministry with slow growing fruit or cycles of growth and decline, but we must learn to be faithful in all seasons—the season of plowing, waiting, and harvesting. Long-term obedience in the same field can be hard, but it is also often the most fruitful, as we build trust with people and are able to make more impact.

God Cares

Again, as we consider the reasons we commonly struggle with discouragement, we must remember God cares about us and our discouragements and wants us to entrust them to him. Through Haggai, God asked the post-exilic Jews questions about Solomon’s temple and the one they were building to reveal their wrong thoughts and growing discouragement (v. 2-3). Because God cares, he wants us to bring all our worries, discouragements, and concerns constantly before him. First Peter 5:7 (NIV) says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” In the Lord’s Prayer, we are called to pray, “Give us today our daily bread.” God even cares about our mundane daily needs and worries. In addition, he does not despise our tears, for they are precious to him. Psalm 56:8 says, “You keep track of my misery. Put my tears in your leather container. Are they not recorded in your scroll?” In fact, many of the Psalms are individuals or a community pouring out their worries, fears, and laments before the Lord, so he can minister to them. He cares for us and our worries, fears, and discouragements as well.

To overcome discouragement in serving the Lord, we must recognize the reasons, understand that God knows and cares, and entrust them to the Lord. This is why God confronted the post-exilic Jews about their discouragement over rebuilding the temple, so they could know his concern and love and entrust their fears with him. We must do the same. Are we bringing our fears and worries before the Lord and entrusting them to him? It’s one of the ways we overcome discouragement while serving the Lord.

Application Question: What are common discouragements you struggle with and why? Why is transparently bringing our worries and discouragements before the Lord so important? Why do some people struggle with bringing their worries and discouragements before the Lord and others? What worries, fears, and discouragements is God calling you to cast before him today?

To Overcome Discouragement, We Must Strengthen Ourselves in the Lord

Even so, take heart, Zerubbabel,” decrees the Lord. “Take heart, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. And take heart all you citizens of the land,” decrees the Lord, “and begin to work. For I am with you,” decrees the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Do not fear, because I made a promise to your ancestors when they left Egypt, and my spirit even now testifies to you.

Haggai 2:4-5

After revealing the post-exilic Jews’ discouragement, God, through Haggai, commanded them to “take heart” or “be strong” (ESV, NIV). He said it three times for emphasis. It’s the same thing God told Joshua before he led Israel to conquer the promised land. In Joshua 1:6-9, he also said it three times: Be strong and brave, be strong and brave, be strong and brave! Likewise, the post-exilic Jews needed to not be led by their emotions but by their faith in God and submission to his command to finish the work. Essentially, they needed to strengthen themselves in the Lord. First Samuel 30:6 tells us David did the same thing after his wives and children, and those of his soldiers, were captured in a raid. It says, “David was very upset, for the men were thinking of stoning him; each man grieved bitterly over his sons and daughters. But David drew strength from the Lord his God.” The KJV translates it, “David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” David’s circumstances of losing his wives and children discouraged him and the murderous slander of his men, but instead of allowing his circumstances and emotions to control him, he chose to strengthen himself in God. The post-exilic Jews were commanded to do the same, and so must we when we’re discouraged while doing God’s ministry.

Application Question: As demonstrated by Haggai’s words to the discouraged Jews in 2:6-9, how can we strengthen ourselves in the Lord?

1. To strengthen ourselves in the Lord, we must put our hope in his Word.

Through Haggai, God commanded them to be strong and said he would be with them. Likewise, for us to faithfully serve God, even through discouragement, we must put our hope in God’s Word as well. We must meditate on it daily, pray it, sing it, listen to it, and allow it to encourage us in whatever God has called us to do or to go through. Second Timothy 3:16-17 says, “Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.” The Word of God equips us for every good Work, including teaching, evangelism, parenting, working, going through trials, and helping others go through trials. Psalm 19:7-8 says this about God’s Word:

The law of the Lord is perfect and preserves one’s life. The rules set down by the Lord are reliable and impart wisdom to the inexperienced. The Lord’s precepts are fair and make one joyful. The Lord’s commands are pure and give insight for life.

It protects us, imparts wisdom, makes us joyful, and gives us insight for life. As the post-exilic Jews listened to God’s Word through Haggai and responded to it, it would give them joy and strength. Certainly, God will speak prophetically to us through a sermon or through a friend, but we must, most importantly, daily come to God’s Word to study it and allow it to encourage and empower us for the works God has called us to. If we don’t do this daily, we will find ourselves weak, discouraged, and lacking the joy we are meant to have, especially during difficult times. Are we daily strengthening ourselves through God’s Word—reading it, praying it, listening to it through worship music and preaching, and sharing it with others? It gives us strength for the day.

