A Call To Action

Babylon has been overthrown. There is a new nation in charge and a new king on the throne. In 538 B.C., Cyrus the new king made a proclamation and a written record of it, Ezra 1:2-5

Ezra 1:2–5 NASB95

“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. ‘Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem. ‘Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.’ ” Then the heads of fathers’ households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose, even everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem.

Those whom the spirit stirred left to return to Judah and Jerusalem numbered about 50,000. Led by Sheshbazzar and his nephew Zerubbabel, they returned to the land, set up the altar, and began rebuilding the temple foundations.

But it did not take long for opposition to arise. “The people of the land” are foreigners transplanted into Israel by the Assyrians, pagans who brought their own idols, intermarried with the Jews still in the land, and then added the LORD as the God of the land they were in. When they sought to help the exiles in the building of the temple, Zerubbabel recognized that they could not fall back into the errors that sent the people into exile.

The aggression of those who would later become the Samaritans was such that they sent letters to the officials of the empire and obtained a stop order. So for almost sixteen years the work on the temple (a work which was approved by Cyrus, a pagan king!) was at a standstill.

1. Priorities and Personal Reflection

Haggai 1:1-5

It was not until the second year of Darius the king, the first day of the sixth month. This works out historically to August 29, 520 B.C.

The prophet Haggai, whose name means “festive” has been given a calling to speak the word of the LORD to the governor of Judah, Zerubbabel (the civil authority) and to Joshua, the high priest (the religious authority) the word of the LORD which had come to him.

The word which Haggai brings to these leaders is a rebuke, starting with a note of estrangement: “This people says … “ That is not a great start to a conversation with the LORD of hosts; it notifies us that something is not quite right.

What were the people saying? “It is not time for the house of the LORD to be rebuilt.” In the time since the work had stopped, they had forgotten the desire, the drive, the zeal to come back to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.

The Lord, speaking through the prophet Haggai, points out that these Jews have a problem: they have misplaced priorities and procrastinated the what they were to do. They were more concerned about the beauty and creature comforts of their own homes, yet have left the LORD’s house desolate. The very reason they were commanded by Cyrus to return has long since ceased motivating them. Fear has brought accommodation and justification: “After all, the LORD would want me to have a place to live.” We are not talking about just a house; we are talking about the value one places in that which is temporal, where all our time and energy is for making ourselves more comfortable. It is a time in which good things have crowded out the best and proper thing: rebuild the temple.

They never got around to the purpose they came back to Jerusalem for, and the LORD challenges each of them, through Zerubbabel and Joshua to “Consider your ways!” They have chosen a path of least resistance toward their enemies, and failed to fear the LORD alone. What is God’s response to their attitude?

2. The Pursuit of Satisfaction and Consequence

Haggai 1:6-11

Verse 6 is God’s description of what has befallen His people in pursuing satisfaction while in disobedience, and it is both dissatisfying and fruitless.

Sow much but harvest little,

eat, yet not enough to be satisfied,

drink, yet not enough to become drunk (No excess)

put on clothing, yet it is not warm enough

earning wages, that never are enough

This is the experience of these returnees. Haggai’s words jolt them as he reminds them of their current situation. They may have expected that God would bless them once again when they returned to the land, but these things do not seem like blessings. They may feel that they are not like their fathers whose sinful ways led to the exile, yet they are just like their fathers, putting themselves and their needs as a higher priority than worshipping and serving the LORD who has brought them back to Jerusalem.

Haggai’s words are to call the people up short. They are not blessed because they have not been obedient to the LORD. How do they rectify this? What do they need to do? The second call to “Consider your ways” is immediately followed by the remedy: “Go … bring wood … rebuild My temple.” The rebuilding of the temple will please the LORD resulting in His being glorified.The nations surrounding Judah and Jerusalem have thought little of the LORD because of the lack of a place of worship, which evidenced a lack of response to a god that the Jews say they worshipped. Rebuilding the temple would demonstrate that the Jews really do value the LORD.

Haggai sums up the consequences (v. 9):

You look for much ----- it comes to little

what you bring home ----- I blow it away.

All that the people have left are meager things because of the LORD’s chastening. This comes from the lack of concern for the temple beginnings lying desolate while the people run to their own homes.

There is a play on words here: ‘chareb’ is “desolate” (v. 9) ; ‘choreb’ is “drought” (v. 11). What is described in verses 10 and 11 have a parallel in Lev 26:19-20

Leviticus 26:19–20 NASB95

‘I will also break down your pride of power; I will also make your sky like iron and your earth like bronze. ‘Your strength will be spent uselessly, for your land will not yield its produce and the trees of the land will not yield their fruit.

The people’s neglect of God’s work has led to a lack of fulfillment and blessing. Only through obedience will they invite God’s favor and provision into their lives.

How will the people respond? Did they hear and understand?

3. God’s Promise, Presence, and Provision

Haggai 1:12-15

Other prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel got very little response, if at all, to the words of the LORD through them. But look at verse 12: “Then Zerubbabel … Joshua … with all the remnant … obeyed the voice of the LORD and the words of Haggai the prophet.

First they obeyed what God had said. In doing so, they showed reverence to the LORD.

As a result, Haggai speaks as commissioned by the LORD words of assurance to this people. Their obedience has brought His presence with them. It is only then that the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel, the spirit of Joshua, and the spirit of the remnant of the people to once again begin work on the temple on the 24th day of the sixth month in the second year of the reign of Darius the king. (September 22, 520 B.C.)

There are too many times that we wait for the LORD to stir us into activity. But as we step out in obedience (v. 12) and begin to work God’s work, His presence is with us (v. 13) and then He stirs our spirit (v. 14). Obedience is the main thing—obedience to God’s revealed word will bring blessing as He accomplishes His work through us.