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Day Three - Starting Small Doesn’t Mean Small Thinking

Let’s go back and look at the days before Zechariah spoke to Zerubbabel. To get a fuller picture, we have to read what a few of the other prophets were saying at the same time - these other men working on rebuilding the city.

Early in the building of the temple, Zerubbabel and his fellow builders, along with Joshua and the other priests, built an altar so they could worship. Ezra 3:3 says, Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation.

Ezra 3:8 says that after the people returned to Jerusalem, everyone started the work together. Ezra goes on in verse 11 to describe a moment of rejoicing as the foundation was laid. Even in the midst of the rejoicing, there were many weeping over what used to be. Ezra notes that the older people who saw Solomon's temple wept sorrowfully when the foundation for the new temple was laid – partly for their sin which led to the destruction of the first temple, partly because the new temple would never match the grandeur of the first.

Lesson for Us: It is possible to be sorrowful - for our own past choices or for the circumstances around us - but still move forward into the plan God has for us.

Let’s look at the people who were watching or helping Zerubbabel’s work on the temple and see what we can learn from them. Nehemiah 4:2-3 tells us about the enemies of God who watched the building and laughed at their efforts. Those are some confidence-busting words. The enemies of God tried to stop the work at the temple – and they were successful for quite a while.

Lesson for Us: How often do we stop what we are doing, even though we know it is something God wants us to do, because someone laughs at us or ridicules what we bring to the work?

Some of the older people in the city remembered Solomon’s magnificent temple. As the work progressed on this new temple, they could see enough of the foundation to determine the size of this new space. They may have noticed, and commented, that this new temple was not very impressive by comparison. Another prophet, Haggai, is sent with a message of encouragement for the builders. He was directed to speak to Zerubbabel, Joshua and the remnant (those who had been in captivity and were now back rebuilding their city).

Haggai asks: Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? (Haggai 2:3) That might not seem like an encouragement at first, but Haggai continues and encourages the people to be strong and work “for I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” (Haggai 2:4-5)

Today’s Lessons for Us:

1. Where have you stalled, or stopped working all together, either because of the opinions of others or your own discouragement with the process?
2. How often do we let our discouragement take over because we equate bigness with blessing?
3. We heard the simple commands for Zerubbabel and Joshua from Haggai: Be strong, do not fear, and work. What are you going to do today because of what you’ve heard?