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The Voice of the Lord: December 2025
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The Message of Haggai (#225731)
The Message of Haggai
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From:
The Voice of the Lord: December 2025
Obedience to the Voice of the Lord
In
Haggai 1:12-15,
12
Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the Lord.
13
Then spake Haggai the Lord's messenger in the Lord's message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the Lord.
14
And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God,
15
In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king. (Haggai 1:12‑15)
we have the effect of the message sent by the Lord through the prophet. From Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, down to the lowest of the people, obedience was rendered to the voice of the Lord with one consent. The word of the prophet had been with power; all hearts recognized the truth of his message and the claims of their God. And it is important to note, as a principle everywhere affirmed in the Scriptures, that the voice of the Lord is linked with the words of the prophet (vs. 12). When God sends a messenger, He is pleased to identify Himself with His servant. Our blessed Lord thus said to His disciples, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth Me; and he that receiveth Me receiveth Him that sent Me” (
John 13:20
20
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. (John 13:20)
; see also
Matthew 10:40-42
40
He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
41
He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
42
And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. (Matthew 10:40‑42)
). So in our passage it stands, “The remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him.” This is a solemn consideration for the people of God, for the converse is true, that if one who is really sent of the Lord is refused, it is the Lord who is refused in the person of His servant (
Matt. 25:41-45
41
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43
I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45
Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. (Matthew 25:41‑45)
). Not that everyone who
claims
to be sent of God is to be received as such, for the test is, Do such speak the words of God (
John 3:34
34
For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. (John 3:34)
)? We are taught elsewhere that “many false prophets are gone out into the world,” but it is just on this very account that the responsibility is cast upon the saints of “trying the spirits whether they are of God” (
1 John 4:1
1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)
). The apostles could say, “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error” (
1 John 4:6
6
We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. (1 John 4:6)
). They could take this ground because they were inspired men, and they had therefore the infallible word of truth on their lips. No servant, however devoted, could now adopt this language, but he might apply the principle to the message he delivered, if that message were indeed the pure Word of God. While these limitations are necessarily made in our present circumstances, yet let us not forget that the Lord does in these last days send His servants with messages to His people, and wherever the soul is in the presence of God, they will be readily discerned. Thus it is no less grave now than at any former time to turn a deaf ear to the words of admonition and warning they may utter. Look at the case before us. Were not Zerubbabel and Joshua the leaders of the people? And who was Haggai? Why should he set himself against them all? Why should he find so much fault and prophesy such bitter things? And what had he to recommend himself to the attention of the people? He was evidently of no birth or standing, for his parentage and genealogy are not recorded. He had but one qualification. It was not his position, his office, or his gift; it was simply that he was sent by the Lord their God. So now the only questions for any of us, when a professed servant of God stands before us, are, Has he been divinely sent? and, Does he speak the word of the Lord?
E. Dennett
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