The Desire of All Nations

[Webster]

The Desire of all Nations (Haggai 2:7) | Dr. David Shin

Heuristica AI summary: This 3ABN camp meeting 2023 session focuses on the "minor prophets" and their "major messages," emphasizing their relevance today. The message, "The Desire of All Nations," delivered by Dr. David Shin, explores the human longing for connection with God and the challenges posed by sin. The speaker recounts a personal experience of guilt and lying, drawing a parallel to the fear of facing God's presence due to sin.

The sermon delves into biblical accounts where individuals are unable to look upon God's face, such as in Revelation 6, where people hide from God's wrath. This inability stems from sin, which creates a gulf between humanity and a holy God. The text highlights God's desire to bridge this gap, as seen in His interactions with Moses, where He allows Moses to see His back but not His face, as no one can see God and live.

The sanctuary, with its veils and compartments, is presented as a divine accommodation, a way for God to dwell among His people without them being consumed by His glory. The New Testament reveals Jesus' flesh as the ultimate veil, a divine accommodation that allows humanity to behold God's glory without destruction. The process of salvation, illustrated by the sanctuary, leads from justification to sanctification, ultimately restoring the face-to-face communion lost in Eden.

The incident with the Ark of the Covenant in 1 Samuel 6, where looking upon it resulted in death for many, underscores the danger of approaching a holy God with sin. The message then turns to Haggai 2:7-8, identifying Jesus as the "Desire of All Nations" who will fill the temple with glory. This glory, manifested in Jesus' incarnation, surpasses all previous manifestations of God's presence.

The core condition for seeing God's face is holiness, as stated in Hebrews 12:14. However, human holiness is insufficient. The sermon emphasizes that access to God's presence is granted through the holiness of Jesus, who serves as our high priest and mediator. This holiness is not earned but received by faith. The Sabbath is presented as a weekly reminder of God's power to make us holy, mirroring His creation of a holy day.

The practical application of this message involves transforming our thoughts to focus on Jesus, as exemplified by Enoch's walk with God. By meditating on scripture and consciously directing our thoughts towards Christ, we are transformed into His image. The Shema prayer from Deuteronomy 6 illustrates a life fully devoted to God, where His words are constantly present in our thoughts and actions, leading to a state of readiness to see God's face upon His return.