Introduction
Long ago, the temple of the Lord was built, but was later destroyed during an invasion. A remnant of the Jewish people returned to their homeland after a period of captivity, only to find that the temple had still not been rebuilt and remained in ruins. God foresaw that the work of reconstructing the temple would soon begin. However, the people are doing nothing about it and instead are concentrating on rebuilding their own homes.
The Priority of the People
“God’s priority is God’s purpose and project.” — Wisdom Grace.
The word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai to deliver God’s message about rebuilding His house to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, and Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest (Haggai 1:1). However, the people prioritized constructing their own homes, putting the reconstruction of the Lord’s house on hold. They claimed it was not yet the right time to rebuild the temple, even though they found time to build their own houses (Haggai 1:2). The remnant of the people opted to renovate their own homes while neglecting the rebuilding of the Lord’s house, allowing it to remain in ruins. They focused on reconstructing comfortable, panelled dwellings for themselves, yet made excuses for their lack of urgency in restoring the house of the Lord. They insisted that God’s timing was still not right, even as they believed it was their time to rebuild their own houses.
Their focus on personal homes sharply contrasts with their neglect of the Lord’s house. This illustrates that the priorities in our lives reflect what is in our hearts; our hearts ultimately determine our priorities. The Lord’s house is not just a building; it is the most important centre of Jewish life, both socially and spiritually. It is where God’s presence dwells and where His people gather. Therefore, rebuilding it should be a top priority, as placing God back at the centre of the lives of the people of Judah is a necessity.
For example, consider King David’s words: “David said to Nathan the prophet, ‘See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under tent curtains’” (1 Chronicles 17:1). In both 2 Samuel 7:1–29 and 1 Chronicles 17:1, we observe David expressing his profound desire to build a permanent house for the Lord to house the ark of the covenant. David prioritized the establishment of a lasting home for the Lord, where the people can come and seek their God.
Now is the time for God to build His church. As Christians, we are called to invest in building and adding value to His church rather than solely focusing on our own homes, work, businesses, and other pursuits.
What we prioritize reflects what we actively pursue with our time, attention, energy, resources, gifts, and talents. Jesus emphasized the importance of putting God first in Matthew 6:33 (NKJV): “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” God does not oppose our efforts to build our own houses or meet our needs. Instead, He asks us to prioritize Him and His works above all else, assuring us that our essential needs will be met, as He knows and cares about them.
The Problem of the People
Haggai 1:5 Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways!” God urged the people to examine their lives and seek His will. He desires them to reflect on their actions so they can return to His work. By understanding why things are not functioning effectively, why there is no progress, why prosperity is lacking, and why life feels chaotic, they can identify the root of their problems — misplaced priorities. They responded to their God-given limitations by working harder instead of prioritizing God’s work. As a consequence of their disobedience and neglect of His work, they found their lives and efforts hindered.
Haggai 1:6 states the following: You have sown much, but harvest little. You eat, yet do not have enough. You drink but are not filled. You clothe yourselves, yet no one is warm. You earn wages to put into a bag with holes. You looked for much, but indeed it came to little. You brought it home, and I blew it away. When one came to a heap of twenty ephahs, there were just ten. When one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty baths from the press, there were only twenty. The seed remains in the barn. The vine, fig tree, pomegranate, and olive tree have not yielded fruit.
Here, we see that despite their hard work, the people face significant shortages and insufficiencies. This limitation stems from their disobedience and their failure to prioritize God and matters concerning Him.
Furthermore, the void in the soul and spirit cannot be filled by physical solutions; only fellowship with God can truly satisfy the soul. The house of the Lord is where His presence is manifested. One can work tirelessly yet find little fulfillment — “You can work like an elephant but eat like an ant.” This illustrates what the Gentiles seek (Matt. 6:32-33).
God spoke to the people, explaining the reasons behind their lack, limitations, and dissatisfaction: “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house” (Haggai 1:9). This demonstrates their lack of concern for the house of the Lord, which lay in ruins, while they focused only on their own homes. As a consequence, God brought about conditions that caused their produce to be devoured (“I blew it away” — Haggai 1:9), led to dryness in their lives (“I called for a drought” — Haggai 1:11), and resulted in the destruction of their labour (“I struck you with blight, mildew, and hail” — Haggai 2:17). These hardships stemmed from their neglect of what should have been prioritized: putting God first. God acted this way to prompt the people to reflect on their actions and return to Him, who should be their top priority.
