Book of Small Prophet
Haggai
Chapter
2
In order to view book of Prophet Zechariah please click on following link
1. In the second year of King Darius, in the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the LORD cam4 by the prophet Haggai, saying: 2. Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, and say, 3. Who is left among you that this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Is it not your sight as nothing?
(Book of Small Prophet Haggai Chapter 2 verses 1 to 3)
Oh God my Father, if You had to look back in time, since the time of St. Paul whom You used to bring the faith to Malta and compare the number of those who believe and proclaim Your Name to those who do not the result, would be very interesting, or even shocking. The Church of today is not the Church of Yesterday for You enable new people to accept You as their God, and accept the fact that others have gone to other religions and churches. I pray that our faith as believers become as strong as that of the Apostles who lived with You throughout Your life on earth Amen.
4. Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the LORD; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the LORD; work, for I am with you, says the LORD of hosts, 5. according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear. 6. For thus says the LORD of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; 7. and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the LORD of hosts. 8. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of hosts. 9. The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the LORD of hosts.
(Book of Small Prophet Haggai Chapter 2 verses 4 to 9)
Oh God, my Father, I greatly thank You and praise Your name, for You have always kept Your promises. After all these years of waiting, You have rocked the heavens and made ways possible so that I could go back to work as a social worker and help others who are in need, and where I can continue to do Your work Amen. Even though we are sinners oh God my father You give us many chances Amen.
10. On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai, saying: 11. Thus says the LORD of hosts: Ask the priests for a ruling: 12. If one carries consecrated meat in the fold of one's garment, and with the fold touches bread, or stew, or wine, or oil, or any kind of food, does it become holy?
(Book of Small Prophet Haggai Chapter 2 verses 10 to 12)
Oh God, my Father how many arguments one can bring in order to try and prove certain issues. One of the many questions that I one heard was, in relation to if a rat was accidently locked up in a tabernacle and ate the consecrated Eucharist would he have received the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ? Some might answer 'yes' and some 'no'. In relation to such an issue of holy communion the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church has the following to share with us;
Teachings in relation to Communion
13. Then Haggai said, "If one who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?" The priests answered, "Yes, it becomes unclean." 14. Haggai then said, So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, says the LORD; and so with every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.
(Book of Small Prophet Haggai Chapter 2 verses 13 to 14)
Oh God, my Father, it is like saying if one comes in contact with a sinful situation and then go to receive You in the sacrament of the Eucharist. Without a doubt, the sacrament itself will not be contaminated but the person is already contaminated by one's sin and therefore needs to confess one's sin before being worthy of receiving You Amen.
15. But now consider, what will come to pass from this day on. Before a stone was placed upon a stone in the LORD's temple, 16. how did you fare? When one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were but twenty. 17. I struck you and all the products of your toil with blight and mildew and hail; yet you did not return to me, says the LORD.
(Book of Small Prophet Haggai Chapter 2 verses 15 to 17)
Oh God, my Father, we all need to consider the consequences of our actions. Before You called me to have a relationship with You life was going on but in reality, it was an illusion for it was something like life and not life itself. Your light was contaminated by the darkness of the world, and my perception was worldly. Now that You have shown me Your light I pray that You keep me in the light of Your presence Amen.
18. Consider from this day on, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day that the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid, consider. 19. Is there any seed left in the barn? Do the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree still yield nothing? From this day on I will bless you.
(Book of Small Prophet Haggai Chapter 2 verses 18 to 19)
Oh God, my Father when we stay close to You we cannot bare not to experience Your divine providence because we are in contact with the life-giving source of our life. All life flows through You, my God and Father, I thank You for Your providence at large for both the spiritual and even the material Amen.
20. The word of the LORD came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month; 21. Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the heavens and the earth, 22. and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow the chariots and their riders; and the horses and their riders shall fall, every one by the sword of a comrade. 23. On that day, O Zerubbabel my servant, son of Shealtiel, says the LORD, and make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you, says the LORD of hosts.
(Book of Small Prophet Haggai Chapter 2 verses 20 to 23)
Oh God, my Father everything is under Your control when You choose that we experience moments of joy and consolation You are able to make it happen, however, when You permit us to experience bitter moments of stress pain and desolation I also accept such moments as being according to Your divine will. I thank You for both moments, for in order to reach salvation as in Your case on the cross, You also experienced the sinful and cruel attitude and persecution of the world. Therefore if You were not spared of making such a bitter experience who am I to ask for deliverance or exemption from such bitter experiences Amen.
I would like to end this second chapter of the book of the small Prophet Haggai with the following prayer:
Oh God, my Father, everything that we experience happens according to Your will. Anything that You will, will happen and anything that You will not will, will never take place. I pray that I learn not to rush but to wait on You, with a spirit of calmness and total trust in You Amen.
