Readings for today: Haggai 1-2
There is a divine order hardwired into the cosmos. Everything is created to honor God. Everything that has breath is created to praise God. Everything that flies in the air or swims in the sea or walks on land is created to serve God and His purposes. When the created order honors this principle, the world flourishes. Crops grow. Herds multiply. People live long and healthy and happy and fulfilled lives. When the created order rejects this principle, the world suffers. Natural disasters abound. Crops fail. Herds die. People’s lifespans grow short and are full of sickness and struggle and suffering.
This is the heart of the message delivered by the prophet Haggai to God’s people. God’s people started well. They returned to the land. They rebuilt the altar. They re-instituted true worship. Then they got distracted. They abandoned the work on the Temple of God and instead focused on themselves. They planted their fields. They grazed their herds. They built homes for themselves. However, because they refused to honor God, they suffered. They struggled. Their fields didn’t yield much of a harvest. Their herds didn’t multiply as much as they should. They ate but never were satisfied. They drank but remained thirsty. Their clothes didn’t keep them warm. And they remained locked in poverty. “You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but are never filled. You drink, but are still thirsty. You put on clothes, but are not warm. Those who earn wages end up with holes in their money bags.’” (Haggai 1:6 NET)
God clearly diagnoses the problem. Why do all these things happen? Why did you expect a large harvest but instead produced little? Because the Lord’s Temple remains in ruins. The timber they harvested to rebuild the Temple remains stacked on the ground or even worse, they used it to build their own homes. “This is why the sky has held back its dew and the earth its produce. Moreover, I have called for a drought that will affect the fields, the hill country, the grain, new wine, fresh olive oil, and everything that grows from the ground; it also will harm people, animals, and everything they produce.’” (Haggai 1:10-11 NET) In short, they have brought God’s judgment on themselves by refusing to put Him first. This is the exact same mistake humanity - and particularly the people of God - have been making since the Fall in the Garden. It’s like we find ourselves eternally caught in a “wash, rinse, repeat” cycle.
The same is true for us today. We too are easily distracted. We too are easily led astray by our own selfish desires. We too like to put ourselves first rather than God and then complain when we experience the same dynamic in our own lives. Our work produces little. Our wants and needs seem to surpass our resources. Contentment and satisfaction seem forever out of reach. We struggle. We suffer. All because we refuse to honor God. Honor God with our time. Honor God with our resources. Honor God with our priorities. We can make all kinds of excuses but this is the bottom line. When we refuse to put God first, we will never flourish. Thankfully, the people God responded to Haggai’s message and God was faithful to honor their obedience. “Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, along with the whole remnant of the people, obeyed the LORD their God. They responded favorably to the message of the prophet Haggai, who spoke just as the LORD their God had instructed him, and the people began to respect the LORD. Then Haggai, the LORD’s messenger, spoke the LORD’s word to the people: “I am with you!” says the LORD. So the LORD energized and encouraged Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the whole remnant of the people. They came and worked on the temple of their God, the LORD who rules over all.” (Haggai 1:12-14 NET)
The principle is simple. Honor God and He will honor you.
Readings for tomorrow: Zechariah 1-7