First Things First
May 4
HAG. 1:1 In the second year of 10 Therefore the heaven over
Da-ri'us the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the
month, came the word of the Lord by Hag'ga-i the prophet unto
Ze-rub'ba-bel the son of She-al'ti-el, governor of Ju'dah, and to
Josh'u-a the son of Jos'e-dech, the high priest, saying,
2 Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time
is not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built.
3 Then came the word of the Lord by Hag'ga-i the prophet, saying,
4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this
house lie waste?
7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.
8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I
will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.
9 Ye looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when ye brought
it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because
of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own
house.
you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.
12 Then Ze-rub'ba-bel the son of She-al'ti-el, and Josh'u-a the son
of Jos'e-dech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people,
obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Hag'ga-i
the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him, and the people did
fear before the Lord.
13 Then spake Hag'ga-i the Lord's messenger in the Lord's message
unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the Lord.
14 And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Ze-rub'ba-bel the son of
She-al'ti-el, governor of Ju'dah, and the spirit of Josh'u-a the son
of Jos'e-dech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of
the people; and they came and did work in the house of the Lord of
hosts, their God,
15 In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second
year of Da-ri'us the king.
TIME: 520 b.c. PLACE: Jerusalem
Introduction
Babylon fell to the Medo-Persian armies in 539 B.C. The ruler of
this empire was Cyrus. During the first year after his conquering of
Babylon, Cyrus issued a decree allowing the Jews to return to their
homeland. In that decree he made allowance for these Jews to rebuild
their temple (II Chron. 36:23; Ezra 1:2-4). When they arrived in 538
b.c. and began the project, however, they were met with stiff
opposition (Ezra 4:1-5). Soon the work stopped (vs. 24). In 520 b.c
Haggai delivered his four messages and got them going again. In the
meantime, however, the people had lost their initial joy. "When the
Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that
dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with
singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great
things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we
are glad" (Ps. 126:1-3).
LESSON OUTLINE
I. CHANGE NEEDED-Hag. 1:1-4
II. CHANGE EXPLAINED-Hag. 1:7-10
III. CHANGE REWARDED-Hag. 1:12-15
CHANGE NEEDED
What the people said (Hag. 1:1-2). Judah's return from
Babylon came in three stages. The first group returned in the year
538 B.C. under the leadership of Zerubbabel, who became their
governor, and Joshua, their high priest. With both political and
religious leaders in place, everything was set for a successful
reestablishment of their nation and its system of worship. But after
the opposition, the temple stood in its uncompleted condition for
many years. Then God raised up Haggai with a challenge. Haggai's
first message is very specifically dated. Reference to the second
year of Darius is used because there was no current king in Israel
to reckon by. The sixth month, Elul, corresponds to parts of our
August and September. Historians tell us that the first day would be
the same as our twenty-ninth day of August and that the year was 520
b.c. It was the day of the new moon, so it might well have been a
festival day in Jerusalem. Many people would have been there, giving
Haggai a ready audience for his message. God finally broke His
silence by sending a message to Zerubbabel and Joshua through this
prophet. The authoritative "Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts" (Hag.
1:2) clearly established the fact that this message had a divine
origin and was not merely Haggai's own. There was a subtle rebuke as
God spoke of "this people" instead of "My people." He was not happy
with what was going on. His people were not doing what they should
have been doing. They were making excuses for not rebuilding the
temple. This was unacceptable. Whether it was a popular saying of
the time or just a wording of the thoughts of the people, Haggai
confronted them with the fact that they were claiming that the time
had not yet come for building the Lord's house. For whatever
reasons, the people felt that it was still premature for them to be
working on the temple, implying that when the time arrived, they
most certainly would get the job done! Was it laziness or simply a
lack of concern? Their excuse was wrong and without validity to
God's ears.
What God said (Hag. 1:3-4). The divine origin of the message is
reiterated: "Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet."
