November 29, 2010
Chronologically, Haggai and Zechariah were written between chapters 5 and 6 of Ezra. After Ezra 6 came Esther, then after Esther came Ezra 7 – 10, with Nehemiah and Malachi following that. Jane (Her Name Was Jane) has written in her Bible that 50 years passed between Chapters 6 and 7 of Ezra.
Twenty years passed between the time the Israelites were allowed to leave Babylon and Haggai, and still the temple was not done. They built themselves "fancy homes," but the temple was still in ruins. Their priorities and values were not in the right order. The LORD All-Powerful sent a message to them through the prophet Haggai.
God said, "Consider your ways" (KJV); "Think about what you have done" (NCV); "You work hard, but you have little. You eat, but you don't become full. You drink, but you're still thirsty. You earn money, but then you lose it all as if you had put it into a purse full of holes." Then God said again, "Consider your ways... Think about what you have done." As Dr. Phil would say, "How is this working out for you?"
Consider your ways. Think about what you have done. Your values and priorities are all wrong, and you have been reaping the result of that. Go up to the mountain. Bring back the wood. Build the temple. Do first things first, then you will be blessed. You look for much but you find little. What you do find I destroy. Why? Haggai 1:9 - "Because you all work hard for your own houses while my house is still in ruins." Priorities and values. Psalm 127: 1–2 - "If the LORD doesn't build the house, the builders are working for nothing. If the LORD doesn't guard the city, the guards are watching for nothing. It is no use for you to get up early and stay up late, working for a living."
Zerubbabel and Joshua (son of Jehozadak) led the people in rebuilding the temple. The LORD says, "I am with you... Be brave... I am with you... Don't be afraid... I will give peace... I will bless you."
Then Haggai gave a teaching. If something is holy and it touches something unclean, will the unclean become holy? No. If something is unclean and it touches the things around it, does everything become unclean? Yes. Consider your ways! Think about it! How's it working out for you? Get your priorities and values straight! We can work and work. But if our hearts are not pure and our hands are unclean it is all for naught. But, if our hearts are pure and our hands are clean, there is no limit to God's blessings in our lives. The choice is ours.
Next Entry: Zechariah 1:1 – 6:8
Chronologically, Haggai and Zechariah were written between chapters 5 and 6 of Ezra. After Ezra 6 came Esther, then after Esther came Ezra 7 – 10, with Nehemiah and Malachi following that. Jane (Her Name Was Jane) has written in her Bible that 50 years passed between Chapters 6 and 7 of Ezra.
Twenty years passed between the time the Israelites were allowed to leave Babylon and Haggai, and still the temple was not done. They built themselves "fancy homes," but the temple was still in ruins. Their priorities and values were not in the right order. The LORD All-Powerful sent a message to them through the prophet Haggai.
God said, "Consider your ways" (KJV); "Think about what you have done" (NCV); "You work hard, but you have little. You eat, but you don't become full. You drink, but you're still thirsty. You earn money, but then you lose it all as if you had put it into a purse full of holes." Then God said again, "Consider your ways... Think about what you have done." As Dr. Phil would say, "How is this working out for you?"
Consider your ways. Think about what you have done. Your values and priorities are all wrong, and you have been reaping the result of that. Go up to the mountain. Bring back the wood. Build the temple. Do first things first, then you will be blessed. You look for much but you find little. What you do find I destroy. Why? Haggai 1:9 - "Because you all work hard for your own houses while my house is still in ruins." Priorities and values. Psalm 127: 1–2 - "If the LORD doesn't build the house, the builders are working for nothing. If the LORD doesn't guard the city, the guards are watching for nothing. It is no use for you to get up early and stay up late, working for a living."
Zerubbabel and Joshua (son of Jehozadak) led the people in rebuilding the temple. The LORD says, "I am with you... Be brave... I am with you... Don't be afraid... I will give peace... I will bless you."
Then Haggai gave a teaching. If something is holy and it touches something unclean, will the unclean become holy? No. If something is unclean and it touches the things around it, does everything become unclean? Yes. Consider your ways! Think about it! How's it working out for you? Get your priorities and values straight! We can work and work. But if our hearts are not pure and our hands are unclean it is all for naught. But, if our hearts are pure and our hands are clean, there is no limit to God's blessings in our lives. The choice is ours.
Next Entry: Zechariah 1:1 – 6:8
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