Haggai 1

Message: Charge to Resume Building the Temple

Time: 520BC, four years before the second temple was finished in 516BC

What the Lord is Saying:

Haggai is a collection of four sermons:

1. First Sermon, 1:1-11: Rebuild the Temple!
1. The leaders and people respond: 1:12-15
2. Second Sermon, 2:1-9: The Temple size is not the issue!
3. Third Sermon, 2:10-19: God's blessings will flow if the people obey and rebuild the Temple
4. Fourth Sermon, 2:20-23: The Universal Reign of the Messiah foreshadowed in Zerubbabel.

Haggai begins with a message that came from the Lord, but it came specifically - on August 29, of the 2nd year of King Darius's reign, through Haggai, to Zerubbabel--son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua--son of Jehozadak, the high priest. This is of interest because it is so specific; the message being so clear. O that we would receive God's word in a similar fashion. O that we would think that God's word is being declared specifically to us.

Haggai begins with a problem and that is that the time to rebuild the temple (house of the Lord) is not yet here. The rebuilding of the temple has been halted. The people are more concerned about bettering their home lifestyle than focusing on the temple. There is a lot of work going on in their lives. They are doing things, and yet aren't seeing the results that they think probably would come from doing the hard work. (Is this similar to my life? Do I work hard and yet not see results? Is it because I am not taking care of those things that matter most? Right now, I feel like we are in a state of monetary recovery and it is at the expense of giving and savings. Am I getting more behind?)

The Lord is clear in this message that His priorities are what matters most. The building of the temple, of His house is what is key. It should be a priority to the people. So, what does this mean for us today? What priorities are there of the Lord that we are not taking seriously and instead busying ourselves with our own well-being? Personal well-being. Financial security. Entertainment. Personal enjoyment. Is the church being neglected?

The Lord states:

• I will be honored when you build the temple. 
• I blew your harvest away. 
• I withhold the dew, thus no crops. 
• I have called for a drought on your fields and hills. 
• A drought to starve you and your livestock. 
• All your hard work is for nothing.

And the people responded to Haggai's words and responded by being obedient to the message from the Lord their God.

Promise: Don't take the Lord's words lightly. His priorities are to be our priorities. When we submit to His ways, things will go well for us.