He had quoted what the people were saying, but now God came back
with a statement of His own —and it carried strong implications. "Is
it time for you, 0 ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this
house lie waste?" They had diligently looked out for their own homes
while neglecting the house of God. In fact, reference to "cieled
houses" indicates rich paneling on the walls (cf. Jer. 22:14). Their
priorities had become skewed and needed reorganizing. "Actually, the
root of the difficulty lay in them, not in some outward circumstance
or time factor. The subterfuge is clear; they did not claim that the
work should not be carried on, but that it was not the right hour to
do it. One would think that a lapse of about sixteen years would
have brought home the need for exertion on their part. But the
unwilling heart always finds excuses" (Pfeifferand Harrison, eds.,
The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Moody). How could the people of Judah
build and live in homes of luxury while neglecting God's temple?
That temple should have been the focal point of their relationship
with Him. It had been when Solomon built it. And prior to that, the
tabernacle had been the center of their spiritual lives for many
generations. But it did not seem so important to this group of Jews
to reestablish that same importance. Initially, fear of opposition
had stopped the work, but this was no longer a valid excuse. Haggai
1:5-6 reveals that as a result of their misplaced priorities, God
was withholding His blessing from them. They worked to accumulate
food, drink, clothing, and income, but there was never enough. If
they would stop to realize what was happening, they would understand
that God was opposing them instead of blessing them. We should think
carefully about this, because it is possible that at times we
experience the same conditions. God must be the first priority of
our lives if we want to be fully blessed by Him.
CHANGE EXPLAINED
Command to build (Hag. 1:7-8). This is the second time God
called upon the people to consider their ways (cf. vs. 5). Haggai
would use the same thought again in 2:15 and 18 (twice). The idea is
that they needed to give very careful thought to and reevaluate how
they were living. A literal rendering of the Hebrew would be "Set
your hearts on your ways," indicating not merely a cursory
consideration but rather a serious examination. Things needed to
change drastically right away if they wanted to please God. This
kind of consideration on their part was to lead them to an attitude
of repentance. Repentance is not just confession. Rather, it is a
change of thinking that leads to a different life direction. God
gave them specific instructions about what that direction should be.
He did not just say, "Get to work on the temple and finish it." He
gave detailed instructions. They were to begin by going up into the
mountains to get wood for the temple project. This would start them
on the path to pleasing God and becoming worthy of His blessings.
"This verse begins the first positive part of Haggai's message to
the people. He had told them what they should not do; now he tells
them what they should do. He followed the negative with a positive
message—a good lesson for modern preachers and teachers. Haggai
urged his countrymen to focus on God's work (specifically, the
building of His temple) rather than themselves" (Miller, Holman Old
Testament Commentary, Broadman & Holman). Since our culture tends to
promote selfish thinking, we should learn this too. It should always
be our desire to please God and in doing so to give Him glory. It is
encouraging to realize that what we do can give God genuine
pleasure. If we take time to think about God watching us and
experiencing pleasure the way we do when something is fully
enjoyable, perhaps we will be motivated to be more consistent in
endeavoring to live for Him.
The reason for their lack (Hag. 1:9-10). Here we find God
reiterating what was stated earlier. Although the people continually
strove for increased wealth, they continued to experience a marginal
existence. God said this was because He repeatedly blew away what
they brought home. The Hebrew word that has been translated "blow"
means to "breathe upon," along with various implications associated
with doing so. The idea represented here is of a scourging wind that
laid waste to whatever they brought home and scattered it away from
them, leaving them with little. But God did not merely describe His
actions without explaining His reasons. Anticipating the question
that would come from the people upon hearing this, God Himself asked
why and followed with a precise explanation. Everything came back to
the fact that they continued to neglect the rebuilding project while
leaving the temple in ruins. The temple lay in ruins while the
people enjoyed their luxurious homes. God described them as running
to their own homes to avoid any thought of responsibility for the
condition of His temple.
