Welcome back everyone! And thank you for tuning in! We’re going to continue on in the Book of Haggai and finish this short series up. As I’m sure you noticed just going through Chapter 1, there’s a lot more going on in this book than people give it credit for. And we’re going to go deeper now. 

Haggai's second message was given during the Festival of Tabernacles. So before we dive into Haggai Chapter 2, let’s take a look at Leviticus 23:33-44 so see exactly what this is, and why it was so important. 

Leviticus 23: 33-44, the Bible says, “The LORD said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the LORD’s festival of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. The first day is a sacred  assembly; do no regular work. FOr seven days present food offerings to the LORD. It is the closing special assembly; do no work. (“These are the LORD’s appointed festivals, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing food offerings to the LORD – the burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings required for each day. These offerings are in addition to those for the LORD’s Sabbaths and in addition to your gifts and whatever you have vowed and all the freewill offerings you give the LORD.)  “ ‘So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the LORD for seven days; the first day is a day of sabbath rest, and the eight day also is a day of sabbath rest. On the first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees – from palms, willows and other leafy trees – and rejoice before the LORD you God for seven days. Celebrate this as a festival to the LORD for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. Live in temporary shelters for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the LORD you God.’” So Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed festivals of the LORD.”

The Bible tells us that this was a big celebration where families would gather. And much like Christmas or Easter, they’d teach the younger generations about who God is, and what he’d done for them. Remind them of their history. In other words they shared their testimonies. And as much as this festival was about celebration, it was also about renewing their commitment to God. It’s important to remember this was about God and Family. When you think about it, it’s worshiping the Lord as a family! Another reason why you should attend services as a family, and not just on your own. Now, if you can’t get them to join you for service, go anyway. Pray for them. Reach out to us, we’ll pray as well. Don’t put your spiritual life on hold in the hopes that a loved one will join you one day. Your example and dedication may be what they need to see to convince them to go!

Continuing on into Haggai 2:1-9.

Moving into Haggai 2: 1-9, the Bible says, “In the second year of King Darius, on the twenty–first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshue son of Jozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, ‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? But now be strong, Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the LORD, and work. For I am with you.’ declares the LORD Almighty. ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’ “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD Almighty. “The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty. ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the LORD Almighty.”

Now the new temple has been completed. And the people, especially the older people were really just let down. They were bummed! This temple was smaller, and didn’t have all the glitz and glam of the original. God’s second message acknowledges the new temple. And that it was smaller than the original. However, God is good with this! So he tells everyone, EVERYONE, to “be strong.” Basically to keep faith in Him. To keep moving forward. He also reminds them of His promise as we see at the end of Verse 4 and into Verse 5 when He says, “For I am with you.” His promise that he’d never completely leave them. 

A promise that goes back to Exodus! If you go back to Exodus 29:45-46, the Bible says, Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.” This is God’s desire. To protect His people and be with them! He wants to live with all of us, to be in our hearts! God was reminding them, and all of us to keep faith in Him, to keep moving forward, that there is nothing to fear because He has promised never to completely leave us.

Looking back at Haggai 2:6-9 we see something BIG. God says, “In a little while” This wasn’t meaning in the immediate future. This is talking about God’s control of time. That He will do things in His time. It also sounds an awful lot like Matthew 24:36 when Jesus tells us, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Not only that, we see the focus shift from being about Jerusalem and its people, to being about the world. You notice the Bible says, “ALL NATIONS.” Not just one or two, but ALL OF THEM. Philippians 2:10-11, the Bible says, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” And finally, God promises that his new temple will be even greater than the original, and it will bring great glory to Him. 

Stay faithful, remember His promises, work. God has the means to do anything and everything. He can do it all himself. He can make others do the work for Him. However, what He really wants are willing hands. Volunteers. People who are humble, that open themselves up and let Him work through them just like He has with every single generation before us. Are you available to do His work in the world? He’s waiting on you. 

Now let's look at Haggai 2:10-19. The Bible says, “On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Haggai: “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests what the law says: If someone carries consecrated meat in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated?’” The priests answered, “No.” Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?” “Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.” Then Haggai said, “‘So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares the Lord. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled. “‘Now give careful thought to this from this day on—consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in the Lord’s temple. When anyone came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty. I struck all the work of your hands with blight, mildew and hail, yet you did not return to me,’ declares the Lord. ‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid. Give careful thought: Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit. “‘From this day on I will bless you.’”

