Fri Jan 2

Listen up, little ones

Especially for the littles in your household.

Listen for the word glory.

Reading

Haggai 2:1-9—The Glory of this Temple

Keys for kids

Also for the littles. Young households might choose, after Keys for Kids, to go directly to praise and prayer.

God’s Spirit and God’s word stirred the people to work.
But they were discouraged with how small the temple was.
God encouraged them with His commands and promises.

Questions

(Some read the ?s before the notes/ ask them after.)

How does God stir His people to do His work?
What does God give along with His commands?
How did this new temple get filled with God’s peace and glory?

Notes

(See Saturday for authors. )

Once the people listened to Haggai’s message from the LORD of hosts and once the LORD stirred the spirits of His people—they got to work! However, compared to the temple that had been destroyed by Babylon, this new temple seemed small and insignificant (v3, see also Ezra 3:12). It seems the people, though still working, were discouraged with the work and with the progress. Haggai brought them a word from the LORD to encourage them.

Be strong. Don’t be afraid. I am with you. My Spirit is in your midst. Two commands and two promises. We need these commands—to often we are so aware of our weakness that we forget our Lord’s strength that helps us. And too often we are afraid—afraid of what is happening and what we think might happen. And we need these promises. God is with us. The eternal God, creator of heaven and earth, is with us by His Spirit—God, the Holy Spirit. Bentley reminds us that the promise of God’s presence was likewise impressed on the hearers … They were to work despite their discouragements. They were to leave God to deal with the dangers and difficulties. Their task was to get on and rebuild the temple.

Then the LORD made powerful promises about His house. The LORD will fill this newly rebuilt temple with His peace and with His glory. How and when do you think that glory and peace was fully realized?

Swedish Method questions

See the Sunday notes for meaning of the symbols.

Praise

Psalm 108a, 119u

Prayer

Ask God to fill our church with His glory and His peace.
Pray for the hearing of God’s word preached this Lord's Day.
Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.