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Weekly Message | July 11th, 2010
Passage: Haggai 1:1-15
Key Verse(s): 14,15
The book of Haggai is regarded as a small book. It is one of books of the Minor Prophets in the Old Testament. This book has only two chapters. The point is very simple: God used the prophet Haggai to motivate the dispirited people of Israel to build a temple. Yet, the timeless truth is that God still motivates his people to build something larger for his kingdom through the message in this book of Haggai. Whenever I see any church buildings─whether they are like the Koln cathedral (more than a thousand years old) or any new ones (like our own), it is the result of the labor and sacrifices of God’s people. The simple truth is this: any significant building project needs resources. Major resources investments require priority of people. Priority is based on our value systems which come from our faith. Repeatedly, people come back to this book to renew their faith and resolve to do the work of God along with the competing demands in this life.
First, “Is it a time for you yourselves…while this house remains a ruin?” (1-4)
Look at verse 1: “In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest.” God spoke to Haggai in the second year of King Darius (This Darius is not the same one as in the book of Daniel). When did this happen? Now let’s consider the background of this passage: Three key years are: (1) 539 BC: Cyrus overthrew Babylon; (2) 536 BC: by the decree of Cyrus, 50,000 Jewish people returned to Judea; (3) 520 BC: God spoke through Haggai to build the temple. It was 520 BC. This means that it was sixteen years after 50,000 people returned from Babylon. Note that it was later in 459 BC that Ezra led about 5,000 other Jews to their home city of Jerusalem. Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem a few years later in 445/444 BC. So the time difference between Haggai and Ezra/Nehemiah is about 75 years apart. Therefore, Haggai’s temple building work is at least 70 years before the work of Nehemiah (i.e., rebuilding the wall in Jerusalem) and Ezra (i.e., reforming the people’s faith). In this sense, Haggai was an early pioneer that spoke for God. Haggai first spoke to the two key leaders: Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest.”
Look at verse 2: “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘These people say, “The time has not yet come for the LORD’s house to be built.””’ Then, what was the message of Haggai? After the initial excitement, people lost their interest in building God’s house. Instead, their main focus was on their own survival in the land. Haggai’s initial message was about the timing. The people said, “The right time is not now.” God’s message is, “No, you are wrong in this. Don’t give such an excuse. The timing is right now.”
Look at verses 3-4: “Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: ‘Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?’” God rebuked his people. Haggai’s message is about the priority of God’s people. God’s word points to misplaced priorities in the lives of God’s people. What is going on here? When they returned from Babylon after seventy years of captivity, they were happy. They bowed down and kissed the land. They were willing to do something for the Lord. Soon they faced the real challenges of living in the land. No one was waiting to greet these 50,000 returning people. There was no adequate housing for them. The land was already occupied by people from other nations. So they had to find sources of income. They barely acquired lands from the people for food production. They purchased pieces of lands for their houses. Sixteen years have now passed. As they were slowly settling down, many of them were more consumed in trying to raise their standard of living—just as they used to live in Babylon. So they were spending more time and effort to build better houses—paneled houses which required solid and expensive pieces of wood. In the course of doing so, they forget God. God’s house was still in ruins. Nothing was being done. Here, God asked the people this question. “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” The question is, “Is it right to allow the house of God to lay in a ruin while you are building luxurious houses for yourselves?”
Second, “‘Give careful thought to your ways.” (5-8)
Look at verses 5-7: “Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.’ This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways.’” God urges his people to think carefully. Before making any changes, God instructs them to humbly examine their ways and their situation. With their misplaced priorities God’s people were pouring out their energy to merely survive and work hard. However, their situation was not getting better. Instead, they were getting worse. Do you know what it is like to have a purse with holes in it? Their lives were so mismanaged that no matter how much more money came in, their situation never got better. The holes were too big. The wastes were too large. They planted in vain. They worked in vain. They earned in vain. The holes in their lives were too big to fill with just their work.
Look at verses 9-11: “‘You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?’ declares the LORD Almighty. ‘Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands.’” They were living in a world in which God withheld his blessings. There was rain. A drought in the land dried up all the fields and the mountain streams. The land refused to produce anything worthwhile. There was little to eat.
God commands, “Give careful thought to your ways.” It is important to see what we reap. We reap what we sow. Then, we need to give careful thought about our ways. In this world, what is accomplished is not about not giving up, but learning to give up what is not so important. Choices and focus make worthwhile accomplishments in life.
