Stopping to Consider Our Ways

Haggai 1:3–7 KJV (WS)

Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

Illustration:

A TikToker went viral after sharing a video in which she claims to have been tricked into joining the military. The footage, which has racked up nearly 450,000 views, shows TikTok user Itzel Hernandez explaining how a recruiter allegedly lied to her about what she would experience if she enlisted.

In comments under the video, Hernandez says she was told that she would "never deploy and only do field exercises once or twice a year." Since joining, however, Hernandez says she has been doing monthly field exercises and is set to deploy to Iraq next year.

"This life is not for me," a caption on the video states. The military is literally training to DEPLOY…." one user wrote.

Others appeared to suggest that they too had experienced similar situations during their time in the military.

"My recruiter said the same thing 'they only send the infantry' but deploying was one of the best things that I’ve ever experienced," another added.

Still, many commenters were critical of the video and Hernandez's claims.

"You must’ve been in the clouds if you signed without believing you’d get deployed.. that’s literally the point of training," one TikToker stated.

But a handful of users were quick to defend Hernandez by pushing back on the criticisms.

"I don't get these comments, supporting the troops means helping them through low points like this, why are so many attacking?" another user wrote.

The Daily Dot reached out to Hernandez to inquire about the reactions to her video but did not receive a reply by press time.

Hernandez has continued to upload videos on her experiences with the military since initially going viral.

Stopping to Consider Our Ways

Consider - think carefully about (something), typically before making a decision:

INTRODUCTION:

Haggai was alarmed because his people failed to consider their ways.

The Lord had delivered them out of bondage but Israel did not change their ways.

Now the Lord asks the people to consider your ways.

eThis is a characteristic phrase, occurring four times in the book.

Literally it says, “Set your heart upon your ways,” but is well translated, “Consider how you have fared” (RSV).

While neglecting the Temple for the reasons discussed above, the returned exiles had found both time and convenience to build their own houses.

Furthermore, the people had built their houses well and extravagantly.

Ceiled means “panelled.”

They had finished the walls of their homes with costly woodwork.

This was a practice which was considered luxurious even for a king.

Yet they were unable to restore the house of the Lord.

It is even suggested that they used for their homes the cedarwood which had been procured for the Temple.

“Their own comforts were their condemnation.”

If they had found means, leisure, and security to furnish such houses for themselves, it could scarcely be the times which prevented them from building God’s house.

So the prophet cried out, “Consider Your Ways!”

We should stop and take notes of some who failed to consider their ways:

Consider - think carefully about (something), typically before making a decision:

LOT FAILED TO CONSIDER THE SHAME OF SODOM

“He vexed His Righteous Soul”

A. Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom.

B. Lot sat at the gate.

C. But Lot failed to see the shame of Sodom.

SAMSON FAILED TO CONSIDER THE SCISSORS OF DELILAH

“He knew not the spirit left him”

A. Samson was a strong man when the spirit came upon him.

B. Samson got his hair cut in the devil’s barber shop.

C. Then he became as other men, only finally to commit suicide.

DAVID FAILED TO CONSIDER THE SWORD OF JUDGEMENT

“He tried not to be cut off”

A. David was a man after God’s heart.

B. David was promised a great throne.

C. Then David had the sword of judgment to fall on his house.

BELSHAZZAR FAILED TO CONSIDER SCALES OF GOD

“Thou art weighed in the balances”

A. Belshazzar was a might king

B. Belshazzar was self-centered.

SIMON PETER FAILED TO CONSIDER THE SCALDING TEARS OF DENIAL

“He went out and wept bitterly”

A. Simon Peter walked afar off.

B. Simon Peter warned by wrong fire.

C. Then he denied the Lord only to go out and shed bitter tears.

JUDAS FAILED TO CONSIDER THE STING OF SILVER

“He threw the silver on the floor”

A. Judas was one of the twelve.

B. Judas sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.