2. To strengthen ourselves in the Lord, we must work in faith, despite negative emotions and circumstances.

After telling the post-exilic Jews to “take heart” or “be strong” three times, God told them to “begin to work” (v. 4). No doubt, working was part of the way they would become strong. If they gave in to their negative emotions (including apathy, worry, and depression) and quit, they would find themselves more discouraged, as far as obeying God and doing his work. In fact, this commonly happens when people disobey God or fail in some manner. After we fail, we often condemn ourselves (and allow Satan to) and therefore feel even more depressed and unmotivated. However, if the post-exilic Jews instead led their emotions by obeying the Lord and working on the temple, most likely their hearts would follow. This is a true principle in life. A person may not want to go to the gym and workout or eat healthy, but often when they choose to do so, despite their initial apathy or antagonism, they enjoy it and feel good about it. Their hearts respond to the leading of their actions instead of their actions following the leading of their emotions. In general, this is a distinguishing factor between a mature and immature person. An immature person is led by their emotions when they should not be, and a mature person is led by more important factors than their emotions, including being righteous, committed, faithful, and responsible to God and others. Paul put it this way in 1 Corinthians 9:27 (NIV) in describing himself as a spiritual athlete, “No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” Where with the immature, their body says, I want to sleep in, not read my Bible, or go to church and they follow it, the mature make their body get up to read the Word and go sit under the Word at a Bible preaching church, even if they don’t feel like it. They beat their body to make it a slave, instead of allowing their body, including slothful, fearful, or condemning emotions, to lead them. To encourage ourselves in the Lord, we must work in faith, including choosing to persevere through difficulty, even if our emotions and circumstances tempt us not to.

3. To strengthen ourselves in the Lord, we must remind ourselves of God’s many promises and specifically the promise of his presence among us.

After God told them to work and that he would be with them in verse 4, he said this in verse 5: “Do not fear, because I made a promise to your ancestors when they left Egypt, and my spirit even now testifies to you.” “My spirit even now testifies to you” can also be translated “my Spirit remains in your midst” or “among you” as in the ESV and NIV. The promise seems to refer to God’s covenant with Israel to be with them and dwell among them. He protected and led them through the wilderness by fire at night and a cloud by day and dwelled with them in the tabernacle and later the temple. In Exodus 33:14, God promised this to Moses and Israel, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Even though the temple was in ruins, God said he was still with the post-exilic Jews. He had not abandoned them. He was present, empowering them to do his work, and this should have delivered them from fear and worry. Zechariah, who was a prophetic partner of Haggai, shared a similar message from God to the post-exilic Jews in Zechariah 4:6: “This is the Lord’s message to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by strength and not by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” God’s Spirit was among them, empowering them to work and complete the temple, despite their discouraging circumstances and emotions.

God has given us the same promises. He has given us his Spirit and promised to be with us and empower us for his work. When we committed to Christ as our Lord and Savior through faith in his death for our sins and resurrection, God’s Spirit came to indwell us. Consequently, we are now, individually, the temple of God (1 Cor 6:19), and when we worship and serve him with others, his presence manifests among us in a special way. Matthew 18:20 says, “For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.” Also, Matthew 28:18-20 says,

Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

As the disciples were called to make disciples of all nations and were potentially worried about their inability, resources, and the opposition, they needed to remember Christ was in control, as all authority had been given to him, and he was with them to empower them. We must remember the same as we serve the Lord as parents, workers, and ministers. This reality should deliver us from the fear and discouragement that commonly come with obstacles and circumstances we can’t control. Paul reminded Timothy of the same when he was being hindered by fear and discouragement in his ministry to the Ephesians. In 2 Timothy 1:7, he said, “For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.” We have God’s presence with us to give us power to do his work, love the unlovable and those who hurt us, and self-control when we struggle with discipline or negative emotions like fear, anxiety, anger, and depression. God is with us, and therefore, we don’t need to be afraid or discouraged.

Steve Cole shared this story about missionary David Livingstone in his sermon on this passage. He said:

After many years of hardship and danger in the heart of Africa, David Livingstone received an honorary doctorate from the University of Glasgow. On that occasion, he said, “Would you like me to tell you what supported me through all the years of exile among people whose language I could not understand, and whose attitude toward me was always uncertain and often hostile? It was this: ‘Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ On those words I staked everything, and they never failed.”

