SCRIPTURE: HAGGAI 1
INTRODUCTION:
Since the people of Israel returned from exile to Jerusalem, they were busy building their own houses and had not finished building God’s temple. Haggai told the people to put God’s house ahead of their own houses. He appealed to the people to be strong and encouraged them to complete the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. So the temple was rebuilt under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua during the year 520 to 515 BC.
A CALL TO BUILD THE HOUSE OF THE LORD (vs. 1-15)
God call on prophet Haggai to tell Zerubbabel, governor of Judah and Joshua, the high priest that the house of the Lord has to be rebuilt.
Because the house of the Lord remained a ruin, these were their conditions:
- They planted much but harvest little. (v. 5a)
- They eat but never have enough. (v. 5b)
- They put on cloths but are not warm. (v. 5c)
- They earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it. (v. 5d)
- They expected much, but it turned out to be little. (v. 9a)
- What they brought home, God blew it away. (v. 9b)
- Heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. (v. 10a)
- God called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground products, on men and cattle, and on the labor of their hands. (v. 11)
The people obeyed the voice of the Lord. Zerubbabel, Joshua and the whole remnant of the people came and began to work on the house of the lord in the 24th day of the 8th month in the second year of King Darius.
THOUGHTS:
God had promised to bless the Israelites if they obeyed His word. When we put God first, we have the promise of His care. You will always have His blessings if you put God first in your life.;
Instead of rebuilding the temple, the people put their energies in beautifying their own homes. However, the harder the people worked for themselves, the less they had because they ignored their spiritual lives. If we put God first, He will provide our deepest needs. If we put Him away in other place, all our efforts will be futile. Caring only for your physical needs while ignoring your relationship with God will lead to ruin.
Because the people did not give God first place in their lives, their work was not fruitful. Their production and material possessions did not satisfy them. God’s blessings were withheld because they no longer put God first.
Our priorities involving occupation, family, vacations, leisure, activities may rank higher on our list of importance than God. What is most important to you? Where is God on your list of priorities?
Grain, grapes to wine and olives to oil were Israel’s major crops. The people depended on them for security while rejecting the worship of God. As a result, God sent a drought to destroy their livelihood and call them back to himself.
The people began rebuilding the Temple just 23 days after Haggai ‘s first message. Their quick response is an example we have to follow. When we hear a sermon, let us put it into practice.