The Project of the Lord
God commanded the people to begin rebuilding His house. First, they were to go up to the mountains and gather wood, following King Solomon’s example in 2 Chronicles 2:16. Then, they were to build the temple. The significance and impact of the House of the Lord are profound: the Lord takes pleasure in His temple and is glorified within it. This is the promise to the people regarding the temple’s reconstruction.
“Our priority is to do God’s will that brings pleasure to God.” — Wisdom Grace.
The Performance of the Lord’s Command by the People
The Lord’s command to rebuild His temple was given not only to the common people but also to the governor and the high priest. The responses of the people, including Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, and Joshua, the high priest, were marked by their obedience to the voice of the Lord their God and the words of the prophet Haggai, whom the Lord their God had sent. The people also demonstrated a reverential fear of the Lord’s presence (see Hag. 1:12).
An important observation is that when God speaks, everyone should listen and pay attention to His word, regardless of their political or religious affiliations. The message from the Lord is intended for all people, not just ordinary individuals or specific religious groups. Those who hear God’s word are expected to respond to it.
There is applicable insight in this as well: when we obey a true prophet of God who delivers His message, we are also indirectly obeying God by heeding the prophet’s words. When the word of the Lord is spoken through His prophet, we must honour and respect this servant of God as His representative. We should listen carefully and consider the message conveyed through them. We ought to respond in obedience to their message and maintain a reverential fear in the presence of the Lord. The servants of God — whether they are prophets, apostles, pastors, teachers, or evangelists — are the Lord’s messengers, called and sent to deliver His message to the people. These honourable individuals deserve our respect; we should pay attention to their messages and follow their instructions and guidance regarding the Word of the Lord.
The Presence and Power of the Lord
The people responded in obedience to God’s original message, prompting a change in His tone to one of the promises of His presence and power. In their commitment to prioritizing the rebuilding of His temple, the people demonstrated obedience and reverence. The Lord then delivered a second message of encouragement and empowerment through His messenger, Haggai, urging them to continue with the rebuilding project. He reassured the people by affirming His presence, saying, “I am with you” (Hag. 1:13), signifying the Lord’s presence among them.
This phrase, “I am with you,” found in Scripture, is one of the great divine promises in the Bible, ultimately fulfilled for those who believe in Christ. This is evident in Matthew 28:20, where Christ instructs His disciples to go into the world to preach and teach the gospel. He promises them, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Yahweh has also extended this divine promise to several key figures in the Bible, including Isaac (Genesis 26:24), Jacob (Genesis 28:15), and the Israelites (Isaiah 41:10; 43:5; Jeremiah 30:11; 46:28). Similar reassurances can be found in Yahweh’s promises to Moses (Exodus 3:12), Joshua (Deuteronomy 31:23; Joshua 1:5; 3:7), and Gideon (Judges 6:16).
The phrase “So the Lord stirred up the spirit” (Hag. 1:14) illustrates how God’s power awakens the spirit, passion, and will of everyone involved, including the governor, the high priest, and the remnant of the people. As stated in Psalms 110:3, the people will be willing on the day of God’s power. A revival occurred as they responded to God’s word for His work to be done, as God stirred up the spirits of everyone involved. They all made the choice to unite and work on rebuilding the house of the Lord of hosts, their God. The Lord promised to be present with the people and to inspire their spirits, empowering them to commence the reconstruction of His house.
The Participation of the People
By reassuring His presence and reviving their spirit, the people became willing to come and work on the Lord’s house. The governor, the high priest, and all the remnants of the people participated in rebuilding the Lord’s house. The uniting of hearts, minds, and hands, regardless of positions, social status, or spiritual state, contributed to the rebuilding of the Lord’s house.
The Probing of the People
The Lord’s message through Haggai the prophet was to speak and pose the following questions to the people (including the governor and high priest): — Hag 2:3 Who is left among you? Who saw this temple in its former glory? How do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing? This could imply that some among them were present who had seen Solomon’s temple (Ezr. 3:12). Some of those who returned from exile recalled Solomon’s magnificent temple. They contrasted the splendid structure built by Solomon with what God instructed them to rebuild. The present seems insignificant in comparison to the past, meaning what they observe now pales in comparison to what existed before. The reconstruction of the temple cannot match the glorious temple of yesteryear (Ezr. 3:8-13).
