Under Construction: Lessons From the Book of HaggaiSýnishorn

God’s everlasting covenant promises

When God says that He is with the people, He says that His presence is based on the covenant He made with them when they came out of Egypt. But wait a minute… these people had not been in Egypt at all, they had just returned from their exile in Babylon! The story about Israel’s slavery in Egypt dates back to the times of Moses, about 1400 BC. None of the people in Haggai’s time were there when God led the Israelites out of Egypt and made His covenant with them. Not even their parents or grandparents had been born! And yet, God refers to “the covenant that I made with you.”

This is a clear sign of God’s faithfulness. He keeps His covenant promises over generations. They do not only apply to the people who lived during the exodus from Egypt, but also to all their descendants.

Hebrews 13:20 even speaks about a new “eternal covenant” based on Jesus’ atoning death, which is not only for the people of Israel but for all the nations. Since Haggai’s time, God’s covenant promises have not lost their validity. They have only become more glorious after finding their fullness in Jesus Christ.

Praise God for his everlasting faithfulness!