Haggai 1:1 (NIV) In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest:
Haggai was likely born in captivity in Babylon and returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel in 538 B.C. (Ezra 1-2). Both Haggai and Zechariah are mentioned in Ezra 5:1.The Judean exiles who had returned from Babylonian captivity around 538 B.C. had stopped work on the temple because of opposition from their enemies. They allowed their opposition to put a halt to their progress and work was stopped for over a decade. In August of 520 B.C. the prophet Haggai delivered a message to motivate the people to get back to work on the temple.
Twice in the first 7 verses of this short book Haggai, inspired by God, told the Judeans to give careful thought to their ways (1:5, 7). The Judeans had let the opposition defeat them and had retreated into self-service instead of serving the Lord.
Haggai’s words in verses 5 and 7 should stir Christians today to action. As God’s people today we should “consider our ways”. Are we living for God or self? Are we allowing the evil in this world to discourage and hinder us to the point that we have retreated into a life of self-serving because it is just to hard to stand up for truth and live the way God wants us to?
This Sunday we will begin a short series from the book of Haggai as we seek to “consider our ways”.