Haggai - Sermon (8-26-12)

Nine of the minor prophets prophesied before Judah was taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. The final three, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi all prophesied after the return of the Jews to Jerusalem. These are called the post-exilic prophets. After the Jews returned to the land of Judah and began rebuilding the temple of the Lord, due to trying circumstances they stopped doing the work that God had called them to do and for sixteen years the temple sat unfinished. It was at this time that the Lord raised up Haggai and Zechariah to compel His people to do His work. The book of Haggai is the second shortest book in the Old Testament. It consists of four different prophecies that were made over a four month period of time. In order to get some background into the book of Haggai we need to go back to the book of Ezra.

In 539 B.C. the Babylonian empire was conquered by Persia, making the Persian empire the world power. Right after Babylon was conquered by Persia, Cyrus, king of Peria, issued a decree which allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple of the Lord. 140 years before Cyrus issued the decree allowing the Israelites to return to their homeland, Isaiah prophesied that a man by the name of Cyrus would Issue such a decree. In Isaiah 44:28 the Lord says - "It is I who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd! And he will perform all My desire.’ And he declares of Jerusalem, ‘ She will be built,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid.’” And He says in chapter 45:13 - "I have aroused him in righteousness and I will make all his ways smooth; He will build My city and will let My exiles go free, without any payment or reward,” says the Lord of hosts." Before Cyrus was even born, and before Judah was taken captive the Lord called Cyrus by name and declared that he would be the one used by God to release His people from captivity and rebuild the city of Jerusalem. Throughout history we see that God is at work to accomplish His plan despite who is on the throne. In Ezra 1:1-4 we read this - "Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying: “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem. Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.’”"  In Jeremiah 25:11-14 and 29:10 the Lord declared that the captivity would last for seventy years and at the end of those years Babylon would be overthrown and the Jews would be allowed to return to their own land. We read in Ezra 1:1 that the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus in order to fulfill this prophecy. And so Cyrus issued a decree allowing any of the Jews who wished to return to their native land to do so. In Ezra chapter 2 we're told that the number of Jews who returned was just shy of 50'000. This would've been a very small percentage of the Jews living in Babylon at that time, and yet only this small number returned.
After being taken captive by Babylon the Jews were introduced to a pagan culture. They lived in the midst of it and some of there best and brightest citizens were put into the university of Babylon and indoctrinated with the language and culture of this pagan nation. And apparently they became so comfortable in this foreign land that when the opportunity came for them to return to their native land, to the place where the Lord set His name, only a small number returned. We can imagine some of the reason the remaining Jews had for not returning. Some may have been involved in business in Babylon and were unwilling to give up their prosperous living. Still others may have intermarried with the Chaldeans and had family ties which they were unwilling to sever. And yet we know that others, such as Mordecai and Esther, remained in a foreign land by the will of the Lord in order to accomplish His purpose and plan there.
But regardless of those who stayed in the land of their captivity, there were close to fifty thousand who did return to Jerusalem under the leadership of a man by the name of Zerubbabel, whom Cyrus appointed governor of Judah, and also under Joshua the high priest. As soon as the exiles returned to Jerusalem they immediately rebuilt the alter on it's foundation and began offerings sacrifices to the Lord. This is recorded in Ezra chapter 3. They also reinstituted the feasts and festivals to the Lord at this time, but the foundation of the temple had not yet been laid. That work didn't begin until the second year after they returned. We read in Ezra 3:8 - "Now in the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all who came from the captivity to Jerusalem, began the work and appointed the Levites from twenty years and older to oversee the work of the house of the Lord." After the foundation of the house of the Lord had been laid the priest and the people began to praise and glorify God, and there is an interesting scene here in Ezra 3. While many of the people were praising God and shouting for joy some of the older folks, who had seen Solomon's temple began to weep with a loud voice so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the shout of joy from the sound of the weeping. A short time later when the enemies of Judah heard that the exiles were building a temple to the Lord God of Israel and they approached the leaders of Israel and began to discourage them from doing the work which the Lord had called them to do, they frightened them and even hired counselors against them to frustrate their plans. After the death of Cyrus the enemies of Judah wrote a letter to Artaxerxes (also known as Cambyses) the new king of Persia, this is recorded in Ezra chapter 4. In verses 11-16 we find a copy of the letter that they wrote. It reads as follows -
“To King Artaxerxes: Your servants, the men in the region beyond the River, and now let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us at Jerusalem; they are rebuilding the rebellious and evil city and are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. Now let it be known to the king, that if that city is rebuilt and the walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, custom or toll, and it will damage the revenue of the kings. Now because we are in the service of the palace, and it is not fitting for us to see the king’s dishonor, therefore we have sent and informed the king, so that a search may be made in the record books of your fathers. And you will discover in the record books and learn that that city is a rebellious city and damaging to kings and provinces, and that they have incited revolt within it in past days; therefore that city was laid waste. We inform the king that if that city is rebuilt and the walls finished, as a result you will have no possession in the province beyond the River.” The enemies of Judah were trying to scare the king into putting a stop to the work that the Lords people were doing, and it worked. After receiving their letter the king dug up some of the history of Jerusalem and he then issued a decree stop the work of building and fortifying the city of Jerusalem immediately. As soon as the people of the lands received the kings response they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews and stopped them by force of arms. Ezra chapter 4 ends with this statement - "Then work on the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it was stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia." This is where the book of Haggai begins. For sixteen years the work was stopped, but in the second year of Darius the Lord raised up two prophets to speak His word to the people and to encourage them to finish the work which God had called them to do.
Ezra 5:1-3 - "When the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them, then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them supporting them."

