When the enemies of Judah managed to stop the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, God, seemed as though he did nothing. Through a long 15 years, the building in Jerusalem did not resume. And possibly, having returned from captivity they began forgetting what once the temple meant. They lost all eagerness and desire to restore the ruins. Oh, too many impediments! And even if somebody remembered of the necessity of the rebuilding of the temple, then most of the returned jews, for sure, raised their shoulders, finding hundred reasons, why restoring the temple was impossible.
This is so similar to the situation of our time. Some of the older Christians can remember times, when the power and glory of God’s greatness was in the church. God was so close to his people. What glorious acts occurred on the earth at that time! But who today is speaking about this, who is praying and is jealous for the presence of God? To whom is the Holy Spirit not giving peace today, until the answer will come to the cry of the soul, hungry for revival? Who loses their appetite and the desire to fall asleep for the reason of the weakening of the people of God? Where are the people of earnest faith and impetuous desire, which are ready to give up their lives to see the church renewed in the grace of God?
I believe that despite all the plans of the enemy to stop the restoration in the house of God, God has a plan that exceeds all the assumptions of the enemy. The enemy was afraid that the previous greatness of the temple would be restored. But God is rising up a young prophet by the name of Haggai and through him speaks to the migrants the following, “The latter glory of this temple shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give you peace declares the Lord of hosts.” (Haggai 2:9). In other words, God did not just want to restore the previous greatness of his people, but he promised that the glory of the new temple would exceed the glory of the first one!
Just like in our time, God wants not just to restore his church with the first apostolic power, but the plans of the almighty God are much greater for our generation. When the powers of the enemy strive to withhold the church of Christ from grace, which filled the first church once in the past, God already prepared for us the glory that exceeds the glory of the first apostles! Even though many hordes of the enemy stand against the people of God, to quench the flame of faith, “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision”. (Psalm 2:4)
My prayer to God, so that he would awaken in us a hunger to see a great harvest in our generation. May the spirit of prayer come on each one of us. May God not leave even one soul in peace until, through our prayers, we will open up the heavens, so that the glory of God would come down in power that the land has yet seen. Remember the words of Christ, “Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do.” (John 14:12)
Pavel Gurzhiy