Then and Now

Haggai 1:1-12

We all enjoy looking at the past compared to the present. The subjects that we enjoy may vary, but it is fun to compare how life was with how it is now. Some people enjoy looking at photos of family, celebrities, or infrastructure. Others enjoy comparing sports uniforms and equipment. There are technological advancements that no longer seem advanced. And there is also the dreaded comparison of fashion. Sometimes we reminisce fondly, and other times we are glad to have left the past in the past. While many things change, some things stay the same.

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IN the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, 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 Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, And this house lie waste 5 Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. 6 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. 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. 10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, And the earth is stayed from her fruit. 11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains,

And upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, And upon that which the ground bringeth forth, And upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands. 12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the LORD.

Haggai 1:1-12

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In our text, God uses the prophet Haggai to reprimand the people because they have lost focus of what is important. They had been sent back to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. However, they lost sight of their purpose because of life. Instead of focusing on the work of God, they became consumed with self. It did not seem selfish to them. They were building their houses and working to provide for their families. Surely God would understand their need to survive, right? God never condones our lack of faith in Him. These people did not trust God to provide for them while they did His work, so they took matters into their own hands. They ignored His work and His commands in the name of being responsible. Though they were just returning to their homes from being in exile as punishment for not worshipping God as God, they found themselves making the same mistakes (sins) as their forefathers. The rebuilding of the Temple was in itself an act of worship. It was an act of obedience to their God. It was recognizing Him as sovereign and obeying his commands. To not do what they were commanded was to ignore the commands of the Ruler of the Universe. They chose to obey their plans above God's. They did not trust Him to provide their needs. I said in the introduction that some things never change. While superficial things do certainly change, other things, like our attitudes toward God, tend to repeat over and over again. What do I mean by this. On a superficial level, we have changed in that we now build building. However, we often build building while neglecting the God who is supposed to be worshiped in the building. We have programs we call worship but many times it is all about the program and little true thought is given to God. We are called to build a structure today, but it is not a physical building. We are called to build the Kingdom of God. It is compared to a house that is built on a foundation which is Jesus Christ. However, we often spend more time focused on a facility or a program than we do on building the church. The church and the building we meet in are not synonymous. Just as in Haggai's day, we often neglect that which we are called to build because we are building something else. Just as in Haggai's day, this does not please God. Just as in Haggai's day, there is a call to repentance and obedience. It is a call we need to heed.

Father, help me to focus on building by your plan. Help my focus to be that which you have called me to. Buildings and programs will not go to Heaven but people can. Help me to keep a proper focus; a Godly focus.