Haggai

How often have you gone on vacation only to find your house in disrepair, the lawn out of control, perhaps a water leak, or trash you forgot to take out? Can you image leaving for a year and these items not be tended to? What a mess. How about an un-mowed lawn or rotting garbage or a water leak for not one but sixteen years? The property would be almost unrecognizable. Yet, that is what happened when Haggai was called to speak to the people of Israel. Some 50,000 had returned from exile and started to build the temple (Ezra 1-3 ) but when opposition came they quit and eventually grew indifferent to the temple. They ceased building and the worship of God in the way He had designed. For sixteen years the temple and center of worship stood still while they focused on their own houses.

Enter Haggai. He speaks, the Spirit of God convicts, and the people fear the Lord and obey. Then the Spirit of Godstirred up the people to get to workand finish the temple. Just as God stirred the heart of Cyrus to send them back (Ezra 1:1 ) God now stirred the heart of the people to work for the sake of His honor in order to worship Him rightly.

The people were questioned about how defilement was an issue and were impressed that holiness is not communicated by touch but defilement was. Their past attitude of indifference towards God had caused His blessings to cease. Now that the corner stone had been laid and the nation was coming together, the turning point had come and God was to bless His people. They were now returning to worship, work and obey.

How is your house before the Lord?

Are you more concerned with your things than your spiritual state before God?

When is the last time you have asked God to stir your heart for Him?

Will you work with others to bring Him honor?

We cannot accomplish His purposes alone.