Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts, according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. (Haggai 2:4,5 ESV)
When cutting moldings and baseboards, I used a home-made Miter Box. Made from some sort of hardwood, my Miter Box was a framework to hold the molding in place, while a saw could cut the wood at pre-set angles. This Box was very old. I think my father made it before I was born.
Having tried a few times to make those angle cuts ‘by eye,’ I appreciated the reliability of that device. It always held the saw exactly in the right place. It never allowed error. My Miter Box did what it implied, intended, and promised. It gave my projects order.
Haggai wrote to the exiles who had returned back to Jerusalem. After they had begun rebuilding the Temple (you can read about those efforts in Ezra and Nehemiah,) they had run out of steam. The troubles were just too much. Many years had gone by, but the Temple remained unfinished. God had sent Haggai to get them back on track.
The Jews were living in a time of chaos. Their economy was unstable. Their neighbors did not want them to finish the Temple. They were broke, tired, and afraid.
God reminded them to relax… because He was their Miter Box. Despite apparent chaos, their CORE (their spirit, through the Spirit) was solid. Despite apparent insecurity, their future (just like their past) was secure. Despite apparent exhaustion, their strength (by God’s true promises) was dependable. Despite apparent isolation, they (in God’s presence) were not alone.
God’s presence made all the difference. They had just forgotten it.
Fear not, because of God’s Miter Box