We must stake everything on this promise as well. It will deliver us from many fears and lies of the enemy. We must strengthen ourselves with it and pursue God in a deeper manner, especially when discouraged. James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.”

With that said, there are many promises we should take hold of to help strengthen ourselves in the Lord and deliver us from discouragement. When we sin, in 1 John 1:9, God has promised, “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.” When we’re worried, in Philippians 4:6-7, he says, “in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” When we struggle with financial or material lack, in Matthew 6:33, Christ said, “But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” When we’re mistreated and abused, God says in Romans 12:19-21,

Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

And when we struggle to conquer habitual sins or dispositions like depression and discouragement, Galatians 5:16 and 22-23 says, “But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh… But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

God has given us many promises to encourage us in the Lord. Some of them are unconditional, such as, “I’ll never leave you nor forsake you,” and others are conditional. As mentioned, he promises to give us his peace if we practice prayer and thanksgiving in every circumstance instead of worry and complaining (Phil 4:6-7). He promises deliverance from the fruit of the flesh as we “live” or “make our home” in the Spirit by meditating on God’s Word, obeying it, worship, prayer, fellowship, confession, and service (Gal 5:16). When we can’t overcome some aspect of our flesh (anger, lust, depression), it’s a sign to “live more in the Spirit.” The inability to be delivered from the lust of the flesh should be viewed like a hunger pain, simply telling us to eat more of the things of God and starve the flesh. The promises God gave to encourage ourselves in the Lord and overcome discouragement are legion. Second Peter 1:4 says,

…he has bestowed on us his precious and most magnificent promises, so that by means of what was promised you may become partakers of the divine nature, after escaping the worldly corruption that is produced by evil desire.

He gives us these promises so we can look like him and escape the world’s corruption. This is what God did through Haggai: remind the post-exilic Jews of his covenant promise to be with them in a special way. He would empower them to complete his work and be a light to the nations. Consequently, they didn’t need to fear their smallness, that of the temple, the threat of their surrounding neighbors, or the Persian empire. The same is true for us. His promises and his presence are too great to allow fear and discouragement to slow us down, distract us, or stop his work. He has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the magnificent promises in his Word (2 Pet 1:3-4). They help us find strength in the Lord and perseverance through trials, especially when discouraged and motivation declines or is absent.

4. To strengthen ourselves in the Lord, we must remember God’s past faithfulness.

When God said this through Haggai in verse 5, “Do not fear, because I made a promise to your ancestors when they left Egypt, and my spirit even now testifies to you,” he was reminding the post-exilic Jews of God’s past faithfulness to Israel when he delivered them from Egypt and how he would also faithfully deliver them. This is one of the ways God has historically encouraged his people. For example, when God provided manna from heaven to feed Israel in the wilderness, he told them to keep some of the manna and put it in the ark of covenant. It was meant to stay there to encourage future generations (Ex 16:32-34). Likewise, when God parted the Jordan River so Israel could cross over into the promised land, he told them to take twelve stones from the dried-up river bed for future generations to be encouraged (Josh 4:1-7). Again, these were done to remind the Israelites of God’s past faithfulness (his provision and deliverance). These encouragements were especially important as they were soon to fight the Canaanite nations in the promised land.

Because of this reality, spiritually older Christians have an advantage over younger ones. As we walk with the Lord, we develop a history with him—a history of being delivered from habitual sins, reconciled in strained or broken relationships, the opening of doors that nobody could shut, being carried through various difficulties, and God using them for our good. God’s past faithfulness is meant to encourage us and give us confidence in his present and future faithfulness. Therefore, as God called for the Israelites to preserve manna and rocks to remember God’s faithfulness, we must learn to do the same when God carries and delivers us through various trials, so we can better remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness and find encouragement, especially in difficult times. Unfortunately, like the disciples who were worried about how to feed the 3,000 after Christ had previously miraculously fed the 5,000, we are prone to forget God’s faithfulness and become consumed with our present difficulties. For this reason, spiritual disciplines like journaling are very important—writing down our prayer requests and concerns to the Lord, documenting God’s answers and our thanking him for it, even as we see done in the Psalms. When we do this, we can look back over a documented history of God’s faithfulness to encourage us in times of doubt or worry. As we survey his faithfulness, we can say to ourselves, “He did it before, and he will do it again!”