This message is very similar to one Malachi later gave to the people
of Israel. Malachi 3:8 says, "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed
me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and
offerings." Because of this, God said that He had sent a curse upon
them instead of a blessing (vs. 9). The solution in both cases was
to get back to putting God first. They were to give what they ought
to give to God so that His work through the temple would not be
hindered (vs. 10). Then they would be recipients of blessing. In
fact, God said that if they would give back to Him the portion of
their income that they should, He would pour so much blessing upon
them that they would not be able to contain it all! Furthermore, He
also would rebuke that which was causing them to experience lack of
provision (Mai. 3:11). A corresponding idea is found in Jesus'
teachings. Jesus said to the religious leaders, "Woe unto you,
scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and
anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law,
judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to
leave the other undone" (Matt. 23:23). It seems that since He said,
"not to leave the other undone," referring to their tithing, we do
have a New Testament teaching that tithing is what God wants from
us. Are we giving God His due and experiencing His blessing?
CHANGE REWARDED
Obedience and promise (Hag. 1:12-13). The two leaders,
Zerubbabel and Joshua, along with the people, immediately responded
positively to Haggai's message. Such was not always the case with
the people. Second Chronicles 24:20-22 is one of the most graphic
examples of rejection of a prophet's message. Zechariah, under the
leading of God's Spirit, stood up and told the people that they were
not prospering because of their sinful living. This time the
response was a very negative one. The people, by the command of the
king, stoned Zechariah to death. This is probably the incident Jesus
referred to in Matthew 23:35 when He said, "That upon you may come
all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of
righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye
slew between the temple and the altar." Since Genesis was the first
book of the Hebrew Scriptures and II Chronicles was the last, this
fits with Jesus' intent.
Two verbs in Haggai 1:12 describe the response to Haggai. Everyone
"obeyed," and the people "did fear" the presence of God. This was
exactly the effect God had in mind, and it brought a quick response
from Him. Notice the repeated emphasis on the Lord in verse 13:
Haggai was "the Lord's messenger" who brought "the Lord's message"
to the people, promising that the Lord's presence would be with them
from then on. This indicates God's great pleasure at seeing the
obedient response of His people. Their repentance led to His
blessing.
Inspiration and work (Hag. 1:14-15). Using the dating
referred to earlier in this lesson, we find that the work on the
temple began on the twenty-first of September 520 B.C., just
twenty-three days after Haggai's message. God was sovereignly moving
in the hearts of the people to accomplish His work: "The Lord
stirred up the spirit." He did this in Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the
remnant of the people. Reference to the remnant reminds us that God
has always preserved a remnant of Israel because He still has a
future for them. We can almost sense the excitement and enthusiasm
projected when we read that once the Lord stirred up their spirits,
they came and began the work on the house of the sovereign Lord,
their God. Those of us who have been through church building
programs in which the people were directly involved can remember the
excitement and joy generated in doing such a work. The robust
cooperation and companionship of doing significant projects that
will further the ministry of the church can bind people together in
a special way. We noted earlier that there had been great joy when
the people returned from captivity. "When the Lord turned again the
captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth
filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they
among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them. The
Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad" (Ps.
126:1-3). Surely we can rightfully imagine that these feelings
returned as they got back to the rebuilding of the temple. This
incident was a national one, involving all the returned captives.
However, it holds a personal lesson for us. We sometimes lose the
joy of the Lord because we have wandered away from the pathway of
complete obedience. God is not commanding us to build a temple, but
He does command us to follow His Word: "If any man serve me, let him
follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any
man serve me, him will my Father honour" (John 12:26).
QUESTIONS
1. Who were the political and religious leaders of the returned
captives from Babylon?
2. How do we know the time of Haggai's message to his people?
3. What was the main message Haggai had for the leaders and the
people, and what were they doing wrong?
4. Why was it important for Judah to have a temple for God?
5. What evidence was there that the blessing of God had ceased to be
upon these returned captives?
6. How did God describe what He did when they attempted to get
ahead?
7. Why did God do these things?
8. What was the response of both the leaders and the people to
Haggai's message?
9. How long did it take for the work on the temple to get started,
and how do we know God was in it?
