Haggai 2:10–19 (3)

Haggai 2:10–19: God’s Word Calls US to Make His Presence the Priority of Our life Part 3

Big Idea: God’s Word Calls Us to Make His Presence the Priority of Our life, because sin creeps in, but God’s presence cleanses from within so He can bless us.

Purpose: Realize God does not enjoy see us turn His blessing into our curses. We must intentionally make God’s presence the priority of our life, because sin easily creeps in, but God’s presence cleanses from within. Examine God’s Word and you will realize how easy sin creeps in, and how God’s presence cleanses from within.

God tells Haggai to examine My Word: read 2:11–14. God tells Haggai to examine My Word, I will remind you sin creeps in, but My presence cleanse from within.

Application: We have to get the Baptist in the Bible, if we are going to get the Bible in the Baptist.

1. God’s Word reminds us to consider how easy sin creeps in (2:11–17).

Haggai preached in the 6th and 7th month, Zechariah begins preaching on the 8th month, and Haggai delivers God’s 3rd message on the 9th. When is there I time in your Life that God is not willing to bless you through communication? Answer: never.

God word speaks to believer and non-believer the same truth with differ applications.

Non-believer: consider a time you half-heartily obeyed God’s call for you to trust Jesus, with control of your life.

Believer: consider a time when you half-heartily made Jesus the priority of your life.

Holiness does not rub off on us, but sin will.

Illustration: Coffee spilt on shirt (SEBTS), washed clean, Microwaved with Spaghetti, Shirt stained again. The shirt didn’t clean the Microwave, but the dirty microwave defiled my white shirt.

John 4:21–26 (NASB95)

21Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.

22“You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.

23“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.

24“God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

25The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.”

26Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

Application: We have to get the Baptist in the Bible, if we are going to get the Bible in the Baptist. Examine your life, through the biblical precepts of God’s Word. Has the priority of Jesus’ presence in your life cleanses you for worship? God confronts us, we repent and begin to obey, God’s Spirit encourages and enables our continual obedience.

2. God’s Word reminds us to consider how Jesus’ Presence Cleanses from within (11–12a).

Hebrews 9:11 tells us how Jesus’ sacrifice cleanses us.

11But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;

12and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

Application: Fully enjoying God’s blessings and being satisfied carrying out His work requires a pure and cleansed heart.

3. God desires to bless us, but He despises seeing us turn His blessing into our curse (2:18–19).

Zechariah 8 preaches the same message of promise. God blesses repentance and obedience.

Verse 19: He says, “The seed is not still in the granary, is it?” It has been planted. It is not yet time for the harvest. They were between the times, but Haggai was confident from that day forward, perhaps the day of the sowing of the seed, God would bless them.[1]

The seed grain is no longer in the barn [or, your barns] but has already been sown. The grapevines, fig trees, pomegranates and olive trees will not continue to give poor crops. From now on I will certainly bless you with good harvests.[2]

Explanation:

Application: Repent and God promises to renew his blessings and our continued obedience.

Conclusion: God promises a renewed blessing, when we intentionally repent and make Jesus the priority of our life. Enjoying Worship on Sunday, begins with making Jesus a priority on Monday. A blessed week begins with repentance on Sunday.

[1] Ralph L. Smith, Micah–Malachi, vol. 32, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1984), 161–162.

[2] David J. Clark and Howard A. Hatton, A Handbook on Haggai, UBS Handbook Series (New York: United Bible Societies, 2002), 58.