Haggai 1:1-4 - "In the second year of Darius the king, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘This people says, “The time has not come, even the time for the house of the Lord to be rebuilt.”’” Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?”" The first message the Lord has for His people is that they have a bad case of procrastination. The Lord sent them back to Jerusalem in order to rebuild His house, but the people said "The time has not come for the house of the Lord to be rebuilt." They weren't saying that His house shouldn't be built, they were just saying that now is not the right time. Procrastination is one of the devils favorite tools. God has a work for each of us to do, a ministry that He wants us to fulfill, but how often do we say, "it's just not the right time." I need to finish school first, or once I'm married then I'll do the Lords work. Or when I get a better job, or make more money, or find a better church, or move to a better neighborhood, or retire, or you name it. We are so good at coming up with excuses as to why now is not the right time to be doing the Lords work.
The Jews had a wonderful excuse. Not only were they being pressured by those around them, but the king himself issued a decree! It is evident that they were all too ready to stop working on the temple. Had they really wanted to do the work they wouldn't have let either of these things move them. Cyrus issued the decree that the house of the Lord should be rebuilt, and according to the law of the Medes and the Persians a decree could not be reversed. So even if the decree of Artaxerxes had prohibited them from building the temple, it would have been made void. However, his decree didn't stop them from building the temple. The decree of Artaxerxes prohibited the Jews from rebuilding and fortifying the city itself. The temple isn't even mentioned in his decree. Obviously the kings decree didn't stop them from building their own houses. They simply interpreted their circumstances according to the true state of their hearts. That's what pressure does. It reveals the true state of our hearts. When the trials come what's inside of us comes out. They had been all excited about returning to their homeland and doing the Lords work, but when the pressure started to come the fire died down and the people became lukewarm. So the Lord reproves His people for delaying in rebuilding the temple while they themselves lived comfortably.

Vs.5-6 - "Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways! You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.”" Twice in this first chapter the Lord tells His people to consider their ways. They were living for themselves and neglecting Him. They spent their time working and building up their own houses, but the were never satisfied. They never had enough. They sowed much but harvested little. All their earnings seemed like they were being put into a bag with holes in it. Why is that? It's the result of inverted priorities. God cannot bless self seeking. They were seeking first themselves, and as a result all their labor came to nothing. They were not satisfied with it, and so the Lord tells them to consider their ways. This is a message that we would do well to heed, because the ways make manifest the condition of the soul. Do you want to know where your priorities lie? Consider your ways! How do you spend your time? Do you really believe in the power of prayer? Consider your ways! How often do you spend time in prayer? Do you really want to see a lost world come to saving faith in Jesus Christ? Consider your ways! When is the last time you shared your faith with someone or handed out a gospel tract? I could go on, but I think you get the idea. This message is a simple one, but it's powerful. This is Gods message for you and I today, "Consider your ways!" The Lord cannot grant us joy and peace if we are living at ease to please ourselves. And we cannot expect God to bless our plans while we are indifferent to His purposes. His blessing only comes when we are doing the work that He has given us to do.
And so He continues in verses 7-8 - "Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the Lord." We have been created to glorify God. Our purpose is to please Him and bring Him glory. We are His servants, and no good servant is consumed with himself. We're told in 2 Timothy 2:3-4 - "Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier." Paul's prayer for the Colossians in chapter 1 verse 10 was that they would "walk worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God." Our purpose as servants of Christ is not to please ourselves or seek our own interest, but to please Him. Haggai is speaking to the people about pleasing the Lord and glorifying Him by building the temple. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 we read - "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." To claim Christ as Lord and then live for ourselves is a contradiction. In Luke chapter 9 the Lord Jesus called two men at two different times to follow after Him, and they both replied in the same way - "Lord... me first." I know they said more than that, but these words themselves contradict one another. They said "Lord permit me first to go and do this or that." To call Jesus Lord is to make Him your Master. To call Him Lord is to put Him first. And so to say "Lord, me first." is a contradiction. You are not your own for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.