Look at verse 8: “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,’ says the LORD.” God demands his people to think carefully. God’s message to Haggai is this. Go into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house. The materials for building the house of God were not far away. They are in the mountains nearby. They were to go and bring down the timber and build the house.
Here is the pattern of God’s solution. This is also the same principle that we learned through the stewardship studies. God prepares mountains and provide the timber for us. We go up into the mountain and bring down the timber on our own. The solution is not far away. The solution is within our reach. The mountains are within our reach. The key is to go up into the mountains and bring down timber on our own. It is not God that goes up into the mountains. It is not God who brings down the timber. It is us that go up and bring it down. Then, we can build the house. It is our resolve to do what is within our reach to make the work a reality.
Third, “So the LORD stirred up the spirit…” (9-15)
Look at verses 12-13: Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD. Then Haggai, the LORD’s messenger, gave this message of the LORD to the people: ‘I am with you,’ declares the LORD.” This is the response of the people. Usually, prophets and priests do not get along well. Yet, Joshua, the priest at that time, obeyed the message of the prophet Haggai. The governor also obeyed the voice of the Lord. Then, the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the message of the prophet Haggai. People feared God because the LORD their God had sent him. Haggai delivered the message of God to the people, saying, “I am with you.” God is pleased to see the response of his people. God promised his presence and blessings for the people.
Look at verses 14-15: “So 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 the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the LORD Almighty, their God, on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius.” The leaders and the people were motivated to work hard. Then, what happened? The priest planned the details of the design of the house of God. The governor organized the project teams and provided necessary support. People were willing to go up the mountain and do the hard work of bringing the timber down to the city.
Haggai spoke in the first day of the sixth month. The project started after three weeks of preaching, reflection, and resolve. This house of God was not as gorgeous and splendid as the one King Solomon built. Rather, it was quite modest and small. Even so, God was pleased with the efforts of his people.
Two years ago, a few leaders of Toledo UBF considered the situation of our facilities. We kept remolding from 1990 to 2008. Even so, the worship hall was still leaking every time it rained. In the winter time it was too cold because of the lack of insulation. The outside appearance was confusing. Even pizza delivery boys did not know where the entrance of the building was. However, we did not have money. In this situation, God inspired the pastor. God also motivated leaders (John Wilson and Jim Paul). Two other leaders (Peter Park and Russell Kille) joined. Slowly, God stirred up the spirits of people including those from outside of Toledo UBF—Chicago leaders, Canadian leaders, and those who were sent out from Toledo UBF. For this some of our leaders made commitments to substantially increase their offerings—10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 additional percent. Even those who were sent out from Toledo made such commitments. My wife and I did our part to increase our offerings by adding fifty percent in keeping with the great efforts of our leaders. Thus, this facility expansion is completed with combined efforts of our people here in Toledo.
Then, what do we do with the building that is completed? Dr. John Jun challenged us at the Open House to “Fill this house.” Filling this house with God’s glory and his people requires more than building this house of worship. At this time it is challenging for us to invite even 100 people. Even so, the message is clear. Our next step demands the resolve of our leadership and renews our priorities to build the work of God. Again, for our real growth, another united effort is required. We need Haggai, Zebubabel, Joshua, and the remnants of people that are motivated for God and by God. They are here among us.
But the real message is not about motivating people for the next projects or the next goal of growth among us. The careful thought is, “Can we do this life with the right priority in the long term? Even always?” This is God’s message for us. Life with the right priority for God is not merely for a particular project period. If this is the case, we must give our careful thought. Should we seek all these things that we value first and then see what happens to God and his kingdom? Or Seek God and his kingdom first so that all these things are given to us. We seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness first in view of God’s mercy and grace. God created us in his own image. He provided this precious gift of life and all the good things. We acknowledge God’s preparation and provision in all things. Besides through Christ Jesus God saved us and adopted us as his dear children. God does not spare anything for us. In view of this exceedingly great God’s grace we first seek and honor God. This life is about choices. Great life is not about holding on to whatever we chose to do. Rather, the great and wonderful life is to give up what is not so important and consistently focus on what matters. I am reminded again of God’s command and his promise: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Mt 6:33) 1Co 15:58 says, “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” At this time, our leaders in Toledo give careful thought on how they will live before God. This is about holding on to timeless principles. The choices are what each of us should make. The results are what we and our children will bear. Just as God stirred up the spirit of Haggai, Joshua, Zerubbabel and all the people; may God stir up the spirit of people here for God and his kingdom as well.
July 11, 2010; Dr. Paul Hong; Toledo, UBF
Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
