Pearls of the Word

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The wealth of all nations

by Jean-Louis Coraboeuf

"I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the beloved [chemdah] of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts" (Haggai 2:7 NASB).

The Hebrew word chemdah means 'precious', 'delight', 'valuable', 'treasure', 'beloved'. The angel Gabriel said to Daniel, "At the beginning of your supplications a word went forth, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly beloved [chemdah]" (Daniel 9:23 RSV).

We historically know that the glory of the second Temple did not exceed that of the first one, and that gold and silver belong to God (Haggai 2:8-9). When God speaks of shaking the heavens and the earth (Haggai 2:6 and Hebrews 12:26), He speaks of the second coming of the Messiah (Jesus Christ) when the House of God will be filled with glory. All the beloved of the nations will then be invited to come to Jerusalem to worship the King and to celebrate the feast of Sukkot (Zechariah 14:16).