In order to proceed to the book of the Prophet Zechariah please click on the following link:-
The Book of the Prophet Zechariah
(Book of Small Prophet Haggai Chapter 2 verses 1 to 3)
Oh God my Father, if You had to look back in time, since the time of St. Paul whom You used to bring the faith to Malta and compare the number of those who believe and proclaim Your Name to those who do not the result, would be very interesting, or even shocking. The Church of today is not the Church of Yesterday for You enable new people to accept You as their God, and accept the fact that others have gone to other religions and churches. I pray that our faith as believers become as strong as that of the Apostles who lived with You throughout Your life on earth Amen.
4. Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the LORD; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the LORD; work, for I am with you, says the LORD of hosts, 5. according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear. 6. For thus says the LORD of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; 7. and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the LORD of hosts. 8. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of hosts. 9. The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the LORD of hosts.
(Book of Small Prophet Haggai Chapter 2 verses 4 to 9)
Oh God, my Father, I greatly thank You and praise Your name, for You have always kept Your promises. After all these years of waiting, You have rocked the heavens and made ways possible so that I could go back to work as a social worker and help others who are in need, and where I can continue to do Your work Amen. Even though we are sinners oh God my father You give us many chances Amen.
10. On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai, saying: 11. Thus says the LORD of hosts: Ask the priests for a ruling: 12. If one carries consecrated meat in the fold of one's garment, and with the fold touches bread, or stew, or wine, or oil, or any kind of food, does it become holy?
(Book of Small Prophet Haggai Chapter 2 verses 10 to 12)
Oh God, my Father how many arguments one can bring in order to try and prove certain issues. One of the many questions that I one heard was, in relation to if a rat was accidently locked up in a tabernacle and ate the consecrated Eucharist would he have received the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ? Some might answer 'yes' and some 'no'. In relation to such an issue of holy communion the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church has the following to share with us;
Teachings in relation to Communion
13. Then Haggai said, "If one who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?" The priests answered, "Yes, it becomes unclean." 14. Haggai then said, So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, says the LORD; and so with every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.
(Book of Small Prophet Haggai Chapter 2 verses 13 to 14)
Oh God, my Father, it is like saying if one comes in contact with a sinful situation and then go to receive You in the sacrament of the Eucharist. Without a doubt, the sacrament itself will not be contaminated but the person is already contaminated by one's sin and therefore needs to confess one's sin before being worthy of receiving You Amen.
15. But now consider, what will come to pass from this day on. Before a stone was placed upon a stone in the LORD's temple, 16. how did you fare? When one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were but twenty. 17. I struck you and all the products of your toil with blight and mildew and hail; yet you did not return to me, says the LORD.
(Book of Small Prophet Haggai Chapter 2 verses 15 to 17)
Oh God, my Father, we all need to consider the consequences of our actions. Before You called me to have a relationship with You life was going on but in reality, it was an illusion for it was something like life and not life itself. Your light was contaminated by the darkness of the world, and my perception was worldly. Now that You have shown me Your light I pray that You keep me in the light of Your presence Amen.
18. Consider from this day on, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day that the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid, consider. 19. Is there any seed left in the barn? Do the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree still yield nothing? From this day on I will bless you.
(Book of Small Prophet Haggai Chapter 2 verses 18 to 19)
Oh God, my Father when we stay close to You we cannot bare not to experience Your divine providence because we are in contact with the life-giving source of our life. All life flows through You, my God and Father, I thank You for Your providence at large for both the spiritual and even the material Amen.
20. The word of the LORD came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month; 21. Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the heavens and the earth, 22. and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow the chariots and their riders; and the horses and their riders shall fall, every one by the sword of a comrade. 23. On that day, O Zerubbabel my servant, son of Shealtiel, says the LORD, and make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you, says the LORD of hosts.
(Book of Small Prophet Haggai Chapter 2 verses 20 to 23)
Oh God, my Father everything is under Your control when You choose that we experience moments of joy and consolation You are able to make it happen, however, when You permit us to experience bitter moments of stress pain and desolation I also accept such moments as being according to Your divine will. I thank You for both moments, for in order to reach salvation as in Your case on the cross, You also experienced the sinful and cruel attitude and persecution of the world. Therefore if You were not spared of making such a bitter experience who am I to ask for deliverance or exemption from such bitter experiences Amen.
I would like to end this second chapter of the book of the small Prophet Haggai with the following prayer:
Oh God, my Father, everything that we experience happens according to Your will. Anything that You will, will happen and anything that You will not will, will never take place. I pray that I learn not to rush but to wait on You, with a spirit of calmness and total trust in You Amen.
In order to proceed to the book of the Prophet Zechariah please click on the following link:-
The Book of the Prophet Zechariah
