“‘Be strong, O Zerubbabel,’ declares the LORD. ‘Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the LORD, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the LORD Almighty. ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’”

Haggai 2:4-5

So the people climbed the hill and got the wood (1:8), and the work on the house of the LORD began in earnest. A month into the rebuild, Haggai spoke again: “‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem like nothing?’” (2:3).

 Ah, the splendor of Solomon’s temple. You can read about its magnificence, its vast amounts of gold and precious stones, in 1 Kings 5-8. It took Solomon seven years to build, at the hub of a thriving Jerusalem. Zerubbabel’s temple took four years and was surrounded by a city in ruins (NIV Life Application Bible). No wonder those who had seen God’s house in its former glory were in tears.

Don’t miss the significance of the date—the twenty-first day of the seventh month (2:1). Solomon had dedicated that first temple in 440 B.C. on this very day, at the termination of the annual Feast of Tabernacles. The remnant who had returned with Zerubbabel had just celebrated that festival as God ordained: “‘live in booths (tents) for seven days…so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt’” (Leviticus 23:42-43).

What a reminder: God had provided for His covenant people in their wilderness days and in their glory days. He was not about to leave them, now that they had resumed their task. When He said “‘For I am with you…This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt’”, He meant it. Not only had He stirred up the spirit of all the people (1:14). His Spirit was with them; they had nothing to fear (2:5).   

 Be strong. Press on with the work God has called you to do ladies. As long as you are doing God’s work “‘(His) Spirit remains among you.’”    

Nancy P

All Scripture quotations are from the NIV 1973, 1978, 1984, unless otherwise noted.