Tagged: Bible Study

“Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem like nothing in your eyes? But now take courage.” –Haggai 2:3-4 Since Vatican II, the Church in the Western world has seen the closing of parishes, high schools, seminaries, retreat centers, and other Catholic institutions. Some of these institutions the Lord wants to rebuild. For example, in 1999 Bishop Terry Steib of Memphis reopened five inner city schools. In 1998, the diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska bought a hospital and converted it into a seminary. The diocese...

“Is it time for you to dwell in your own paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” –Haggai 1:4 Timing is of the essence. “This people says: ‘Not now has the time come to rebuild the house of the Lord’ ” (Hg 1:2). They thought it was time to dwell in their own paneled houses while God’s house was in ruins. The prophet Haggai disagreed and prophesied: “Now is the acceptable time” (see 2 Cor 6:2). Now was the time to rebuild the Temple. The people’s timing was bad because they had their priorities wrong. Their priorities were wrong...

“In my wretchedness, and with cloak and mantle torn I fell on my knees.” –Ezra 9:5 Ezra was wretched, ashamed, confounded, and heaped with guilt (Ezr 9:5-6). He was so distraught because of mixed marriages. Many Jewish people had married Gentiles (see Ezr 9:2). In our society, where men are even trying to “marry” men and women trying to “marry” women, we find it hard to relate to Ezra’s anguish. However, in the new covenant, we have even more reason to be concerned about mixed marriages. In the old covenant, when Jews married Gentiles, they married those who were not...

“Let the governor and the elders of the Jews continue to work on that house of God; they are to rebuild it on its former site.” –Ezra 6:7 The Israelites rebuilt the Temple with the support of government taxes and the prophetic messages of Haggai and Zechariah. That is an unusual combination. Governments and prophets don’t usually mix. However, the Lord can do anything and use anyone at any time for His glory. The Israelites never dreamed a Persian king would be used to rebuild the Temple. We never dreamed the Lord would transform Eastern Europe and Russia as He...

“As He moved on, Jesus saw a man named Matthew at his post where taxes were collected. He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ ” –Matthew 9:9 We hear the Lord knocking on the door and calling us by name (Rv 3:20). We sense something inside drawing us to Jesus. He still is calling today’s “Matthews” to follow Him. Nevertheless, we are afraid to say “Yes.” We’re afraid of what people will think. It has never been popular to follow Jesus. To be His disciple means becoming a fool in the eyes of the world (1 Cor 4:10). We are afraid...