Listening to Testimonies and Sharing Them

With that said, when God reminded the post-exilic Jews of his faithfulness to their ancestors who were miraculously delivered from Egypt, no doubt, this would have reminded them of their recent miraculous deliverance from Babylon. This demonstrates the importance of both listening to others’ testimonies (as the post-exilic Jews remembered God’s faithfulness to their ancestors) and sharing ours (as the post-exilic Jews remembered their own recent deliverance). Psalm 107:2 and 42 command this, both our sharing of testimonies and listening to others’. It says, “Let those delivered by the Lord speak out, those whom he delivered from the power of the enemy… Whoever is wise, let him take note of these things. Let them consider the Lord’s acts of loyal love!” Because of how encouraging and faith-building testimonies are, many saints champion the reading of Christian biographies. By considering God’s faithfulness to others in various difficulties and waiting seasons and his miraculous works through them, it greatly encourages the readers and helps them to be faithful (cf. Heb 12:1-3). To encourage ourselves in the Lord, we must remember God’s past faithfulness to us and others. This is why God reminded the post-exilic Jews of his deliverance of their ancestors and, by implication, their own. We must remember God’s faithfulness as well and share it with others.

When God calls for the post-exilic Jews to “take heart” or be strong three times and told them to not fear, he was calling them to find their strength and encouragement in the Lord, even if their circumstances and feelings left them discouraged. We must learn to strengthen ourselves in the Lord as well, through (1) putting our hope in God’s Word, (2) working in faith despite negative emotions or circumstances, (3) reminding ourselves of God’s promises, including his presence, and (4) remembering God’s past faithfulness to us and others.

Application Question: Which way to strengthen ourselves in the Lord stood out most, and why? How do you practice strengthening yourself in the Lord, especially when discouraged? Why is sharing our testimony and hearing others’ testimonies so important? How have you been blessed by hearing the stories of God’s work in others? How is God calling you to memorialize his past faithfulness, so you can better remember it and gain strength from it in the present and future?

To Overcome Discouragement, We Must Focus on the Eternal Instead of the Temporal

Moreover, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has said: “In just a little while I will once again shake the sky and the earth, the sea and the dry ground. I will also shake up all the nations, and they will offer their treasures; then I will fill this temple with glory,” So the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has said. “The silver and gold will be mine,” decrees the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “The future splendor of this temple will be greater than that of former times,” the Lord Heaven’s Armies has declared. “And in this place I will give peace”, decrees the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Haggai 2:6-9

As the post-exilic Jews were discouraged about the small beginnings of the second temple in comparison with the first and possibly the threat of the surrounding peoples and Persia, God gave them a prophecy that would have multiple partial fulfillments but ultimately be fulfilled at the second coming of Christ. When God said this in Haggai 2:6, “In just a little while,” this would have caused the post-exilic Jews to think God was going to fulfill these prophecies immediately. However, we must remember what Peter said in the context of Christ’s coming to bring judgment and establish his kingdom. In 2 Peter 3:8, he said, “Now, dear friends, do not let this one thing escape your notice, that a single day is like a thousand years with the Lord and a thousand years are like a single day.” To God, a single day is as long as a 1,000 years, and a 1,000 years is as short as a day. God has a different sense of time than we have, since he is eternal. With that said, we are made in his image. We are eternal creatures, in the sense, that though our bodies may die, we will all experience the resurrection and dwell forever in one of two places. In order to overcome discouragement, we must develop an eternal view of things and not just a temporal one.

Interpretation Question: What does the prophecy in Haggai 2:6-9 refer to?

In verse 6, when God said he was going to shake the sky, earth, sea, and ground, he was speaking symbolically, in part, of shaking nations as verse 7 clearly says. “I will also shake up all the nations, and they will offer their treasures; then I will fill this temple with glory.” In fact, Haggai 2:6 is the only verse of Haggai quoted in the New Testament. In Hebrews 12:26-29, it refers to God shaking what is made, so only what is eternal will last. It says,

Then his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “I will once more shake not only the earth but heaven too.” Now this phrase “once more” indicates the removal of what is shaken, that is, of created things, so that what is unshaken may remain. So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe. For our God is indeed a devouring fire.

