speaking to us today on the subject
that is the theme of all the scripture, that is the desire
of God's people, the Lord Jesus Christ. We're going to look today
at scriptures both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. First in the Old Testament, if
you will turn with me to the book of Haggai, which is the
third from the last of the Old Testament books. Haggai chapter
2. Reading the first nine verses
of this chapter. In the seventh month, in the
one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the Lord
by the prophet Haggai, saying, Speak now to Zerubbabel, the
son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son
of Josedek, the high priest, and to the residue of the people,
saying, Who is left among you that saw this house in her first
glory? And how do you see it now? Is
it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? Yet now be
strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord, and be strong, O Joshua,
son of Josedek, the high priest, And be strong, all ye people
of the land, saith the Lord, and work, for I am with you,
saith the Lord of hosts. According to the word that I
covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so my spirit
remaineth among you, fear ye not. For thus saith the Lord
of hosts, yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens
and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake
all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come. And I
will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of Hosts. The
silver is mine and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of Hosts.
The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the
former, saith the Lord of Hosts. And in this place will I give
peace, saith the Lord of Hosts. This prophet Haggai ministered
to the nation of Judah after they had returned from 70 years
of captivity in the land of Babylon. In chapter 1, the prophecy is
divided into two chapters. In chapter 1, he reproves the
nation. If you turn back a page, you
will see he reproves them for their neglect in working in building
the temple, which he calls the Lord's house. They were not neglectful
in building their own houses. This was the sin which they were
guilty of. They made sure, first of all,
they built a house for themselves, but they did not build God's
house, which was the most important house in this land. The place
where they could meet God. A place where God would meet
them. But they did not do that. And so in chapter 1, he reproves
them for this. If you notice in verses 3 and
4, Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,
Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your sealed houses,
and this house lie waste? Now therefore, thus saith the
Lord of hosts, consider your ways. And God had chastened them
greatly because of this sin of building their own houses. He
calls them sealed houses. In other words, they finished
out their houses, but they did not build the Lord's house, the
temple of God. And He reproves them for that. And they heard the reproof, and
if you notice in the last verse of chapter one, it says in the
four, or the 14th verse rather, and the Lord stirred up the spirit
of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit
of Joshua, the son of Josedek, the high priest, and the spirit
of all the remnant of the people. And they came and did work in
the house of the Lord of hosts, their God. They received his
reproof. And the Lord, we see this, the
Lord is the one who stirred up their spirit. Both the spirit
of the governor, Zerubbabel, and the high priest, Joshua,
and then the men. God stirred up their people,
the hearts of the people, and they began to work. In chapter 2, if you would notice
the dates from that 14th verse until chapter 2, verse 1. One month has passed. One month
has passed since they began to work. And Haggai prophesies to encourage
them to build. Though the temple they were building,
there were some men, they were old men of course. You can read
about this in Ezra. There were some men who had seen
the first temple, that is the temple that Solomon had built,
and they had seen it before the Babylonians burned it and destroyed
it. They were still alive. And so
when they laid the foundation of this new temple, it was much
smaller. And in fact, you see, the Lord
asked them in verse three, who is left among you that saw this
house in her first glory? And how do you see it now? Is
it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? In fact, we
read there in Ezra, when they laid the foundation, the young
people shouted. There was great joy. But at the
same time, the older people wept. And so there was a great noise.
