2017Aug20 – Careful Thought - Chapter 19 – Haggai 1:5-7 - Page 1 of 3
The crops are smaller than they used to be. Food just doesn’t taste as good. Call me crazy, but I think the water isn’t as wet as it used to be! Maybe I’m just getting old but no matter how many sweaters I put on I can’t get warm. Year after year the economy has gotten worse and worse. The bills are piling up faster than our income can handle. God’s people had been defeated and most of them force-marched to Babylon as Jerusalem burned behind them. 70 years later, as prophesied by Jeremiah, many of the survivors and their descendants would be given their freedom. They would choose to walk home to Israel intending to rebuild their nation, beginning with the temple in Jerusalem. A spring in their step as they walked the same path as before but in the opposite direction. The oldest among them were children but many in the long column of people had been born in Babylon. Their youth and idealism Listen to the miracle involving a pagan king, Cyrus of Persia. Trouble started when the folks who had moved into the vacuum created by the captivity 70 years earlier raised an objection to the rebuilding of the temple. So for at least 16 years, the work stopped. Excuses, excuses, excuses. The people were committed to re-building the temple…just not now. They wanted a proper place for the priests to represent them to God … just not yet. Everybody agreed it was important … but it seemed there was always something else that was urgent. After all, the altar for burnt offerings that was put up right away was still fully functioning … after 16 years it still worked fine without benefit of a temple building next to it. The Ark of the Covenant had never been recovered so what was the point of building a room for it? The neighbors were still watching, ready to immediately cause trouble if they put one stone on top of another where old Solomon’s temple had been. I’m going to throw a series of rhetorical questions to you for your deep consideration. Is this 2600 year old history lesson really a lesson for the 21 st century? Do we still make excuses for our disobedience? Why do we disobey? Today’s text is an example of problems caused by being out of God’s will. Do we determine God’s will by the ease or difficulty of our lives? How do we know specifically what God wants of us?
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2017Aug20 – Careful Thought - Chapter 19 – Haggai 1:5-7 - Page 2 of 3
On the 24 day of the 6 month, [Hag.1:15] the people responded to Haggai’s message and got to work after a 16 year delay. On the 23rd day of the 9th month they are still at it and although they’ve made a lot of progress, the food available at the farmer’s market is still pretty poor and it is still overpriced. Food and drink still don’t satisfy and the clothes still don’t keep anybody warm enough. Bellies rumbling, teeth chattering, the people of God went to bed that night wondering if Haggai say it wrong or did they misunderstand what he said. Are you familiar with the story of the Syrian general named Naaman, stricken with leprosy but hopeful that the prophet Elisha would pray for his healing? <pause> Can anyone tell me what Naaman had to do for his healing? Was there any change after the first dip? Yes! Naaman got wet with the muddy water! But I’ll agree that there was no change after dip #2 3/4/5 or 6. <pause> But after the 7th? I imagine the folks working or supporting the work of rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem expected quick and dramatic improvements in their situations. But 3 months later nothing had changed except the walls had begun to rise above the foundations. Have you discovered that Jesus didn’t die for your expectations? On the morning of the 24th day of the 9th month they got up as usual and went back to work, hungry, tired and probably very discouraged. And then Lord spoke. Don’t despair if things don’t change right away. God was more interested in constructing the character, the spiritual development of His people than He was in their constructing a temple. When Solomon dedicated the one he built on the same spot he made it clear, “The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!” It wasn’t about the temple, it was about character. It was about a promise and a prophecy. Ultimately, the reason God created all of the Universe was to make a place where His children could worship Him forever. John Piper, a very wise and brilliant man wrote this: “The greatest news in all the world is that God’s ultimate aim to be glorified and man’s aim to be satisfied are not at odds.” We were created for God’s glory and we are the pinnacle of His creation.
2017Aug20 – Careful Thought - Chapter 19 – Haggai 1:5-7 - Page 3 of 3
Our only true and lasting joy is found within His will. ① List the top 3 things “broken” in your life. If you think nothing in your life is broken, skip this exercise and seek immediate professional help; nobody’s perfect! ② List the 3 “best” things about you (your greatest blessings) The Holy Spirit lives within and His guidance is the most under-utilized resource in the world. He has the answers to all the questions. His intimate fellowship is sweeter than any human to human intimacy...so: ④ In a quiet place, pray about all 3 lists – meditate on how they affect each other