Haggai's Call to Rebuild the Temple: Prioritizing God's Kingdom
The book of Haggai, though brief, delivers a powerful and urgent message from the Lord to His people. Set against the backdrop of post-exilic Judah, approximately 16 years after the first wave of exiles returned from Babylon, the prophet Haggai emerges with a divine mandate. The initial fervor to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem had waned, stifled by Samaritan opposition (Ezra 4:1-5) and the people's own self-interest. The foundation of the Temple had been laid, but for more than a decade, the work lay dormant. It was into this atmosphere of spiritual apathy and misplaced priorities that Haggai, whose name means "my feast" or "festive," was sent by God to stir the hearts of His chosen nation. His call was clear: it was time to rebuild the house of the Lord.
The Divine Rebuke: "Is it Time...?"
Haggai's first message, delivered in the second year of Darius the king, directly confronted the people's hypocrisy. While they were content to dwell in their own comfortable, "cieled" houses, the house of God lay in ruins. The Lord, through Haggai, posed a penetrating question:
Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD'S house should be built.
Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,
Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?
Their excuse that "the time is not come" was a thin veil over their true motivation: self-centeredness. They prioritized their personal comfort and material gain over the glory of God and the restoration of His dwelling place among them. This spiritual neglect had tangible, negative consequences, as God Himself would soon reveal.
The Call to Consider Their Ways
The Lord did not merely rebuke; He commanded His people to reflect on the futility of their efforts without His blessing. Haggai urged them to "consider your ways," highlighting the direct correlation between their spiritual neglect and their material struggles:
Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
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.
This passage vividly describes a people trapped in a cycle of unfulfillment. Despite their labor, their harvests were meager, their provisions insufficient, and their earnings fleeting. This was not random misfortune but divine discipline, a direct consequence of their disobedience and their failure to put God first. The Lord was withholding His blessing, demonstrating that true prosperity and satisfaction come only when His kingdom and righteousness are prioritized (Matthew 6:33).
The Command to Go Up and Build
Having exposed their misplaced priorities and the consequences thereof, God then issued a clear, actionable command:
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.
The command was simple yet profound: "Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house." It required effort, sacrifice, and a change of focus. The promise accompanying this command was equally profound: God would "take pleasure in it" and "be glorified." The rebuilding of the Temple was not merely a construction project; it was an act of worship, a tangible demonstration of their renewed commitment to God. It was a visible sign that His presence and His glory were once again central to their national life.
The People's Obedience and God's Presence
Remarkably, the people responded with immediate obedience. Unlike many prophets who faced resistance, Haggai's words, empowered by the Spirit of God, pierced the hearts of the leaders and the people alike. Zerubbabel, the governor, and Joshua, the high priest, along with "all the remnant of the people," heeded the divine call:
Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the LORD.
Then spake Haggai the LORD'S messenger in the LORD'S message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD.
And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,
This swift obedience was met with an immediate and powerful assurance from God: "I am with you, saith the LORD." This promise of divine presence and partnership was the ultimate encouragement, far more valuable than any material blessing. It signified that their labor was not in vain, but was directly supported and blessed by the Almighty.
Encouragement Amidst Discouragement
As the work progressed, some of the older generation, who remembered the magnificence of Solomon's Temple, were disheartened by the comparatively humble scale of the new structure (Ezra 3:12). God, through Haggai, addressed this discouragement directly, offering a profound promise of future glory:
Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?
Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts:
According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.
For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.
The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.
The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.
This passage is rich with Messianic prophecy. The "desire of all nations" refers to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, who would indeed enter the second Temple, thereby bestowing upon it a glory far surpassing that of Solomon's. God reiterated His enduring presence ("my spirit remaineth among you") and His ultimate sovereignty over all creation ("The silver is mine, and the gold is mine"). The promise of "peace" (Shalom) points not just to political stability but to the ultimate peace brought by Christ's redemption.
Blessings for Obedience: From This Day Forward
Haggai's third message highlighted the principle of defilement and the promise of blessing. He used a priestly instruction to illustrate that spiritual impurity (like contact with a dead body) contaminates everything it touches, whereas holiness does not automatically transfer. In the same way, their former neglect of the Temple had defiled their labors and their land. But with their obedience, God promised a reversal of their fortunes:
Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD'S temple was laid, and from this day will I bless you.
From the very day they began to rebuild, God declared that He would bless them. This demonstrates God's immediate response to genuine repentance and obedience. The former curses of scarcity would be replaced by blessings of fruitfulness. It was a tangible demonstration that prioritizing God's kingdom leads to His abundant provision and favor.
The Promise to Zerubbabel: God's Chosen Signet
Haggai's final prophecy was directed specifically to Zerubbabel, the governor, a descendant of David. This message carried significant Messianic weight:
In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.
A signet ring was a symbol of authority, ownership, and authenticity. By choosing Zerubbabel as His signet, God affirmed His covenant with David and guaranteed the continuation of his royal line, culminating in the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Zerubbabel, though a humble governor, became a type of Christ, through whom God's ultimate kingdom would be established. This promise reassured the people that despite their current struggles, God's eternal plan for redemption and a righteous king would prevail.
Lessons for Today: Rebuilding Our Spiritual Temple
Haggai's call to rebuild the Temple resonates deeply with believers today. While we are no longer called to construct a physical edifice in Jerusalem, the principles remain profoundly relevant:
- Prioritizing God's Kingdom: Like the exiles, we can easily become preoccupied with our own "cieled houses"—our careers, possessions, and comfort—while neglecting the spiritual house of God. Haggai challenges us to "consider our ways" and ask if our priorities truly align with God's.
- The Church as God's Temple: The New Testament reveals that believers collectively form the spiritual Temple of God, and individually, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 6:19). Rebuilding the Temple today means strengthening the local church, engaging in discipleship, evangelism, and living lives that honor God. It also means actively building up our own spiritual lives through prayer, Bible study, and obedience.
- The Folly of Self-Effort Without God: The "bag with holes" illustrates the futility of human striving apart from God's blessing. When we put God first, His blessing follows, providing true satisfaction and abundance far beyond our own efforts.
- Overcoming Discouragement: Just as the exiles were encouraged by the promise of the latter Temple's greater glory, we are to be encouraged by Christ's presence and the ultimate triumph of His kingdom. Our current efforts, though seemingly small, contribute to God's eternal plan.
- God's Immediate Response to Obedience: The promise "from this day will I bless you" highlights God's eagerness to bless His obedient children. When we repent of spiritual apathy and commit to serving Him, His favor is immediate and tangible.
Haggai's message is a timeless reminder that God desires His people to prioritize His glory and His work. When we respond with obedience, He promises His presence, His blessing, and the ultimate fulfillment of His glorious plans, all centered on Christ, the true Temple.