at a glance
author: Haggai.
date: 520 BC.
setting: The Persian king Cyrus had allowed the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. The people began, but opposition from their neighbors and their own apathy caused them to abandon the project.
verses to remember: Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways” (1:3–5).
theme to consider: The situation in the book of Haggai is a challenging reminder to take inventory of our lives and reorder our priorities to reflect God’s will.
unchanging truth
If you have ever witnessed the destruction of someone’s reputation, it’s not a pretty sight. Something as small as a whispered rumor can really wreck a reputation, especially if everyone believes the rumor is true.
If that’s ever happened to you, sooner or later you have to think about rebuilding your reputation and your life. But how do you rebuild a reputation after it has been destroyed?
Or maybe you’ve moved to a new school and need to establish a reputation there. Perhaps you want to totally ditch your old identity and come out strong in the new school. Where do you begin?
The people of Judah had to begin again after returning to their land. Their long years of exile had finally ended. God gave them a good place to start: rebuilding the temple. Unfortunately, the temple was a low priority on their “to-do” list. They had put all their energy into their own homes instead. But putting God last was what got the people in trouble in the first place!
Through the prophet Haggai, God encouraged them to keep working on the temple. He reminded them that their lack of essentials—like crops and clothing—was linked to how they had ignored him.
Need to start over? Where is God on your “to-do” list? Make sure he’s at the top of the list before you begin your own building projects.
1. God wants first priority in our lives. He’s never content with second place (1:1–15).
2. We are not to dwell on or rest in the glories of the past. Instead we are to do what God wants us to do today (2:1–9).
3. God encourages and equips his people to do his work (2:20–23).