God's Presence & Human Crisis: When God's Spirit, Angels and Power Accompany Us Exodus 22-35

(29) And he said: ‘Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel; for thou hast striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed.’ (30) And Jacob asked him, and said: ‘Tell me, I pray thee, thy name.’ And he said: ‘Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name?’ And he blessed him there. (31) And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: ‘for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.’

(7) I will recount the kind acts of the LORD, The praises of the LORD— For all that the LORD has wrought for us, The vast bounty to the House of Israel That He bestowed upon them According to His mercy and His great kindness. (8) He thought: Surely they are My people, Children who will not play false. So He was their Deliverer. (9) In all their troubles He was troubled, And the angel of His Presence delivered them. In His love and pity He Himself redeemed them, Raised them, and exalted them All the days of old. (10) But they rebelled, and grieved His holy spirit; Then He became their enemy, And Himself made war against them. (11) Then they remembered the ancient days, Him, who pulled His people out [of the water]: “Where is He who brought them up from the Sea Along with the shepherd of His flock? Where is He who put In their midst His holy spirit, (12) Who made His glorious arm March at the right hand of Moses, Who divided the waters before them To make Himself a name for all time, (13) Who led them through the deeps So that they did not stumble— As a horse in a desert, (14) Like a beast descending to the plain?” ’Twas the spirit of the LORD gave them rest; Thus did You shepherd Your people To win for Yourself a glorious name.

(33) As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, will I be king over you; (34) and I will bring you out from the peoples, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out; (35) and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there will I plead with you face to face.

(1) on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: (2) Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, and to the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and to the rest of the people: (3) Who is there left among you who saw this House in its former splendor? How does it look to you now? It must seem like nothing to you. (4) But be strong, O Zerubbabel—says the LORD—be strong, O high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak; be strong, all you people of the land—says the LORD—and act! For I am with you—says the LORD of Hosts. (5) So I promised you when you came out of Egypt, and My spirit is still in your midst. Fear not! (6) For thus said the LORD of Hosts: In just a little while longer I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land; (7) I will shake all the nations. And the precious things of all the nations shall come [here], and I will fill this House with glory, said the LORD of Hosts. (8) Silver is Mine and gold is Mine—says the LORD of Hosts. (9) The glory of this latter House shall be greater than that of the former one, said the LORD of Hosts; and in this place I will grant prosperity—declares the LORD of Hosts. (10) On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth [month], in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Haggai: (11) Thus said the LORD of Hosts: Seek a ruling from the priests, as follows: (12) If a man is carrying sacrificial flesh in a fold of his garment, and with that fold touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other food, will the latter become holy? In reply, the priests said, “No.” (13) Haggai went on, “If someone defiled by a corpse touches any of these, will it be defiled?” And the priests responded, “Yes.” (14) Thereupon Haggai said: That is how this people and that is how this nation looks to Me—declares the LORD—and so, too, the work of their hands: Whatever they offer there is defiled. (15) And now take thought, from this day backward: As long as no stone had been laid on another in the House of the LORD, (16) if one came to a heap of twenty measures, it would yield only ten; and if one came to a wine vat to skim off fifty measures, the press would yield only twenty. (17) I struck you—all the works of your hands—with blight and mildew and hail, but you did not return to Me—declares the LORD. (18) Take note, from this day forward—from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day when the foundation was laid for the LORD’s Temple—take note (19) while the seed is still in the granary, and the vine, fig tree, pomegranate, and olive tree have not yet borne fruit. For from this day on I will send blessings. (20) And the word of the LORD came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: (21) Speak to Zerubbabel the governor of Judah: I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. (22) And I will overturn the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the might of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overturn chariots and their drivers. Horses and their riders shall fall, each by the sword of his fellow. (23) On that day—declares the LORD of Hosts—I will take you, O My servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel—declares the LORD—and make you as a signet; for I have chosen you—declares the LORD of Hosts.