by Katrina
LINK: Haggai
BACKGROUND
Haggai was the first prophet sent from God after the Babylonian exile. His place in history is the same time period as Zechariah, Malachi, Nehemiah and Esther. But this little book covers only a space of four months. The messages are short and to the point. I like this guy! :)
Haggai's first message was given on August 29, 520 B.C. during the reign of Darius I. God sent Haggai to Zerubbabel, who had been appointed governor of the province of Judah in the Persian Empire, and to Joshua, the high priest. At this time, many Jews had returned from Babylon to Israel, they had resumed celebrating the feasts, and had laid the foundation for the new temple. But work on the temple had stopped because of opposition from hostile neighbors and because of apathy on the part of the Jews. God sent Haggai with a message to rebuke the people for their indifference about the temple and to get them working on building it again.
The people had built their own houses and had them nicely finished, but they had not finished God's house. God let them know that He was withholding blessing from them as long as they weren't working in completing the temple.
The people listened! They obeyed! And they showed reverence for the Lord! God stirred in the hearts of Zerubbabel, Joshua, and all the remnant who were there, so that they came together to work on the temple.
As they rebuilt, there were some over the age of 75 who remembered the previous temple and all its glory. Solomon's temple was larger and more beautiful, with much more gold and elaborate craftsmanship in it. They were disappointed in the smaller, plainer version. But God encouraged them all to continue working. God Himself would be present with them, and He owned all the silver and gold in the world. One day, God promised, there would be an even more glorious temple than Solomon's.
Then God addressed two questions the people had. (1) When something holy touches something unholy, does it make the unholy item become holy? The answer is "No." And (2) When an unclean person touches anything holy, does it make the holy item unclean? The answer is "Yes." Cleanness cannot be transferred, but defilement can.
The final message God sent through Haggai was that one day He will "shake the heavens and the earth." God will overthrow all earthly rule and all earthly armies. But He honored Zerubbabel as one He had chosen to rule at that time in history.
REFLECTION
"Consider your ways! Go . . . that I may be pleased with it and be glorified," says the LORD. (1:7-8)
What is clean cannot transfer its cleanness that that which is unclean, but what is unclean contaminates that which is clean. (2:12-13)
APPLICATION
Let's consider our own ways. Consider your way of life. Is God pleased with it? Does your life glorify Him? Are you allowing the world to contaminate you? You can not impart your sanctification to those in the world by being a part of the world. It will only make you unclean instead.
PRAYER
Lord, make us holy, set apart for your service. Help us to examine our lives in light of your word and what you expect of us. Help us to throw off those things that distract us from serving you whole-heartedly. Teach us to keep ourselves unstained by the world so we can be a light to the world. In the name of Jesus, amen.
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