In Haggai 1 What Does Haggais Message Reveal About The Importance Of Prioritizing Gods Work In Our Lives?
Introduction
The book of Haggai is a brief yet powerful prophetic message delivered to the people of Israel after their return from Babylonian exile. Haggai 1, in particular, addresses the people's misplaced priorities and calls them to action. The chapter offers timeless insights into the importance of prioritizing God's work above all else in our lives.
Background: The Context of Haggai 1
After seventy years in exile, the Israelites returned to Jerusalem and began rebuilding the temple, which had been destroyed. However, facing opposition and distracted by personal concerns, they neglected the temple project for about sixteen years. Instead, they focused on their own homes and prosperity.
Haggai’s Message: A Call to Examine Priorities
Haggai’s message begins with a rebuke from the Lord. The people say, “The time is not come, the time that Jehovah’s house should be built” (Haggai 1:2 ASV), justifying their inaction. But God challenges their reasoning:
Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your ceiled houses, while this house lieth waste? - Haggai 1:4 ASV
Here, “ceiled houses” refers to finished, comfortable homes. The contrast is sharp: while God’s house remains in ruins, the people have invested in their own comfort.
Consequences of Misplaced Priorities
Haggai reveals that neglecting God’s work leads to emptiness and frustration:
Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. - Haggai 1:6 ASV
The people’s labor is unfruitful because they have neglected the Lord’s house. God calls them to “Consider your ways” (Haggai 1:7 ASV), urging self-examination and repentance.
Obedience and God’s Blessing
God’s command is clear: “Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified” (Haggai 1:8 ASV). The text emphasizes that God’s pleasure and glory come when His people put His work first.
Remarkably, the leaders and people respond in obedience:
And they came and did work in the house of Jehovah of hosts, their God... - Haggai 1:14 ASV
God assures them of His presence, saying, “I am with you, saith Jehovah” (Haggai 1:13 ASV). When God’s work is prioritized, He promises His presence and blessing.
New Testament Parallels
The principle of putting God first is echoed in the New Testament. Jesus said:
But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. - Matthew 6:33 ASV
The apostle Paul also urges believers to live for Christ:
And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. - Colossians 3:17 ASV
Application: Prioritizing God’s Work Today
- Self-Examination: Are there areas in our lives where personal pursuits have replaced devotion to God’s work?
- Commitment: God’s call is to build His kingdom, whether through serving in the church, supporting missions, or daily acts of obedience.
- Promise: When we put God first, He promises His presence and the provision of our needs.
Conclusion
Haggai 1 teaches that God’s work is not to be sidelined. When we give God the highest place in our lives, we experience His presence, purpose, and blessing. As God’s people, let us consider our ways and seek His kingdom above all else.