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Haggai 2:1-9

The Glory of This Latter House

Lyrics · Haggai

The Glory of This Latter House

Haggai 2:1-9

Lyrics
[Question] Who among you remembers the former house, Its gold in the morning, its cedar and flame? How does this foundation appear in your vision? Is it not nothing beside what you name? [Command] Yet be strong, Zerubbabel; Be strong, Joshua, priest. Be strong, all people of the land; Work, and let despair decrease. [Chorus] The glory of this latter house Shall be greater than the former. Not because these hands deny the ruins, But because the LORD remains the builder. The glory of this latter house Will rise beyond what eyes can see. In this place he gives his peace, And his Spirit stays with thee. [Verse II] The covenant word from Egypt still stands, The Spirit remains in the midst of the band. Fear not the smallness, fear not the frame; The purpose is held in the covenant name. [Shaking Refrain] A little while, And heaven shakes. Earth and sea, The dry land wakes. [Bridge] Nations are shaken, desire moves near, The house is filled with a weight beyond fear. Silver is his, and gold is his own; No poverty limits the glory of throne. [Final Chorus] The glory of this latter house Shall be greater than the former. Work through memory, work through sorrow, The LORD of hosts remains the builder. The glory of this latter house Will rise beyond what eyes can see. In this place he gives his peace, And his Spirit stays with thee. [Coda] The old men remembered; The new stones still mattered.

Named in this songZerubbabelJoshuaEgypt

About the passage

Haggai 2: A small house within a promise that shakes the earth

The Book of Haggai's second chapter begins with a difficult comparison everyone is allowed to see: the present house looks like nothing beside the former glory remembered by some of the workers. The LORD does not deny the loss of scale. He answers it with presence, covenant, Spirit, promised glory, and peace, then widens the horizon until heaven, earth, sea, dry land, and nations all stand around this small building. The chapter next moves through priestly rulings to show that sacred work does not automatically transmit holiness to the people performing it. A new dated promise follows before the harvest can verify it: "from this day will I bless you." Finally, on that same day, Zerubbabel is addressed as chosen servant and signet while kingdoms and military powers are shaken around him.

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