In verses 9-11 the Lord explains the reason why their efforts to prosper have been in vain. - "You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” declares the Lord of hosts, “Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house. Therefore, because of you the sky has withheld its dew and the earth has withheld its produce. I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what the ground produces, on men, on cattle, and on all the labor of your hands." The Lord tells His people through His prophet in no uncertain terms that they need to do the work that He called them to do. The reason for the all the barrenness in their land was because of His house which was lying desolate. If we are experiencing barrenness in our Christian lives we need to consider our ways. Is the work which the Lord has called us to do lying desolate? Once again, the Lord cannot bless the plans of His people when they neglect His work and are indifferent to His purposes.

Vs. 12 - "Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, 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 showed reverence for the Lord." When the people heard the word of the Lord they obeyed! Haggai is one of the blessed prophets in Scripture. The messages of the prophets, by and large, were not heeded by the people to whom they were sent. As we search through the Bible we find account after account of the Lords prophets being mocked, despised, imprisoned, ridiculed, put in stocks and even killed simply for bringing Gods message to the people. But the people to whom Haggai prophesied had no such response. They heeded and obeyed the word of the Lord. That is always the proper response to the Lords word. James 1:22 says - "But be doers of the Word and not hearers only deceiving yourselves." And in chapter 2 he says that faith without works is dead.
As a result of the peoples obedience the Lord has another message for them. We read in verse 13 - "Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke by the commission of the Lord to the people saying, “ ‘ I am with you,’ declares the Lord.”" What an encouragement. When the people stop seeking their own comfort and begin to seek Gods glory and strive to please Him they have the assurance that He is with them. They stop trying to get ahead and God reassures them "I am with you." They didn't have this closeness when they were building their own houses and living for themselves. But when they turned and once again did the work that the Lord had called them to, they have this blessed assurance, "I am with you."

Vs. 14-15 - "So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God, on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king." In only twenty four days the people gathered themselves together and gathered all the materials that they would need and resumed the work on the house of the Lord. The word of God accomplished it's purpose in the hearts of the remnant of Judah. The word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword. The word of God has a living quality. Paul says in his first letter to the Thessalonians, in chapter 2 verse 13 - "For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe." The Word of God performs its work in us. We read in verse 14 that the Lord stirred up the spirits of Zerubbabel and Joshua and all the people to do the work. This illustrates a New Testament truth. Philippians 2:13 says - "for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." It was the Lord who stirred up the spirit of the people, first to will, that is to want to do the work, and secondly to do, to carry out the Lords work, for His good pleasure. The Lord Jesus said in John 15 "Apart from Me you can do nothing." And we read in Psalm 127:1 - "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it." The Lords work is just that, it's His work. He is the only one who can accomplish it. And He uses us as His tools, His vessels to perform it. But it's not in us to do it, or even to desire to do it, it's all of Him. For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work, for His good pleasure.
And so as the Lord stirred up His people by His word, through His servant Haggai, the work on the house of the Lord began once again.

