Sermon slides from message shared by Ps Dr Ng Swee Ming @ SSMC on 30 Jun 2013. Concluding series on Haggai

1. David Brainerd
1718-1747
“My heart sunk. It seemed to me that I’d
never have any success among the
Indians. My soul was weary of my life. I
longed for death....”

2. Sermon Series on Haggai
• 2 Chapters, 38 verses
• 3+ months
• 4 main sermons –
 PRIORITY Haggai 1:1-15
 PERSPECTIVE Haggai 2:1-9
 PURITY Haggai 2:10-19
 PRESENCE, POWER & PURPOSE
Haggai 2:20-23
Haggai

3. Haggai historical timeline ...606
597
586
536
458
444
Nobles
Treasures
Jerusalem
Zerubbabel
Ezra
Nehemiah
Jeremiah
Ezekiel
Daniel
Haggai
Zechariah
Esther
Malachi
Nebuchadnezzar Cyrus Dairius Artaxerxes
70 Years of Captivity

4. Haggai2:20-23
The word of the Lord came to Haggai a
second time on the twenty-fourth day of the
month: "Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah
that I will shake the heavens and the earth.
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.
"'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."

5. Haggai
“The word of the Lord for Zerubbabel
the Governor of Judah...”
 Who was Zerubbabel ?
 Why did the Lord have a specific
word for him ?
 What is his place in God’s Plan ?
 Longer introduction today ....
4 generations long ....

6. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
Zerubbabel :
• Meaning:
 Seed of Babel / Babylon
 Sown in Babylon
 Offspring of Babylon
 Begotten in Babylon
• Conclusion : He was born in Babylon
• He was born from David’s Royal lineage ...
 Father - Shealtiel (1 Chr 3:17-19)
 Shealtiel - son of King Jehoiachin
 King Jehoiachin - son of King Josiah
 King Josiah - lineage of King David
Haggai

7. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
Jehoiakim
Jer 36:30-31
“He (Jehoiakim) will have no one to sit on the
throne of David; his body will be thrown out and
exposed to the heat by day and the frost by
night. I will punish him and his children and his
attendants for their wickedness; I will bring on
them and those living in Jerusalem and the
people of Judah every disaster I pronounced
against them, because they have not listened.'"
Josiah
Haggai

8. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
Jehoiakim
Jer 36:30-31
“Jehoiachin was eighteen
years old when he became
king, and he reigned in
Jerusalem three months
and ten days. He did evil in
the eyes of the Lord.
In the spring, King
Nebuchadnezzar sent for
him and brought him to
Babylon, together with
articles of value from the
temple of the Lord,...”
Josiah
Jehoiachin
2 Chr 36:9-10
Haggai

9. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
Jehoiakim
Jer 36:30-31
"even if you, Jehoiachin son of
Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a
signet ring on my right hand, I
would still pull you off. I will hand
you over to those who seek your
life, those you fear — to
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
and to the Babylonians. I will hurl
you and the mother who gave you
birth into another country, where
neither of you was born, and there
you both will die. You will never
come back to the land you long to
return to."
Josiah
Jehoiachin
2 Chr 36:9-10
Jer 22:24-27
Haggai

10. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
Jehoiakim
Jer 36:30-31
In the 37th year of the exile of
Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the year
Evil-Merodach became king of
Babylon, he released Jehoiachin king
of Judah and freed him from prison on
the 25th day of the 12th month. He
spoke kindly to him and gave him a
seat of honor higher than those of the
other kings who were with him in
Babylon. So Jehoiachin put aside his
prison clothes and for the rest of his
life ate regularly at the king's table.
Day by day the king of Babylon gave
Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long
as he lived, till the day of his death.
Josiah
Jehoiachin
2 Chr 36:9-10
Jer 22:24-27
Jer 52:31-34
Haggai

11. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
Zerubbabel :
 Born in Babylon
 Born into Royalty
 Born into captivity
 No throne
 No crown
 From young ....
 Heard all the exploits of the nation of Israel
 Heard about his ancestor King David
 Heard about Solomon’s glorious temple
 Heard about the “curse” upon his great
grandfather Jehoiakim & grandfather
Jehoiachin
Haggai

12. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
Zerubbabel :
 He was the leader of the Jews
 Cyrus edict allowing the Jews to return...
 Zerubbabel must have been excited
 Chance to return to the ‘Promise land’
 Only 50,000 took up the offer
 Jerusalem was destroyed – no temple, no wall
 Still excited when they reached Jerusalem
 Erected an altar to worship the Lord
 Started building the foundation of the temple
 Resistance ...Problems ...
 Governor in name ...
Haggai

13. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
Zerubbabel :
 Haggai 1 – God’s Work must have PRIORITY
 Started building the temple...
 Haggai 2:1-9 – God’s Work must have
PERSPECTIVE
 Despite obeying God
 Harvest was still bad ...
 Haggai 2:10-19 – God’s Workers must have PURITY
 Through all this he must be ....
Haggai

14. December 1940
Maj Gen Richard O'Connor

15. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
Zerubbabel :
 In the midst of his discouragement
 God spoke ...
 Hag 2:21 "Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah...”
 Why ??
“Our view and understanding of God
can determine the size of our problems”
 small God = BIG PROBLEMS
 BIG GOD = small problems
 3 things Haggai said about God...
Haggai

16. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
1. GOD REMEMBERS
 God had not forgotten - He remembers
 God calls Zerubbabel by name...
 God wants Zerubbabel to know of His
PRESENCE...
God’s Worker Must Know His
PRESENCE
 Very reassuring
 Very comforting
Haggai 2:20-23

17. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
2. GOD RULES
Hag 2:21-22
I will shake the heavens and the earth.
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.
 The kingdoms & powers
 God will shake ...
 God will overturn & shatter...
 God will overthrow ...
God’s Worker Must Know His POWER

18. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
3. GOD RESTORES
Hag 2:23
"'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.”
 When God restores, He goes all the way
His great grandfather’s & grandfather’s
sins & curses are removed...
 Once again the Lord’s servant ...
 Once again at peace with God
God’s Worker Must Know His PURPOSE

19. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
3. GOD RESTORES
Remember Jer 22:24
“even if you, Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim
king of Judah, were a signet ring on my
right hand, I would still pull you off....”
 But here God “Takes & Make ....”
 Signet ring on GOD’s HAND
 Why ??
 Message Bible Hag 2:23
“... I will set you as a signet ring,
the sign of my sovereign PRESENCE and
AUTHORITY.”
God’s Worker Must Know His PURPOSE

20. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
3. GOD RESTORES
 Why was Zerubbabel so important ?
 Why did the Lord specifically choose
him ?
 For what Purpose ??
God’s Worker Must Know His PURPOSE

21. ABRAHAM
DAVID
Solomon
Jeconiah
Shealtiel
Rhesa
Joseph
Abiud
JESUS
Heli
Neri
Nathan
Adam
GOD GENEOLOGY OF JESUS
ZERUBBABEL
(Jehoiachin)

22. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
Zerubbabel was :
• Definitely Worried...
• Getting Discouraged...
• Possibly becoming Depressed ...
Zerubbabel had a very important
place in God’s plan of salvation...
God spoke
• to encourage ...
• to reaffirm ...
• to reassure ...
God’s Worker Must Know His PURPOSE

23. ‘Jealousy’
‘Lust’
‘Greed’
‘Pride’
‘Anger’
‘Slander’
‘W-D-D’

24. "No, I do not become
discouraged.
You see, God has not called
me to a ministry of
success.
He has called me to a
ministry of mercy...."

25. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
Application:
Zerubbabel was WORRIED & DISCOURAGED ...
But God :
• Reminded with a WORD
• Reassured that He is in control
• Restored him to his special place & purpose
when you are down & discouraged ...
REMEMBER ZERUBBAEL
 God Remembers
 God Rules
 God Restores
God’s People Must Know His
PRESENCE, POWER & PURPOSE

26. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
Application:
Q: Are you Worried ?
Q: Are you Discouraged ?
Q: Are you Depressed ?
Regardless of .....
JUST KNOW THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL.
 Relationships...
 Financial...
 Health ...
God’s People Must Know His
PRESENCE, POWER & PURPOSE
 @ Home...
 Families...
 Work / College / School...

27. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
Application:
Ps 42:5-6a
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so
disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I
will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
 Do not put your hope on man ...
 Do not put your hope on intellect ...
 Do not put your hope even on the church...
 BUT Put your hope on God ...
He ALONE will never fail you.
God’s People Must Know His
PRESENCE, POWER & PURPOSE

28. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
Ps 142: 1-7
I cry aloud to the Lord ; I lift up my voice to the Lord
for mercy. I pour out my complaint before him;
before him I tell my trouble.
When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who
know my way. In the path where I walk men have
hidden a snare for me.
Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for
me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.
I cry to you, O Lord ; I say, "You are my refuge, my
portion in the land of the living."
God’s People Must Know His
PRESENCE, POWER & PURPOSE

29. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
Ps 142: 1-7
Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need;
rescue me from those who pursue me, for
they are too strong for me.
Set me free from my prison, that I may praise
your name. Then the righteous will gather
about me because of your goodness to me.
God’s People Must Know His
PRESENCE, POWER & PURPOSE

30. God’s Worker Must Have His PRESENCE
Application:
1 Sam 30:6 Ziklag episode ...
“....But David found strength in the Lord his
God.”
Do what David did ...
 If you are worried today ...
 If you are discouraged today ...
 If you are depressed today ...
Take your eyes off your problems and look
to God...
God’s People Must Know His
PRESENCE, POWER & PURPOSE

31. “There is not enough darkness
in all the world
to put out the light
of one small candle.”

32. His journals .... written during
those times of discouragement
were later published....
His writings influenced...
David Brainerd
1718-1747

33. “Once more, never think that you can live
to God by your own power or strength;
but always look to and rely on Him for
assistance, yea, for all strength and grace.”
David Brainerd
1718-1747
"I have received my all
from God. Oh, that I
could return my all to
God. Oh, that I could
spend every moment of
my life to God's glory!"

34. BE STILL
Be still, for the presence of the Lord The Holy One is here
Come bow before Him now With reverence and fear
In Him no sin is found We stand on holy ground
Be still, for the presence of the Lord The Holy One is here
Be still, for the glory of the Lord Is shining all around
He burns with Holy fire With splendour He is crowned
How awesome is the sight Our radiant King of light!
Be still, for the glory of the Lord Is shining all around
Be still, for the power of the Lord Is moving in this place
He comes to cleanse and heal To minister His Grace
No work too hard for Him In faith receive from Him
Be still, for the power of the Lord Is moving in this place