The Purity of the People
The Prophet Haggai addressed the priests, who were well-versed in their responsibilities under the ceremonial law. Their role is to distinguish between what is holy and unholy, as well as clean and unclean (see Lev 10:10). Additionally, they are responsible for teaching others about what is considered holy and clean, and what is deemed unholy and unclean.
The first question posed to the priests is: If one carries holy meat in the fold of his garment and, with the edge, touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any food, will it become holy? The priests then replied, “No.”
The holy meat is the consecrated meat that has been offered as a sacrifice. Only those who are ritually clean are permitted to eat the holy meat from these sacrifices, and only priests are allowed to handle or consume it. The everyday staple foods of that time included bread, stew, wine, and oil, none of which were typically offered on the altar. The question at hand is whether holiness can be transferred indirectly, and the answer is that it cannot.
The second question directed to the priests is: If someone who is unclean because of a dead body touches any of these, will they be unclean? The response is: So the priests replied, “It shall be unclean.”
Dead bodies contaminate all who touch them. Anyone who touches a corpse contracts defilement. A dead body is inherently unclean, and anything or anyone that comes into contact with a corpse is automatically defiled. Numbers 19:11 (NKJV) 11 He who touches the dead body of anyone shall be unclean for seven days.
While holiness cannot be transmitted indirectly through any contact, uncleanliness can be transmitted through any contact that is unclean, even if the person is clean.
Haggai, the prophet of the Lord, addressed the people: So is this people, so is this nation before me, and so is every work of their hands. And what they offer there is unclean. The people are defiled.
To bring this into our contemporary context: we, as the church, exist as we are. We are the community, and the community thrives as we are. We are the country, and our nation reflects us as we are. The people shape their leader, and the leader embodies the people.
The input we put in determines the output in both our walk with God and our work for God. The efforts and discipline we apply to our spiritual journey influence our growth and transformation. Similarly, the diligence we invest in our work affects our fruitfulness and the rewards we receive. A holy walk leads to holy work, and holy work requires a holy walk.
The Promised Blessings of Restoration
The reason God is going to bless the people is due to the covenant He made with His people (Hag. 2:5). God promised the people restoration of their substance, greater glory, and peace in the temple. Here are the promises He will fulfill for the people: I will shake the following: Heaven, Earth, Sea & Dryland. I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations. I will fill this temple with glory. The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine. The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former. I will give peace in this place from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid. God promised to restore His blessing upon the people. The vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree will yield fruit again (see Hag. 2:19).
The Position of Authority in the Land
The Lord gave a message to His prophet Haggai to deliver to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, regarding what He will do for him and the nation. The Lord will grant Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, power, protection, and victory over the Gentile kingdoms (Hag. 2:20–23). God’s message to the leader — Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah — outlines what God will accomplish: I will shake heaven and earth. I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms. I will destroy the strength of the Gentile kingdoms. I will overthrow the chariots and those who ride in them. The horses and their riders shall come down. I will take you (as my servant). I will make you like a signet (a seal) ring. God will restore victory, power, and authority to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah.
Haggai 2:23 for I have chosen you,’ says the LORD of hosts.
Conclusion
God’s message through the prophet Haggai encourages His people to prioritize the completion of the temple’s reconstruction, which serves as the place where God dwells with His people for worship and fellowship. The temple also reflects God’s glory, and He takes pleasure in it. As Jesus stated, He is the final temple through which we, by grace, can enjoy fellowship with God (see John 2:19–22). According to the Bible, we are now the temple of God through Jesus Christ, allowing God to have fellowship with us, both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus (see Eph. 2:19-22).
We should place God’s purposes and projects above our personal plans. His call to action involves several key points: reverently obeying His command to rebuild, renouncing our old ways, reviving our spirits, reaffirming our trust in God’s presence and power, renewing our commitment to holy living, and restoring the blessings He has promised.
Returning to and rebuilding the house of the Lord begins with repentance from our sins. It requires us to renew our attitudes toward God’s will and word, and to demonstrate resilience in our work for Him.
“When we prioritize the work of God, He will ensure peace and prosperity in our lives.” — Wisdom Grace
Contributor: Wisdom Grace