In the context of Hebrews 12, he was initially referring to God shaking Mount Sinai before God gave the covenant to Moses and Israel (Ex 19:18). The shaking symbolized God’s presence and the new thing he was about to establish in the Mosaic covenant. Likewise, there will one day be a shaking, not of mountains, but of nations and everything that is temporary as God brings his unshakable, eternal kingdom. According to the author of Hebrews, this should cause us to worship God, be devoted to him, and live with a holy fear.

Again, like many Old Testament prophecies, this seems to have multiple fulfillments. Haggai 2:7 says this shaking of nations would lead to them bringing treasures into God’s house and God filling it with glory. Then in verse 9, he says, “‘The future splendor of this temple will be greater than that of former times,’ the Lord Heaven’s Armies has declared. ‘And in this place I will give peace’, decrees the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

In what ways would this be fulfilled partially and ultimately? There are different views on this. This prophecy was given to the discouraged post-exilic Jews working to rebuild the ruins of the first temple. Soon after the Jews began to rebuild, God shook Persia. In Ezra 5, the Persian governor, Tattenai, sent a letter to King Darius to inquire about the Jews’ authority to rebuild the temple. In Ezra 6, Darius replied with an affirmation of their efforts and a declaration that the costs should come from the taxes in the royal treasury. Ezra 6:8-10 says,

I also hereby issue orders as to what you are to do with those elders of the Jews in order to rebuild this temple of God. From the royal treasury, from the taxes of Trans-Euphrates, the complete costs are to be given to these men so that there may be no interruption of the work. Whatever is needed—whether oxen or rams or lambs or burnt offerings for the God of heaven or wheat or salt or wine or oil, as required by the priests who are in Jerusalem—must be given to them daily without any neglect, so that they may be offering incense to the God of heaven and may be praying for the good fortune of the king and his family.

The post-exilic Jews did not have to fear the threat of the surrounding nations or worry about the small beginnings of the rebuilt temple because God was in control of the nations and their money and would use them to bless his temple. As a further partial fulfillment, centuries later, Herod the Great began a refurbishing and expansion of the second temple that lasted for over eighty years (ca. 20 BC to AD 63). It had been under construction for forty-six years when the Jewish leaders spoke to Christ in John 2:20. They said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and are you going to raise it up in three days?” The future splendor of the second temple was, in fact, greater than the first.

As for verse 7, when God said, “Then I will fill this temple with glory,” we have no record of God’s glory cloud entering the second temple as it did with Solomon’s temple in 2 Chronicles 7. However, over 500 years later, Jesus, who was God incarnate, entered the temple several times, as a baby, a child, and as a man (Lk 2:22-38, 41-52, John 2:13-22, Lk 21:37-38). This fulfilled a prophecy by Malachi, a later post-exilic prophet. Malachi 3:1 said,

I am about to send my messenger, who will clear the way before me. Indeed, the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant, whom you long for, is certainly coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

In fact, when Christ came to the temple, in Matthew 12:6, he said, “something greater than the temple is here.” In this sense, God’s glory entered the temple. According to Colossians 2:9, in Christ, “all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form.” Also, John 1:14 says this about Christ, “Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.” With that said, this seems to also only be a partial fulfillment. Again, Hebrews 12:27-29 links Haggai 2:6 with the removal of all things that can be shaken and the full arrival of an unshakeable kingdom at Christ’s second coming. It says,

Now this phrase “once more” indicates the removal of what is shaken, that is, of created things, so that what is unshaken may remain. So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe. For our God is indeed a devouring fire.

When Christ comes again, he will enter the temple. Currently, there is no temple, since the second temple was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70. As we consider Haggai’s prophecy, it’s clear that God and the Jews saw the second temple as a continuation of the first, and the same will be true of any future temples (cf. Dan 9:27, Ez 40-48). In Haggai 2:3, God said, “Who among you survivors saw the former splendor of ‘this’ temple?” and in verse 9, he said, “The future splendor of ‘this’ temple will be greater than that of former times.” To God, the destroyed temple of Solomon, the rebuilt second temple, and the temple Christ will enter at his second coming are just different manifestations, in different times, of the same temple. Ezekiel 40-48 describe a future, millennial temple with dimensions that did not fit the second temple and God’s glory filling it in Ezekiel 43:1-5. It says,

Then he brought me to the gate that faced toward the east. I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east; the sound was like that of rushing water, and the earth radiated his glory. It was like the vision I saw when he came to destroy the city, and the vision I saw by the Kebar River. I threw myself face down. The glory of the Lord came into the temple by way of the gate that faces east. Then a wind lifted me up and brought me to the inner court; I watched the glory of the Lord filling the temple.

