When God Builds: Our Expectations (Haggai 2:20 -23)

Have you ever saved up for something that you have wanted only to be let down when you finally get it?  Maybe you bought a car that you were certain was going to be the best car you’ve ever owned just to find out it’s a lemon and spends more time in the shop than on the road.  Did you by a new electronic item and it doesn’t do all that you hoped and expected it would? Or, you landed the new job that sounded amazing when you signed on to find that it inevitably winds up a dead-end job and one you hate.  
 
I remember one Christmas as a young child getting a Tycco electric race car track.  I was so excited when I got it.  I savagely tore open the package and put the track together and began playing with it.  The problem?  When I clicked the remote to start the cars moving, they would engage and race down the track but when it went around the corners, no matter how fast or slow I went it would never stay on the track.  A few days later one of the cars engines burned out and then I rarely, if ever, used the racetrack again.  I was so let down, something I was expecting to bring such joy to my life, brought frustration and disappointment.  
 
As adults we still get frustrated when get something that we think should bring joy and happiness fails to deliver. Sometimes we set our expectations so high just to end up frustrated and disappointed.  We see this with our kids.  I can’t remember how many times we bought a toy that one of the kids really, really wanted and ends up breaking within five minutes of playing with it or it didn’t work the way they expected it.  No matter what age we may be, we all get frustrated, let down and angry when our expectations are not met.
Today we are concluding our 4-week series through the book of Haggai titled “When God Builds”. In our series we have looked at the events surrounding God, through the prophet Haggai, calling his people to prioritize their lives and to get back to doing the job He called the remnant to start and complete, namely rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem.  In chapter 1 we talked about getting on board with what God is doing, so that we can see great things happen for His glory and for His Kingdom.  Two weeks ago, we looked at chapter 2:1 – 9 where we focused on the importance of remembering the past, the danger of idolizing it, and the necessity of moving forward into the future with God.  Last week we talked about chapter 2:10 – 19 and we looked specifically at what defilement and holiness mean and what the Bible says about the Holiness of God and how we become holy.
 
Today we will conclude this series as we talk about God’s promises and our expectations.
 
Haggai 2:20 -23
Vs 20- 23 “The Word of the Lord came to Haggai…” This is the fourth time in this short book that the Lord speaks to Zerubbabel through the prophet Haggai.  This prophecy was spoken on the same day as the third one and God makes two declarations
1.The Kingdoms of the world would be shaken
2.The Kingdom of God would be unshaken 
 
Zerubbabel was living in dangerous times.  The work set out before him was great, if not impossible to accomplish in the current conditions.  The people were frustrated and rebuilding the city walls had not begun, thus the city was vulnerable to attack.
 
Vs. 21- 22:  I am going to… Make a name for myself

1. Shake the heavens and earth
   1.  This shaking will affect the political world.  “I will overturn royal thrones and destroy the power of the Gentile kingdoms.” The word “thrones” is used to imply several kingdoms.  God is going to shake or destroy the Persian Kingdom and the kingdoms to follow. 

b.The “shaking” will be affected in military terms as well.  “I will overturn chariots and their riders. Horses and their riders will fall, each by his brother’s sword.”

1. Shaking the earth: As the Persian Empire began a gradual collapse, Alexander the Great came to power. He defeated the Persian armies in 334 B.C. At his death in 323 B.C. in Nebuchadnezzar’s palace in Babylon the Greek empire eventually broke up and fell to Rome in 146 B.C. The Greek Empire was replaced by Roman rule of the Mediterranean countries. The Romans were in control at the time of Christ. If there was ever a shaking of the nations and a redistribution of power, it was during this period.

 
Vs 23: “On that day, I will take you Zerubbabel…”

1. God is appointing Zerubbabel for a special mission.
   1. “And make you my signet ring”
      1. Point of a signet ring
      2. “The signet was a precious object.  It was kept on the ruler’s finger or on a cord around his neck. It was guarded with his person.  God was telling Zerubbabel that he was going to be like that to God. God was going to place the governor on his finger or hang him around his neck so that, though the nations and even heaven and earth should be shaken, Zerubbabel would remain safe. He would be kept secure until God had done all the things spoken about in this prophecy.”
      3. God was placing divine protection on Him during the tumultuous times ahead of him.
   2. Thus, Zerubbabel would be God’s authoritative leader among the remnant
   3. In all this the Kingdom of God will remain unshaken.

