Daily Reading: Haggai
Haggai 2:19 “Is the seed yet in the barn? Yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.”
Haggai 2:23 “In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the Lord, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts.”
The first verse here stood out to me because of it’s promise. From this day will I bless you. Maybe it doesn’t look like anything is happening, maybe the trees and the vine are still bare but it takes time to produce fruit but when it comes you will be amazed at the abundance. That’s not exactly what it says but that’s the picture I get from reading it. Don’t be discouraged by what you see…blessing is not dependant on what your imagination is capable of…God can make son’s from rocks…He can make something from nothing and He can make blessings out of despair.
In the second verse His words to Zerubbabel are so inspiring…I wish to hear Him speak to me in such a way. I will make thee as a signet. A signet, if I’m not mistaken is like a signature stamp. A signet ring had a mark that when pressed in wax of some sort left a seal and an impression that let the recipient know it was from the owner of the seal or the ring. Rings and stamps like this were carefully guarded and if one were stolen it was like having your identity stolen. God was giving Zerubbabel the honor of being a seal with His own signature. His words, his actions, his service and comfort were all so approved that God was willing to put His name on it. How well Zerubbabel must have known God to have been so recognized. The verse calls him a servant in previous verses he is mentioned as the governor a position he must have taken very seriously. As I’m typing this I am realizing that just as Zerubbabel was chosen and given this honor, so are we in that we are given the opportunity to be in Christ, who when on earth said if you have seen me, you have seen the Father. Christ was a signet of God Himself. His death brought us this great chance to likewise wear the seal that signifies we belong to God. Our words, our actions, our service and comfort are given the approval of God’s workmanship. We are made as a signet just as Zerubbabel and just as God said to him long ago…he says to us…I have chosen thee. What honor we take for granted.