What matters most (part II)
“Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the Lord. “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house. Therefore, because of you, the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.”
To recap last week’s message, the word of God came upon the prophet Haggai, rebuking the Israelites who had not bothered to rebuild the ruined temple, as articulated in Haggai 1:1-7. The passage above is a continuation of the verses we studied last week, and from such, several points were brought up:
God’s clear priorities (v.8)
Although Haggai was commissioned to instruct the Israelites to rebuild the temple, it becomes clear that the issue with the Israelites was really the condition of their hearts. To be more specific, the people seemed to be more concerned with themselves as opposed to being with their God. The temple was the place where God dwells among His people, and God desired to be with His people. This predicament can also be present between us and the new temple established by Jesus Christ. God’s priority is to be with us unhindered by anything; it is why He has sent his Son to make the sacrifice, so that we may enjoy the presence of God.
Our fruitless priority (v.9)
The people’s concern over their own wealth and homes leads them to idolise these things over God in their hearts. However, these material priorities they’re concerned with (although initially satisfying), left them feeling empty… and the same can be said for us. Anything we serve apart from God will only distract us from the truer priorities and will only end in dissatisfaction.
“Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
do not trust your own cleverness.
Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle.”
Thus, it is really in our best interest to serve God and only God.
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. ”
God’s sovereignty (v.10-11)
In this part of the passage, God used natural disasters as a wake-up call for the Israelites who had been self-centered at the time. However, even in this time of pain and suffering for the people, God still had complete control over their situation. God showed them the fruitlessness of their disorganised priorities.
All in all, Israel was given a second chance (or even a rude awakening). Through Haggai, God reminded His people the importance of His sovereignty and presence, and that our top priority should be to love, serve and be with God… a reminder that we can take to heart.
Lord God,
We thank you for this faithful reminder of what our true priorities should be. We thank You for being who You are and that You desire to be with us. We pray Lord, that you would continue to guide us and pull us closer and closer to You and to Your kingdom.
In Jesus’ powerful and mighty Name we pray,
Amen