Prophet Haggai was sent to rekindle the zeal of God’s people, with his central message being God’s warning to them, and by extension us, to “consider your ways” (Haggai 1:5). Haggai 1 offers us 2 examples that we can use to consider our ways. The people of Israel were not always in a state of spiritual stagnation, in fact they were initially filled with zeal to do God’s work. When they first started rebuilding the temple, there were great shouts of joy and praise (Ezra 3:10-13), however the people soon got discouraged as opposition emerged, and they eventually stopped the rebuilding (Ezra 4:24). Meanwhile, they turned their focus onto their own livelihoods and comfort while the house of God lay in ruins. Despite working hard for their physical lives, the labour of their hands was futile, and they seemed to always be lacking (Haggai 1:6, 10-11). God revealed that the lack in their lives did not come from their method of working, but rather their relationship with Him that they neglected, causing Him to obstruct them from prospering. Today, we are the spiritual temples of God (1 Cor 3:16). While we may face ups and downs in our lives of faith, let us also reflect if we have neglected our spiritual temple and left it in ruins? When the people stopped the temple rebuilding, they may not have expected that what was meant to be a temporary pause would extend into a 14-year hiatus. Similarly, our faith may grow cold gradually, and perhaps even go unnoticed until we are far from God. Therefore, the Bible warns us to watch and pray always, that we may be counted worthy to stand before God. (Luke 21:36) Haggai 1 introduces us to the 2 main leaders: Joshua and Zerubbabel. As the High Priest, Joshua was to lead God’s people in the matters of their faith, while Zerubabbel was the governor leading the administrative state affairs. Being the leaders, they were partially responsible for the long pause in the temple rebuilding. If we were them, would we be able to accept the rebuke from Haggai? The Bible has many examples of people in positions of authority who were unable to accept correction. For example King Saul who made an unlawful sacrifice and pushed the blame to prophet Samuel (1 Sam 13:11-12), and King Ahab who accused prophet Elijah as the “troubler of Israel” though the lack of rain they faced was the outcome of his own sins (1 Kings 18:17). Unlike these kings, in response to God’s rebukes for leaving the work incomplete, Joshua and Zerubbabel simply “obeyed the voice of the Lord their God” (Haggai 1:12). And the result of their obedience was God’s abidance. God stirred up their spirits, strengthening them to complete the work. (Haggai 1:13-14) Let us learn from Joshua and Zerubbabel’s humility, for God gives grace to the humble (James 4:6), and abides with those who are obedient. Just as God warned the people to consider their ways, let us also take heed to this warning. May the Holy Spirit work in us to keep us sensitive to the state of our spiritual lives and to sin, that we may be humble and obedient to the voice of God, so that He would also be with us always.