Many interpreters believe this will be built by Christ in fulfillment of the Davidic covenant. In 2 Chronicles 17:11-12, God said this to David, “When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.” This was partially fulfilled through Solomon, who built the first temple, but it will ultimately be fulfilled through Christ, who will have an everlasting reign as the Davidic king. As Solomon, David’s son, built the first temple, David’s greater son, Christ, will build a future temple. Since Christ is our high priest, he will not only rule as king but minister to us in the temple as our priest (cf. Psalm 110:4, Heb 4:14-16, 6:20, 8:1-3).

With that said, some see this prophecy only fulfilled symbolically in Christ building the church, which is his temple, and/or in the final stage of the kingdom in Revelation 21 where there will be no physical temple because God and Christ will be the temple. Revelation 21:22 says this about heavenly Jerusalem, “Now I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God—the All-Powerful—and the Lamb are its temple.” For these interpreters, there will be no literal temple in Jerusalem. Others see all of these as true in some sense, fulfilled in different stages of the kingdom (the millennial and eternal kingdom). To add to the literal view of a millennial temple (Ez 40-48), not only will God’s glory enter this temple, but according to other prophecies, not just Haggai 2:7-8, nations will bring their treasures to this temple. Isaiah 60:5-7 says,

Then you will look and smile, you will be excited and your heart will swell with pride. For the riches of distant lands will belong to you, and the wealth of nations will come to you. Camel caravans will cover your roads, young camels from Midian and Ephah. All the merchants of Sheba will come, bringing gold and incense and singing praises to the Lord. All the sheep of Kedar will be gathered to you; the rams of Nebaioth will be available to you as sacrifices. They will go up on my altar acceptably, and I will bestow honor on my majestic temple.

Zechariah, Haggai’s contemporary, affirms this in Zechariah 14:14 and 16, which seems to refer to the end times after Christ returns:

Moreover, Judah will fight at Jerusalem, and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered up—gold, silver, and clothing in great abundance…Then all who survive from all the nations that came to attack Jerusalem will go up annually to worship the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, and to observe the Feast of Shelters.

When Christ returns to Israel at the second coming and God’s glory enters the latter-day temple, the nations will bring their treasures to it, and its glory will far surpass the glory of any temple prior to it.

Translation Conflict (v. 7)

With that said, it should be noted that when Haggai 2:7 says, “they will offer their treasures,” some older translations like the KJV translate this, “the desire of all nations shall come” referring to the messiah and not nations bringing their treasure into the temple. Throughout the centuries, many ancient rabbis and early Christians took this view, which Christ would have fulfilled in his first coming. However, since “desire” is singular in the Hebrew and “come” is plural , there is a consensus in modern translations that this text does not refer to the messiah but to the treasures of nations (as in the NET translation). It also fits the context of the Jews being discouraged about the glory of the temple they were rebuilding and verse 8, when God says, “The silver and gold will be mine.” Either way, the overall prophecy is messianic as God said he would fill the temple with “glory” (v. 7) and in the temple “give peace” (v. 9), which is fulfilled through Christ in his first and second comings.

The post-exilic Jews needed to be encouraged by the fact that the rubble they saw and the small beginnings of the second temple were not the only things God saw. He saw the glory it would have, partially in Darius reversing the ruling of the Persia’s previous king and sending taxes to complete the temple, its over eighty years of refurbishing and expansion under Herod and Christ entering it during his first coming, but ultimately, in the final stage of the temple when Christ returns, God’s glory fills it, and the nations send their treasures to it, as they worship the true God who saved and delivered them from eternal judgment.

Give Peace

Interpretation Question: What did God mean after describing the final stage of the temple and its glory when he said, “And in this place I will give peace” (v. 9)?

The temple represented both communion with God and separation from him. The high priest could only go into the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement to offer a sacrifice for himself and the sins of the people. Only the high priest could enter God’s presence on that day, and nobody else, because God was holy and the people were not. The temple represented intimacy with God, as his presence dwelled among the people, but it also represented separation because for all, he was unapproachable in his fullness. However, when Christ eventually died for the sins of the people, the veil that separated the people from God’s presence in the Holy of Holies was torn, meaning that we now have direct access to God because Christ is now our high priest. Hebrews 4:14-16 says it this way:

Therefore since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.

