A Greater Blessing and a Greater Kingdom

Although believers have received the promise of an eternity with the triune God in the new heaven and the new earth, we’re often tempted to lose an eternal perspective, whether during days of mundane matters or terrible trials. You may be single and dread facing another lonely night, or you may be lonely in marriage. You may feel displaced and unappreciated at work. Your relationships with one or more of your children might be strained and it’s all you think about. Or you doubt God’s promise to protect you and provide for you. Regardless, we need to be reminded that God is with us, and He desires His people to live for a greater blessing and a greater kingdom. One place in the Bible that reminds us of this truth is the book of Haggai.

A Greater Blessing

Through Haggai the Lord reveals something about His people. They thought that the sacrifices they placed upon the altar were making them holy, but their sacrifices couldn’t be holy if their hearts weren’t holy (Hag. 2:10-19). And the presence of the unfinished temple in their midst served as evidence that their hearts were not clean. 

Likewise, attending church on Sunday, participating in the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s supper, giving an offering, and volunteering in ministry positions don’t save us or sanctify us. The real question is whether or not we have given our hearts to the Lord. Do we engage in the means of grace to try and atone for the sins so prevalent in our lives the rest of the week, or do we engage in them because we love God and want to glorify and enjoy Him?  

God commands His people to remember life before they began rebuilding the temple, especially the discipline that God had brought upon Judah so that she’d return to Him. Sadly, Judah had not repented, and therefore, experienced the curse of exile (Hag. 2:15-17).  The Lord declares that it was not a lack of their strategy or skill, but their hard hearts that had led to hard times. They had refused to repent, a refusal made clear when they left His house unfinished and built their own houses.               

Likewise, our frustrations flow from our heart. The Lord reaches out to us and invites us to rest in His provision, trust His grace, relinquish control of our lives to Him, and give Him glory for all things. Too often we continue to seek our own kingdom goals instead of seeking first the kingdom of God.

If God’s people will obey Him and rebuild the temple, then He will bless them (Hag. 2:18-19). But a life of blessing doesn’t equate to life without hardship. In fact, believers should expect tribulation (John 16:33). However, a life of obedience with trials and tribulation under the blessing of God is far better than a life of disobedience under the wrath and curse of God. When we repent of our sins and believe in Jesus we receive new hearts, and the Spirit of God enables us to obey.   

A Greater Kingdom

Not only does Haggai teach us about a greater blessing, He also teaches us about a greater kingdom (Hag. 2:20-23).  Haggai is commissioned to speak to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, concerning God’s judgment on the nations. The Lord’s exaltation of Zerubbabel and Judah was intricately connected to God’s covenant with David. The Lord had promised David that he would always have an heir on the throne (2 Sam. 7:16). It’s no surprise, then, that Zerubbabel, a descendant of David, is commissioned to lead in rebuilding God’s house. In addition, the Lord will build him a house.

The book of Haggai concludes by revealing God’s people need a better king. Significantly, Matthew’s gospel account picks up where Haggai leaves off and traces Zerubbabel’s line to Jesus Christ (Matt. 1:13). Jesus is the promised one, who has received the ultimate and final signet ring. This signet ring shines as a seal of the redemption He accomplished for God’s people on the cross. God the Father has chosen His people and seals them with the Holy Spirit to preserve them in Christ Jesus for all eternity. He has set us as a seal upon His heart because His love for us is as strong as death, even the death of His only Son. 

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Are you feeling discouraged today because life doesn’t look like you thought? Be encouraged by the message of Haggai. As we turn away from the kingdoms we think we can’t live without, and live for the glory of the true King and His kingdom, something wonderful happens. The Lord turns our anxiousness into awe, our fears into faith, and our worries into wonder. He teaches us to live for something greater—a greater blessing and a greater kingdom.

Sarah Ivill (ThM, Dallas Theological Seminary) is a Reformed author, wife, homeschooling mom, Bible study teacher, and conference speaker who lives in Matthews, North Carolina, and is a member of Christ Covenant Church (PCA). To learn more, please visit www.sarahivill.com.