WEBVTT 00:00:00.919 --> 00:00:03.700 Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're 00:00:03.700 --> 00:00:05.740 taking this journey together to read the Bible 00:00:05.740 --> 00:00:09.060 in a year. Today's reading is from the book of 00:00:09.060 --> 00:00:11.980 Ezra chapter 3, as well as the entire book of 00:00:11.980 --> 00:00:16.160 Haggai chapters 1 and 2. The book of Ezra chapter 00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:19.559 3. And when the seventh month had come, and the 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:22.100 children of Israel were in the cities, the people 00:00:22.100 --> 00:00:24.940 gathered together as one man to Jerusalem. Then 00:00:24.940 --> 00:00:27.559 Jeshua the son of Jehozadak and his brethren 00:00:27.559 --> 00:00:30.320 the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel 00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:33.679 and his brethren, arose and built the altar of 00:00:33.679 --> 00:00:36.020 the God of Israel to offer burnt offerings on 00:00:36.020 --> 00:00:38.780 it, as it is written in the law of Moses the 00:00:38.780 --> 00:00:41.979 man of God. Though fear had come upon them because 00:00:41.979 --> 00:00:44.780 of the people of those countries, they set the 00:00:44.780 --> 00:00:47.619 altar on its bases, and they offered burnt offerings 00:00:47.619 --> 00:00:50.340 on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening 00:00:50.340 --> 00:00:52.820 burnt offerings. They also kept the Feast of 00:00:52.820 --> 00:00:55.159 Tabernacles as it is written, and offered the 00:00:55.159 --> 00:00:57.000 daily burnt offerings in the number required 00:00:57.000 --> 00:01:00.600 by ordinance for each day. Afterwards, they offered 00:01:00.600 --> 00:01:02.840 the regular burnt offering, and those for new 00:01:02.840 --> 00:01:05.480 moons, and for all the appointed feasts of the 00:01:05.480 --> 00:01:08.340 Lord that were consecrated, and those of everyone 00:01:08.340 --> 00:01:11.079 who willingly offered a freewill offering to 00:01:11.079 --> 00:01:13.760 the Lord. From the first day of the seventh month, 00:01:13.959 --> 00:01:16.299 they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, 00:01:16.439 --> 00:01:18.700 although the foundation of the temple of the 00:01:18.700 --> 00:01:21.599 Lord had not been laid. they also gave money 00:01:21.599 --> 00:01:24.920 to the masons and the carpenters and food drink 00:01:24.920 --> 00:01:28.099 and oil to the people of sidon and tyre to bring 00:01:28.099 --> 00:01:31.739 cedar logs from lebanon to the sea to joppa according 00:01:31.739 --> 00:01:34.400 to the permission which they had from cyrus king 00:01:34.400 --> 00:01:37.040 of persia now in the second month of the second 00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:40.159 year of their coming to the house of god at jerusalem 00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:43.640 zerubbabel the son of shealtiel jeshua the son 00:01:43.640 --> 00:01:46.420 of jozadak and the rest of their brethren the 00:01:46.420 --> 00:01:49.099 priests and the levites and all those who had 00:01:49.099 --> 00:01:52.000 come out of the captivity to jerusalem began 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:54.519 work and appointed the levites from twenty years 00:01:54.519 --> 00:01:57.239 old and above to oversee the work of the house 00:01:57.239 --> 00:02:00.239 of the lord then jeshua with his sons and brothers 00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:04.170 kadmiel with his sons and the sons of judah arose 00:02:04.170 --> 00:02:06.810 as one to oversee those working on the house 00:02:06.810 --> 00:02:09.650 of God, the sons of Hinnadad, with their sons 00:02:09.650 --> 00:02:12.310 and their brethren, the Levites. When the builders 00:02:12.310 --> 00:02:14.449 laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, 00:02:14.629 --> 00:02:17.430 the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, 00:02:17.449 --> 00:02:20.189 and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, 00:02:20.210 --> 00:02:22.650 to praise the Lord according to the ordinance 00:02:22.650 --> 00:02:26.129 of David king of Israel. And they sang responsibly, 00:02:26.169 --> 00:02:28.930 praising and giving thanks to the Lord, for he 00:02:28.930 --> 00:02:31.689 is good, for his mercy endures forever toward 00:02:31.689 --> 00:02:34.379 Israel. Then all the people shouted with a great 00:02:34.379 --> 00:02:37.080 shout, when they praised the Lord, because the 00:02:37.080 --> 00:02:39.439 foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. 