We often long for God to intervene in our lives, to reveal His glory, and to vindicate us. We hope to share our triumphs with those who doubted or mocked us. However, sometimes, our struggles are a result of our own choices. God may have set limits to our lives, and that’s why we don’t grow as we expect.
God did not choose any specific place for the temple. He did not instruct Moses to build a physical temple, nor did He tell Joshua to designate a place for the temple where people could come and pray. Unlike the physical temples of later times, the early Tabernacle was not a fixed structure. It was a portable place of worship, reflecting the nomadic nature of the Israelites. The desire for a permanent temple arose with David, and it was his son, Solomon, who built it. During the dedication, Solomon prayed that God would hear the prayers offered within the temple, regardless of the circumstances of those who prayed. God accepted this prayer and promised to answer the prayers of those who sought Him there.
Over time, however, the people of Israel strayed from God, leading to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Babylonians. For seventy years, the city and temple lay in ruins. Yet, as the appointed time drew near, God began to move.
This is a moment many of us await in our lives: a time when God intervenes powerfully, setting things right. But this is also a time when we need to be careful. How? Let’s take a look.
God raised up specific individuals who were burdened to rebuild the temple: Ezra, Zerubbabel, and Joshua. Let’s examine their lives.
Zerubbabel, the great-great-grandson of Solomon, bore a heavy burden. While he descended from the royal line, he was also the son of kings who had sinned and contributed to the temple’s destruction. Perhaps he felt a personal responsibility to rectify their past mistakes.
The work began with the altar, where sacrifices were offered even before the temple’s foundation was laid. People from all walks of life, including masons and singers, joined the effort. The atmosphere was filled with joy and anticipation as they laid the temple’s foundation.
From here, problems arose for Zerubbabel and his team. They faced many oppositions and obstacles in their lives. Similarly, in our lives, challenges often arise after we take the first step toward something. Everything might go smoothly at first, but once the foundation is laid, obstacles begin to surface.
Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. Ezra 4:24
Many oppositions arose, and the building of the temple came to a standstill. Let’s consider what Zerubbabel might have been thinking. He stopped altogether and felt discouraged from continuing the work of building God’s temple. Here are two main reasons why:
When opposition arose and enemies tried to stop the temple construction, Zerubbabel thought that the Lord’s time had not yet come. This is one of the devil’s tricks—whispering in our ears that it’s not God’s time. Even when Jesus was about to expel demons, they claimed the time had not yet come, asking to be spared, but their time had indeed arrived. Similarly, in our lives, we sometimes stop working for God, feeling discouraged, thinking that the Lord’s timing hasn’t yet come. But when opposition occurs, don’t stop. When the devil says your time hasn’t come, keep moving forward. Zerubbabel, too, thought it wasn’t the right time, but that was not true.
The second reason for his discouragement is that when he laid the foundation, there were shouts of joy, but there was also weeping. “With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the lord: “He is good; his love to Israel endures for ever.” And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy.” Ezra 3:11-12.
The older priests and people cried because they had seen the temple in its glory, and the foundation that Zerubbabel was laying was nothing compared to it. On the other hand, others rejoiced because they could do something for God; their hands had laid the foundation of the temple.
In today’s world, too, when someone does something for God, there are always two sounds: one of rejoicing and the other of weeping. The newer generation praises God because He is using them, and they can contribute something for Him. While, the older generation compares and finds that the new generation lacks glory. They may say that their generation’s work for God was much greater.
These two reasons might have made Zerubbabel very discouraged. However, God did not abandon him; He sent Haggai and Zechariah to encourage him.
In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest: This is what the Lord Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come for the Lord’s house to be built.’” Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your panelled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have 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.” Haggai 1:1-6
History says that for almost twenty years, Zerubbabel did nothing and abandoned the plan to reconstruct the temple. During that time, God set limits on his house. As the verse states, when he plants, he harvests little; when he eats, he never has enough. Likewise, his life get a limit.
Many of us are in this situation: God has set a limit beyond which we don’t grow. God said to Zerubbabel, “Give careful thought to your ways.” He is saying the same to us. How many times have we stopped our prayers or anything we said we would do for God, because we felt God’s time had not come or because there was no support? But here, God says the time has already come.
‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty. Haggai 2:9 – God assured Zerubbabel that He will ensure the glory of the temple is greater than that of the former house. Many times, when we feel that we are not good enough compared to previous generations, God reminds us that He is responsible for the glory. When someone simply does what they are supposed to do, God will take care of the rest. He is responsible for filling the temple with glory. So don’t be discouraged when others compare your work and dedication, because we are not doing it for people but for God.
Zerubbabel had Haggai and Zechariah to stir him up. Let’s look at the months when this prophecy was given to Zerubbabel. It was during the sixth month of the second year of Darius that the prophecy was made. When Zerubbabel listened to God and restarted His work, just three months later, during the ninth month of Darius’ second year, he received another prophecy from Haggai: “ ‘On that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord almighty.” Haggai 2:23
He received the promise of being made God’s signet ring. Just three months prior, his house was having a limit (whatever he did the result was not satisfactory), but when he listened to God, he was to become the signet ring of God in just three months. The famous words of Zechariah also say, “What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground.” Zerubbabel might have thought, “When a mountain rose, I got frightened and ran home. But there, God put a limit. So, when I rose again to work, God made me His signet ring, and now no mountain can threaten me.”
Three months is enough time for God to prove His intentions and make changes in your life. For three months, the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. God blessed him so much that news reached King David. Just imagine the blessings poured upon this man during those three months!
This is the first week of October, which means three months from now will be December 31. Imagine if you give careful thought to your ways and restart the work you began for God. God can make a difference in your life in these three months. From living with limits in Zerubbabel’s house, he rose to become the signet ring of God. God is waiting for you to realize that all the times you said, “God’s time has not arrived,” it was actually God’s time. All the times you thought, “What I did was not appreciated,” God says He appreciates it.
Can we all look to God and dedicate ourselves to Him so that we may see some drastic changes in our lives over these three months? Those who prepare themselves during this period are the ones who will be kept in the QUIVER OF GOD.
