Oh what a joyous day! The day Jesus comes to take His bride away will be the day believers escape the wrath of God which is to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:10, 5:9) We’re headed that direction in our study today, so welcome back to the virtual study table. Our key passage is Haggai 2:1-9, so take a moment to review that passage. For full effect, check out the earlier posts in this series:

• A Look at Haggai 2:1-9
• The Lord of Heaven’s Armies Speaks
• It’s Time to Wake Up
• Peace and Security
• Fulfilling Our Calling

We have examined 3 reasons God shakes things up, and we’ll examine one more reason today: Jesus is coming soon and time is short. The prophet Joel sounded the alarm centuries ago: For the day of the Lord is coming, for it is at hand. (Joel 2:1) Jesus repeated the fact in Revelation 22:12 as He said, Behold, I am coming quickly!

We see the signs of Christ’s return. A quick glance at Matthew 24 reads like headlines from today’s news: wars and rumors of wars, false christs, earthquakes, famines and more. 2 Timothy 3 provides a long list of sinful characteristics of people who have wandered far, and verse 1 attributes those characteristics to the last days. We’re seeing it!

We are being shaken because God wants to wake us up! How can we, as believers, continue skating through life as though nothing is happening? How can we not be about our Father’s business? Easy…we give in to complacency. We sleep through the alarm God is sounding to wake us up.

Is the world ready for Christ’s return? Are we aware of those who are lost and without hope? Is the church fulfilling its call to be about the Father’s business?

Friends, it is our God-given honor and responsibility to wake up and fulfill our calling. Collectively, we are failing, but it is not too late! That is one reason God is shaking things up, and He will shake us to our core, if necessary, to open our eyes to His gracious guidance for us. We simply must heed the alarm.

Tomorrow we will close out our series on Haggai 2:1-9 by considering God’s call to the sleeping church. We will end on a high note and I hope you won’t miss it! Join us around the virtual study table tomorrow and finish strong, study friends! See you then!