“‘But now be strong, O Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’” Haggai 2:4-5 NIV
In verse 4 above, the words “declares the Lord” were used three times. In verse 5, the Lord, through Haggai, reminds the exiles that all that is about to happen was promised to them earlier. I cannot help but think that the repetition of these words were on purpose, helping to add emphasis to the fact that God has been and continues to be in control.
There is a hint of hope to the exiles from the Lord, as He reminds them of His promises, and there is also the message of peace from the Lord, as He reminds them that He is still with them today. I am reminded of an old hymn – Standing on the Promises of Christ my King. In verse two of that song, the words go like this: “Standing on the promises that cannot fail, when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail, by the living Word of God I shall prevail, standing on the promises of God.”
It is because of His goodness and His consistency that we can have hope and peace. May we stand on His promises.
Lock Your Wings 
Great thoughts. This stood out for me: “When you hoped for a twenty-bushel crop, you harvested only ten. When you expected to draw fifty gallons from the winepress, you found only twenty.”
Haggai 2:16 NLT
The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. We can anticipate 20 bushels and get 10. We want 50 and get 20. However, we can have five loaves and 2 fish and feed the masses and have 12 bushels leftover. Sin and greed can diminish our desires. Obedience and generosity can multiple our desires.
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