Haggai: Consider Your Ways

I was reading the prophet Haggai out of the New Living Translation this morning and found something that "sparked" my attention. The people as you might know in Haggai's day were focusing on their own material wealth, neglecting the house of God. One of the key repeated phrases on Haggai is, "Now consider this, says the Lord of hosts." In the NLT the repeated phrase is, "This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies says: Look at what's happening to you!"

While the temple of God laid waste from previous ravages of foreign armies, though there were several attempts at reconstruction, the people saw an opportunity for personal advantage and took it—leaving the house of God desolate. King Cyrus in Ezra chapter 6 had already decreed that the temple be rebuilt and that the money for the building would be paid for out of the royal treasuries! Not only would it be finances for free, but he would also be sending back all of the furniture and gold and silver utensils that were taking from it, as well as the timber for reconstruction! BUT, in the book of Haggai we read that the people were building their own houses! And where do you think they were getting the materials for building their own houses? That's right…from the materials that were supposed to be used for the Temple.

Too often we find ourselves trying to protect our own investments, when, if we could just learn to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, all these things would be added to us. I think we live in a day similar to that of Haggai.

Here comes my favorite part. The people respond and repent after carefully considering their wrong focus, selfishness, and greed. The have "Considered their ways." They have considered what the prophet had spoken—that their wages were like putting money into pockets with holes. Have you ever felt that way before? You eat and are not satisfied, says Haggai. Every detail of our lives is orchestrated by an all wise God who is trying to guide and direct us. The people heeded Haggai's admonition: "God is ruining everything you have worked so hard to get." 1:11 But the people, when they heard the words of prophet whom the Lord sent, they feared God. And the Lord, within one months time, turned this curse into blessing, saying to the people, "I am with you, says the LORD!"

THEN (here it is!), THEN (I feel like a drum roll is needed here), THEN "The LORD sparked the enthusiasm of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the enthusiasm of Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the enthusiasm of the whole remnant of God's people. They began to work on the house of their God, The LORD of Heaven's Armies, on September 21^st.