10. What can we learn about priorities from this lesson?
Preparing to Teach the Lesson
Jews who lived in captivity in Babylon were actually treated quite
well, and most chose to remain there even after they were allowed to
return to Jerusalem. The remnant who did return had desolation and
pagan occupiers facing them. The task of rebuilding the temple and
the city was difficult, and the people tended to become discouraged.
Prophets such as Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi were sent by God to
encourage them.
TODAY'S AIM
Facts: to explain how God's word, glory, and presence
challenged Jews in Haggai's time to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
Principle: to make it clear that building for God must go
forward despite opposition.
Application: to strengthen the resolve of God's people to
build up His spiritual kingdom.
INTRODUCING THE LESSON
The governor of Judah was Zerub-babel the prince, and the high
priest was Joshua. It was through these political and religious
leaders that Haggai hoped to see God's work accelerated. The common
people under them needed genuine leadership. This began with God,
was channeled through the prophet, motivated the leaders, and moved
on to the general populace.
DEVELOPING THE LESSON
1. God's command (Hag. 1:1-4). It had been sixteen years
since work had begun on rebuilding the Jewish temple in Jerusalem.
Inhabitants of Samaria offered to help in the rebuilding but were
rebuffed (Ezra 4:3). In an attempt to get even, they sent word back
east to convince officials to stop the work
being done. However, the word of the Lord through Haggai was that
the work should continue. Along with the message that the temple
should be finished came Haggai's admonition: the people were
dwelling in houses with nicely paneled walls and ceilings while only
the foundation of the temple had been completed.
Discuss with your students the trend today for evangelical believers
to indulge themselves with expensive houses, automobiles, boats,
clothes, and vacations but fail to provide what is needed to see
God's work go forward and expand. Perhaps the gift of exhortation
mentioned in Romans 12:8 needs to be heard in our time.
Through Haggai, the Lord called on the Jews in Jerusalem to consider
their ways and see the connection between their behavior and the
setbacks they were experiencing (Hag. 1:5-6).
2. God's glory (Hag. 1:7-10). We note that verse 7 repeats
what was said in verse 5, perhaps for emphasis. The instruction to
go up to the mountain to get lumber was necessary because the timber
of the temple had been burned (586 B.C.). Large quantities were
needed. We know that stones were also needed for building, but these
were still at the site after the city was devastated by the
Babylonians and could be reused. Haggai 1:9-10 reverts back to what
was said in verse 6. The people had looked for good harvests but had
to deal with poor ones brought on by dry conditions that had caused
drought. While God's house lay in ruins, the people had run to their
adequate houses. It was only when the temple was rebuilt that God's
glory could come to fill it and His people could expect to be
blessed. Ask class members how important it is to them that God's
glory be the main concern in their lives. If they are developing
spiritually, this should be their focus rather than their own
reputation or advancement.
3. God's presence (Hag. 1:12-15). By looking at verses 1 and
15, we see that twenty-three days after the prophet's message from
God was given to the leaders in Jerusalem, the work on the temple
was started again. Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the common people obeyed
the words of the Lord as given through Haggai, and they "did fear
before the Lord" (vs. 12). The term "fear" here indicates
reverential trust. It was the kind of faith that motivated them to
do God's expressed will.
As a result, Haggai was able to declare that God's presence was
among His people. Their positive spirit was renewed, and they were
eager to get back to work. The pagan enemies surrounding them must
have been amazed at the transformation they witnessed on the part of
the Jews. Centuries of church history have seen a trend toward God's
people being divided into clergy and laity. Proclaiming God's
messages seems to have become the special activity of the clergy.
This is regrettable if it means that laymen back off from this
privilege and responsibility. Encourage your students to be
witnesses of divine truth to others. Clergy and laity should be
partners in this ministry.
ILLUSTRATING
THE LESSON
If you want a formula that motivates God's people to move ahead,
begin with God's Word and combine it with God's glory. In Haggai's
time, this led to working to rebuild the temple.