 

1. The Return of Christ will shake the world – This is yet future.  “For I have chosen you…” For what?
   1. Zerubbabel is given a promise.  What was the promise? Because we do not hear from Zerubbabel again in the Bible. We know that he would be given no special prominence in the kingdoms of the world.  He doesn’t leave a mark on society or on the Kingdom of Israel other than the promise would be fulfilled in Christ and in His Kingdom.
   2. Some background:  Zerubbabel’s grandfather, Jehoiachin, was rejected by God from the throne (Jeremiah 22:24 – 27).  “As I live”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“though you, Coniah (Jehoichin), son of Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, were a signet ring on my right hand, I would tear you from it.  In fact, I will hand you over to those you dread, who intend to take your life, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the Chaldeans.  I will hurl you and the mother who gave birth to you into another land, where neither of you were born, and there you will both die.  They will never return to the land they long to return to.”
   3. In this promise to Zerubbabel God restores the lineage through David to the Messiah.  Zerubbabel is part of Jesus’ genealogy (Matthew 1:12)
   4. The Kingdom of Heaven will remain unshaken.  In Jesus’ first advent He instituted and declared His Kingdom was at hand.  He shook the very face of the world in his lifetime and we see in reading Revelation that his Kingdom will fully come when He returns.  This will shake the whole earth as “every knee shall bow, and Every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”
   5. Zerubbabel never sees his legacy, but he is promised one.  God does this often.  He prepares us and uses us, but we don’t often see the result until way later in life or not at all.  

 
Promises & Great Expectations
So, how does this relate to us today?  God is a promise maker and a promise keeper.  We are told time and again that God is trustworthy.  This should be comforting and assuring to all of us since the Bible is filled with promises from God to His people and they and we live in the expectation that He will keep His promises and his fulfilled promises will not disappoint.    
 
 
 
Promises of God

• If we have died with him (Jesus), we will live with him. (This is the promise of life here on earth and the afterlife for all of us who believe in Jesus)
• If we endure, we will reign (Promise of the Kingdom.  The reason Jesus came was to give life and usher in the King of God)
• If we deny him, he will deny us (The promise of eternal punishment for those who do not believe)
• If we are faithless, He remains faithful (Promise of faithfulness… I am unfaithful often, and I am so glad God remains faithful, regardless of my faithlessness)
• If you repent of your sins confess Jesus as Lord and believe in faith you will be saved.  This is a promise you and I can firmly hold on to.  Through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary the work of God is now finished.  Jesus has become the perfect sacrifice thus becoming our righteousness.  We are not declared righteous by any act we perform but we are declared righteous based upon the finished work of Jesus Christ.

 
Great Expectations
In this Minor Prophet book of Haggai, we see that God is a God who restores.  He the LORD of the past, present, and future.  He calls us to be committed followers of Him as we serve a Holy God, who calls us to be and makes us holy.  He is a God who is faithful in making and keeping His promises.  In this account the remnant of Israel believed God was at work and they responded in obedience.  Thus, they had the expectation that God is going to do as He promised.  He promises to shake the kingdoms of the earth and heaven.  We see that God eventually shook the heavens and earth through the advent of Jesus.  The people of Israel never expected the Messiah to come in the form of Jesus, but he did and what he accomplished was far greater than what they were expecting.  They were expecting a conquering king who would restore the kingdom of Israel.  What they got was a humble servant who gave his life so that those who believe would have eternal life.  His Kingdom focus was on the heavenly kingdom and not necessarily the earthly
 
The word expectation means: “A strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future.” So, are we entitled to receive the blessings of God?  As children of God we are entitled to the promises because Jesus has given us this right.  
 
So, the question could be asked, is it wrong to have expectations of God? 
 
Should we expect blessings from God?  Should we pray expectant prayers?  Is it ok to ask for something from God and expect Him to deliver?  The answer lies in another question, “What is your motivation?”   Are you expecting God to do great things for you because…

1. You want to make a name for yourself?  - making a name for yourself is foolish.  God will not honor a request to make us known over Him.
2. You want to make a name for God?

 
We should expect great things from God because He is the originator of greatness.  When we pray, we should expect God to respond.  Jesus tells us to ask and receive.  However, we have to check our motives with our expectations.  When we pray according to God’s will He will always exceed our expectations.  He may not answer the way you want, but He has a bigger plan in store than you can imagine.  God knows what is best for us and we need to submit our wills to His.  
 
I have already talked about the promises that God has made, and we should expect to receive theses promises based solely on the fact that God is trustworthy, Jesus is faithful, and He will fulfill his promises.  His promises far exceed anything we could ever ask for. 
 
So, the question remains, “is it ok to ask God for things that He has not necessarily promised?”  God has not promised everyone would have a spouse, does that mean as a single person you shouldn’t pray for one?  God never promised a life of comfort, so should we not ask God for a good life?  God never promised safety to every Christian, so should we not ask God for protection?  God never promised His church would grow numerically, so should we not ask God to add to our flock?  
 
The answer is a resounding NO.  We need to pray period.  But we need to check our motivation and motives in our asking.  Is what you are asking for you pleasure only or are you seeking God’s pleasure as well. It is a known fact that when we find joy, completeness, and contentment in God alone He will bless us with the desires of our heart.