Success [in God's work] Comes through God's Word

Text - Revival

Haggai 1:4–5 NASB95

“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!

For there to be a true revival, it must involve GOD’S WORD

God’s word

This phrase can sometimes be looked at in a casual way

Good advice

Recipe for sermons

Source of consultation when I feel like it

It is “GOD-BREATHED”

It is the way God discloses Himself to us

A self-revelation of the YHWH

His mind is exposed to His creation

Ps 19:7 “The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” Ps 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” Ps 119:89 “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.”

For there to be a true revival, it must involve GOD’S WORD

For there to be success it must involve God’s word

Hag 1:1 “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,”

24 x the utterance of God is referred to 63%

Our Text

Hag 1:4-5 ““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!”

The Hebrerw: שִׂ֥ימוּ לְבַבְ כֶ֖ם עַל ־דַּרְכֵי כֶֽם - arrange/fix your heart/conscience against/before

There’s an element that involves the heart - This heart must then be arrested by the word of God

Haggai picks up from the 2nd year of King Darius

Ezra tells us the work was finished in the 6th year of Darius

Introduction - Ez 6:14-17

Our Background

Ezra 6:13–18 NASB95

Then Tattenai, the governor of the province beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues carried out the decree with all diligence, just as King Darius had sent. And the elders of the Jews were successful in building through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they finished building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. This temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar; it was the sixth year of the reign of King Darius. And the sons of Israel, the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. They offered for the dedication of this temple of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel 12 male goats, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel. Then they appointed the priests to their divisions and the Levites in their orders for the service of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.

There is something here that enriches the study of Haggai and Zechariah.

Ezra states that “people had success through the prophesying” Ez 6:14

#1 What does SUCCESS look like?

Success can’t be measured through my eyes, but God.

Not necessarily numbers

Not necessarily a building

Not necesarily a program

Faithful obedience to God’s word.

Success for God, starts with a renewed heart

This is how they “made progress”

APPL. When they faced their discouragement, heard from the detractors. . .they “made progress” Because their heart was stirred from the word

This is the one thing God will not manipulate, and it’s the thing that He wants. . .BADLY!!!

# 2 God’s word must remain a mainstay for the people

Excellent Preaching: Proclaiming the Gospel in Its Context & Ours The Destination, the Plane, and the Cargo

German missiologist Georg Vicedom. He notes, “The true shape of the congregation appears where it is clearly understood that the Word and the congregation are an indissoluble unity. They are so closely related to each other that what is said about the Word is readily applied to the congregation

The centrality of the Word to God’s people cannot be ignored!

Everyone benefits when God works Ez 6:16 “And the sons of Israel, the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.” - Notice who were celebrating

Tradition needs to know it’s place

APPL. COVID has certainly taught us to think outside the box (toss the entire box)

APPL. As people of God we must constantly examine ourselves against the word of God

Hag 1:8 ““Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the Lord.”

AAPL. God is honoured in obedience Jn 17:4 ““I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.” Same root word as Hag 1:8.

# God’s Man must remain committed to the word

This is how success comes.

This man is a man of doctrine not dogma

This man is a man of truth not tradition

This man understands the church is a theocracy not a democracy

True success comes when God is declared before the people

Consider Hag 1:12-14 “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,”

Their obedience to God is seen in their obedience to the words of Haggai.

What did the encouragement include:

Called for looking at their situation through a spiritual lens

Divulged the nature of God

Reminded of God’s promises/blessings

Called for repentance

#When you follow God, things work

Ez 6:15 “This temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar; it was the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.”

This brings great joy Ez 6:16 “And the sons of Israel, the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.”

Consider the constant presence of the prophets Ez 5:2 “then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them supporting them.”

Consider the involvement of the community Ez 6:16-17 “And the sons of Israel, the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. They offered for the dedication of this temple of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel 12 male goats, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel.”

This is how we become a successful congregation