GOD IS IN CONTROL
Haggai 2:20-23
(Antioch Baptist Church: Sunday, October 26th, 2025)
There are many things this world that we have no control over. Social security is going bankrupt, the national debt is nearing forty trillion, the government is currently shut down, wages are stagnant, inflation is real, and groceries, homes, and healthcare are unaffordable for most Americans.
US armed forces are in harm’s way all over the world. There are perennial wars and rumors of more wars. Mass shootings are commonplace. Our country is more divided than it has been in our lifetime. We live in a world that is filled with trouble, turmoil, difficulty, and uncertainty. Things are bad and getting worse.
On top of this, many of you are dealing with various personal issues; you have marital troubles, rebellious children, bills that you can't pay, problems at work, health issues, and many other distressing situations that demand your attention.
Far too often we are blinded by our circumstances and we forget who is really in control. When this happens, doubts come and fear grips our minds. If nothing else happens today, I hope that I can remind you who is in control. It is not the republican or democrat party (thankfully). Nor is it the governor, Congress, the Supreme Court, or even the President. The LORD God Almighty, our Heavenly Father, the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe is, always has been, and always will be in control.
As our study of Haggai comes to a close we arrive at a passage that provides great encouragement in times of difficulty and uncertainty. Haggai’s fourth oracle is a vivid reminder that God chooses certain individuals for specific purposes and ultimately for His glory. Even when it seems that the world is spiraling out of control, we can experience rest, peace, hope, and assurance because, in spite of it all, God is in control! I would like to examine the closing verses of Haggai and consider the reality that “God Is In Control” .
- In these four short verses we will see God’s Plan, God’s Power, and God’s Promise. Let’s begin by examining:
GOD’S PLAN
v20 The word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, 21 “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah.
The Book of Haggai reveals God’s plan for His people. This plan is presented in four “oracles” that were delivered by the prophet Haggai. An oracle is a divine utterance, message, or revelation from God delivered through a prophet or intermediary. In this instance, God sent messages through Haggai, to Zerubbabel, Joshua, the priests, and the people.
The first oracle was delivered on August 19th, 520 BC and it was a call for people to “consider their ways” and was focused on the reality that the Temple lay in ruins while the people were building luxurious homes for themselves (Haggai 1:1-11).
The second oracle was delivered on October 17th, and this was a message of encouragement related to the fact that the glory of the second temple would be greater than the first. This message also came with the promise from God that He would be with them throughout the rebuilding process (Haggai 2:1-9).
The third oracle was delivered on December 18th, and it contained an illustration from the Law contrasting holiness and defilement. In this oracle the Lord also placed an emphasis on the reality that He would bless His people if they would return to Him and focus their efforts on rebuilding the Temple (Haggai 2:10-19).
Our selected text records the fourth and final oracle and it was delivered on the same day as Haggai’s third message (December 18th, 520 BC). In this message the Lord affirms Zerubbabel as His chosen servant and pictures God’s ultimate servant, the Messiah; (our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ). God’s people were assured that the Messiah would come and restore the house of David. Furthermore, Haggai promises that the Lord would “shake the heavens and earth” and place Zerubbabel (a descendant of David and an ancestor of Jesus) into a position of great authority.
God’s Remnant in Judah were experiencing great material, financial, political, and spiritual challenges. In this passage, the Lord makes it clear that even in the midst of a time of tragedy, struggle, and uncertainty, He has a plan.
Moreover, God had a man; His plan involved “shaking the nations” and elevating that man (Zerubbabel) to a greater role. In spite of the numerous troubles experienced by the Remnant, the Sovereign Lord was all powerful and nothing and no one could prevent Him from fulfilling His promises to His people.
It was important for God’s people to look to the Lord rather than their problems. They needed to know the importance of listening to Him in times of uncertainty, and they could and should trust His plan, His timeline, and His purposes, and believe in His promises.
Concerning this passage, there is a great application for the modern-day follower of Christ. If we are honest, there are times when it is difficult for us to see God, times when it is difficult for us to hear God, times when it is difficult for us to feel God, and even times when it is difficult for us to trust God. Like the Remnant in Judah, we must look to the Lord instead of focusing on our problems. We must listen to the Lord in times of uncertainty and distress. And we must trust His plan, His timing, His purposes, and believe the many promises that He has given us through His Word.
God has proven Himself faithful to His Elect throughout the ages. He has never broken a promise and He is not going to start with you! Therefore, you can and should trust that He will remain faithful. Without question, God has moved mightily in your life in the past; therefore you can and should trust that His is with you and He will remain faithful in the present, in the future, and throughout eternity.
