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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.

A central theme of Zephaniah 1 is God’s judgment. The prophet Zephaniah delivered these warnings during the reign of King Josiah, before the king led the people of Judah back to God. At that time, Judah was steeped in spiritual and moral corruption, prompting God to declare His impending judgment through Zephaniah. One of the primary sins highlighted in this chapter is idolatry. In Zeph 1:4-6, God expresses His anger against: Those who worship Baal, Pagan priests, Those who worship the host of heaven (the sun, moon, stars, and planets), and Those who swear by both the LORD and Milcom (a false god of the Ammonites). By engaging in these practices, the people of Judah had violated the first two commandments given by God in Exodus 20. God had already warned Israel in Deuteronomy 8:19: "If you by any means forget the LORD your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.” Now, through Zephaniah, God reaffirms this warning, pronouncing judgment upon Judah for their idolatry and unfaithfulness. Notably, Zeph 1:5 condemns those who try to serve both God and false gods, “those who swear oaths by the LORD, but also swear by Milcom. Though some had completely strayed from God, there were also those who strayed to a lesser extent, those who compromised in their loyalty to God, who had not outright abandoned God but attempted to worship both Him and idols. This however was still condemned by God. God demanded their undivided devotion and nothing less than that. God’s expectation of undivided devotion remains the same for us today. What is expected of us is nothing less than our full commitment to Him. While Zephaniah’s prophecy directly foretold Judah’s destruction by the Babylonians, it also foreshadows the final day of judgment, the day when we all face God’s judgement. Judah’s ultimate demise at the hands of the Babylonians serves as a warning for us, showing us the consequences of turning away from God. From their mistakes, we must learn how to avoid spiritual destruction in our own lives. In our busy lives today, we must be careful not to let other priorities take God’s place. While we may not worship any physical idols today, idolatry can still exist in different forms. Anything that consumes our attention more than God—whether success, wealth, relationships, or ambitions—can become our idol. Just as God was displeased with Judah for their divided loyalty, He will also be displeased with us if we allow anything to come before Him. Another key lesson comes from Verse 8, where God pronounces judgment upon "the princes and the king’s children." Throughout the history of Israel and Judah, it was often the leaders and rulers who brought the people into idolatry and sin. While we may not be kings or princes, many of us may be entrusted with positions of leadership—whether as parents, teachers, mentors, or other Church leaders. In these positions of influence and guidance, we must strive to lead others toward God, not away from Him. Finally, Zeph 1:18 reminds us that "neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them." This reminds us again about priorities. No amount of wealth, success, or worldly achievement can save us from God’s judgment. In the end, the only thing that truly matters is our relationship with Him. Nothing we gain in this life can redeem us, only our wholehearted devotion to God can. Therefore, we must carefully examine our priorities: is God truly first, or have idols taken His place?"

We know what we want; but what does God want to give us?