Haggai 1:2-8 Thus speaketh the L ord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the L ord's house should be built. 3 Then came the word of the L ord by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? 5 Now therefore thus saith the L ord of hosts; Consider your ways. 6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. 7 Thus saith the L ord of hosts; consider your ways. 8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the L ord .
There are some people today, who feel that the task is to great. Even though they see the message of the Kingdom, they are discouraged by the false teaching that has taken president over the purpose of God. As in the days of the Prophet Haggai, discouragement by modern day Samarians has caused pessimism and spiritual lethargy among many in the Church.
The Lord sent the Prophet Haggai, for the purpose of encouraging the Jewish people. He wanted them to assemble materials, for building the house of God. Today, God is speaking to the hearts of His ministers and lay people, to get free from traditions and false teaching. To take hold of the truth of God’s word. It’s time to build on the right foundation (Jesus Christ). It’s time to gather the materials of grace and truth, for building the house of God. Be encouraged, the people of God will come together. Jesus prayed that the Father would make us one. John 17:11 And I know He will.
Matthew 16:13-18 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it .
The gates of hell might have hindered, but they can not prevail. Jesus is the head of His Church.
If you will notice Jesus was making reference to the revelation of who He is. Thou art the Christ, Peter said. And Jesus’ answered to that response: upon this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. That’s what the Church is built upon. The revelation of who Jesus is. We who are called of God, to work in His ministry, will be building upon this rock. Every God called preacher glorifies Jesus as the only savior of the world, and head of the Church. It is time to build in the very thing that Jesus died for. The Church! Jesus didn’t give his life for a building made of brick, wood, or stone. But, for an abode in the hearts and lives of those who believe.
All those who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb of God, are the true Church. And are in the kingdom now. Luke 17:20-21 “ And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you”.
Just as Haggai challenged the people to consider their ways. I believe the Lord is speaking to us today to consider our ways. Are we building for the Lord? Or, are we dwelling in our cieled houses (beautiful buildings). And letting the real house of God lay waste.
God’s word tells us what He puts value upon, and what He is glorified in. It is unity among the brethern. 1Cor. 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. Notice he said ye are Gods building 1 Cor. 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? Isaiah 66:1 thus saith the L ord , The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? And where is the place of my rest?
1 Cor. 3:10-11 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ . The foundation was laid 2000 years ago so don’t you think it is about time to get on with the business of building? The Apostle Paul was a wise master builder. And it is going to take wise builders today to work in the building of the world wide Church.
In the Old Testament the house of Israel was taken captive by the nation of Babylon . The house of God was left in ruins. Haggai the prophet said: consider your ways, go up to the mountain, bring wood, and build the house. And I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.
Years of Babylonian (religious systems) captivity, have left the house of God in ruins. We need to take a good hard look at ourselves as ministers of the Kingdom of God . And quit reinforcing the walls of doctrinal differences. Beware lest we will miss out on the real move of God. Let’s break down the barriers and build up the house.
. Many folks are looking for the Kingdom of God to come someday. John the Baptist preached it’s at hand 2000 years ago. Jesus preached it’s at hand. The Apostle Paul preached the kingdom. Something happened that deceived men into thinking of it somewhere out in the future. Matthew 13:24-26 “ Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also”. What are these tares and what is this good seed? Jesus answered this question in: Matthew 13:37-39 “He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels”.
What is the kingdom? The Apostle Paul answered this question. In Romans 14:17-19 “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. 19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another .
I t’s where God rules.
It’s the domain of the King.
It’s, “Christ in you the hope of glory”.
The Lord only gave us one commandment in the New Testament and that is; to love one another as He loved us. We need to preach and teach this message more than any other. Do we need to be reminded of the words of the Prophet; to consider our ways? Are we really concerned with the true house of God? Or are we seeking our own agenda? Are we all just content to set in our cieled houses? And letting the message of the kingdom of God lay dormant. 2 Cor. 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
Haggai 2:6-9 For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; [7] And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. [8] The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts. [9] The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.
What a promise the Lord has given us. Come on let’s lift up our vision beyond our Church buildings, beyond our community, beyond our city, beyond our nation, and see that the Lord has called us to a world, that He plans to inhabit: In the hearts and lives of His people. Isaiah 11:9 “ They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the L ord , as the waters cover the sea” .
It’s God’s Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it, We have a hope that is in Christ now! “PRAISE THE LORD FOREVER”
