Check Your Priorities

Haggai 1:1–11 “In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘These people say, “The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.” ’ Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: ‘Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your panelled houses, while this house remains a ruin?’ Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.’ This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honoured,’ says the Lord. ‘You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labour of your hands.’”

Haggai 1:1 “In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest:”

Sidenote: In this verse, God shows us how he speaks to his elect first. This is significant because Zerubbabel was a governor and Joshua was a high priest; they were part of the post-exilic community that returned from Babylon. Both had influence on the post-exilic community in politics and religion. Once again, God clearly shows us how he can use his elect to accomplish his will, plans, and purpose. Furthermore, never doubt God’s ability to use you in a position of influence and when he speaks, we must be obedient.

In Summary: When we are in positions of influence and authority, it is important to listen to God’s instruction; this will help us direct his people for his purpose.

Haggai 1:2–5 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘These people say, “The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.” ’ Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: ‘Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your panelled houses, while this house remains a ruin?’ Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways.”

Sidenote: God is omnipresent and when he checks your priorities, the first thing he does is:

1.) He reveals your thought pattern

Sidenote: Around this time, the Israelites had returned to Jerusalem after 70 years of punishment in Babylon. God’s temple was destroyed and had remained in ruins. Instead of rebuilding his temple, the Israelites made sure they were settled in by rebuilding their homes first. This would make sense for the first initial year however, they went about 16 years without even thinking about rebuilding God’s temple. This means, they passed by God’s ruined temple and became comfortable with the destruction that had taken place against a loving God who brought them out of exile. In addition, he provided all the resources to rebuild their houses and with panels, which was a luxury back then.

Haggai 1:6 “You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.’”