Haggai 1:3-6 says...Bible reading week 25, day 5

Today's verses are Haggai 1:3-6, which read,

3 - Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet saying,

4 - "Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?"

5 - Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, "Consider your ways!

6 - You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns earns wages to put into a purse with holes."

50,000 Israelites have been released to return to their homeland under the leadership of Zerubbabel.  Haggai is among them and pointing out their thoughts about rebuilding of the temple and also the rebuilding of their spiritual life in Jerusalem.  They started the process to rebuilt but then opposition came and other things got in the way so "church" got set on the sidelines or on the shelf to deal with later.  Church was put on the back burner.  As they said, "The time has not come, even the time for the house of the LORD to be rebuilt."  This is what God is going to address through the prophet Haggai.  

God first looks at their houses.  It is not that God is saying that they shouldn't have houses but to see what condition they are in.  Are they adequate?  Yes, more than adequate.  Their homes that were made of stone and mud and sufficient for shelter were taken up a notch and given the "panel" treatment.  They put cedar wood over the stone and mud to "finish the basement."  When we have a finished basement, we have covered the concrete walls and floor with furring strips and drywall or paneling and we have put some type of flooring down to cover the cement floor.  It is a luxury many times to have a finished basement unless all you have is a basement.  The people of that time stopped building on the temple of God and focused more time on their own houses not to be just adequate but to be extravagant.  Maybe this is something they saw in the homes of Babylon.  

This focus on themselves rather than focusing on God has had it effects on them and God goes through a list here.  They have sown a lot of seed but the harvest has been little.  They have eaten but they are still hungry.  They have some to drink, but it is not enough.  They have clothing but they are still cold.  They have money from their earnings but it isn't making it to the end of the pay period.  This list paints a picture of someone who is spinning their wheels and wishing for a little bit more.  If we just had that big year again, that windfall that carries us through.  If we could get up from the table truly satisfied with food and drink.  If we could get a new wardrobe that replaced this one with all the holes and loose seams.  If we could just get another raise, then we would have it all and extra to splurge.  Haggai is talking about our world here.

God is helping the people to connect the dots.  The reason you are wanting is because you have abandoned the One who provides what you need.  Instead of focusing on God and His mission, you have focused on yourself and your mission.  You have limited resources but God is unlimited but it is hard to see beyond the length of our noses.  We abandon God thinking we are going to get ahead only to find ourselves falling behind and not just materially and financially but spiritually.  

I think the main point here is that we need to put our spiritual life in front of our material and financial life.  We need to put what God says in front of what the world says.  We need to seek His mission and make it our mission instead of adding it to what we are doing and maybe we will get around to it.  God comes first and when He isn't then we are going to feel it.  Matthew 6:33 works in here in which Jesus says,

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

On Monday we are going to see His solution and its pretty simple.  Get back doing what God says.  That's it.  If you have put God on the back burner, then put Him back on the front burner.  If you have put God on the shelf, then put Him back as your first search engine to gather information.  

How is your spiritual life today?  Is it like the temple of Jerusalem, half built and lying desolate?  It is that way because you have abandoned the work of being available to have God transform you.  Pick up your Bible.  Walk back into church.  Obey His mission to go and make.  Be content with what you have so you can focus on God and see what the One who owns the cattle on a thousand hills will bring into your life.  Let us pray. 

"Lord, point out our veering from Your path.  Point out our paneled walls and where we have abandoned Your mission.  Help us to see that we are settling for so much less when we follow after the world and not after You.  Amen."

Pastor Adam