CONCLUDING THE LESSON
It would be wonderful if exhorting people to de-emphasize their own
goals and concentrate on doing God's work were received in a
positive manner and led to actual efforts on their part. However,
this is not always the case, and your students will have to expect
negative results at times. A study of biblical characters and of
individuals in the history of the church reveals that persistence in
doing God's will does yield some measure of success. Christ said
that He would build His church (Matt. 16:18). We are to work with
Him in this endeavor in spite of a mixture of successes and
failures.
ANTICIPATING THE NEXT LESSON
A rebuilt temple in Jerusalem would be open to attack if the walls
of the city remained broken down. It was the mission of Nehemiah to
urge his people to restore the stone walls and the gates, which the
Babylonians had burned. The Jewish remnant needed Nehemiah's
visionary leadership to rise to the occasion.
PRACTICAL POINTS
1. Delayed obedience to God is disobedience (Hag. 1:1 -2).
2. Those who can never find time for God always find time for
themselves (vss. 3-4).
3. Serving and obeying God requires great effort and sacrifice, but
it always results in God's blessing (vss. 7-8).
4. We cannot expect God's blessing when we give Him our second best
(vss. 9-10).
5. We will never obey the Lord until we revere Him for who He is
(vs. 12).
6. When we obey God, He will provide the help and encouragement we
need (vss. 13-15).
RESEARCH AND DISCUSSION
1. What truths about human nature are illuminated in Haggai 1:1-4,
7-10?
2. Why do people procrastinate in doing the Lord's work (vs. 2)?
3. What does it mean to glorify God (vs. 8)? Is God's glory
something we actively seek? How can we make this the focus of our
lives?
4. What did the Lord use to get the people to continue work on the
temple (vss. 3-4,10; cf. vss. 11-14)?
5. The Israelites suffered economic hardship when they failed to
obey the Lord (Hag. 1:9-10; cf. Deut. 28:15, 38-40). Does this truth
have any application to us today?
6. What role did leaders play in the rebuilding of the temple (Hag.
1:13-14)? What does this teach us?
ILLUSTRATED HIGH POINTS
The time is not come
The returned exiles had stopped working on rebuilding the temple.
They said the time was not right to build God's house. God said the
opposite. A recent study indicated that procrastination is on the
rise. In 1978 only about 5 percent of the American public considered
themselves chronic procrastinators. Three decades later it is up to
26 percent. The main reason for this is that people have too many
enjoyable ways to kill time. We have televisions, computers and Web
surfing, electronic games, cell phones, and a multitude of other
electronic gadgets. It is estimated that procrastination costs
businesses billions of dollars every year as people play instead of
work. Games have a place in life, but putting God first is the only
way to go.
The people did fear before the Lord
Words often have multiple shades of meanings. "Fear," for instance,
indicates terror or dread of an object or situation. It is
acceptable to be afraid of a rabid dog or an intruder with a gun.
The Bible, however, uses "fear" in the sense of honor, reverence,
and respect. We are challenged to fear the Lord, for that leads to
wisdom (Prov. 9:10). The story is told about a young bride and the
first meal she prepared for her husband. In telling another person
about her experience, she mentioned she was afraid she would do
something wrong and ruin the dinner. She was afraid it would not
turn out well, and she was afraid it would be unsatisfactory.
Does this mean she thought her husband would beat her if something
was wrong? No, she simply worried she might not please the one she
loved with all her heart.
Golden Text Illuminated
"Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and
I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord"
(Haggai 1:8).
The Lord had blessed the people of Judah by bringing them back
to their homeland. Sad to say, their priorities were not what they
should have been. In the golden text, God was commanding them to get
busy and attend to His business instead of their own selfish
pursuits. We should not be too quick to condemn the people of Judah.
In the prosperous and materialistic culture we live in, we are all
too prone to forget about God's kingdom and dedicate ourselves
instead to increasing our possessions and comforts. The golden text
is a useful reminder of what God wants us to live for in our own
day. In Haggai's day, the hills around Jerusalem were not bare, as
we usually think of them today. There were forests from which the
necessary wood for building the temple could be gathered. God was
telling them to undertake this task. (It is also possible that the
Lord was telling the people to go to the hilly land of Lebanon,
renowned for its wood, to secure what they needed [cf. Ezra 3:7]).
