Journey to Vision: learning not to be powerless over anything
Part Two
June 25th, 2024
On June 24th, 2024, I read this from the Prophet Haggai, “on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month.” (1:15; NIV) I understand that our Gregorian calendar is not the same as the Jewish calendar, however, God got my attention.
“Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”
“This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the LORD. “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why” declares the LORD Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.”
Why did the LORD Almighty do those things? The LORD is that part of God who gives out our harvest on the seed that we have sown. Remember Jesus said, our seed produces a harvest of 30, 60, one-hundred-fold or times. In verse 6 of Haggai, the LORD said, “but harvested little.” Little could be 10 times, perhaps 30 times, but not the more than enough of 100-fold. Jesus told us, we need faith, and our measure of faith determines our harvest. What we sow we reap. King David said, he would not give to God without it costing him something. He was willing to sacrifice something in order to give it to God. Remember the widow woman at the temple, who gave her last two copper coins, and Jesus said, she gave more than anyone else.
The LORD gave the people what they sowed for. In verse 2, the LORD tells his people, “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the LORD’s house.’” Haggai heard the LORD’s question, “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” Whenever God asks a question, it means you don’t have the answer, and it usually means conviction is on its way. Remember, conviction is Holy Spirit knocking on your door saying, let’s learn, let’s correct and repent. Holy Spirit is our teacher, our coach, and comforter, not our oppressor.
This word applies to everyone, wherever you are on your walk with God. If you are a newborn or have been walking with God for fifty years, God always wants you to come up higher. That means, we are to always to reach up and learn something new and learn to walk a different walk and talk with different words and build our faith.
In Deuteronomy 33:28, it says, “So Israel will live in safety alone; Jacob’s spring is secure in a land of grain and new wine, where the heavens drop dew.” In Haggai, it says in 1:10, “because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops.” (NIV) Why did the heavens withhold their dew? Us, the people.
“…where dew denotes the multiplication of truth from good, and the fructification of good through truth; and as the dew is that which every morning renders the field and vineyard fruitful, good itself and truth are signified by corn and new wine, concerning which in what follows.” (https://www.biblemeanings.info/Words/Natural/Dew.htm#:~:text=where%20dew%20denotes%20the%20multiplication,concerning%20which%20in%20what%20follows.)
You might be thinking, “Haggai is an Old Testament Prophet, we live in the New Testament.” No Word will ever pass away. Yes, Jesus is the fulfillment of the Word, yet, it says in Genesis 22 that seed time and harvest will never cease. Flip in your bible to chapter 6, verse 33 and 34 of Matthew. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (NIV) Does that not mirror Haggai 1:6? These things are, according to Matthew, what you will eat, drink, wear and money. Haggai heard, eat, drink, clothes and money.
Haggai was told the problem was that God’s house wasn’t in order, it lay in ruin. They were ordered to go into the mountains and bring down timber and build God’s house so He could be honoured. We are the temple of God. We are supposed to be seeking the Kingdom’s Way of doing things. We are supposed to be going into the Word daily, and finding the Stones of Revelation knowledge, and examining them, to receive the knowledge within the scripture. God says, His people are destroyed due to lack of knowledge.
We have all been given a measure of faith, but some people haven’t done anything to exercise that faith. Some people use their faith for evil, while others exercise it daily for good. That is part of the seeking God’s Kingdom or God’s way of doing things. You cannot please God without faith. God knows your faith, and meets you where you are; however, He expects you to come up higher and learn new things. He is calling you to “Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored.”
You will arrive here, over and over throughout your Christian walk. God will be constantly calling you to come up higher in your relationship with Him. He has new dew for you daily.
What happened on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month? “They came and began to work on the house of the LORD Almighty, their God.” As the months go on, we will revisit this, but know that on the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, Haggai declared the LORD’s Word, “From this day on I will bless you.” That means, the work was done.
Throughout the two chapters of Haggai, the LORD said, “Now give careful thought to this,” “Give careful thought to your ways.” Isaiah 33:19 says, “The fear of the LORD is the key to the treasure.” In Matthew 6:20, 21, “Store up for yourself treasure in Heaven, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
In Haggai 1:12, it says”…because the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD.”
I recommend you start understanding Matthew chapters 5, 6 and 7. Read from several bible versions and look up words you don’t understand. “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule…You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.” (MSG)
June 24 to September 24 is 92 days.
According to the Jewish Calendar, the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month is “Wednesday, 24 Kislev, 5785 – December 25, 2024”
A season is between 89 and 93 days. Be in Season, Out of SEASON.
I want to point out one important thing as you prepare for the upcoming SEASON. We do not worry, fret or become obsessed about food, shelter, clothing, water or money but that doesn’t mean we walk aimlessly about. God told Joseph to prepare for the coming famine, Noah built an ark and was told to prepare for the upcoming SEASON, the year on the boat as well as after the boat was opened. We prepare in faith, not fear.
Our theme for the year is, “Prepare the Way, Prepare the Way of the LORD God.” It is time to start speaking about the treasure in your heart. It is time to build a closer relationship with God. If you haven’t been watching and reading what I post online, you should start. We prepare in faith, not fear. God will provide and protect His sheep. Give careful thought to your ways. Read Haggai and Matthew 6, 7, and 8.
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