Haggai 1:2-6,9
“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: the people are saying, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.'”
“Then the Lord sent this message through the prophet Haggai: ‘Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins? This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but are not satisfied. You drink, but are still thirsty. You put on clothes, but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes! …You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, while all of you are busy building your own fine houses.”
When I was younger, I was involved in a ministry called Bible Quiz. What I learned in those formative years is still with me today. One question in particular was about the church. “What is the church?” The answer read, “the church is a BODY, BUILDING AND A BRIDE” and had Scriptures coordinating to each description.
As I read the words of Lord to Haggai, I felt God echoing the same sentiments to the church in America today.
We hide behind the comfort of his blessings and hoard the manna for ourselves. We let the TV screen be the closest we get to the nations. We write a check to appease our conscience.
But wake up, America! If we are truly followers of Christ, he has called us to action!
His house is in ruins.
People created in his image who have not yet seen the mirror are dying without knowledge of something better than this. His people are sleeping in streets, sniffing glue to get high, binging on alcohol to numb the pain, living meal to meal, fighting for their lives in refugee camps… all while we sit by and make our “houses” greater.
Don’t misunderstand me, we NEED to be in church. It is a place to be encouraged by our brothers and sisters and to be taught and fed. But when that’s where it stops, we have a problem. God has declared that NOW is the time to rebuild his house. To speak life into the dry bones. To restore to crowns of royalty to a broken people.
1 Chronicles 28:9-10, 20
“And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. So take this seriously. The Lord has chosen you to build a temple as his sanctuary. BE STRONG and DO THE WORK.”
“Then David continued, ‘Be strong and courageous, and DO THE WORK. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the Lord is finished correctly.'”
This thing God has called us to, it’s huge. It seems impossible. It seems like we could never even make a dent in the problems in the world. But God has promised to give us everything we need to do the job!
All we have to do is take this seriously, be strong, and do the work. He even supplies the blueprints.
So back to Haggai: the attitude that we see in the people of God then is all too familiar now. “The time has not yet come.” Don’t we love that excuse? “One day.” The infamous words of task avoidance. But once Haggai was obedient and brought this word to the people, their attitude totally shifted, and look what happened…
“When they heard the words of the prophet Haggai, whom the Lord their God had sent, the people feared the Lord…So the Lord sparked the enthusiasm of Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the enthusiasm of Jeshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the enthusiasm of the whole remnant of God’s people.” (Haggai 1:12-14)
Their response to God’s charge:
REVERENT FEAR.
His response to them:
I AM WITH YOU.
His gift to them:
ENTHUSIASM
I love that! He sparked enthusiasm to do the work! And that enthusiasm was contagious. But it all starts with a little obedience.
So church, let’s be the people. Let’s take this seriously and do the work!
‘Nuff said.
