Nehemiah : WK 1 - TUE
Prologue Continued – The Temple
Ezra 4:24-5:2
So the work on the Temple of God in Jerusalem had stopped, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia. At that time the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem. They prophesied in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jehozadak responded by starting again to rebuild the Temple of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them and helped them.
Haggai 1:1-6
On August 29 of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the LORD gave a message through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest.
“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.’”
Then the LORD sent this message through the prophet Haggai: “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins? This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!”
Building anything demands significant effort. And to rebuild? That’s an even bolder action verb, especially when the initial steps include removing, refurbishing, or reusing the old. Therefore, it is not surprising that the initial efforts to rebuild the temple stalled due to opposition and a lack of commitment.
In 522 B.C., with only six years left in Jeremiah’s 70-year prophecy, King Darius (Cyrus the Great’s son-in-law) committed additional resources and granted permission for the temple rebuild to resume. However, there is a problem, and the prophet Haggai steps up to address it.
The people have been postponing the rebuild. One imagines the excuses: “We don’t have the resources. There aren’t enough workers. It’s not good timing. We’ll get to it once we are done with”… fill in the blank. Meanwhile, they have invested plenty of energy and resources in their own homes and fields. So, Haggai voices Yahweh's concern. Their luxury will never be enough to satisfy. Their food can’t quench their hunger as long as they put God off for another day.
Haggai echoes the voice of Jesus in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Every perceived treasure remains unfulfilling as long as God has no home among His people.
This provokes reflection. What has God been saying to you? Have you drowned out His voice by pursuing your own interests, finances, or security? Have you maintained a busyness that keeps Jesus at a distance? Can you feel Him knocking at the door of your heart right now, asking to live with you and change everything?
Haggai’s words resonated with the people. They repented of their selfishness and resumed construction of the temple. In fact, they completed it a few years later in 516 B.C., precisely seventy years after the Babylonians had destroyed it, just as Jeremiah prophesied.
Ezra 4:24-5:2
So the work on the Temple of God in Jerusalem had stopped, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia. At that time the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem. They prophesied in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jehozadak responded by starting again to rebuild the Temple of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them and helped them.
Haggai 1:1-6
On August 29 of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the LORD gave a message through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest.
“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.’”
Then the LORD sent this message through the prophet Haggai: “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins? This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!”
Building anything demands significant effort. And to rebuild? That’s an even bolder action verb, especially when the initial steps include removing, refurbishing, or reusing the old. Therefore, it is not surprising that the initial efforts to rebuild the temple stalled due to opposition and a lack of commitment.
In 522 B.C., with only six years left in Jeremiah’s 70-year prophecy, King Darius (Cyrus the Great’s son-in-law) committed additional resources and granted permission for the temple rebuild to resume. However, there is a problem, and the prophet Haggai steps up to address it.
The people have been postponing the rebuild. One imagines the excuses: “We don’t have the resources. There aren’t enough workers. It’s not good timing. We’ll get to it once we are done with”… fill in the blank. Meanwhile, they have invested plenty of energy and resources in their own homes and fields. So, Haggai voices Yahweh's concern. Their luxury will never be enough to satisfy. Their food can’t quench their hunger as long as they put God off for another day.
Haggai echoes the voice of Jesus in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Every perceived treasure remains unfulfilling as long as God has no home among His people.
This provokes reflection. What has God been saying to you? Have you drowned out His voice by pursuing your own interests, finances, or security? Have you maintained a busyness that keeps Jesus at a distance? Can you feel Him knocking at the door of your heart right now, asking to live with you and change everything?
Haggai’s words resonated with the people. They repented of their selfishness and resumed construction of the temple. In fact, they completed it a few years later in 516 B.C., precisely seventy years after the Babylonians had destroyed it, just as Jeremiah prophesied.
- What is something on your current to-do list?
- What is something you enjoy making? Is there something you dislike making?
- What have you been delaying because it seems too impossible to achieve? What is God telling you about that now?
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