This is no time for fear,
This is a time for faith and determination.
Don't lose the vision here,
Carried away by emotion.
Hold on to all that you hide in your heart,
There is one thing that has always been true,
It holds the world together.
God is in control,
We believe that His children will not be forsaken.
God is in control,
We will choose to remember and never be shaken.
There is no power above or beside Him, we know,
God is in control, oh God is in control.
(Song: God Is In Control: Twila Paris)
All of our lives Yahweh has been faithful and we should pause and reflect on His goodness, we can persevere in times of trouble, we can trust in the realty that God is in control and God has a plan!
The reality that God has a plan is a tremendous source of hope for the Christian; what makes this even more encouraging for us is the fact that we possess the assurance that God has the power to accomplish His perfect plan. Let’s look to verses 21-22 and examine:
GOD’S POWER
v21 “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the heavens and the earth, 22 and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow the chariots and their riders. And the horses and their riders shall go down, every one by the sword of his brother.
God is Omnipotent, which means He has unlimited power; He is omniscient which means that He has complete knowledge of everything—past, present, and future; and He is omnipresent which means that He is in all places at the same time. God is sovereign which means that He is the supreme ruler with ultimate authority over all of creation, including history, nature, and the lives of individuals. Furthermore, our Lord is not passive, He takes an active role in the lives of His people and in the shaping of world events.
In His message to Zerubbabel, God proclaims that He will "shake the heavens and the earth" and to "overthrow the throne of kingdoms”. The picture here is of a dramatic upheaval of worldly powers and authorities and it illustrates the reality that there is no ruler, force, coalition, nation, or kingdom that has the power to thwart His divine will. When we comprehend these truths, we will be able to possess peace, security, and assurance even in the midst of times of turmoil and uncertainty.
It was important for Zerubbabel and the Remnant to understand that even though they were not living in ideal conditions, their Sovereign God was in complete control, He was with them, and He was working to fulfill His divine promises. The Remnant would not achieve victory or find security in political alliances, military force, or financial prosperity; rather, they would experience victory and security by looking to, living for, and trusting in God.
Likewise, we must look beyond our troubles, trials, and tragedies and put our trust in our omnipotent (all powerful) Lord. We often look at our circumstances and become filled with trepidation, but when we grasp just how powerful the Lord is and remember that we belong to Him, we have no reason to fear or to be filled with anxiety. Simply stated, our God is in control!
God’s plan is perfect and His power is unrivaled, but what makes these truths supremely special is that we have access to God’s power. We have a personal relationship with the Lord and He has given us numerous great and precious promises. This leads us to:
GOD’S PROMISES
v23 On that day, declares the Lord of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, declares the Lord, and make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the Lord of hosts.”
Like his ancestor David, Zerubbabel was divinely selected by God and he had a special and unique role God’s perfect plan. The Lord provides Zerubbabel with a fantastic promise, He says, “On that day… I will take you… and make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you.”
Zerubbabel was appointed as governor appointed by King Darius; this meant that he was the highest-ranking official in the land. However, God’s people were looking for something more. The prophets had spoken of a day when God would provide them with a king from the line of David. The Lord said in Jeremiah 23:5-6, “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.”
The Lord declares to Zerubbabel, “I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you”. A signet was a ring that provided evidence of royal authority and ownership. A king would press his signet ring into wax in order to seal a document. Here, the Lord points to the reality that He will set His authentic impression upon the world through His chosen Servant.
In Jeremiah 22:24 God declares, “though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, were the signet ring on my right hand, yet I would tear you off” (v. 24). The tearing off the signet ring represented the Lord’s rejection of Coniah as king. Coniah lost his own kingship and the dynastic succession of the line of David.
The Lord’s description of Zerubbabel as “my servant” and his statement “I have chosen you” show us that even though God had previously taken off His signet ring (metaphorically speaking), He now intends to put it back on. God will restore a king from the line of David. He will overthrow the kingdoms and thrones of the nations to reestablish His kingdom and put his king on the throne above all thrones.
Zerubbabel was a chosen servant of God who was from the Davidic line, but it did not go unnoticed by the people that at this point in time, the king who ruled over them was Darius. The Remnant in Judah likely had an imminent transition in mind when this oracle was delivered, however, this passage ultimately points to a greater Servant who was to come. Jesus’ genealogy as recorded in Matthew chapter 1 tells us that Jesus is a descendant of Zerubbabel and He is that promised King; furthermore He is the King of kings!