As to why only wood is mentioned in the golden text, it is probable
that "in the ruins of the temple and its immediate vicinity were
ample stones for building purposes" (Verhoef, The Books of Haggai
and Malachi, Eerdmans). Stones remained even after the Babylonians
had burned the temple area.
God would be pleased if the people obeyed Him and rebuilt the
temple. On this point, Matthew Henry remarked, "Whatever God will
take pleasure in, when it is done, we ought to take pleasure in the
doing of, and to reckon that inducement enough to set about it".
Nothing brings greater pleasure to a parent than the heartfelt
obedience of his child. And what a sign of dedication it is when a
child will set aside his own pursuits to do something for the
benefit of his parents! When outsiders witness such devotion, it
reflects well on the parents and brings them honor. By considering
this analogy, we can understand why it was so important for the
people of Judah, God's covenant children, to do what He desired. The
great paradox for the people of Judah and indeed for God's people in
all ages is that as we pursue God's glory, we find that our own
needs are taken care of. The people of Judah had been suffering
privation because they were seeking prosperity in the wrong way (cf.
Hag. 1:6). By seeking to selfishly enjoy their life, they were, in
effect, losing it (cf. Luke 9:23-25). Following God by faith, on the
other hand, would bring blessing. We are reminded of the words of
Christ: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;
and all these things [food, drink, and clothing] shall be added unto
you" (Matt. 6:33). The Psalmist David called upon the people to
"give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in
the beauty of holiness" (Ps. 29:2). The people could say they wanted
to glorify the Lord, but if they did not show it by their actions,
they were failing in the fundamental reason for their existence. By
rebuilding the place of worship, they could truly honor the Lord,
and He would be glorified.
Heart of the Lesson
For all intents and purposes, Judah ceased to exist as an
independent nation in 586 B.C., when the Babylonians destroyed
Jerusalem and deported a large group of her citizens to Babylon. The
people of Judah remained in exile until 538 b.c. A year earlier, the
Persians conquered the Babylonians. The Persians, having a more
humane policy, gave the Jews permission to return to Jerusalem and
even agreed to finance the rebuilding of the temple. In addition,
they also restored to the Jews the temple vessels of silver and gold
that the Babylonians had plundered.
1. Misplaced priorities confronted (Hag. 1:1-4, 7-10). Those
Jews who chose to return to their homeland must have been
disheartened by what they found when they arrived in Jerusalem. The
city walls were down, rubble lay heaped where homes had once stood,
and the temple, the heart of Judah's re-ligion, had been demolished
and burned. Within the first year of the return, the people made a
halfhearted attempt to clear the temple foundations. But soon they
lost interest and instead went to work on their own homes. In their
position, we might have done the same thing. They had to struggle
daily just to eat. Their economy was in shambles, and the Samaritans
to the north were causing trouble. Dealing with the harsh realities
of daily existence occupied most of their time and energy. When Hag-gai
came on the scene eighteen years after the return, he observed, "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" (Hag. 1:6).
Haggai understood why conditions had not improved despite their hard
work. The people had their priorities wrong. Speaking of the temple,
he said, "Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses,
and this house lie waste?" (Hag. 1:4). No, he said. They should
first rebuild the temple and take care of God's house. Then they
could turn to their own comforts. Haggai was challenging the people
about the order in which they had chosen to do things not simply
because he thought that another order would work better but because
their failure to rebuild the temple reflected how careless they had
become about their spiritual lives. They were not putting God first.
