2004-08-01 - Charges and Visitations

Haggai, Part 9

We encourage you to read Haggai 1:7-12, in the Bible version of your choice.

Verses 7-8 - The Charge: For the second time, God tells them to consider their ways, how they are setting priorities. When we recognize our priorities are messed up, they should be reevaluated. Here God says, "Get on the stick. Go and get the materials to get back to work on the Temple, and finish the work what was so long ago begun. This really is a question of worship. How can you see priorities as a statement of worship? God's house is to be completed so He can be worshiped, and so He will then be pleased with the people. He must come first in their lives. He will not take a back seat to what they have considered of prime importance.

Verses 9-11 - God's Visitations: Haggai, in an effort to reinforce the call to go up to the mountains again, reminds the people of God's actions against them for their sin. And keep in mind that how we set our priorities can be sinful. Clearly, God states here that He has withheld the blessings of the land from the people because of their disobedience.

For Israel, material blessings were tied to obedience to God. For us, spiritual blessings are a direction product of our obedience to God. We must put Him first if we are to see Him act in our lives.The specifics spelled out in these verses relate to the loss of what they had brought with them; rain; successful harvests; and a drought on all their efforts. They had not and would not prosper, if they continued to let the things of the Lord languish.

Verse 12: The leadership and the people have listened to the message of Haggai. As we noted last week, this puts him in a unique position as one of the few spokesmen of God whom people actually listened to.

To be continued...

Comments or Questions?
Geoff

GKragen@aol.com
http://www.cfdevotionals.org