You Haven’t Seen Anything Yet

Background

Haggai (1:1) was a prophet who, along with Zechariah, encouraged the returned exiles to rebuild the temple (see Ezr 5:1–2; 6:14). Haggai means “festal,” which may indicate that the prophet was born during one of the three pilgrimage feasts (Unleavened Bread, Pentecost or Weeks, and Tabernacles; cf. Dt 16:16). Based on 2:3 (see note there) Haggai may have witnessed the destruction of Solomon’s temple. If so, he must have been in his 70s during his ministry.

In 538 b.c. the conqueror of Babylon, Cyrus king of Persia, issued a decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple (see Ezr 1:2–4; 6:3–5). Led by Zerubbabel (but see note on Ezr 1:8, “Sheshbazzar”), about 50,000 Jews journeyed home and began work on the temple. About two years later (536) they completed the foundation amid great rejoicing (Ezr 3:8–11). Their success aroused the Samaritans and other neighbors who feared the political and religious implications of a rebuilt temple in a thriving Jewish state. They therefore opposed the project vigorously and managed to halt work until 520, after Darius the Great became king of Persia in 522 (Ezr 4:1–5,24).

Darius was interested in the religions of his empire, and Haggai and Zechariah began to preach in his second year, 520 b.c. (see 1:1; Zec 1:1). The Jews were more to blame for their inactivity than their opponents, and Haggai tried to arouse them from their lethargy. When the governor of Trans-Euphrates and other officials tried to interfere with the rebuilding efforts, Darius fully supported the Jews (Ezr 5:3–6;6:6–12). In 516 the temple was finished and dedicated (Ezr 6:15–18).

Haggai had an important message for the Jews who had recently returned from exile. They had forgotten their God, choosing instead to focus on their own interests, so it was time for them to “consider [their] ways” (Haggai 1:5, 7). How many of us can say that we have considered our ways? Look at what he tells them.

Haggai 1:5-9 AMP

5 Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways and thoughtfully reflect on your conduct! 6 You have planted much, but you harvest little; you eat, but you do not have enough; you drink, but you do not have enough to be intoxicated; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns wages earns them just to put them in a bag with holes in it [because God has withheld His blessing].”

7 Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways and thoughtfully reflect on your conduct! 8 Go up to the hill country, bring lumber and rebuild My house (temple), that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the Lord [accepting it as done for My glory]. 9 You look for much [harvest], but it comes to little; and even when you bring that home, I blow it away. Why?” says the Lord of hosts. “Because of My house, which lies in ruins while each of you runs to his own house [eager to enjoy it].

Nothing was more important for the Jews than to show that the Lord was at the center of their thoughts and actions, so Haggai directed them to finish rebuilding God’s temple. We must understand that God will never start anything he doesn’t intend to finish. Philippians 1:6 says, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” The problem is that a lot of us get started with something with God and once times get tough and we can’t see how we’re going to do it, we become discouraged. Understand that Samaritans and neighbors around them didn’t like the fact that they were rebuilding the Temple because of the impact it would have on the whole region. The folks were worried about the power it would bring them. Beloved, Can I submit to you that the reason the devil is fighting you like he is doing is because he understands that if he can halt the work, if he can stop what is going on in the house of God, he can stop the power of the church. See he don’t have the power to stop anything. Haggai tells the People that the reason you can’t prosper in your own homes and houses is because you have neglected the House of God. It’s in the text, Haggai 1:10-11 says

10 Therefore, because of you [that is, your sin and disobedience] the heavens withhold the dew and the earth withholds its produce. 11 I called for a drought on the land and the hill country, 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.”

What’s different about this time and prophesy that stands out is that majority of the time the people didn’t listen, and we, preachers, have to go off and look at what happened when the people disobeyed God, but THIS time the people OBEYED. They listened to what the Prophet had to say and began rebuilding the temple.

Which is where we are in our text.

Haggai is looking at the Temple, now I told you earlier that Haggai may have been alive before the destruction of the Temple that Solomon built. Understand that words really can’t describe how beautiful Solomon’s Temple was. It was spectacular, just magnificent and breathtaking. It was just to die for and Haggai is comparing the 2 Temples and he ask who here remembers the temple before now, and doesn’t this Temple seem like nothing in comparison. Sometimes God will allow you to look back. Some of us that has been saved for a long time can look back and sometimes it seems as if we seem like nothing in comparison. Yes we have a better structure but sometimes it seems like the joy and love that used to fill the place for this place, we can’t find anymore. It’s like nothing in comparison to then. I can imagine that the people began to look gloomy and to feel discouraged again and that’s when Haggai says 3 things that showed me that the best is yet to come.

Body

We must stand strong together

Haggai 2:4

Life is going to have a lot of ups and downs. I heard a preacher say once that “The Gospel according Forrest Gump declares that Life is like a box of Chocolates, you just don’t know what you’ll get.” Life has a way of beating us down. And if you're not careful it will make you discouraged. It will get you down. But it's here that you have to learn be strong. Be strong in the Lord and in the Power of Might. The People was working and before discouragement could settle in again. Haggai had to come and encourage the People. Understand that yes it was the Samaritans that caused the hardship on them but it was their discouragement and stopped the work. On thing I've found out is that it’s hard to work with a discouraged heart.

We must work together

Haggai 2:4

Anything worth having requires work. A Doctorate Degree in Medicine is worth having, yet it takes work. A promotion is worth having, yet it takes work. We must understand a thriving church and booming congregation is worth having, but it constitutes work. The Bible says in John 9:4, I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. The work that Haggai was referring to was too big for just one man or a couple people, but the work that he was referring to needed ALL hands on deck. Everyone needed to work and there was work for EVERYONE to do. Doesn’t that just sound like the house of God. There is work for EVERYONE to do!

We must know that God is with us

Haggai 2:5