It was centuries later when Jesus walked the earth, but His words
from Matthew 6:33 could just as well have been addressed to the
returnees: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
2. Priorities reordered (Hag. 1:12-15). The people responded
well to Haggai's call, and within five years the work on the temple
was complete. This temple was not as grand as the original one built
by Solomon, but it showed that the people had their priorities
right. Prioritizing is assigning relative importance to the matters
of our lives, with the assumption that we will put the most effort
into those things or relationships that come high on the list. We
decide what the main thing is and then rank other responsibilities
and desires in relationship to that. Where we place our spiritual
responsibilities on that list reflects what we really think of God.
World Missions
It is important that when we do the work of God, we do it in a
manner that is pleasing to Him. We must do it in such a way that it
will receive His blessing. There is an old saying that we should not
put the cart before the horse. In other words, we should do first
things first.
I have a friend who is an engineer. He works for a large company
that handles major construction projects across the United States. I
have talked with him numerous times about his responsibilities in
his company. The pattern is pretty much the same as far as his
approach to a project. His company flies him to the city where the
construction is to take place. He meets with city officials and
other individuals who have official input for the project. Plans,
costs, time schedules, and such are discussed in detail. When all
the preliminary work is done, the actual construction begins. My
friend gives advice and guidance throughout the project, if
necessary, but definitely on the initial planning. First things must
be done first. The Prophet Haggai is a good example of good work in
restarting the building of the temple. Both Haggai and Zachariah
ministered during the reign of King Darius Hystaspes, a Persian
king. The Lord had a specific task for Haggai, and he was ready to
accept and carry out that task. There are times when the Lord's
people act much like the people of Israel when it came to rebuilding
the temple. It is said of them, "This people say, The time is not
come, the time that the Lord's house should be built" (Hag. 1:2).
In direct contrast to what the people thought and said, the Prophet
Haggai said, "Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled
houses, and this house !ie waste?" (Hag. 1:4). He went on to tell
them what the Lord had to say about their slothfulness that caused
an interruption in God's work. They were brought face-to-face with
their sin of neglect. No words were spared as they were reminded of
their failures. He said, "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" (Hag. 1:5-7). This is a perfect
picture of Christians who steal from the Lord. The Israelites were
refusing to give to the Lord those things that are rightfully His,
such as time, talents, abilities, and effort.
What was the right answer for them to give? What was the proper
solution for them? Through the Prophet Haggai, God clearly showed
them the first thing to do. They had to begin at some point, and
that point was revealed to them. We read, "Go up to the mountain,
and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it,
and I will be glorified, saith the Lord" (Hag. 1:8). There was a
good response for these words of command. To disobey after hearing
what was said to them would have been difficult to do. They were
given the reason they were not being blessed for their efforts.
Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua, the son of Josedech,
along with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the
Lord and worked in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God. It was
important for the people to get to work on the temple at the right
point and the right time. They did first things first.
The Jewish Aspect
A frequently used name in the Old Testament prophets is "Lord of
hosts." This name of God occurs often in the three post-Captivity
prophets. It appears 14 times in the short book of Haggai, 53 in
Zechariah, and 24 in Malachi. This name occurs some 261 times in the
Old Testament, while the name "God [Elohim] of hosts" appears
another 24 times. Jews understood that the word "hosts" refers to
"any arrayed army" (Harris, Archer, Waltke, eds., Theological
Wordbook of the Old Testament, Moody). This could be an earthly army
(Judg. 4:2) or the heavenly army (I Kings 22:19).
When Haggai used the name "Lord of hosts," the Jews had no standing
army. They returned to Judah from the Babylonian Captivity but
remained in subjection to the Persian Empire. With no army for
defense, Haggai exhorted them in the name of the Lord of hosts, "a
title which emphasized the invincible might behind the Lord's
commands" (Baldwin, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, InterVarsity). The
"hosts" were angelic armies of God, and this name of God shows He is
the "Lord of all powers, seen and unseen, in the universe and in
heaven." "Lord of hosts" can be translated as "Lord of Heaven's
Armies."