We are told you could hear far off, but you could not tell whether
it was weeping or rejoicing. But the Lord, through Haggai,
encourages them now to build this temple. And he gives them
three things to encourage them. And all of these three things,
if we would think about it, we could spiritualize them, and
they would serve you and I as great encouragement in the work
of the Lord. The first thing he mentions is,
the Lord is with you. verses four and five. The Lord
is with you. Now, be strong, O Zerubbabel,
saith the Lord, and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedec the
high priest, and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith
the Lord, and work, and notice, for I am with you. What encouragement do you and
I have in this day to serve the Lord, to work in spreading the
gospel, when the Lord Jesus Christ, remember, At the close of Matthew
28, he tells us, and lo, I'm with you until the end of the
ages. Sometimes we think we're all
alone. We may feel all alone. But no,
be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the
Lord, for as much as you know, your labor in the Lord is not
in vain. The Lord Jesus Christ is with
us, he's with his church. And then a second thing, we're
told of the greater glory of this temple they were building. And the temple to which believers
are brought is a spiritual temple, but it's a greater temple. And then the third thing, in
this place He would give peace and it is through coming to know
the Lord Jesus Christ that men are brought to have peace with
God. Therefore being justified by
faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now the temple would be built. Zechariah makes that clear and
if you notice in verse 7 he tells them And I will shake all nations,
that is God, and the desire of all nations shall come. And I
will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. The desire of all nations. Now this word desire is used
here of a person. We don't usually use it that
way. We think of things that we desire,
things that we would like to have. But know this desire is
used here in reference to a person. The desire of all nations shall
come to this temple. And we know that person is none
other than the Lord Jesus Christ. The desire of all nations would
come to this temple. Now, let me mention several things
about this. The Apostle Peter in the New
Testament in Acts chapter 10, when he was sent to the house
of Cornelius, part of his message was to him, that is to Christ,
give all the prophets witness. In other words, all the Old Testament
prophets, they all gave witness to Christ. And what we are looking
at here this morning is this prophet by the name of Haggai
and his witness to Christ. Witnessing rather of him under
this title, The Desire of All Nations. First, as we think about
this title, this title witnesses that God prepared him for all
nations. It is true that he first came
unto the Jews. The scripture says he came unto
his own and his own received him not. And there his own refers
to the nation, the Jewish nation. And he told that Syrophoenician
woman, I'm not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. It is true that he was at first
in the days of his flesh sent to the house of Israel. But He
was never intended to be only the Savior of those who are from
the nation of Israel. He was promised as the desire
of all nations, as a light to the Gentiles. If you look in
Isaiah 49, if you'd like to turn back, if not just listen, but
in Isaiah chapter 49 and verse Verse number six, we have God
speaking, as it were, to the Lord Jesus Christ, his servant. He's presented here as a servant
of Jehovah. And in chapter 49, in verse six,
God said, it is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Judah. Now he did, there were many of
the Israelites who have been saved. But the Lord said, that
would be a light thing, a light thing, that thou shouldest be
my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved
of Israel. I also will give thee for a light
to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end
of the earth. So this title, Haggai witnesses
to this truth that God prepared him to be the Savior of all nations. There's only one Savior. There
never has been but one Savior. He's the Savior of the world
in the sense of this whole entire world, there's only one Savior. The Lord Jesus Christ, who is
the desire of all nations. This title witnesses that God
prepared him for all nations. Second, this title witnesses
that God promised him for all nations. When God called Abraham
and made a covenant with him, After Abraham took his son Isaac
and offered him as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah, God told him,
in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. And
we know Christ, he is the seed of Abraham. In thy seed shall
all the nations of the earth be blessed. The desire of all
nations is Christ. the seed of Abraham. He was promised. Number three, this title witnesses
that Christ redeemed some out of the nations with his blood. Some people believe, I know a
missionary that I highly respect, he believes that this is taken
literally, that every nation, every tribe, every tongue And
there's a lot of tongues, languages, a lot of languages in this world
that God has redeemed some out of every one of them. This is
what we read in Revelation chapter 5 and verse 9. Thou art worthy
to take the book and to open the seals thereof, for thou was
slain, now listen, and has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of
If we had no other verse in the Bible to teach that the Lord's
sacrifice, His atonement, was for a specific people, this verse
alone declares it. He didn't redeem all, but out
of all, the scripture said, out of every kindred, and tongue,
and people, and nation. And this, this testifies, this
title testifies to that truth. He is the desire of all nations
because He has redeemed some out of every language. And as I said, there are a lot
of languages, a lot of languages in this world, out of every nation. every kindred. And number four,
this title witnesses that all men have a need of a Savior. He's the desire of all nations
because, you see, nations are made up of individuals. I remember
reading that passage in Matthew and reading some who believe
that there's going to be a judgment of the nations. Nations are made
up of individuals. Nations are not going to be judged.
Individuals are going to be judged. But this verse tells us, it witnesses
to the fact that all nations, in all nations, those who make
up all nations, in other words, all people, not excluded, that
we all need a Savior. There's no one that comes into
this world who does not need Savior and there's only one Savior
and He is the desire of all nations. If you look with me in Romans
chapter 3 just a moment. In Romans chapter 3 the Apostle
Paul at this place in this letter is showing how it is that all
men both Jews and Gentiles are lost. Romans chapter 3 and beginning
in verse 10, he says, as it is written, there is none righteous. No, not one. There's none righteous. No, not
one. There's none that understandeth.