00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:42.400 But many of the priests and Levites and heads 00:02:42.400 --> 00:02:45.319 of the fathers' houses, old men who had seen 00:02:45.319 --> 00:02:48.000 the first temple, wept with a loud voice when 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:50.479 the foundation of this temple was laid before 00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:53.759 their eyes. Yet many shouted aloud for joy, so 00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:55.960 that the people could not discern the noise of 00:02:55.960 --> 00:02:58.340 the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping 00:02:58.340 --> 00:03:00.699 of the people. For the people shouted with a 00:03:00.699 --> 00:03:03.860 loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off. 00:03:06.340 --> 00:03:09.979 From the Book of Haggai, Chapter 1 In the second 00:03:09.979 --> 00:03:12.719 year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the 00:03:12.719 --> 00:03:14.659 first day of the month, the word of the Lord 00:03:14.659 --> 00:03:17.280 came to Haggai the prophet, to Zerubbabel the 00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:20.460 son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua 00:03:20.460 --> 00:03:23.060 the son of Jehozadak the high priest, saying, 00:03:23.580 --> 00:03:26.580 Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, saying, This people 00:03:26.580 --> 00:03:29.879 says the time has not come, the time that the 00:03:29.879 --> 00:03:32.520 Lord's house should be built. Then the word of 00:03:32.520 --> 00:03:34.740 the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 00:03:35.340 --> 00:03:38.400 Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your 00:03:38.400 --> 00:03:41.319 paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins? 00:03:41.599 --> 00:03:44.840 Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, consider 00:03:44.840 --> 00:03:47.919 your ways. You have sown much and bring in little. 00:03:48.080 --> 00:03:51.439 You eat, but do not have enough. You drink, but 00:03:51.439 --> 00:03:53.800 you are not filled with drink. You clothe yourselves, 00:03:54.099 --> 00:03:58.139 but no one is warm. And he who earns wages, earns 00:03:58.139 --> 00:04:01.840 wages to put into a bag with holes. Thus says 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:04.699 the Lord of hosts, Consider your ways. Go up 00:04:04.699 --> 00:04:07.099 to the mountains and bring wood and build a temple, 00:04:07.280 --> 00:04:09.919 that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified, 00:04:10.020 --> 00:04:12.900 says the Lord. You looked for much, but indeed 00:04:12.900 --> 00:04:15.460 it came to little. And when you brought it home, 00:04:15.639 --> 00:04:18.610 I blew it away. Why? says the Lord of hosts, 00:04:18.850 --> 00:04:22.350 because of my house that is in ruins, while every 00:04:22.350 --> 00:04:25.910 one of you runs to his own house. Therefore the 00:04:25.910 --> 00:04:28.569 heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth 00:04:28.569 --> 00:04:31.569 withholds its fruit. For I called for a drought 00:04:31.569 --> 00:04:34.370 on the land and the mountains, on the grain and 00:04:34.370 --> 00:04:36.990 the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground 00:04:36.990 --> 00:04:40.230 brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all 00:04:40.230 --> 00:04:42.850 the labor of your hands. Then Zerubbabel the 00:04:42.850 --> 00:04:45.990 son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, 00:04:46.199 --> 00:04:48.420 The high priest, with all the remnant of the 00:04:48.420 --> 00:04:50.540 people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God 00:04:50.540 --> 00:04:53.560 and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord 00:04:53.560 --> 00:04:56.160 their God had sent him. And the people feared 00:04:56.160 --> 00:04:58.759 the presence of the Lord. Then Haggai, the Lord's 00:04:58.759 --> 00:05:01.399 messenger, spoke the Lord's message to the people, 00:05:01.480 --> 00:05:04.839 saying, I am with you, says the Lord. So the 00:05:04.839 --> 00:05:07.060 Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel, the 00:05:07.060 --> 00:05:09.779 son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah. and the 00:05:09.779 --> 00:05:12.459 spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak the high 00:05:12.459 --> 00:05:15.079 priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of 00:05:15.079 --> 00:05:17.560 the people. And they came and worked on the house 00:05:17.560 --> 00:05:19.879 of the Lord of hosts, their God, on the twenty 00:05:19.879 --> 00:05:22.279 -fourth day of the sixth month, in the second 00:05:22.279 --> 00:05:27.699 year of King Darius. Chapter 2 In the seventh 00:05:27.699 --> 00:05:30.160 month, on the twenty -first of the month, the 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:32.060 word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, 00:05:32.319 --> 00:05:35.379 saying, Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, 00:05:35.540 --> 00:05:38.819 governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, 00:05:39.019 --> 00:05:41.439 the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, 00:05:41.480 --> 00:05:44.459 saying, Who is left among you who saw this temple 00:05:44.459 --> 00:05:47.399 in its former glory? And how do you see it now? 00:05:47.579 --> 00:05:50.839 In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes 00:05:50.839 --> 00:05:54.399 as nothing? Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel, says 00:05:54.399 --> 00:05:57.279 the Lord, and be strong, Joshua son of Jehozadak, 00:05:57.439 --> 00:05:59.800 the high priest, and be strong, all you people 00:05:59.800 --> 00:06:02.500 of the land, says the Lord, and work, for I am 00:06:02.500 --> 00:06:05.240 with you. says the Lord of hosts, according to 00:06:05.240 --> 00:06:08.240 the word that I covenanted with you when you 00:06:08.240 --> 00:06:10.779 came out of Egypt, so my spirit remains among 00:06:10.779 --> 00:06:14.279 you, do not fear. For thus says the Lord of hosts, 00:06:14.519 --> 00:06:17.740 once more, it is a little while, I will shake 00:06:17.740 --> 00:06:20.740 heaven and earth, the sea and dry land, and I 00:06:20.740 --> 00:06:23.699 will shake all nations, and they shall come to 00:06:23.699 --> 00:06:26.439 the desire of all nations, and I will fill this 00:06:26.439 --> 00:06:29.339 temple with glory, says the Lord of hosts, the 00:06:29.339 --> 00:06:31.819 silver is mine and the gold is mine, says the 00:06:31.819 --> 00:06:34.639 Lord of hosts. The glory of this latter temple 00:06:34.639 --> 00:06:37.459 shall be greater than the former, says the Lord 00:06:37.459 --> 00:06:40.180 of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, 00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:42.980 says the Lord of hosts. On the twenty -fourth 00:06:42.980 --> 00:06:45.439 day of the ninth month, in the second year of 00:06:45.439 --> 00:06:47.939 Darius, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the 00:06:47.939 --> 00:06:50.220 prophet, saying, Thus says the Lord of hosts, 00:06:50.459 --> 00:06:53.800 Now ask the priests concerning the law, saying, 00:06:54.040 --> 00:06:57.100 If one carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, 00:06:57.319 --> 00:07:00.759 and with the edge he touches bread or stew, wine 00:07:00.759 --> 00:07:04.230 or oil, or any food, Will it become holy? Then 00:07:04.230 --> 00:07:07.610 the priests answered and said, No. And Haggai 00:07:07.610 --> 00:07:10.569 said, If one who is unclean because of a dead 00:07:10.569 --> 00:07:13.589 body touches any of these, will it be unclean? 00:07:13.649 --> 00:07:16.470 So the priests answered and said, It shall be 00:07:16.470 --> 00:07:19.689 unclean. Then Haggai answered and said, So is 00:07:19.689 --> 00:07:22.170 this people, and so is this nation before me, 00:07:22.230 --> 00:07:24.689 says the Lord, and so is every work of their 00:07:24.689 --> 00:07:27.829 hands, and what they offer there is unclean. 00:07:28.089 --> 00:07:31.160 And now, Carefully consider from this day forward, 00:07:31.319 --> 00:07:34.279 from before stone was laid upon stone in the 00:07:34.279 --> 00:07:37.160 temple of the Lord. Since those days, when one 00:07:37.160 --> 00:07:40.620 came to a heap of twenty ephes, there were but 00:07:40.620 --> 00:07:43.819 ten. When one came to the wine vat to draw out 00:07:43.819 --> 00:07:47.339 fifty baths from the press, there were but twenty. 00:07:47.870 --> 00:07:50.430 I struck you with blight and mildew, and hail 00:07:50.430 --> 00:07:52.790 in all the labors of your hands, yet you did 00:07:52.790 --> 00:07:55.990 not turn to me, says the Lord. Consider now from 00:07:55.990 --> 00:07:58.250 this day forward, from the twenty -fourth day 00:07:58.250 --> 00:08:01.129 of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation 00:08:01.129 --> 00:08:04.490 of the Lord's temple was laid. Consider it. Is 00:08:04.490 --> 00:08:07.389 the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, 00:08:07.629 --> 00:08:10.129 the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive 00:08:10.129 --> 00:08:13.449 tree have not yet yielded fruit, but from this 00:08:13.449 --> 00:08:16.389 day I will bless you. And again the word of the 00:08:16.389 --> 00:08:19.110 Lord came to Haggai on the 24th day of the month, 00:08:19.189 --> 00:08:22.269 saying, Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, 00:08:22.410 --> 00:08:25.610 saying, I will shake heaven and earth. I will 00:08:25.610 --> 00:08:28.449 overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I will destroy 00:08:28.449 --> 00:08:30.850 the strength of the Gentile kingdoms. I will 00:08:30.850 --> 00:08:33.309 overthrow the chariots and those who ride in 00:08:33.309 --> 00:08:36.070 them. The horses and their riders shall come 00:08:36.070 --> 00:08:39.210 down, every one by the sword of his brother. 00:08:39.610 --> 00:08:42.710 In that day, says the Lord of hosts, I will take 00:08:42.710 --> 00:08:45.149 you Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, 00:08:45.309 --> 00:08:48.330 says the Lord, and will make you like a signet 00:08:48.330 --> 00:08:51.769 ring, for I have chosen you, says the Lord of 00:08:51.769 --> 00:08:59.230 hosts. I hope you enjoyed today's reading as 00:08:59.230 --> 00:09:01.450 much as I did, and I look forward to seeing you 00:09:01.450 --> 00:09:03.830 again tomorrow to continue on our journey. God 00:09:03.830 --> 00:09:05.149 bless you and have a great day.