I have heard it said that only 36% of people keep their New Year's resolutions past January. In fact, I have been part of that 64% percent of people who gave up on their resolutions before January was over. Maybe you have, too, given up on a resolution far too soon. Sometimes, we human beings need a reminder to keep going and not to lose sight of our goals and dreams. The people of Israel had to be reminded to keep going and not become complacent when it came to their desire to rebuild the temple.
After 70 years of captivity, the people of Judah were permitted to go back home. About 50,000 Jewish people returned home to Judah, where they were eager to build the temple. The book of Haggai begins with a message from the Lord for the people of Judah. He sent the prophet Haggai to deliver His message to the governor of Judah and the high priest. Haggai said to them, "This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says: The people are saying, 'The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord' (verse 2). His message continued, "Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins?... Now go up to the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored" (verses 3-8). God's command to rebuild his temple, which had been destroyed, was clear. His temple lay in ruin, while the people of Judah lived in luxurious houses. It was time for them to rebuild the temple, so the people of Judah began to take on this task (verse 14). Later that year, God sent another message through Haggai. Unfortunately, their enthusiasm for building the temple became lackluster. God's temple did not have the same splendor as the old temple. Compared to the old temple, "it seem[ed] like nothing at all” (Haggai 2:3). It was time for them to get to work ( Haggai 2:4). They needed to work on the temple of the Lord with the same enthusiasm that they began it with. It was time not to be complacent with the project that God had given them. After all, they were rebuilding the temple of God.
We may not be given the task of rebuilding God’s temple, but we are all given important tasks from God. Maybe we began with vigor, but now we have become complacent. We must pick up the task He gave us with the excitement and zeal we had at the very beginning. We all have a job to do when it comes to knowing Christ and making Christ known. Let’s let go of complacency and take seriously the assignments He has called us to.
Is there a God-sized dream or goal that God has placed on your heart that you have given up on? Have you become complacent and let go of that dream He has given you? It is time today to keep going. Take one step today to pick back up that dream, refusing to let go of that dream God has placed on your heart. You may never know the result of saying “yes” to that dream He has given you.
1Then on October 17 of that same year, the Lord sent another message through the prophet Haggai. 2 “Say this to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of God’s people there in the land: 3 ‘Does anyone remember this house—this Temple—in its former splendor? How, in comparison, does it look to you now? It must seem like nothing at all! 4 But now the Lord says: Be strong, Zerubbabel. Be strong, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people still left in the land. And now get to work, for I am with you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 5 My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid.’
6 “For this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land. 7 I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 9 The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”
10 On December 18 of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the Lord sent this message to the prophet Haggai: 11 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says. Ask the priests this question about the law: 12 ‘If one of you is carrying some meat from a holy sacrifice in his robes and his robe happens to brush against some bread or stew, wine or olive oil, or any other kind of food, will it also become holy?’”
The priests replied, “No.”
13 Then Haggai asked, “If someone becomes ceremonially unclean by touching a dead person and then touches any of these foods, will the food be defiled?”
And the priests answered, “Yes.”
14 Then Haggai responded, “That is how it is with this people and this nation, says the Lord. Everything they do and everything they offer is defiled by their sin. 15 Look at what was happening to you before you began to lay the foundation of the Lord’s Temple. 16 When you hoped for a twenty-bushel crop, you harvested only ten. When you expected to draw fifty gallons from the winepress, you found only twenty. 17 I sent blight and mildew and hail to destroy everything you worked so hard to produce. Even so, you refused to return to me, says the Lord.
18 “Think about this eighteenth day of December, the day when the foundation of the Lord’s Temple was laid. Think carefully. 19 I am giving you a promise now while the seed is still in the barn. You have not yet harvested your grain, and your grapevines, fig trees, pomegranates, and olive trees have not yet produced their crops. But from this day onward I will bless you.”
20 On that same day, December 18, the Lord sent this second message to Haggai: 21 “Tell Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, that I am about to shake the heavens and the earth. 22 I will overthrow royal thrones and destroy the power of foreign kingdoms. I will overturn their chariots and riders. The horses will fall, and their riders will kill each other.
23 “But when this happens, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, I will honor you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant. I will make you like a signet ring on my finger, says the Lord, for I have chosen you. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”