There's none that seeketh after God. You know, in Deuteronomy,
men are told to seek the Lord. Yes, seek the Lord. But the truth
is, as this scripture declares unto us, there's none that understandeth,
there's none that seeketh after God. Unless the Holy Spirit comes
seeking us, we never will seek the Lord. Men will never seek
the Lord until first they are sought by the Lord. Because by
nature, and that's what Paul is talking about in this passage,
this is part of what is known as depravity, that all men are
depraved. There's none righteous, no, not
one. There's none that understandeth. There's none that seeketh after
God. They are all gone out of the way. They are together become
unprofitable. There's none that doeth good,
no, not one. If you look down in verse 17
it says, and the way of peace have they not known. The way
of peace, keep that in mind, the way of peace they have not
known. There's only one way of peace
with God and that is through Jesus Christ our Lord. But man
by nature doesn't know the way of peace. By nature, men think
the way to have peace with God is to do something. It's to perform
some religious service, or to be something, to make yourself
into something, and then you will have peace with God. But
the way of peace they have not known. The way of peace with
God is through Jesus Christ our Lord. He is our peace, and there
is no peace for any man outside of Christ. He is the desire of
all nations. And this title, I said this title
witnesses that God prepared him for all nations. This title witnesses
that God promised him all nations. And this title witnesses that
He redeemed some out of all nations. And this title witnesses that
all men have need of Jesus Christ. And this title witnesses that
all good, now listen to me, all good is found in the Lord Jesus
Christ. He is the desire of all nations. The word desire here is a comprehensive
word and it contains all good things. All good things are contained
in Jesus Christ our Lord. David used this word when he
came close to the end of his life. The scripture said these
be the last words of David. And he spoke about God's everlasting
covenant. And then he said this, this is
all my salvation and all my desire. All my desire. He also, David
also used this in Psalm 37 and verse 4 when he said, delight
thyself in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thy
heart. In other words, he shall give
thee satisfaction. There's no real satisfaction
to be found anywhere else other than in Jesus Christ, our Lord. He is the desire. of all nations. All good is found in Him. I believe it was Augustine who
maybe first pointed this out, that man was created with the
ability, the capacity to know God. And until and unless a man
comes to know God, he will always be empty and he will always be
restless. He will never be satisfied. There's no satisfaction for man
outside of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the desire of all nations. One writer said he's honor, he's
riches, he's beauty, he's health, he's life, he's peace, he's salvation. This word desire includes everything
good, everything necessary. He He, a person, He is the desire
of all nations. Now, before we go to the passage
in the New Testament, let's go back here to Zechariah, if you
will. And I want us to keep in mind
two words that we see in this passage. And the first word is
the word glory. And the second word is the word
peace. Notice in verse 7, God said,
and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations
shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord
of hosts. And then in verse 9, he says,
the glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the
former, saith the Lord. You remember when Solomon dedicated
the house of the Lord, the temple which he built. And it was a
beautiful, it was a magnificent building. There was so much gold,
so much of it was overlaid with gold and precious metals and
precious stones. And when they dedicated, when
Solomon dedicated the temple, the scripture says, the glory
of the Lord so filled the house that the priest could not minister.
evidently a cloud which pictured his glory. And the same thing
took place when Moses raised up the tabernacle. But yet God
says the glory of this latter house, the glory of this latter
house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord. So
keep that word in mind as we go here in just a moment to the
New Testament, the word glory, and then also the word peace.
In verse 9, the glory of this latter house shall be greater
than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts, and in this place
will I give peace, saith the Lord. Now one thing before we leave
this passage in Haggai, I want to point out. I want us to see
that God's little walls are a little bit different from
our little walls. You and I who are but of a few
days, a little while for us might be a few hours, at the most a
few days. But for God who is eternal and
with Him one day is as a thousand years, His little while was 500
and a few years. A little while. Just a little
while. It's been just a little while
since the Lord Jesus Christ ascended back to the Father. And it will
be just a little while before he comes again. To us, it seems
like a long time. couple of millenniums already. But for God, just a little while. Now if you will, let's look in
the New Testament to Luke chapter 2. Luke chapter 2. This is the first
time that the desire of all nations came to this temple. Same temple that they built,
although it had been enlarged and somewhat beautified by Herod,
but it was the same temple to which he came. And he came carried,
carried in the arms of either Mary his mother or Mary's husband
Joseph. Isn't that amazing? He who upholds
all things by the word of his power, Coming into this world
as a man, he was carried in the arms of someone. Carried to this temple. Let's
begin reading in verse 22. And when the days of her purification
according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought
him to Jerusalem. That is, Mary's son, the desire
of all nations. Just a baby of six weeks of age,
they brought him. to Jerusalem to present him to
the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord. Every male
