HAGGAI
[1502] HAGGAI INTRO- Haggai is one of three post exilic
prophets; he returned to Jerusalem around 520 B.C. and prophesied at around the
same time as Zechariah. The other post exilic prophet is Malachi. Haggai spoke
at a time when the Jews, who returned to their land after being held in
captivity, were discouraged about rebuilding Gods temple and they needed to be
reminded about their priorities. The Jews returned to their land with
excitement and dreams of rebuilding what was destroyed by their enemies, yet
after their return they faced opposition and accusations by their enemies.
These accusations eventually stalled the work of rebuilding the temple and
Haggai prophesied for them to get back to the work. He spoke to the governor,
the high priest and the population at large. An oft repeated word from the
prophet is ‘consider your ways’ he tells them they need to get their priorities
in order if they want to see the land renewed. They were under an economic
drought and their land was not producing fruit- the prophet says they need to
get back to seeking first God’s kingdom and then he will take care of the rest.
Much of Haggai’s message is timely for our day [2010] many feel if we just do
the right economic move then we will overcome the recession, yet at the same
time the country has made bad moral decisions [extending abortion funding] and
we seem to think that these things are not related to each other. Haggai told
the people that their economic problems were a direct result of not seeking God.
As we do this short study over the next few days, go read the book- It’s only 2
chapters long. See if you can spot the 4 individual prophetic messages that
make up the bulk of the book.
[1503] HAGGAI 1- The prophet rebukes the people because they
were saying ‘it’s not time for the Lords house to be built’ yet at the same
time they were busy ‘dwelling in their nice roofed homes’. Haggai tells them
that’s why they were experiencing economic judgment; because they were seeking
first their own wealth and neglecting the house of God. Whenever I deal with
these types of verses I always try and remind the reader that these verses are
not talking about fixing up the church building! But the New Testament
comparison would be neglecting the actual health and growth of the Body of
Christ, the community [house] of God. Read Acts 6 and 1st
Corinthians. The prophet rebukes the leaders and he tells them to consider
their ways; think about what you are doing and make the proper course
corrections. The people listen to the word of the Lord and they begin renewing
their lives back to the purpose of God. It’s important to remember that at this
stage the people had already come a long way; they were brought back from
captivity and they had begun the work of restoration. But the books of Nehemiah
and Ezra show us how after a season the people became discouraged, they could
not see how much progress they had already made. The writer of Hebrews
encourages the believers to not lose heart ‘God is faithful; he will not forget
the love that you have already shown to the saints’. Sometimes during seasons
of discouragement it’s easy to think ‘what’s it all worth, I have labored in
vain’ [Isaiah]. It’s at those times we need to hear the prophetic word ‘God is
still with you, you have not chosen me- I have chosen you’! Haggai’s message
was simple; look at where you are at, examine whether the things you are doing
are consistent with your purpose in life- and redirect as God leads. It’s the
life story of Israel all thru out the Old Testament, the apostle tells us that
these things were written so we too might not make the same mistakes as them
[Corinthians]. Today if you will hear his voice, harden not your heart.
[1504] HAGGAI 2- The prophet asks the people ‘does this
second temple and its rebuilding pale in comparison to the first one’? Yet even
though what they ‘saw’ in the natural seemed less, yet God said his glory would
actually be greater in this second house. We read in the other prophetic books
[Ezra?] that when the Jews that returned to the land looked at the foundation
of the second temple while it was being laid, that they mourned and cried, they
felt let down because to them the former days would never be the same again;
yet God was going to do a greater work [in depth] than what was done earlier.
The book of Hebrews tells us that God takes away the first so he can establish
the 2nd. This was speaking of the passing away of the Old Covenant
and the bringing in of the New. Jesus also said that those who were ‘drinking
of the old wine’ [partaking of the law] would not quickly be swayed to drink
the new [accept Jesus and his New Covenant Blood]. So the prophet exhorts the
people to be encouraged; even though this restored temple doesn’t look grand,
it will contain more valuable glory. The prophet tells them ‘get back to work,
don’t give up on the vision yet’- basically the people were at a point of
discouragement and passivity, they really didn’t need a new game plan, they
simply needed to work the plan they already were given! Sometimes we use the
excuse ‘God is calling me to a new work’ while it is true that changes occur in
the Christian walk, yet sometimes we abort the mission because the obstacles
seem too great. Be encouraged today to do whatever it is the Lord has given you
to do- the prophet said ‘is the seed still in the barn’? Then for heaven’s sake
go and do some planting! You say ‘but what if some of the seeds don’t make it’?
Hey, Jesus said 3 out of 4 wouldn’t! But if you don’t start planting you will
never get the return on the few that do make it. Haggai was a prophet who spoke
to the nation at a crucial time in their journey, he exhorted them to ‘consider
their ways’ he told them they were brought back to the land for a purpose- yet
they seemed to lose sight of that purpose and they fell into a survival
mentality, they began living just to survive. I want to challenge you today,
what are you living for? Is your life’s goal simply to make it? To exist long
enough to collect social security and retire? God has a purpose and plan for
your life, and it doesn’t revolve around you! Find your place in this ‘second
temple’ [the Body of Christ] and get to work, do what you can do- if some of
the seed doesn’t make it, that’s fine, the ones that do make it will be worth
it all in the end. And for heaven’s sake, get up and get to work! Jesus said
‘don’t say the harvest is month’s away, look on the fields- they are ripe and
ready to harvest, but the workers are few. Pray that the Lord of the harvest
would send laborers into the harvest’. Isaiah said ‘here am I, send me’- how
bout you?
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