Haggai 1 - 2 (20th September) - Alvin

The prophets Haggai and Zechariah were part of the first group of 50,000 Jews, under the leadership of Zerubbabel, to return to Israel after their captivity of Babylon. There were sent back by King Cyrus to rebuilt the Temple of God (the symbol of God’s presence) as prophesied by Isaiah.

The people of God went back with enthusiasm and were provided with the resources for the project by the king. (read Ezra)

However, after reaching Israel and embarking on the rebuilding project, there came disruption and opposition from the people who remained in the land during the exile. This put a stop to the construction works and brought great discouragement to the Jews. They then turned to focus on their own necessities and became disengaged with the work of the Lord and began to care only about their own lives. This went on for a period of almost sixteen years.

It was after sixteen years had passed since work of the temple was stopped, that God raised the prophet Haggai to speak to the people.
And God’s agenda for His people was clear: “Build My House”

There were four prophetic utterances of Haggai. However, the amazing thing about the prophecies of Haggai was that they all took place within a very short span of time, yet they brought about tremendous results and encouragement from and for the Jews.

First Prophetic Utterance:
2 “Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, saying: ‘This people says, “The time has not come, the time that the LORD’s house should be built.”’”
3 Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple[a]to lie in ruins?” 5 Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways!
6 “ You have sown much, and bring in little;
You eat, but do not have enough;
You drink, but you are not filled with drink;
You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm;
And he who earns wages,
Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.”

7 Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways! 8 Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the LORD. 9 “You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says the LORD of hosts. “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. 11 For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.”

First a wake-up call from God, telling His people to consider their ways of which their excuse of not building God’s house was because it was not the time yet. And then, to consider their spiritual and physical poverty and dissatisfactions, which were a result of them neglecting the work of God and focusing on their own lives.

Isn’t this very much an image of our own lives at times? We start off excited about the work God wants us to do, but along the way there comes discouragement and opposition. But instead of treating it as a form of trial which in turn trains us to persevere (Read James 1), we quit. And we began to put off God’s work till a later time, a “better” time. And we focus on our own lives, not realising that only causes us to lose God’s blessings. (Matt 6:33)

So God tells them to work again. And commands them to go to the mountains to get wood to build the temple, since they used up the wood for the temple for their own houses. If you think about the work that God wants them to do, it was very difficult. (try climbing a mountain, chop wood, and then transport it down again) However, amazingly the people listened and obeyed God, and in less than a month they started work again!! It was at this point that God spoke through Haggai again and encouraged them (remember, this was a group of discouraged people) that He was with them. What a loving God.

Even in our own lives, it’s the same. The moment we choose to obey God, God’s assurance to us will be that He is with us. And with that we do not need to fear.

Second Prophetic Utterance:
1 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first of the month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying: 2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying: 3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this temple[a] in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing? 4 Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says the LORD; ‘and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,’ says the LORD, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ says the LORD of hosts. 5 ‘According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!’
6 “For thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; 7 and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations,[b] and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts. 8 ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the LORD of hosts. 9 ‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the LORD of hosts.”

This took place sometime after the people had begun working on the temple again. The people got discouraged again as they saw the temple that they were building and realised it cannot be compared at all to its former glory, the temple of Solomon, which was one of the greatest architecture marvels of the ancient world.

God continues to assure the people that He was with them, and they do not need to fear. But rather be strong and continue to work. More importantly He promises them a greater glory of God to fill the temple and peace will reign in the temple.

This prophecy was fulfilled in the time of Jesus. Though the temple could not be compared to Solomon’s temple in its physical appearance, it was the temple where Jesus, God Himself in all His glory visited. And in the temple, the Prince of Peace Himself appeared.

For us, it is a reminder not to let our past glories discourage us from our present work. Do whatever God tells you to, even if it seems that it may not amount to much, because no labour for the Lord will ever be in vain. And when we are working for the Lord, He promises always that He will be with us, so that we can be strong and not fear. The gold and silver is His, God doesn’t look for the magnitude of what you can do for Him, He only looks for obedience from His children.

Third Prophetic Utterance:
10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 11 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Now, ask the priests concerning the law, saying, 12 “If one carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread or stew, wine or oil, or any food, will it become holy?”’ Then the priests answered and said, “No.”13 And Haggai said, “If one who is unclean because of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?” So the priests answered and said, “It shall be unclean.”14 Then Haggai answered and said, “‘So is this people, and so is this nation before Me,’ says the LORD, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.15 ‘And now, carefully consider from this day forward: from before stone was laid upon stone in the temple of the LORD— 16 since those days, when one came to a heap of twenty ephahs, there were but ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty baths from the press, there were but twenty. 17 I struck you with blight and mildew and hail in all the labors of your hands; yet you did not turn to Me,’ says the LORD. 18 ‘Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid—consider it: 19 Is the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded fruit. But from this day I will bless you.’”

God not only desire that we serve Him, but that our service to Him is holy. A corrupted and sinful service to the Lord, caused by evil intents and motivation, or by hidden sins in our lives, robs us from the blessings of God, and worse still, corrupts everything else in our lives. With the illustration that Haggai gives, it is clear that one holy act does not make everything else in our lives holy, but yet one sinful act, causes everything else to be defiled. That is the seriousness of sin.

Are there areas in our lives that we have yet to allow God to deal with? Do not wait for a “better” time, like the message of Haggai, do it now! Know that God can and will forgive us and He wants to bless us. And He will, the moment we come back to Him to offer up to Him our holy services, but more than that, our lives, as holy sacrifices before Him.

Fourth Prophetic Utterance:
20 And again the word of the LORD came to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying, 21 “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying:
‘ I will shake heaven and earth.
22 I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms;
I will destroy the strength of the Gentile kingdoms.
I will overthrow the chariots
And those who ride in them;
The horses and their riders shall come down,
Every one by the sword of his brother.

23 ‘In that day,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says the LORD, ‘and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,’ says the LORD of hosts.”

The last prophecy was about Jesus. In that Christ will come again to judge the earth. And the prophecy was also a special promise for Zerubbabel, because, he became one of Jesus ancestors. When we are obedient to the Lord, the Lord remembers and honours those who honour Him, and He will reward in His time. Therefore lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven (Matt 6:20).