that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord, and
to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the
law of the Lord, a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons. And
behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, And the
same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of
Israel. And the Holy Ghost was upon him,
and it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost that he should
not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came
by the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought
in the child Jesus to do for him after the custom of the law,
Then took he him up in his arms, that is Simeon did, and blessed
God and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace
according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light
to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel. The greater glory given to this
temple consisted in the desire of all nations, that is the Lord
Jesus Christ coming into this temple. This was the first time
that he came into this temple. And he came to do that which
was according to the law of the Lord, that is to be presented. And this is important to point
this out. He came, the Lord Jesus Christ,
he was brought to be presented to the Lord. Mary came for an
altogether different purpose. He came, he was brought to be
presented to God's representative, the priest. As Mary's firstborn
son, according to the law, there had to be five shekels given
to the priest, five shekels, shekels of redemption. What a
mystery, right? That he who came to redeem his
church, that there was five shekels given as the firstborn of Mary
for his redemption, according to the law. Remember, it was
made under the law that he might redeem us from the curse of the
law. Now Mary, she didn't come to
be presented. She came to offer an offering
for her purification. This too was according to the
law. And we are told they offered two turtledoves. Now both of
those turtledoves that were offered pictured the Lord Jesus Christ. One was offered as a burnt offering. And in the offerings of the Lord,
the burnt offering, it pictured how the Lord Jesus Christ, He
gave Himself completely. Just as the offering was completely
burnt, the offering, the burnt offering, pictured how the Lord
Jesus Christ gave Himself perfectly, completely unto the Lord. He loved God. with all his heart,
all his soul, and all his being. That's the law that we were commanded
to do, and that's the law that all of us have failed to do.
And so one turtle dove was offered as a burn offering, picturing
to us the righteousness of Jesus Christ, His perfect obedience,
And that righteousness, which is called the righteousness of
God, you know this, don't you? Thank God you know this. This
is the righteousness which is counted, imputed unto everyone
who believes in Christ. And it is by this righteousness
that we are justified, that men are justified. But that other
bird was offered as a sin offering, a sin offering. Not only do we
need a righteousness to justify us before God, but we need a
sin offering to purge us, to cleanse us, to atone for all
our sins. Both of these doves pictured
the Lord Jesus Christ and His work. But think about this. You go back and look at the law,
you will see they were to bring a lamb. They didn't bring a lamb,
did they? There was a provision in that
law. If the family were too poor for
a lamb, then they could bring these two birds, which were very
inexpensive to obtain. And this tells us the family,
the home into which our Savior was born, was a poor family. Even though they were descendants
of David, King David, And yet they are now reduced to such
poverty. And what a picture that is of
mankind as we were created in the image of God. Perfect, holy,
beautiful, pleasing to God. And yet by our fall, by our sin,
by our transgression, we've come under the wrath of God. The Apostle Paul, speaking of
Christ, he said, for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that though he was rich. We can't even begin to think of how rich in glory and
every gift and grace the Lord Jesus Christ is. Though he was
rich, yet for your sakes, for your sake today, If you know
Christ as your Lord and Savior, He did this for you. He did this
for me. He became poor, poor. He laid aside His glory and came
into this world as a man and came into a home that was poor,
worked in a carpenter shop as a young man, knew what it was
to sweat, to labor. He did this for us, and that's
just the beginning, isn't it? Though He was rich, yet for your
sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might be
made rich. And how rich we are today in
Christ. Now, we're told here that Simeon,
this man, was directed by the Holy Spirit into the temple at
this particular point. And he had been told by God that
he would not experience death until he had seen the consolation
of Israel, the desire of all nations, God's salvation, a light
to the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. And when
Simeon took this young child up in his arms, He said this,
now I have seen thy salvation. He didn't see it in the temple,
the temple services, the rituals, the sacrifices. He saw it in
this person. Remember that word glory? The
glory of this latter house shall be greater. This house was filled
with glory. by the presence, by the coming
of the God-man, Jesus Christ, into it. And you remember the
word peace? Simeon knew that he could now
depart in peace. Why? Because he saw in Christ
the one who would make peace for men. And how did he make
that peace? Through the blood of his cross.
Let me ask you in closing this morning, when you think about
his title, The Desire of All Nations, has God made the Lord
Jesus Christ your greatest desire? Is there anything on earth or
anything in heaven that you desire more than Christ? Listen to the
Apostle Paul in Philippians chapter 3. He said, yea, doubtless, and
I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord. As he made you your desire, the
greatest desire in your heart is Christ, to know him, to be
made like him. I trust that he would work that
in all of our hearts the desire of all nations. We're going to be dismissed by
singing a hymn.