(REFLECTIONS ON Haggai 1:1-15)

Some quick background. After Israel was split into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, many kings came and went. However, because of their unfaithfulness to God, Israel was eventually destroyed by Assyria, and Judah was exiled to Babylon.

The exile to Babylon began in the late 7th century BC. Eventually, Persia conquered Babylon, and the Lord used King Cyrus to send the Jews back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. We call this the post-exilic period.

About 16 years after the rebuilding efforts began, the work was still not completed when the prophet Haggai spoke to the people.

2 “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.”‘” 3 Then the word of the Lord came to Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?” 5 Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider you ways!“

There were challenges in rebuilding the temple, including opposition from the inhabitants of Jerusalem left there during the exile. However, rather than trusting in God to help them accomplish this task, the Jews convinced themselves that it wasn’t the time for the house of the Lord to be rebuilt.

It wasn’t the time for the house of the Lord to be rebuilt led to 16 years passing by leaving the temple with just a foundation, but still in ruins. What did the Jews do with the time then, if it wasn’t the time for the house of the Lord to be rebuilt?

They rebuilt their own homes. The prophet Haggai said, “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?” The Jews had the time, focus, and priority to rebuild their homes, but the house of the Lord remained desolate.

The Lord then spoke through Haggai saying, “Consider your ways!” Consider your ways directly translated from Hebrew means something like, “Set your hearts upon your roads.” It meant that the Jews needed to consider what was in their hearts, whether it was truly a love, commitment, and faithfulness to God, or was it about their own self-survival?

Set your hearts upon your roads meant for the Jews to consider their path, “Consider your ways!” and make their path straight. Making their path straight meant aligning their hearts and their actions with the Lord’s.

The hearts of Zerubbabel the governor of Judah, and Joshua the high priest were stirred and the Jews also returned to the Lord to continue the work on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God.

Brothers and sisters, the Lord is also speaking to us through Haggai the prophet today. He asks for us to, “Consider your ways!” We also are to set our hearts upon our roads and reflect if we are living a life aligned to the heart of God, or have lost our focus, lost our way, and perhaps even lost true faith in Jesus Christ.

Is our path still towards the cross, denying ourselves and picking up our cross daily, and marching towards Christ? What excuses have we made, or are still making, that prevents us from living for Christ? Are we convincing ourselves that the time is not right?

But in the meantime, what have we done with the time that God has given us. I often share that we shouldn’t live with an attitude of asking “when, we should act” but rather, “What can we do with the time that the Lord has given us.”

Let the voice of God linger for a while longer brothers and sisters, “Consider your ways!“

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: Haggai 1