Haggai: Considering our ways...
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Webster defines time this way: a nonspatial continuum that is measured in terms of events (priorities) which succeed one another from past through present to future
“I don’t have enough time”
“I will get to it when I find time”
“I wish I had more time”
Quotes on time
Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back. Harvey Mackay
The key is in not spending time, but in investing it. – Stephen R. Covey.
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. J. R. R. Tolkien
The philosopher William James once said, “The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.”
It was once stated that in order to know one’s PRIORITIES all you need to do is look at their bank statements and how they use their time!
As we look at the book of Haggai we are going to see God’s Priorities!
As we look at the book of Haggai we are going to see God’s Priorities!
26 times in this short 38 verses we see Haggai use the phrase “Thus says the Lord” or a phrase similar to this!
God is speaking and Haggai makes this very clear… We need to listen!
In this brief book we are going to see a great deal of common sense!
Haggai is short, clear and concise!
The setting of Haggai
The setting of Haggai
Israel has returned from their 70 year exile in Babylon
They are rebuilding their lives
Zerubbabel is Governor but not king (descendant of David)
Joshua is the High Priest
This is the first prophet to go to the people after their exile
Haggai records 4 unique messages from the Lord...
Haggai is set apart as unique in the fact that the people actually heed this message!
My prayer is that we too will heed what God has to say to us
Haggai 1:1-11 Haggai states God’s reproof of the people...
In the second year of Darius the king, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘This people says, “The time has not come, even the time for the house of the Lord to be rebuilt.” ’ ” Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?” Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways! “You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.” Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways! “Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the Lord. “You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” declares the Lord of hosts, “Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house. “Therefore, because of you the sky has withheld its dew and the earth has withheld its produce. “I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what the ground produces, on men, on cattle, and on all the labor of your hands.”
God’s 1st Message August 29, 520 B.C.
God’s 1st Message August 29, 520 B.C.
Refocus Your Priorities!
God is scolding Israel here… he addresses the leadership first (they lead the people)
Yet the people are induced here with the message
Proverbs 3:12 is crucial for us to remember here...
For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.
God poses questions for consideration… Scrutinize your ways and thinking people
Are your homes, things, and priorities more important than your worship & relationship with God?
Are you going to slack in your worship of me?
Is what you are doing really working out for you?
I will continue to oppose the work you do for selfish ambitions
God must be put first and foremost in our lives
This was a testimony to watching nations and people
These people did not put a great deal of priority on their God or worshiping Him!
God is a jealous God!
God says WORK! Our relationship with Him deserves and requires effort from you and me.
Haggai 1:12-15 is a beautiful response of the people...
Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him. And the people showed reverence for the Lord. Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke by the commission of the Lord to the people saying, “ ‘I am with you,’ declares the Lord.” So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God, on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king.
They obeyed! Oh how our God loves obedience!
They began Refocusing their priorities and renewed their priority to God!
The spirit stirred within them! When we obey, and work at our relationship He works in us!
Consider what Romans 8:9
But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)
We need to realize… if the Spirit is not working in and through you… CONSIDER THIS: You may not be His!
Haggai 2:1-9 goes on to share the second message from God...
On the twenty-first of the seventh month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet saying, “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, ‘Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like nothing in comparison? ‘But now take courage, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord, ‘take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ declares the Lord of hosts. ‘As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!’ “For thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. ‘I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the Lord of hosts. ‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ declares the Lord of hosts.”
God’s 2nd Message October 17, 520 B.C.
God’s 2nd Message October 17, 520 B.C.
Renewed Perspective!
The leaders and people are discouraged… REMEMBER Solomon’s Temple!
Comparison brings discouragement!
GOD RESPONDS
Take Courage! Don’t grow weary of working forward, don’t look back… I Am With You (My Spirit)!
We don’t work alone church… He is working far harder in this relationship than you or I ever will!
Something Greater is coming…
First, as Paul declared to the church in 1 Corinthians… You and I are now the Temple of the Spirit of God!
Secondly, when Christ returns and establishes His throne… That temple will be magnificent!
Church, don’t grow discouraged in comparison games… don’t look at the past, start today looking ahead to what God wants to do!
He who began a good work in you (Jesus’ salvation) will complete it!
Haggai 2:10-19 declares from God a picture of true worship and purity...
On the twenty-fourth of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Haggai the prophet, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Ask now the priests for a ruling: ‘If a man carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and touches bread with this fold, or cooked food, wine, oil, or any other food, will it become holy?’ ” And the priests answered, “No.” Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean from a corpse touches any of these, will the latter become unclean?” And the priests answered, “It will become unclean.” Then Haggai said, “ ‘So is this people. And so is this nation before Me,’ declares the Lord, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean. ‘But now, do consider from this day onward: before one stone was placed on another in the temple of the Lord, from that time when one came to a grain heap of twenty measures, there would be only ten; and when one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there would be only twenty. ‘I smote you and every work of your hands with blasting wind, mildew and hail; yet you did not come back to Me,’ declares the Lord. ‘Do consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month; from the day when the temple of the Lord was founded, consider: ‘Is the seed still in the barn? Even including the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree, it has not borne fruit. Yet from this day on I will bless you.’ ”
God’s 3rd Message December 18, 520 B.C.
God’s 3rd Message December 18, 520 B.C.
Our Spiritual Purity!
Our disobedience renders our worship of God useless and unacceptable
There is a challenge… “From this day forward”!
We cannot have one foot in the world, enjoying its empty pleasures… with one foot with God desiring His True riches!
God wants and demands our full worship of Him
In Haggai 2:20-23… God delivers the same day a promise of Hope...
Then the word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying, “Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, ‘I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. ‘I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots and their riders, and the horses and their riders will go down, everyone by the sword of another.’ ‘On that day,’ declares the Lord of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ ” declares the Lord of hosts.
God’s 3rd Message December 18, 520 B.C. (Same Day!)
God’s 3rd Message December 18, 520 B.C. (Same Day!)
The Promise of HOPE!
As God looked down, seeing the leaders, the people responding in obedience to Him He encourages them in their work with HOPE...
One day the Messiah will come… He would build a new temple (His Church)
One day the Messiah will rule… The Son of David will once again sit on the throne and rule forever!
Now Church...
How are you prioritizing your time?
It is time to WORK in your relationship and worship of God
STOP comparing with others, the past, or temporal things
CONSIDER what God expects from you!
It is time to consider where we have been disobedient, REPENT, and then OBEY, and take some action, give effort in our worship of Him
We are the Temple of the Holy Spirit… there is a requirement for purity in how we live!
Let us live in the Hope and Salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit! God bless