The book of Haggai is a short work, a series of messages from the prophet to Zerubbabel (governor), Judah (high priest) and the remnant of Judah who had returned from Babylonian captivity. The people had returned to rebuild the temple, but years had passed with it unfinished. An introduction to the book indicated that Haggai’s message was a call for renewal, a renewal of courage, holiness, and faith. This seems to be a rather apt description of the message God gave to the prophet.
First, notice why the people had left the temple unfinished for several years. “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!’” (Haggai 1:4-5). The people had become distracted, shifting their priorities from the greater to the lesser. They were more concerned for their own comfort than for serving the Lord. Misplaced priorities are a big problem for just about every generation! In this the returned exiles were typical, “It is time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?” The remedy is, as stated, to “consider your ways!”
This is what Paul did, and his life changed forever. In Philippians 3 he noted the change, “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:7-8). Let us be honest. This is a problem even for many of us today. We are content to pass time in worship to God, but making Him the center of our life is not really a priority! We are as those in Haggai’s time, saying, “The time has not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built” (Haggai 1:2). It is so easy to allow concern for our families, our personal welfare, our comfort, even our fun and play to come between us and building the “Lord’s house.”
Of course, in Haggai’s time that was represented by the physical temple which lay in ruins. But the Holy Spirit has revealed under the New Covenant, “..you are the temple of the living God” (2 Corinthians 6:16). This was why he called upon the Corinthians to live righteously, and avoid any entanglements, to cleanse themselves, “from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).
It is also the reason that God requires from us a consecrated and zealous life. Like the remnant, the church in Laodicea was lacking at the time Christ spoke of them in Revelation 3:15-16, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” To contrast the point, James exhorts us, “…be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:22-25).
Second, note that serving the Lord with steadfastness and zeal is personally beneficial! In not doing so, the remnant was being chastised by the Lord, “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” (Haggai 1:9 ). He called upon them, “Consider your ways! 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” (Haggai 1:7-8).
Today we are not to be overly concerned with physical blessings, God preferring we focus our attention on the spiritual. Nevertheless, Jesus did promise physical sustenance to the faithful. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). Of more importance are God’s blessings upon us when we spend our time and efforts in pleasing Him. There are many passages which relay this truth, James 1:12 serving as a prime specimen, “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” (James 1:12).
Haggai’s prophecy had the desired result, “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” (Haggai 1:14). We should do the same. What has gone on before may or may not be sufficient to please the Lord. For us, what matters is today! Will be focus on our own paneled houses? Or will we begin working “on the house of the Lord of hosts, [our] God?” (cf. Haggai 1:14).
