Sept. 6 - Haggai 1:1-15

The Call to Rebuild

Haggai 1:1-15

1 In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest: 2 Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the LORD’s house. 3 Then the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai, saying: 4 Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? 5 Now therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider how you have fared. 6 You have sown much, and harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and you that earn wages earn wages to put them into a bag with holes.
7 Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider how you have fared. 8 Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored, says the LORD. 9 You have looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? says the LORD of hosts. Because my house lies in ruins, while all of you hurry off to your own houses. 10 Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the soil produces, on human beings and animals, and on all their labors.
12 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of the prophet Haggai, as the LORD their God had sent him; and the people feared the LORD. 13 Then Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, spoke to the people with the LORD’s message, saying, I am with you, says the LORD. 14 And the
LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month.

Haggai tells the story of the rebuilding of the temple – or more accurately part of that story. Some of the people of Israel had returned from exile in Babylon and settled into Jerusalem and the patterns of living in some degree of freedom. But the temple was still in ruins. The events described take place over a period of less than 4 months. The passage for today divides into two parts.

Vs. 1-11 God speaks through Haggai – the challenge is this: some of those who had returned were saying it was not the right time to rebuild the temple, not now. God’s question is quite simple – if it is not time to rebuild the temple – if it is not time to take care of God’s house – then why is the right time for the people to be living in “paneled houses.” Why are the people living in comfortable homes when God’s house is a ruin? God says he will bring economic hardship if the people do not pay attention to God’s house.

Notice God is not saying the people should live in hovels while his house is beautiful – but God is saying the manner in which people treat the place where they meet with God indicates something about how much they value God.

The second part of passage outlines the people’s response to God’s words. They had discussions, they made plans and three weeks later (24th day of the month) they started the work on the temple. Three weeks after hearing the message they were still committed to working on the project. They had prepared, they had gathered what they needed – they understood this was going to be a long haul. So often we hear a call to action and we work hard at it for 2 or 3 days – and then a new thing comes along to get our attention. Here the people stayed focussed and committed.

PRAYER:
Lord God, in the time after COVID there will be a need rebuild many things including the work and ministry of your church. Protect us from the temptation to start with enthusiasm without having planned for the long term. Help us to stay committed through the long haul. In Jesus’ name. Amen.