Sermons from the Book of Haggai

Consider Your Ways: A Call to Action

Haggai 1:1-15

October 27, 2002

The prophesy of Haggai was set during the desolate period in Judah's history - Having been exiled in 586 BC, the people lived in Babylon until a group under Cyrus the Persian 's reign returned in 538 BC (48 years). After the initial euphoria, the difficulties of trying to rebuild a fallen people and temple loomed before them. Their walls were broken down, temple destroyed, infrastructure non-existent and their once-thriving agricultural practice in shambles.

It would be ninety years under Nehemiah that the wall around Jerusalem was rebuilt. So, long before this the work on the temple began after initial attempts at rebuilding the temple in 538 BC, the work lay incomplete. Zerubbabel the governor and Jeshua the high priest led this start in 538 BC until opposition arose and King Artexerxes stopped the work. The whole atmosphere of the people was despairing.

Their crops yielded little; their finances were inadequate; their focal point of God's presence - the temple - remained an incomplete building. It was into this setting in 520BC that Haggai and Zechariah did their prophetic work. We know little about Haggai. He was probably around eighty years old as he prophesied from August through December, 520 BC (maybe being one that remembered Solomon's temple).

The prophesy contains three important truths that these discouraged Jews were to grasp:

(1) They were to know who the Lord is. Repetitively he is called "the Lord of hosts," a title "used

      to exalt Yahweh as all-powerful sovereign and controller of all human and superhuman forces"

      (ISBC, II, 507).

(2) They were to give priority to God's presence and worshipping him by completing the rebuilding

      of the temple.

(3) They were to live with hope, thus the prophetic words of shaking the heavens and the

      promises regarding the future being in God's decrees.

What profit is there in studying Haggai today?

(1) We are to see the continuity of salvation history.

(2) We are to see how God was at work in the past for his people to will and to work for his good pleasure

(Philippians 2:14).

(3) We are to reflect on the priority given to reestablishing the centrality of worship among God's people.

(4) We are reminded of how we can become complacent and presumptuous in our routines to the neglect of

setting our priorities on doing God's will.

(5) We are to see that obedience involves more than good intentions: it is a call to action.

(6) We are to be reminded that we serve the Sovereign Lord and not a local tribal deity.

(7) We can live with hope, knowing that God's character and might ensures that he will accomplish his

purposes in his people and with human history.

I. Excuses v. 2 The time has not come...

1) It was not a lack of desire or even ambition. They wanted the temple rebuilt.

2) It was something they intended to get around to doing.

3) They considered circumstances and balked at obedience.

4) It was a case of barriers, threat of adversity, concern over possible repercussions that stymied their

progress.

Application: How often is our obedience determined more by circumstances than courageous, bold trust in

the Lord? (e.g. Daniel in exile praying daily toward

Jerusalem).

5) Yet they found time and energy to do plenty for themselves (v.4). They were sent to Jerusalem to rebuild

the temple but turned all energies on themselves. Do we too forget our purpose in God's plan?

Application: Dangers of self-centered version of Christianity; if I'm benefited then I will obey, serve, give,

sacrifice...e.g. this is much akin to modern pragmatism.

II. Divine Admonitions - "Consider your ways"

1) Who says this? The Lord of hosts...this points to his sovereign rule. While they had bowed to the rule of

Persian kings they needed to see the connection of their present situation - not due to Darius but the Lord

of hosts. The title implies "all powerful sovereign and controller of all human and superhuman forces" (ISBC,

II 507).

Application: How often have we forgotten who our God is? e.g. Jesus stilling storming seas and disciples

question, "Who is this that even the winds and seas obey Him?" e.g. Old Testament repetition, "I am the

Lord your God who brought you our of Egypt."

2) Consider what He commands - "Consider your ways" v. 5

a) A call for honesty, literally "think on." It captures the note of rebuke and warming in the original here!

(Baldwin 40).

b) A call for heart-searching; example: often we find great satisfaction in considering other people's ways,

but not our own.

c) A call for personal look. Proverbs 28:13. "Reflections on events in the light of God's word is

indispensable if God's people are to know the meaning of His providential ordering of their every day

affairs" (Baldwin 40-41).

3) Observe His disciplining hand v. 6

Here were normal pursuits of life - nothing out of the ordinary. But even in the routine there was great

evidence of all going awry. God was speaking out of their circumstances.

a) danger of reading a health and wealth theology into this by misinterpretation

b) yet, there is reality that when need arises among God's people it may be God speaking or teaching or

testing or correcting.

III. Divine Instruction v. 7-8 again the probing exhortation

1) Action to be taken:

God points out the problem clearly with Haggai's words. They were sent back in 538 BC to rebuild the

temple. When the work was arrested they waited on someone else to re-initiate it. It was time for action,

time to trust the Lord. "By obeying, they were turning their backs on apathy and indifference, so

demonstrating their repentance in action" (Baldwin 41).

I Samuel 15:22, "to obey is better than sacrifice..."

Example: Ezra 5, when they stepped out in faith God moved upon Darius and bowled over the opponents to

accomplish the work.

Application: Rather than meaningless words of confession or vows, the call is for action.

2) The rationale for obedience and service:

v. 8b "that I may be pleased with it and glorified." (literally, "I will get glory to myself"). Do we value the

glory of God above all else?

3) Expectations turned sour

v. 9-11 "You look for much, but behold it comes to little." To whom did they look? It seems that they

were looking for God's blessing but they did not respond with obedience.

IV. Obedience v 12-15

1) Hearing and obeying

There was no recreational religion going on but unfeigned obedience.

Application: The essence of obedience is found in the phrase "the people showed reverence for the Lord"

(12b).

"The fear is in contrast to the careless indifference which had faced" Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. "When

God has spoken, apathy is evidence of practical atheism" (Baldwin 42).

God's voice shook them up. Example: Luther during 16^th century spoke the word and it thundered upon the

multitudes so that they defied the traditions of Catholicism and vain religion to follow the Lord.

2) Assurance

v. 13 "I am with you," declares the Lord. Why was this so important? The historical context shows that

they were small, powerless, and oppressed. But God's promise quickened them in the battle of obedience.

"So God endorses and strengthens our good resolves" (Baldwin 43).

3) Effectual working v. 14-15

It was the Lord behind it all, "creating a willing attitude by His Spirit" (Baldwin 43). Note that it was "the

remnant of the people" that demonstrated that they were God's remnant by their willing obedience. The

Remnant is never viewed as unresponsive and apathetic, but always as those in whom God does His work.

Application: What do today's remnant look like? Love for the word - obedience - faithfulness - loving

brethren - desire for holiness - ongoing repentance.

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