Route 66: Haggai

* Haggai was a prophet (one who spoke on behalf of God)
* This takes place after Babylon has taken over the Israelites land, and after the Babylonians have been taken over by the Persians (Esther was in the kingdom of the Persians-Xerces)
* The temple has been destroyed
* In order for there to be a New Jerusalem as the prophets spoke of in previous books, the temple must be rebuilt
* So Haggai comes to the governor Zerubbabel and the people and calls them out on their disobedience and laziness
    * they have been focusing on building and fixing their own houses, claiming that it’s not time yet for the temple to be rebuilt
    * they were very focused on themselves, not on God
* After this challenge Haggai says 1:5-6 “Now this is what the Lord Almighty says; ‘Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes but are not warm. You earn wages only to put them in a purse with holes in it”
    * the people do many things to build up themselves, but are never satisfied
    * he them calls them to be intentional with what they do, to give careful thoughts to their ways (1:7)
    * these hardships are said to be due to rebellion against the convent their ancestors made with God
* SO the people start to rebuild the temple, but are quickly discouraged
    * there are still many around who saw the temple that Solomon built, which was brilliant in comparison
* Haggai encourages them to work in hope for the new Jerusalem despite these disappointing circumstances
* He then calls them to a covenant of faithfulness
    * compares the people to purification rituals
    * if the people are not rebuilding the temple with pure intentions, then the temple will be impure
        * they need to be faithful
    * their obedience will lead to their blessing
* ends with the choice for a bright future.
    * will the people choose to follow God and his covenant?
How is this relevant?
* Where are your priorities?
* Our choices matter

Where is Jesus?
He is a part of that hope that they were looking forward to
* they were given the choice to live for themselves or to put their hope in the new Jerusalem and the Messianic kingdom that would come