A Time of Blessings and Celebrations

God promises that a time of Blessings and Celebrations is coming as we make it our business to “build the temple”.

In my last post, A Time of Restoration, I wrote about how, thousands of years ago, God, by His outrageous love, inspired the prophet Zechariah to document a promise that we will be able to live safely in our neighbourhoods again.

Exquisite Celebrations

God promises that He will not only restore us, He will bless us immensely and give us lots of reasons to celebrate. 

In fact, during the Cell Group Meeting I mentioned in my last post, a dear brother reminded us that God had already sent us a word of encouragement in January before the pandemic started in the United Kingdom. 

Indeed, during our Fasting and Prayer event in January 2020, a guest preacher named Bishop David Bakare had shared a promise of God recorded in Isaiah 25:6-10 with us. However, we did not know the significance of the promise at the time. It reads:

But here on this mountain, God-of-the-Angel-Armies

    will throw a feast for all the people of the world,

A feast of the finest foods, a feast with vintage wines,

    a feast of seven courses, a feast lavish with gourmet desserts.

And here on this mountain, God will banish

    the pall of doom hanging over all peoples,

The shadow of doom darkening all nations.

    Yes, he’ll banish death forever.

And God will wipe the tears from every face.

    He’ll remove every sign of disgrace

From his people, wherever they are.

Yes! God says so!

^9-10 Also at that time, people will say,

    “Look at what’s happened! This is our God!

We waited for him and he showed up and saved us!

    This God, the one we waited for!

The preacher prophesied that this year, 2020, would be a year where there will be “Feasts of Fat Things”.

I believe that very soon we will all have reasons to celebrate and throw fancy parties because the doom and gloom will be over.

There will be a reliable cure and/or vaccine for COVID-19.

God is also able to make the Corona virus disappear as suddenly as it appeared…

The bottom line is we will all be safe again.

Blessed as we Return to God

God promises that we will have lots reasons to celebrate and throw posh parties in this season. However, it takes someone who is really blessed to throw parties with the finest food and wine.

The good news is God has promised to bless us – as we return to Him.

“For the seed will be prosperous, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will yield its produce, and the skies will give their dew. To the remnant of this people I will give all these things as an inheritance. Zechariah 8:12  NLT

In Zechariah 8:3, God promises He will return to us.

This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of Hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.”

However, we do need to return to Him first.

Therefore tell the people: This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty. Zechariah 1:3 NIV.

Building the Temple

Later on in Zechariah 8, God promises to bless us if we make a commitment to do just one thing – build the temple.

The Lord Almighty says, “Get on with the job and finish it! You have been listening long enough! For since you began laying the foundation of the Temple, the prophets have been telling you about the blessings that await you when it’s finished. Zechariah 8: 9 TLB

God is asking us to build the temple at a time when many of us may have overlooked or abandoned it. 

What does it mean to build the temple?

First, let us think what the temple might be.

A Dwelling Place for God

We know that a Temple is a sacred place of worship. 

God actually lives in an environment where He is constantly praised and appreciated.

“God dwells in the praises of His people”. Psalms 22:3

The Bible also suggests that we are actually physical temples where God Himself can dwell.

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 1 Corinthians 6:19 NLT

I believe that God is calling us to build (or rebuild) our relationship with Him so that He can continually abide in us and with us.

If God makes His permanent abode in us and with us, then His blessings are guaranteed to remain with us and overflow to others.

God is calling us to be more serious about our worship and reverence of Him.

He is calling us to become more obedient to Him and live according to His prescriptions at all times. 

A Better World

We also know that people come together to worship at a temple. 

By asking us to build the temple, I believe that God is also asking us to treat our fellow humans better. He is calling us to change the way we interact with people for the better.

Zechariah 8:16 – 17 MSG sheds some light on some of the ways we can treat our fellow humans better:

And now here’s what I want you to do: Tell the truth, the whole truth, when you speak. Do the right thing by one another, both personally and in your courts. Don’t cook up plans to take unfair advantage of others. Don’t do or say what isn’t so. I hate all that stuff. Keep your lives simple and honest.”

Blessed as we (Re)Build the Temple

Just as is evident in our world today, Zechariah 8:10 TLB alludes to the fact that:

Before the work (to build the temple) began there were no jobs, no wages, no security; if you left the city, there was no assurance you would ever return, for crime was rampant. Parenthesis mine.

However, as we make up our minds to start “(re)building the temple” – via repairing our relationships with God and our fellow humans – God promises to bless us as recorded in Zechariah 8:12 (TLB)

For I am sowing peace and prosperity among you. Your crops will prosper; the grapevines will be weighted down with fruit; the ground will be fertile, with plenty of rain; all these blessings will be given to the people left in the land.

God promises that immeasurable blessings and peace will be ours as we (RE)BUILD THE TEMPLE – i.e as continue to live right and at peace with everyone (Zechariah 8: 13, 16 – 17).

Among the other nations, Judah and Israel became symbols of a cursed nation. But no longer! Now I will rescue you and make you both a symbol and a source of blessing. So don’t be afraid. Be strong, and get on with rebuilding the Temple! Zechariah 8: 13 NLT

Blessings for all

God promises that a time of Blessings and Celebration is coming our way soon. 

Not only will we have reasons to celebrate, but as recorded in Zechariah 8:20 -23, many people who do not even know us, will come and celebrate with us too and ask to be our friends.

These people will also be interested in getting to know the God of our Salvation so they can ask Him to bless them too. Alleluia!

We are moving from a time of fasting and praying, and seeking God’s mercy, to a time of joy, gladness, innumerable blessings and great feasting.

The traditional fasts and times of mourning you have kept in July, August, October, and January^[b] are ended. They will be changed to joyous festivals if you love truth and peace Zechariah 8:19 TLB

As we make a commitment to love and honour God more and live at peace with our fellow humans, we enter into a time of outstanding blessings and joyous celebrations.

Get ready for immeasurable blessings!

Get ready for exquisite celebrations!

Prepare for the Feasts of Fat Things!

Alleluia!!!