We have peace with God because of Christ’s death and resurrection for our sins. We can confidently enter his presence to receive grace and mercy in our time of need. We are no longer separated from God because our sins have ultimately been atoned for. Consequently, there is no need for sacrifices year after year. Christ is our peace. Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

With that said, Christ did not just come to bring us peace with God but also with other people. Sin brought conflict and discord between Adam and Eve and between their children (Gen 3:16). Therefore, we all struggle with relational conflict and discord, and so have all nations and people groups, as seen through rampant hatred, racism, ethnocentrism, conflict, and war. However, Ephesians 2:14-18 says this about God’s plan for diverse people groups and individuals through Christ:

For he is our peace, the one who made both groups [Jew and Gentile] into one and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility, when he nullified in his flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He did this to create in himself one new man out of two, thus making peace, and to reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by which the hostility has been killed. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, so that through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer foreigners and noncitizens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household,

The terms Jew and Gentile cover all the people in the world. It was God’s plan through Christ to make people one, instead of divided. Christ came to bring people peace with God and between one another.

Furthermore, Christ came to bring people peace within themselves, peace of mind, and joy. After sin came into the world, a new word entered Adam’s mind, and it was “fear.” He said to God, “I was afraid… so I hid” (Gen 3:10). Now we are afraid about the past, present, and future. We have fears and worries that lead to a lack of transparency and intimacy with others and depression. Proverbs 12:25 (NKJV) says, “anxiety in the heart of man causes depression.” Christ came to give us peace in a world of uncertainty and fear. In John 14:27, Christ said this to his disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage.” This peace became ours in Christ when he died for our sins and rose from the dead, and we accepted him as our Lord and Savior through faith. We just have to access it through prayer, worship, abiding in God’s Word, and trusting in him, as Philippians 4:6-9 teaches. Because we have been reconciled with God, we can be reconciled with others and within ourselves.

Finally, the peace Christ has brought and will bring ultimately at his second coming is more than peace with God, one another, and in ourselves. Peace, “shalom” in Hebrew, is not just the absence of conflict but also the presence of completeness or wholeness. It sums up all the blessings of the messianic age and eternal kingdom, including a restored creation. Isaiah 11:4-9 says this about the messiah and his reign:

He will treat the poor fairly and make right decisions for the downtrodden of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and order the wicked to be executed. Justice will be like a belt around his waist, integrity will be like a belt around his hips. A wolf will reside with a lamb, and a leopard will lie down with a young goat; an ox and a young lion will graze together, as a small child leads them along. A cow and a bear will graze together, their young will lie down together. A lion, like an ox, will eat straw. A baby will play over the hole of a snake; over the nest of a serpent an infant will put his hand. They will no longer injure or destroy on my entire royal mountain. For there will be universal submission to the Lord’s sovereignty, just as the waters completely cover the sea.

When Christ returns and God’s glory enters the temple, all things will be reconciled! Christ will bring Shalom, peace! Colossians 1:19-20 says this about Christ,

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in the Son and through him to reconcile all things to himself by making peace through the blood of his cross—through him, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

With all that said, it seems like Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the exiles who were discouraged would not have comprehended the depth of the prophecy in Haggai 2:6-9. Through the prophecy and others, they could discern that God was in control of the nations, so they didn’t need to be afraid of Persia or the surrounding people, and even though the second temple’s beginning were meager, especially in comparison to the original one, God was going to bring wealth and glory to it. But they probably never would have discerned that the promise was ultimately eternal, fulfilled in part at Christ’s coming 500 years later and ultimately when he returns again. Likewise, if we only have a temporary view of life and the trials we go through, we will find ourselves constantly discouraged and maybe even mad at God for how things are or will turn out. Though Abraham was called to leave his country to go to a land God would give him and his seed, he died while only owning the grave site of his wife, and his seed, Israel, has intermittently had the land. They have been exiled twice from it and are still fighting over it. With David, his son was promised to build the temple and have an everlasting reign. However, there has not been a Davidic king over Israel for thousands of years. Each of these and many others died in faith, since the fulfillment of God’s promises is ultimately eternal. The writer of Hebrews said this about Abraham and others who died in faith.

By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land as though it were a foreign country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with firm foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Hebrews 11:9–10

These all died in faith without receiving the things promised, but they saw them in the distance and welcomed them and acknowledged that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth.

