Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah son [grandson] of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, Whose [Spirit] was upon them. Then rose up Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel [heir to the throne of Judah] and Jeshua son of Jozadak and began to build the house of God in Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God [Haggai and Zechariah], helping them. – Ezra 5:1-2, Amplified Bible (AMP)

At the end of the 70-year Babylonian captivity, God moved Cyrus, King of Persia, to send the Israelites back to Jerusalem in order to rebuild the house of God. At first, the Israelites happily obeyed, but soon local opposition arose, and before long the enemies of Israel successfully tricked Cyrus’ successor, King Artaxerxes, into commanding that construction on the temple be stopped.

For eighteen long years, God’s house sat in ruins. But then, one day, God sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to the Israelites with a message: build my house – NOW!  The people obeyed, only to be challenged once again. This time, however, the new Persian king, Darius, gave permission to continue the project, and the people of Israel soon finished the work that God commanded them to undertake.

Whenever God commands us to undertake a project that glorifies Him, we can rest assured that opposition will come our way. The opposition may come in the form of governmental resistance. It may come from ridicule. It may come from personal doubt. Whatever form it comes in, it will be substantial, and when it comes we’ll have a choice to make: give in, or forge ahead.

God, in His mercy, may be patient with us if we give in. He, after all, knows how weak we are. At some point, however, His patience will likely run out, and He will make it clear that today is the day to choose between now or never. When that day comes, we should take a look in the mirror, remember that God knows a whole lot more than we do, and obey the call we’ve been given. If we do, we can leave behind the troubles that come with disobedience and welcome with open arms the blessings that come with doing God’s work, God’s way.