The Desired of the Nations

Christsfreeservant · #1 7th November 2009, 01:23 PM

Saturday, November 07, 2009, 8:25 a.m. – I was dreaming and then I awoke. But when I got up, the dream was gone. I always trust the Lord will have me remember what he wants me to remember. So I prayed, inquiring of the Lord concerning the dream. Then I had a vision of Barack Obama. I felt the Lord said that was all I needed. So, I prayed, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Then, I read Haggai 2. The Lord is giving me a practical understanding of this passage of scripture as applied to today, so I am going to share my understanding after sections of this scripture, rather than at the end like I normally do.

The Promised Glory of the New House
1 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: 2 "Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, 3 '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? 4 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. 5 'This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.'

My Understanding: The “temple” today is the Body of Christ, the church. The Lord is speaking concerning the “former glory” of this temple, i.e. the Body of Christ, the church. The Lord is reminding us of its beginnings and of what he intended it to be, based upon scripture. Yet, he is also calling us to look at it now. How does it look now in comparison to what it was like when it began? I believe the implications are here that it is sadly neglected and is in great need of repair, i.e. in great need of a rebuilding; revival. The Lord is calling his people to be strong, to be courageous, to not be afraid, but to do the work of rebuilding the “temple” of the Lord - His Body - His Church. And, he is promising to be with us during this “rebuilding” process, because it is going to be painful and difficult – true revival is.

6 "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD Almighty. 8 'The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the LORD Almighty. 9 '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."

My Understanding: I looked this passage up in several commentaries. I remembered that v. 6 had been quoted in the New Testament. It is quoted in Hebrews 12:26-27 in relation to the judgment of the nations at the second coming of Christ. Actually, that judgment really begins in the time of the tribulation, in particularly in the second half of 3.5 years when God greatly pours out his wrath on the nations. God is truly going to “shake” everything during this time of judgment on the earth. And, he will shake the nations, i.e. man-made governments that have made earthly kingdoms for themselves that do no honor God as holy.

Then, v. 7 quotes God as saying, “… the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory.” This is speaking of the Messiah, according to most the commentaries I read, though some others suggested it referred to these “desired things” that will now come into the temple of the Lord, because they are thinking of an actual physical temple, but the Bible is clear in what it states about God no longer dwelling in buildings made by man but he dwells in human hearts. That is how he can be with everyone everywhere at all times. Yet, when Jesus comes, he will set up his kingdom on the earth and he will be that temple. And, everything that man now possesses will then physically be in Christ’s possession.

Yet, there is another one who must come first, and that is the antichrist or the beast of Revelation or this final earthly king or kingdom. Right now, I see that the nations desire this beast; this one world order, which is why they are creating this beast. Obama fits in here. It is highly possible that he is this 8th king, i.e. that he is the one that the nations now desire. He is certainly acting as such, yet I know that he is just a scarecrow (stuffed with straw) or a marionette (not a real boy) or a teddy bear (stuffed with stuffing) which is losing its stuffing, i.e. he is losing weight. I have a strong sense that his weight-loss is for a purpose, which will become clear in time. I do believe he is possessed by the evil one and that he was created by man for an evil purpose.

And, I do believe that when this antichrist is revealed and he begins his truly evil work of the last 3.5 years of the tribulation, that truly the glory of God will fill the “temple” – His Body – His Church. We will see a Great Awakening unlike anything I have never known before, and the “temple” – His Body – His Church – will be rebuilt. It will be revived. People will get their hearts right with the Lord and the church will once again be what God designed it to be. And, many people will come to Jesus.

Blessings for a Defiled People
10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Haggai: 11 "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Ask the priests what the law says: 12 If a person carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, oil or other food, does it become consecrated?' "
The priests answered, "No."
13 Then Haggai said, "If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?"
"Yes," the priests replied, "it becomes defiled."

14 Then Haggai said, " 'So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,' declares the LORD. 'Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled.

15 " 'Now give careful thought to this from this day on —consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in the LORD's temple. 16 When anyone came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty. 17 I struck all the work of your hands with blight, mildew and hail, yet you did not turn to me,' declares the LORD. 18 'From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid. Give careful thought: 19 Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit.
" 'From this day on I will bless you.' "

My Understanding: I believe the point of the beginning of this section is that holiness is not catching, but uncleanness is contagious. The Bible states that “bad company corrupts good character” and it speaks of analogies such as one bad apple can make all the rest of the apples rotten or one potato that is rotten can corrupt all the other potatoes that are in close contact with it. Defilement is infectious. And, I believe the Lord is specifically applying this to the USA right now. Whatever our nation and its leaders do is defiled. God wants our hearts, not our hands. He desires obedience rather than sacrifice. That is taught over and over again in scripture.

Then, we are asked again to look at our condition. We, as the temple of the Lord Jesus Christ, have been in spiritual famine; spiritual poverty. The “barns” of our church and our hearts is without seed and without harvest. The church is devoid of a true spiritual harvest because they (we) have become complacent, self-gratifying, selfish, self-centered, living lives of spiritual adultery and idolatry while ignoring God’s pleas for us to repent, to turn from our sin and to turn back to Almighty God. The Lord is saying that he has been sending his judgments on our nation and yet we have not returned to Him. So, now this final time of judgment on the earth is here at the door. And, now His temple will be revived and God will fill it with His glory and He will bless us once again with spiritual blessings. The physical restoration will not come until the millennial reign of Christ, I do believe.

Zerubbabel the LORD's Signet Ring
20 The word of the LORD came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: 21 "Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I will shake the heavens and the earth. 22 I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother.

23 " '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."

My Understanding: Zerubbabel is a prefiguring of Christ Jesus, the Messiah. And, this is speaking of the millennial reign of Christ on the earth, I believe. This will take place when Jesus Christ returns for his bride and with finality He overthrows all earthly kingdoms. Then Jesus Christ will reign supreme on the earth for 1000 years. Our Lord is calling each and every one of us to…

Bow the Knee / Chris Machen and Mike Harland

There are moments on our journey following the Lord
Where God illumines ev’ry step we take.
There are times when circumstances make perfect sense to us,
As we try to understand each move He makes.
When the path grows dim and our questions have no answers, turn to Him.

Bow the knee;
Trust the heart of your Father when the answer goes beyond what you can see.
Bow the knee;
Lift your eyes toward heaven and believe the One who holds eternity.
And when you don’t understand the purpose of His plan,
In the presence of the King, bow the knee.

There are days when clouds surround us, and the rain begins to fall,
The cold and lonely winds won’t cease to blow.
And there seems to be no reason for the suffering we feel;
We are tempted to believe God does not know.
When the storms arise, don’t forget we live by faith and not by sight.

Bow the knee, bow the knee, bow the knee.