Taking this into consideration, it is not a stretch to say that the plan, power, and promises that are revealed in this passage apply to us as much as it did for the Remnant in Judah.
This book begins with God taking the initiative and reaching out to a people whom He had already performed a great work for. God was the one who set the chain of events in order that led to the them being delivered from many years of exile from their homeland in which they were bound as slaves.
After experiencing this glorious deliverance, the people returned to Judah and instead of focusing on and living for God, they focused on themselves, material possessions, and the things of this world. Rather than rebuilding the Temple and honoring the Lord, they spent their time, money, energy, and efforts on building luxurious homes for themselves.
God was grieved by the actions and misplaced priorities of these people whom He had delivered. However, the Lord was patient and long-suffering and allowed them to continue in their rebellion for an extended period of time. With that being said, God was actively working in their lives and performing acts of judgment and chastisement. He struck the people and “all the products of (their) toil with blight and with mildew and with hail, yet (they) did not turn to (Him).”
In time, the Lord sent the people a message through the prophet Haggai. He described their rebellion, explained the source of their distressing living conditions, and demanded that they “consider their ways”.
The people heard the message, feared the Lord, and responded with obedience. They began to gather the necessary materials in order to begin the great work of rebuilding the Temple. Though there had been a change of actions, there was still a problem; the people desperately needed a change of heart. Again God confronted them, taught them, and assured them that if they would return to Him, they would experience His manifold blessings. Moreover, the Lord encouraged His people in the midst of their work and assured them that the latter temple would be greater than the first, He would provide them with peace, and He would be present with them throughout the building process.
The Jews endured seventy years of exile as slaves in Babylon; each of us was born into the world as slaves to sin. However, God has performed a work of deliverance on our behalf. He sent His only Son, (the true Promised Servant) into the world in order to set us free from the chains of sin. Jesus went to the Cross and paid the price that we could never pay.
Tragically, there are multitudes of people who ignore, take for granted, or outright reject this amazing work of deliverance. Rather than turning to the God who loves them and cared enough to make a way for them to be delivered, they willingly remain away from Him; they live their lives for themselves and like the Remnant in Haggai’s day they are focused on themselves, material possessions, and the things of this world.
As was the case back then, God is patient and longsuffering and “not willing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance (2 Peter 3:9). This compassionate, merciful, and gracious God loves you so much that He has taken the initiative and sent you a message today, the message that He would have you to hear and obey is the same as the message that He sent the people in Haggai’s day; God would have you to “consider your ways” and “turn to Him”.
God has a plan for your deliverance; this plan is a perfect plan and it is one that He has the power to bring to fruition. This perfect and powerful plan involved a person, that person is His Son, Jesus Christ. God also has a promise for you; if you will repent and believe in Jesus Christ you will be saved.
The power, plan, and promises of God are summed up 2 Corinthians 5:21; that verse says, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” God made Jesus to be sin. What this means is that the Father treated the Son as if He had committed every sin ever committed by every person who would believe, even though He had never committed any of them. As the Savior hung on the Cross at Calvary He was holy, harmless, and undefiled. Jesus Christ was the spotless Lamb of God who never sinned, instead He came to “take away the sin of the world”. Though He was the Holy God as He hung on the Cross, the Father punished Him for our sins. He treated Him as if He had lived our lives and know He treats us as if we had lived His life! When God looks at the Cross He sees you, when He looks at you, He sees Jesus Christ. (Modified from a quote by John MacArthur)
If you have never surrendered to Jesus, you desperately need to know that this is what God has done for you and God’s only demand is for you to “turn to Him”. Many of you do belong to Jesus, but somewhere along the way you have lost sight of the price that was paid for your redemption. I pray that you would heed the Lord’s words and “consider your ways” and respond by “returning to Him” today.
Perhaps you are a Christian and you have not strayed from the Lord, praise God for that! Even so, it is important for you to regular pause and remember what God did in order to secure your deliverance and set you free from the bonds of sin.
- Phil Cross so eloquently put it this way in his song “I Am Redeemed”:
I was a slave in a foreign land,
So very far from the Father’s loving hand.
He rescued me one glorious day,
He brought me out,
paid a debt I could not pay.
I am redeemed. I am redeemed.
Jesus loosed the chains of sin and set me free.
I am redeemed. I am redeemed.
Jesus loosed the chains of sin and set me free.
God has a plan, God has the power to accomplish His plan, and He has countless promises for those who will submit to His plan. He declares that He will protect them, provide for them and He will bring peace and be present with them. Friend, not matter your situation or circumstance today, I pray that you will grasp the reality that “God Is In Control.”
10162025