In this section God is telling them that their being holy will not just rub off on others, however anything unholy will. Just as the work on the temple would not wipe away their sin, or return their wealth. Those blessings only come from repentance. Having a changed heart. Many of us are guilty of going to work with poor attitudes. We’ve all been guilty at some point. I’m not talking about that one-off bad day. I’m talking about that daily grind when you go and are just like, “let's get this over with.” Or you have the wrong reason for doing the work, simply chasing that next payout. Following the money. In doing these things we contaminate our work! Our poor attitudes mix with others and next thing you know people are gathering together to complain, gossip, and look for ways to do as little as possible and still get paid! Then they still have the gaul to complain that they’re not paid enough. God’s work comes through a joyful heart when we’re filled and transformed by the Holy Spirit. 

Think of it this way. You put some cake in front of a child on their first, second, or even third birthday. Let them go at it. Next thing you know it’s all over the place! It’s on them, their clothes, the table, the floor, the ceiling, somehow the couch in the next room! For those without kids, let me know and I’ll show you a picture of my son's first birthday. Our sin, and bad attitudes are the same as that cake. 

In Verse 16 we see God is reminding them that the reason their crops had produced so poorly was because during that time the people did not do what they were supposed to. They hadn’t taken care of the temple.  Verses 18 and 19 tell us that as soon as they did go back to work, they were blessed with good crops. And it was right away. Not after the work was done, rather it was as soon as they went back to work. This is because they were doing it for the right reasons. They were encouraged and happy to do the work! In 2 Corinthians 9:7, the Bible says, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Why you’re giving something is more important than what you’re giving. This is in EVERYTHING! Not how much, or how glamorous the gift is. Your time, your property, your money. And don’t let anyone, even if they’re in a pulpit guilt, you into giving anything, saying that if you don’t that you’re not inline with what God demands. What God demands is that you’re giving for the right reasons, and that you’re happy to do so WITHOUT WANTING ANYTHING IN RETURN! It brings glory to Him. That’s what brings you inline with what the Lord wants. That’s what brings joy to the Father. And that’s when he’ll bless you with things you didn’t even know were in store for you. 

Into the home stretch now. Haggai 2: 20-23

The Bible says, “The word of the Lord came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: “Tell Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, that I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother. “‘On that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Notice how it comes to a close in Verse 23. God refers to Zerubbabel as his signet ring. A signet ring was a ring that was worn by those in authority, such as kings. They had a special crest that was unique to the wearer, and they would press it into soft wax as a seal. This would guarantee that what you were looking at was authentic, and carried the authority thereof with it. And finally, God says, “I have chosen you.” And just as He chose Zerubbabel, he has chosen every one of us. Ephesians 1:4, the Bible says, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” We just have to choose to accept Jesus in return. What a wonderful blessing. To know we have value, and we are loved by the almighty. 

In his final message, Haggai acknowledges that he is the messenger, that the message was from the Lord and addressed to Zerubbabel, Judah’s governor. The message was to encourage everyone to stop worrying, and to get their priorities straight. To get out of their comfort zone and put God and His work first. Isaiah 43:10, the Bible says, “You are my witnesses’, declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen.” All this happened so that the people could witness God. To share their testimony of what He had done for them. 

Throughout all of this book I’m always reminded of a song that came out in the early 90’s. Not a style or group that I’ve ever really been a fan of, but it’s short and the lyrics have stuck in the back of my mind. Salutations by House of Pain. The lyrics say this. “The time has come for everyone to clean up their own backyard before they go knocking on their neighbors door.” and later they continue to say, “Check yourself before you check another.” They’re talking about the same thing we’re looking at here. Getting your priorities straight. Getting things back in order. Taking care of your business before you go looking anywhere else. That it’s easy to get overwhelmed with what we’re looking at and we need to step back and reevaluate things. Nothing has changed when it comes to human nature. God set an example with the Jews. He told us that when we put Him first, and look to Him for guidance he will give us strength and direction. When we’re feeling down, He will pick us up. And when we go out into the world, get out of our own comfort zones, when we give our testimony about God in our lives, then…. people will see His light in us.