Consider Your Ways
Building Up our Morals • Sermon • Submitted
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The Need for Restoration
Haggai 1:3-7 Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, "Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?" Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: "Consider your ways! "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." Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Consider your ways!
What is the Path?
What is the Path?
Students of events recognize that the evolution of a nation (or an individual) is a process – whether toward apostasy, or toward restoration.
One function of divine history is to instruct us in the development of a life direction, and its consequences.
1 Corinthians 10:10-11 NKJV - nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
Romans 15:4 NKJV - For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
What is the Source?
What is the Source?
1. From Eden until today, men collectively have shown that they are incapable of sustaining the appropriate “outer” and “inner” stance before God.
2. They continually fall, and must continually be called back to the original condition.
The Original Condition of Man
The Original Condition of Man
In Eden - Gen. 1:26,27
Man was created in the “image of God” – Gen. 1:26, 27
Along with the whole of creation, his condition was included in the “very good” that God pronounced upon His creation.
This original “wellness” included both material and spiritual circumstances.
He lived in a beautiful garden, blessed with an abundance of food, a suitable companion, and exercising dominion over all of God’s creation.
He enjoyed continuing fellowship with a kind and loving Creator, and the prospect of enjoying this ideal life FOREVER!
It was his to “lose” – and he lost it!
Every aspect of his life from then onward (and that of all who followed after) was contaminated, and he stood separated from God and unable by himself either to re-establish right relations with God, or to properly enjoy the world God had made for him.
The remainder of Scripture is designed to remind us of what we lost in Adam, and how we can regain it in Christ.
Thus, on an individual basis, in each of us there is a need to reclaim the life God had originally intended for us (“restoration”).
In Israel - Exodus 32
On a national level, God called Abraham to be the father of a great nation, and separated his family from the rest of humanity. After delivering them from Egyptian bondage (which he had “provided” for their good), He established a relationship with Himself, gave them a law, and eventually a land, of their own. His covenant with them, from that original desirable condition onward, involved the promise that so long as they obeyed Him, this would be their state.
Over and over, the nation fell, and “restoration” (though not on the scale of that during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah) became a recurring necessity.
The fall of Exodus 32 –into idolatry, and atonement made the rebellion in the wilderness, and judgment rendered the descent into anarchy in the time of the judges–corrected by the establishment of the monarchy.
The final fall, during the time of the prophets, and another call to “Restoration”
In each case, there was at least a partial effort to gain back what was lost by departing from God. In each case, the “renewal” was temporary, and thus inadequate. But, each case leaves us with meaningful information to instruct efforts to be made today with reference to “restoration”.
“Outer” and “Inner” Restoration
“Outer” and “Inner” Restoration
“outer” restoration - Jer. 3:10
In EVERY case, a serious effort was made to re-establish the required rituals and institutions upon which a proper relationship with God was based.
But also in EVERY case, final failure was inevitable because the “inner” spirit of restoration was not sustained beyond the initial movement by those who sought it.
While these external demonstrations of submission are an important part of the process of restoration (Israel could not be pleasing to God without them, nor would any effort be which seeks a return to a condition that includes rituals and institutions), true restoration is not achieved merely by a return to them.
Think of the partial efforts in Judah to come back to God, led by men like Hezekiah and Josiah–which were not sustainable because the heart of the people lacked the restoration spirit. (Jeremiah 3:10 NKJV - "And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense," says the LORD.)
“Inner” restoration - Jer. 24:7; Joel 2:13
Jeremiah 24:7 NKJV - 'Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.
Joel 2:13 NKJV - So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.
The reality is that God dealt with His people on a “national”, collective level, and responded to the collective changes that were made or expected. Yet, even while doing so, He made it clear that each individual was required to participate in both “heart” and “ritual” restoration.
Now, it is clear that God does not extend or withhold salvation and fellowship on that level. Today, as it was even in those times when collective actions and consequences were emphasized, the ultimate basis for judgment is the conduct and thinking of the individual disciple.
True Restoration
True Restoration
Hosea’s indictment of Israel
Lack of knowledge – 4:1-6
Pride – 5:3-5; 7:10
Instability - 6:1-4; 7:10
Worldliness - 7:8
Corruption – 9:9
Idolatry – 4:17; 13:2
Much of their apostasy was in reference to “heart sins”!
Outward prosperity is NOT a measure of spiritual conditions.
The rottenness of Israel was being condemned clearly by God’s prophets during the most prosperous period of the divided kingdom (Manasseh and Jereboam II).
While Israel was enjoying great economic and political success, they rejected God and spurned His Holiness as a way of life. People went to bed every night filled with good things to eat, and safe from their enemies –but they were in a state of APOSTASY!
True restoration is the result of a “restored heart”!
It begins with a realization of unworthiness and independence.
In Israel, developed through the judgments and punishments of God.
The Appeal to Restoration
The Appeal to Restoration
Based on a renewed spirit of reverence and devotion – Nehemiah 8
Return to the God of all BLESSINGS.
God had allowed a series of calamities and political defeats to strip Israel of all outward national signs of wellbeing - drought, earthquake, pestilence, captivity, etc.
The promises made to His people while they were in distress were in material terms, but ultimately realized in the spiritual kingdom of the N.T.
They were urged to recall the “good times” when they had basked in the favor and blessedness of God.
Return to the God of GREAT WRATH:
Be reminded of the wrath of God exercised against Israel’s enemies, and the nations of the world.
Be reminded of their own bitter experiences through His judgments and punishment.
Be assured of His will and promise to punish them if they fail to return!
Today’s Church and Restoration
Today’s Church and Restoration
The original state of the Church involved BOTH ritual and holiness!
reverence for, reliance upon scripture for the pattern
FAILED efforts at restoration ignore or minimize the Bible model.
true worship
L.S., singing, giving, teaching, prayer
true organization
Local organization, local identity, local work (nature of the work)
Must take care not to have unbalanced approach to either ritual or holiness!
some seek restoration of ritual, institutions –minimize holiness
some seek restoration of piety, spirituality – minimize ritual
Confronting the need for restoration - Amos 5,6
Israel’s problem was they saw no NEED to go back to God – they denied they had ever left Him! See Amos 5,6
Man’s problem today
Some see no need to “come back”. They have “attained”!
Some see “restoration” as achieved in the return of ritual, institutions
Some see “restoration” achieved if a spiritual attitude is manifested
The appeal to restoration:
Remember the God of great BLESSINGS!
Look what He did for Israel; remember His promises; look for future reward
Remember the God of GREAT WRATH!
The substance of restoration: Phil. 3:11-15; 2 Pet. 3:18; 2 Cor. 13:5; Matt. 7:11; Eph. 1:9-10
“Pattern” religion – Both as to “ritual” and “holiness”
Constant examination of self and congregation to grow toward the entire realm of Restoration - Philippians 3:11-15; 2 Peter 3:18; 2 Corinthians 13:5
Philippians 3:11-15 “if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.”
2 Peter 3:18 “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”
2 Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.”
QUESTION: What is “restoration”? Note Matt 7:11 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”
Eph 1:9-10 “having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.”