Reflections on the Millennial Turn-Over

"'I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD Almighty." (Haggai 2:7 NIV).

It is ironic that the One whose prophetic title is "the desired of all nations", is currently treated by the nations as an undesirable. In the name of political correctness, His name is awkwardly skirted, as if it were an embarrassment, rather than representative of the very power and wisdom of God. Like Herod of old, our leaders are uncomfortable with the thought of "another king". In our lists of those to be admired as top influencers, He is overlooked by today's idol making media moguls. Like Jesse's youngest son, David, the shepherd divinely desired as king, He is passed over in favor of those who stand proud and tall to the natural eye.

Now that the millennial fireworks have fizzled, do we dare ask why the guest of honor was not invited to the birthday gala? Oh yes, we moderns have our own kings to celebrate. After all, there is Elvis. And our own Madonna. How can the peasant carpenter who walked on water compare to those of us who have spent billions to walk in space? And we would have our own peace treaties rather accept the terms of His, even ours often unravel before the ink is dry. Ours is a generation that cries, "Give us Barnabas."

Although He who reset the century's clocks across the globe has been politely dismissed from history's center stage, He will return. Only rather impolitely. It will be a rude awakening. He will shake all nations. And with senses finally attuned to reality, He will be recognized for Who He is, the One we desired all along.

It is Christ that all of the peoples of the earth are looking for; the desired of the nations. It is He in Whom all the nations of the earth are to be blessed (Genesis 22:17-18).

He constantly addresses the noblest desires of the nations. To the Egyptians whose culture reflects a profound desire for immortality, He says, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." (John 11:25). To the Greeks whose culture reflects a desire for the most perfect expression of both art and eloquence, He stands as the WORD, the logos, the perfect articulation and manifestation of God's full thought (John 1:1,14). To the Romans whose culture sought the more perfect authority, Jesus represented an authority in which mercy triumphed over judgment; an authority to which even the Roman centurion conceded saying: "You just speak the word and my servant will be healed." The authority of Christ extended beyond that of any Caesar, as the people asked, "What kind of man is this that even the wind and the waves obey Him?" To the Buddhist who recognizes the corruption of desires yet craves the cessation of suffering presents Himself as the Promised Redeemer, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The way, the truth and the life, saying, "No man comes to the Father apart from me." (John 14:6).

All kings will bow down and serve Him (Psalm 72:1). "The kingdom of the world will one day become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." (Revelation 11:15)

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).