Study Desk

The great day of the Lord is near—very near and coming fast! That day will be bitter, for even the bravest soldiers will cry out in despair!

That is how the people of Moab and Ammon will be punished for their pride and arrogance and for insulting the people of the Lord Almighty.

It has not listened to the Lord or accepted his discipline. It has not put its trust in the Lord or asked for his help.

I thought that then my people would have reverence for me and accept my discipline, that they would never forget the lesson I taught them. But soon they were behaving as badly as ever.

"Just wait," the Lord says. "Wait for the day when I rise to accuse the nations. I have made up my mind to gather nations and kingdoms in order to let them feel the force of my anger. The whole earth will be destroyed by the fire of my fury.

I will leave there a humble and lowly people, who will come to me for help.

Sing and shout for joy, people of Israel! Rejoice with all your heart, Jerusalem!

During the second year that Darius was emperor of Persia, on the first day of the sixth month, the Lord spoke through the prophet Haggai. The message was for the governor of Judah, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and for the High Priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak.

"You hoped for large harvests, but they turned out to be small. And when you brought the harvest home, I blew it away. Why did I do that? Because my Temple lies in ruins while every one of you is busy working on your own house.

But now don't be discouraged, any of you. Do the work, for I am with you.

He said, "Ask the priests for a ruling on this question:

for Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah: "I am about to shake heaven and earth

Then the angel said, "Almighty Lord , you have been angry with Jerusalem and the cities of Judah for seventy years now. How much longer will it be before you show them mercy?"

and the angel told me to proclaim what the Lord Almighty had said: "I have a deep love and concern for Jerusalem, my holy city,

and I am very angry with the nations that enjoy quiet and peace. For while I was holding back my anger against my people, those nations made the sufferings of my people worse.

I asked the angel that had been speaking to me, "What do these horns mean?" He answered, "They stand for the world powers that have scattered the people of Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem."

Anyone who strikes you strikes what is most precious to me." So the Lord Almighty sent me with this message for the nations that had plundered his people:

The Lord said, "Sing for joy, people of Jerusalem! I am coming to live among you!"

Be silent, everyone, in the presence of the Lord , for he is coming from his holy dwelling place.

"What do you see?" he asked. "A lampstand made of gold," I answered. "At the top is a bowl for the oil. On the lampstand are seven lamps, each one with places for seven wicks.