Light pink candle - The Joy Candle
There are many traditions which are unique to southern culture. The monogram is a big one. From the moment a baby girl is born, her monogram is embroidered on her Sunday dresses, hairbows and backpacks. I’ve noticed at UGA football games recently that the college girls wear custom UGA Tecovas boots, the Georgia “G” on one side and their monogram on the other. Last year for our family trip to Colorado, I had Yeti cups monogrammed for each of our kids and grandkids. A monogram personalizes anything, making it instantly unique, a one of a kind.
Signet rings were the ancient monogram. Originating from the Latin word “signum” meaning “sign,” signet rings originated in ancient times, dating back as early as the Egyptian Pharaohs. These rings were used to mark and seal documents by pressing the face of the ring, historically marked with a unique family crest, into hot wax, then sealing whatever official document required their signature. But signet rings were not just signatures. So unique and personal to the individual, they were more like fingerprints.
In our last day of reading about the lesser-known kings of Judah in Jesus’ ancestry, we read about Zerubbabel, who was most likely born into captivity in Babylon and not actually given the title of king; yet God appoints him, calls him and sets His own seal upon Zerubbabel. “I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“and make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you.” (Hag 2:22)
Read Haggai 2
A summary of the short book of Haggai is probably in order, to help make better sense of the prophet’s challenge to the returning exiles. In 587 BC, after decades of warnings from multiple prophets that destruction and exile were coming to Judah if the kings and people didn’t return to the Lord, Babylon did, in fact besiege and destroy Jerusalem, taking captive all but the elderly and infirm from Judea. Nearly 70 years after the exile, Babylon’s empire had collapsed and the world was now ruled by the Persians, who allowed the return of any exiled Israelites who wanted to go back to Jerusalem. Under the leadership of a high priest named Joshua and Zerubbabel, an heir from the line of David, a group of exiles returned and began to rebuild the city and their lives. The people’s hopes were high, their joy had returned and the future seemed bright!1
When they arrived and saw the devastation that was Jerusalem, they quickly became overwhelmed. Where should they start? I can certainly understand the paralyzing pressure that comes when there is so much to do. I believe many of the people emotionally shut down, isolated and just focused on taking care of themselves and their family. They’ve come back to Jerusalem, but are spending all their time and resources rebuilding their own houses while the temple remains in ruins from its destruction nearly 70 years prior. Haggai asks, “Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” (Hag. 1:4) Their neglect of the house of God was reminiscent of the covenant rebellion of their ancestors and was why the land remained unproductive and they had been struck with famine and drought.
Zerubbabel responded immediately. We read that “The Lord roused the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, the spirit of the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. They began work on the house of the Lord of Armies, their God.” (Hag 1:14) Please pay attention to the series of events:
God issues a call to obedience through the prophet Haggai.
God rouses Zerubbabel’s spirit, as well as the high priest,Joshua and the people.
Zerubbabel obeys God and leads the efforts to begin rebuilding the temple.
Following his obedience, God honored Zerubbabel’s response and hard work, making him God’s own signet ring and reaffirming His promise to bless His people and the whole world through the line of David - someone from David’s house would rule God’s people forever!
We believe that God’s promise to exalt Zerubbabel was fulfilled in Jesus, David’s descendant through Zerubbabel. Jesus Christ is the divine King of Kings and Lord of Lords, having been given all authority by His Father God. Through His perfect life, sacrificial death and glorious resurrection, He has earned the right to redeem any He so chooses. And He places His seal on those He has called to Himself, guaranteeing that we belong to Christ. I can’t say it better than the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 1, so I’ll leave you with his descriptions of God’s rich blessings that are ours in Christ:
“Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding. He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ as a plan for the right time—to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.
In him we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory.
In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:3-14
We hear the truth of the gospel, are given new hearts to receive this truth, and believe. It is then that we are sealed by Jesus’ signet ring, the Holy Spirit, as a permanent, unbreakable mark of God’s ownership, signifying that we are eternally and completely His. If that doesn’t elicit unspeakable joy in our souls, I don’t know what will!
Sing Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee (See page 61 for lyrics)
Reflect
How does our great God mark us, seal us as His possession in Christ? By placing the Holy Spirit of Christ in our hearts. We must not underestimate the meaning of the coming of the Spirit, as though after His ascension the church had lost Jesus. He promised not to leave us orphans. Remember how He breathed His Spirit on the disciples after the Resurrection? And then how He came in His Spirit from the throne of glory at Pentecost? Yes, Jesus will come again, when every eye will see Him, but we are not now without the power and presence of our Lord. We can live in that power and presence today!
Pray with thanksgiving for the seal of the Spirit on our hearts. “Jesus, You told Your apostles that it was better that You should go away so that the Spirit might come, not because the Spirit is better than You, but through the Spirit You would be present in our hearts. Your plans, Your thoughts, Your works are indescribable and evoke indescribable joy!”
BibleProject Guide. The Book of Hosea. (https://bibleproject.com/guides/book-of-haggai/)
