“In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest…” Haggai 1:1
Scripture tells us by the Lord’s own words that He is “the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending.” (Rev. 1:8) Does not the fact that God, revealed in the incarnate Son, is Creator and Redeemer, and that as such, He is the great I AM, the one who is before all creation, and who has brought all creation into being by His Word? The Apostle John puts it like this: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word WAS God. The same was in the beginning with God.” (Jn. 1:1) This living, everlasting Word, who has no beginning nor ending of days, is the eternal Christ, by whom all creation was brought into being. It is important to note the method by which this was done. It was by Him speaking. That voice, that specific word, directed towards that which “was not,” brought the creation out of nothing. Christ is thus indeed the very beginning of all things, and the ending, by His power, might, goodness, holiness, and wisdom. With regard to fallen, sinful man, we need to add to the list of attributes describing Him, His love, mercy, and grace. It is one thing to bring creation into being, it is another to speak to the heart of a lost soul, to bring that soul to true repentance and faith. Again, what is His method, His means to do this?
All starts in the mind and heart of God, then at the right time, God speaks. His voice utters words of life and power which bring about His will, a will that stretches beyond the senses and perceptions of men, far surpassing their ability to truly and fully understand. However, God in love has come down to us in Christ to reveal the things of Himself and heaven, so that believing, mankind might be saved from sin and death. It is at this point that we must ask, “How and by whom does God speak to bring about His will in the salvation of men?” What does the Apostle Paul write on the matter? “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe?” (1 Cor. 1:21) In his letter to the Romans, on this same subject, Paul writes: “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14) Why does Paul speak of preaching being so important in the bringing of men from darkness to light? It is because of the power of the message, the gospel. The same power of creation by the Spirit works through the preacher. Preaching, true preaching, is the means by which saving truths are communicated to the lost soul so that faith be received. Paul continues, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (1 Cor. 10:17) Where does preaching ultimately begin, and what is the essence of it? The origin and essence is Christ.
In referring to the Messiah and Christ to come, but with an application to the called, and sent preacher, he writes: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn.” (Is. 61:2) Christ is the beginning of preaching, the Sender and One who anoints. Whom shall He send?
Dear Father, Send forth preachers today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.