Chapter 2
The second message Haggai brings to the people is found in chapter 2 verses 1-9. This prophecy comes about one month after the people resumed the building of the temple. The first message came on the first day of the sixth month of the second year of king Darius. This message comes on twenty first day of the seventh month of the second year of his reign. By this time the work on the house of the Lord had been going on for almost a month and the Lord has another message for His servants. This message is one warning the people about looking back. Warning them about comparing this temple with the former temple. This message is not one of rebuke, like the previous one, but rather the Lord seeks to encourage His people who by faith seek to please and glorify Him in spite of the weakness of their faith.
Vs. 1-3 - "On the twenty-first of the seventh month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet saying, “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people saying, ‘Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like nothing in comparison?" You'll remember back to the third chapter of Ezra when the foundation was first laid there was a mixed reaction among the people. There was a shout of joy that went out among the people, but some of those who saw Solomons temple wept loudly because this temple was going to seem as nothing in comparison. And it's apparent as we come to the second chapter of Haggai that this attitude still existed among some of the people. So the Lord poses three questions - "Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like nothing in comparison?" Compared to the glory of Solomons temple, this temple was little more than a cardboard box. If you want to live a miserably life try moving forward while always looking back. That's what the people were trying to do. They were building the house of the Lord and doing His work, but all the while they were looking back to the way it used to be and were remembering the former glory of the temple. And because of this they were discouraged in their work. Paul says in Philippians 3:13-14 - "One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." The Lord Jesus said in Luke 9:62 - "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." So the Lord encourages His people once again in the same way He did in chapter 1 verse 13.
Vs.4-5 - "But now take courage, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord, ‘take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ declares the Lord of hosts. ‘As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!’" Their work seemed small and insignificant, but the Lord encouraged them with His presence. In Hebrews 13:5-6 the writer tells us - "Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “ I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”" Doing the Lords work is often difficult, and it's easy to get discouraged, but He is with us. His Spirit is abiding in us. He has promised never to leave us or forsake us. That is one of the greatest encouragements in all the Bible. "If God is for us, who can stand against us." So that we can confidently say "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me." The work that they were doing may not have compared with the outward glory of the temple that Solomon built, but the Lord was with them and that's all that really matters. After the Lords reassurance of His presence with them He gives them a prophecy concerning His house.
Vs. 6-7 - "For thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘ Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts." The prophecy here is speaking of the coming reign of Christ. The shaking of the heavens and earth refers to the events talked about in Revelation chapters 6 through 19. He tells them that His house will, in a coming day, be filled once again with glory. Some interpret the statement "the wealth of all nations" or "the desire of all nations" as it's sometimes translated, to be a title of the Lord Jesus Christ. And say that this is speaking of the millennial reign of Christ when He will once again physically rule the world from Jerusalem. In their discouragement, the Lord encourages His people by telling them that He is presently with them in their service for Him, and tells them about a coming day when the Lords presence will be physically seen in His house.
He continues the prophecy in verses 8 and 9 by saying - "‘The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the Lord of hosts. ‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ declares the Lord of hosts.”" God reminds His people that He doesn't lack resources. "The silver and the gold are Mine." If the Lord wanted to build a house as outwardly beautiful as Solomons temple, He could've done it. He doesn't lack the resources. In Psalm 50 the Lord tells us that He owns everything, the cattle on a thousand hills. He says "the world is Mine and all it contains." The Jews were comparing Zerubbabels temple with that of Solomon, and were discouraged because it paled in comparison. But the Lord says that it wasn't His plan to have a temple just like the former one. He was with them doing the work, and He was doing it according to His ultimate plan and purpose. He speaks again of the millennium in verse nine when He says "the latter glory of this house will be greater than the former." Solomons temple, Zerubbabels temple, Herods temple, and the temple that is yet to be built in Jerusalem are all referred to as "The temple" and "the Lords house." God doesn't distinguish between them. In His eyes they are all one. And so He says here in verse 9 that the latter glory of His house, the glory of His temple during the millennial reign of Christ, the splendor of the millennial temple talked about in Ezekiel chapters 40 through 48 will be even greater than it's glory in former times when it was first built by Solomon.  

