Haggai 2:18
‘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:
Haggai 2:19
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.’”
Prophet Haggai was concerned with the rebuilding of the temple of God in Jerusalem after restoration from captivity. God sent Haggai to tell the people that there is a relationship between their ignoring God’s temple and their misfortunes. If the temple construction progress stalled, disaster visited their lives.
Haggai Chapter 1 has God’s invitation for people to study the occurrences in their lives. Haggai 1:5-6. They seemed to be saving money in pockets with holes. They ate and never got satisfied. They drunk and the thirst was never quenched. They dressed but never felt warm. They planted much but harvested so little. God invites them to ask themselves why.
I can imagine some Agriculture experts explaining why crops failed. I can imagine some finance experts explaining how to keep and spend money well to avoid putting money in purses with holes. I can imagine weather experts explaining why it is so cold yet people are dressed warmly. I can imagine nutritionists and herbalists explaining why they eat without satisfaction and drink without quenching thirst. I can imagine concoctions recommended to resolve the issue. Haggai 1:9 God tells them that the problem is spiritual. No amount of expert advice will resolve a spiritual issue. Until God’s temple is given a priority, nothing will go right even if their scientists innovated solutions!
All problems have a spiritual angle that needs to be addressed. If a problem is spiritual, nothing else will resolve it. A problem may present itself as a physical health problem, but if it is totally spiritual, no amount of medical care will resolve it. Death is a spiritual problem. We die because we sinned and it is a consequence of sin. No advancement in science can prevent us from aging, degenerating, and dying. Death is a spiritual problem that cannot be resolved by vegetarianism or healthful living and state of the art medical science. Spiritual problems must be resolved spiritually.
Spiritual problems may look financial. Spiritual problems may look social and relational. Spiritual problems may look like parenting problems. Spiritual problems may look like a marital problem. Spiritual problems may look like academic problems. Spiritual problems may look like leadership challenges. Spiritual problems may look like anything. Wisdom is to address it as it presents itself without forgetting to address the spiritual angle. It is safe to always assume that there is a spiritual angle to this problem. Solve the problem as it has come, but also treat it as a spiritual problem.
In our text today, Israelites have responded to God and they have started temple reconstruction. They have laid the foundation of the temple. God is so pleased that He invites them to study their lives after they placed the foundation of the building. God tells them, from this day when they placed the foundation He will bless them. From this day on, I will bless you!
Exodus 25:8 reminds us that the sanctuary, or the tabernacle, or the temple was built so that God can stay with His people. To build a temple is to accept to relate with God closely. To build the temple is to say yes to God. To build the temple is to welcome God in your community and your life. That is why when they placed the foundation, God started blessing them. From the day they placed the foundation, blessings started flowing. From this day on, I will bless you!
Blessings flowed while the temple was still at the foundation level. That means it was never about the temple. God was not interested in the completion of the temple. God was not looking for a magnificent building in His name. God was not measuring their faith by the size of the temple. God was just interested in their demonstration of commitment to their relationship with God. Placing the foundation meant they now loved God more than their houses. Placing the foundation meant they loved God more than anything else. Placing the foundation meant God was everything to them. The meaning of placing the foundation is what God was after and not the foundation. The meaning of building a temple is what God was after and not just the temple. That is why the day they placed the foundation, God started blessing them. From this day on, I will bless you!
It was the 24th day of the ninth month of the second year of King Darius’ reign. On this day Israelites put up the foundation of the temple. By putting up the foundation they made a statement of love and commitment to God. On this day, God started blessing them. From this day on, I will bless you!
The day you return to church for regular worship, God will bless you. The day you return a true tithe and generous offering, God will bless you. The day you get baptized, God will bless you. The day you forgive your enemies, God will bless you. The day you show your love and commitment to God, God will bless you. The day you quit drug abuse, God will bless you. The day you start family prayers in your house, God will bless you. The day you start praying regularly for yourself, God will bless you. The day you make God and His demands a priority in your life, God will bless you. God wants our love and commitment. The day you love and commit God will bless you. From this day on, I will bless you!
In our text today, God says study your life after today. You will notice blessings. You will notice that after you prioritized God, He too, prioritized you. May our lives carry evidence that God is our priority number one. Help me dear God to prioritize You and all Your demands. May I live a blessed life from today onwards, and may the blessings be significantly evident, in Jesus’ name, Amen!
Dear Lord, may my relationship with you be renewed. Help me commit and prioritize you in my life for your glory. Amen.
Thank you Dr. Rei for this awakening. Be blessed big time!
Be blessed too!
Amen!!
Amen
Amen, God’s blessings bring joy and peace in all aspects of our lives. May we learn to put God first always.
Amen
Amen. May God help me prioritize him
Amen!
Amen 🙏
May God help me prioritize Him and all His demands.
May I live a blessed life from today onwards, and may the blessings be significantly evident, in the Name of Jesus.
Blessed Monday my brother.
Blessings on you too!
Wow! Amen amen
Amen
Amen
Amen
May God help me to prioritize Him and His service.
Thank you pastor.
Glory to God!
Amen pastor
Amen
Ame! May God help me to prioritize Him in my life.Be blessed Pastor.
Be blessed too!
Amen!!
Amen!
Pr. Am personally touched and challenged and realise the only option i have left is prioritize God!
Hallelujah!
Sobering!
Glory to God!