Jews do not regard the name of God as a mere identification. The
name "conveys the nature and essence of the thing named. It
represents the history and reputation of the being named" ("The Name
of G-d," Judaism 101, www.jewfaq.org, December 13, 2006). Americans
have a similar understanding of the word "name" when we refer to a
wholesome reputation as a "good name." The word or title "Lord" is
considered God's holiest name by traditional Jews. It is called the
tetragrammaton, meaning "a word of four letters." Jews never
pronounce this name, considering it a lack of respect for God.
According to the Talmud, "Showing disrespect for God's name
indicates a definite lack of belief in him. That person is worthy of
death and has no portion in the world to come" (Simmons,
"Pronunciation of God's Name," Judaism.about.com, January 3, 2007).
Many substitute the word "Adonai" in its place. Some traditional
Jews, however, substitute Ha-Shem (which means "The Name") in its
place. Many extend their practice further and refrain from writing
the English word "God," replacing it with "G-d" or "Gd." Jews write
God's name seriously. God told Israel to "destroy the names" of
every false god when they entered the Promised Land (Deut. 12:3) but
added, "Ye shall not do so unto the Lord your God" (vs. 4). Jews
understand this as a command not to erase or deface any name of God.
This command concerning writing God's name applies only to what is
written in a permanent form. For example, if God's name is typed
into a computer, it can be erased by backspacing or it can be cut
and pasted or even deleted from a file. "However, once you print the
document out, it becomes a permanent form. That is why observant
Jews avoid writing a Name of God on web sites... because there is a
risk that someone else will print it out and deface it" ("The Name
of G-d.)" Christians can learn from our Jewish friends that God's
reputation, or character, is to be revered. We do this best,
however, by living consistently for His glory.
Guiding the Superintendent
"Inertia" is an interesting word. At times it can be the most deadly
property in the world. At times it can cause more damage than forces
like hurricanes or tsunamis. However, inertia is deadly not for what
it does but for what it does not do. Inertia is not a force but
simply the property of doing nothing or maintaining a uniform motion
until acted upon by a force. Inertia can affect many aspects of life
but nothing more severely than one's walk with God. Over time, one's
relationship with God just goes stale. Our lessons this quarter have
been about the great covenant promises that God made with His
nation, Israel. Sadly, the nation of Israel disobeyed God on a
wholesale level, and He punished them by allowing them to be taken
captive. The punishment was over, and God had brought the Israelites
back to the Promised Land. One would think that they would have been
more enthusiastic and energized to do God's work. Wrong! The deadly
property of inertia overcame God's desire for them to change. God
called Haggai the prophet to speak to this issue.
DEVOTIONAL OUTLINE
1. The problem: indifference to God (Hag. 1:1-4). Israel was
no longer engaged in such old vices as violence, oppression,
drunkenness, and idolatry. They were not really opposed to the
things of God. They were "good people." The problem was that they
had not given God first place in their hearts. This problem
manifested itself in apathy. In this particular situation, they had
not given the rebuilding of the temple top priority. Their concerns
were legitimate but should not have been given priority. The people
had not given God first place in their hearts. Their homes should
have taken second place. The issue, then, was not the temple but
their hearts.
2. The action: famine from God (Hag. 1:7-10). To get their
attention, God had brought ruin and drought into their lives. Their
very source of life and livelihood was touched by God. He was trying
to get their attention. He wanted them to give first priority to
Him. This would manifest itself by the people returning to the
rebuilding of God's house, the temple.
3. The reaction: rebuilding God's house (Hag. 1:12-15). God's
drastic action had its intended effect. Both leaders and people got
back to the task of working on God's house. The whole point of our
passage is not that people should drop everything and start building
God's house. No! The point is that people should put first things
first. And God should always be first.
AGE-GROUP EMPHASES
Children: This is such an important lesson that children need
to learn. All around them they see people putting God in second and
third place in their lives. They need to understand that God must
always be first.
Youths: Worldly things and pleasures can quickly push God out
of first place for teens. Use this lesson to help them realize how
easily they can put God in second place or even out of their lives
altogether.
Adults: Adults need to be reminded from time to time that God
can easily slip out of first place. The solution is always the
same—they need to get their priorities adjusted.