The third prophecy that the Lord brings to the people through Haggai is found in verses 10 through 19. This prophecy was given two months after the previous one and it's a message that while holiness is not contagious, sin is. The emphasis of the message is cleanness, or separation.
Vs. 10-14 - "On the twenty-fourth of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Haggai the prophet, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘ Ask now the priests for a ruling: If a man carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and touches bread with this fold, or cooked food, wine, oil, or any other food, will it become holy?’” And the priests answered, “No.” Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean from a corpse touches any of these, will the latter become unclean?” And the priests answered, “It will become unclean.” Then Haggai said, “ ‘So is this people. And so is this nation before Me,’ declares the Lord, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean." Haggai is told to ask the priests two questions about ceremonial cleanness. The first "If a man carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and touches bread with this fold, or cooked food, wine, oil, or any other food, will it become holy?" To which the priest correctly answered "No." And the second - "If one who is unclean from a corpse touches any of these, will the latter become unclean?" To which the priest correctly answers "It will become unclean." The purpose of these questions was to communicate that holiness cannot be transmitted by touch, but defilement can be. Lets say that a person is sick, and so I'm going to go and spend the entire day with them in order that some of my health might be passed to them. Obviously, it doesn't work that way. And what's likely to happen is that not only is the other person not going to get well, but I'm likely to catch their sickness. That's the idea that the Lord is communicating with these questions. Holiness is not contagious, but sin is.
In the sixteen years during which the temple work was stopped the people still had the alter of the Lord and they continued offering sacrifices, but even their sacrifices were defiled because their hearts were not right. They had neglected the work that God called them to do, but still tried to be religious. So in verses 15-19 God contrasts their present state with that time during which even their sacrifices were abominable to Him.
Vs.15-19 - "But now, do consider from this day onward: before one stone was placed on another in the temple of the Lord, from that time when one came to a grain heap of twenty measures, there would be only ten; and when one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there would be only twenty. I smote you and every work of your hands with blasting wind, mildew and hail; yet you did not come back to Me,’ declares the Lord. ‘Do consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month; from the day when the temple of the Lord was founded, consider: Is the seed still in the barn? Even including the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree, it has not borne fruit. Yet from this day on I will bless you.’”" The Lord contrasts their present condition with their condition when they were apathetic toward His work. Before, all their labor seemed to come to nothing. It was like putting all their increase into a bag with holes in it. But once they turned to the Lord and began to honor Him, His blessing came upon them. This is what we read in 1 Samuel 2:30 - "those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed." The Lord honors those that honor Him, and so He declares to the people in verse 19 - "From this day on I will bless you." When we're not doing the work that the Lord has called us to do, when we're not fulfilling the ministry that He has given us then nothing we do is acceptable before Him. One area of disobedience defiles every other area of our walk with Him. But when we walk before Him with the desire to please Him and allow Him to work in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure, that's when the Lords blessings can come upon us.
We can apply this principle to other areas of our lives as well, such as our friendships. Holiness is not transmitted, but defilement is. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says - "Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”" It doesn't say that good morals transform bad company, but just the opposite. If we spend our time with bad company, whether they be unsaved, or simply lukewarm, we are easily effected by it. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 - "Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” Says the Lord Almighty." We need to present ourselves to the Lord as clean vessels that He can use for His glory. 2 Timothy 2:20-21 says - "Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work."

The final message from the Lord through Haggai is a message to an individual rather than a nation. This message was given on the same day as the one right before it, and this prophecy is a message specifically for Zerubbabel. This final message is found in verses 20-23 which say - "Then the word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying, “Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, ‘I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots and their riders, and the horses and their riders will go down, everyone by the sword of another.’ ‘On that day,’ declares the Lord of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’” declares the Lord of hosts." The words of this prophecy, similar to those in verses 6 and 7, assure Zerubbabel that in a coming day all the nations would be shaken and overthrown, but in the midst of all that the Lord would establish the house of Zerubbabel forever. The Lord chose this man, Zerubbabel the son of David, and it would be through his line that Messiah would come. Zerubbabel is found in both the genealogy of Joseph, in Matthew chapter 1, and in the genealogy of Mary in Luke chapter 3. He is the only one between David and Jesus that is in both lines. The Lord declared to this man "I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you." Zerubbabel was the leader of the remnant that returned from Babylon. He was with them when the alter was set up. He was leading them in the laying of the foundation of the temple, but he was also leader during the sixteen years of stagnation. He was in charge of the people during the whole time that no work was accomplished on the house of the Lord. But in spite of his failure during those sixteen years the still chose him to be in the line of Messiah. This man is a testimony to Gods amazing grace. And he is a proof that though there may be times in our lives when we become lukewarm and indifferent towards the Lords work, if we will return to Him, recognize our true state and repent of it, and do the work that He has called us to do He will use us for His glory. God declares in Zechariah 4:9 - "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it." And he did. We read in Ezra 6:14-15 - "And the elders of the Jews were successful in building through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they finished building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. And this temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar; it was the sixth year of the reign of King Darius."

The Lord raised up Haggai to call the people to return to the work which the Lord had called them to do. And through His people the Lord accomplished His work. The Lord has a work for each one of us to do, a ministry for each one of us to fulfill. In Colossians 4:17 we read - "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it." Paul says to Timothy in 2 Timothy chapter 4 - "Fulfill your ministry." We have been created and called for a purpose, and that purpose is to glorify God.
The book of Haggai is only quoted once in the New Testament. In Hebrews 12:26-29 we read this - "And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “ Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and godly fear; for our God is a consuming fire." Everything that can be seen will one day be destroyed. The only things that will last are those things that are done for eternity. The only work that will stand is the work which the Lord accomplishes through us. Let us therefore draw near to Him. Because our God is a consuming fire, as we draw near to Him we become consumed in His fire, and anyone who is consumed in Him cannot be indifferent to His work. "Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and godly fear; for our God is a consuming fire."