Hebrews 11:13

Likewise, we must develop an eternal view so that we can overcome the many discouragements that come in life. This life is temporary, filled with problems and difficulties, but God’s promises and calling on our lives are eternal and ultimately lead to peace, joy, and righteousness. In 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV), Paul shared why we need to fix our eyes on the eternal instead of the temporal. He said,

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

We do not despair at the events happening within us or around us, and we don’t stay discouraged. Why? Because we realize what is happening now in our body, family, government, and world is temporary, but the things of God are eternal, so we focus on those. In a little while, God is going to shake the nations, Jesus will return, and God’s glory will enter into the temple. The temporary things of this earth will be shaken and destroyed, and only the eternal will last. If we are going to overcome discouragement, we must learn to fix our eyes on that which cannot be seen, as revealed in the prophecies of Scripture, instead of what is seen. In Colossians 3:1-3, Paul again commanded this eternal focus. He said:

Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth, for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Practically, this means, yes, our bodies will get sick and eventually die, and if we focus solely on that, we will be discouraged. But if we focus on how Scripture says our spirits never will die, and we will have a resurrected body, then we can have joy in the midst of aches, pains, fading memories, and our eventual death. Yes, our friends and family will eventually pass away as well, but if they are in Christ, there is a sense in which they never will. Yes, we will get older, lose energy and strength, and not be able to do many things we previously enjoyed, but one day, we will have new bodies and will serve God with more vigor, strength, and joy than we ever have. Yes, our governments and nations are commonly in turmoil ethically, socially, and economically, but an eternal kingdom of peace and righteousness is coming soon. Therefore, we choose to fix our eyes on what is unseen and unshakeable and not on what will constantly be shaken (money, finances, physical health, and governments), which would constantly lead us to despair. The eternal kingdom we are part of is coming soon in its fullness, and it will not be shaken.

Again, when God said, “In a little while” (2:6), Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the post-exilic Jews would have probably focused solely on their immediate circumstances and near future, and possibly struggled with further discouragement because of never experiencing the fullness of this eternal prophecy. Likewise, many of us will struggle with discouragement if we never learn to take our eyes off the temporary to focus on the eternal. By laboring for God today, even when things seem ordinary, insignificant, and hard, we are often participating in God’s global and eternal purposes, as reflected in God’s prophecy to the post-exilic Jews. God gives us prophecy, the unveiling of the future and ultimately the end, so we can have strength, peace, wisdom, and endurance for today and the work he has called us to. We are a part of a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and God is working even when we cannot perceive it. Therefore, we should not lose heart when experiencing the temporary shaking of our finances, health, relationships, nation, and the world. As God said through Haggai, “In a little while,” an unshakeable kingdom and the King is coming. Amen! And let us pray, “Lord, come! Lord, come!”

Application Question: Why does God give us prophecy in the Bible, for what purposes? Why are so many Christians afraid to study prophecy? How can we overcome that fear? How should we handle minor differences in theology, especially when it comes to eschatology (pre-millennial, post-millennial, amillennial, etc.)? Since we are a part of an unshakeable kingdom that is here and coming, how should that encourage us when we experience various shakings in life (job, health, finances, relationships, war, etc.)? How is God calling you to practically apply this truth?

Conclusion

How can we overcome discouragement in doing the work of the Lord? The post-exilic Jews looked at the rubble of the temple, the slow progress, and the projected outcome and became discouraged. But God spoke through Haggai to encourage them. They should take heart, not be afraid, and work because God was with them and what he was doing was bigger than what they can see. That’s true for us today as well. What God is doing in our lives, families, nations, and world is bigger than we can see. Therefore, we should get busy and work for God’s glory and his kingdom. In fact, after teaching on Christ’s return and the resurrection of the dead, Paul said this in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “So then, dear brothers and sisters, be firm. Do not be moved! Always be outstanding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” Amen!

1. To Overcome Discouragement, We Must Recognize the Reasons, Know That God Understands and Cares, and Entrust Them to Him

2. To Overcome Discouragement, We Must Strengthen Ourselves in the Lord

3. To Overcome Discouragement, We Must Focus on the Eternal Instead of the Temporal

Application Question: What stood out most in the text/study and why? How has God called you to apply it to your life?

Prayer Prompts

• Pray for God to deliver his people, including us, from lies of the devil and discouragement.

• Pray for God to encourage his people through the Word, fellowship with one another, and his manifest presence.

• Pray for God to give his people a greater vision of his glory and kingdom, including how their labor and prayers fit into his redemptive plan.

• Pray for Christ to return and bring his eternal peace, including the renewal of the heavens and the earth.