20250516

revival sparked by rebuke

Haggai 1:1-15

Haggai 1:1 In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of Yahveh came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest:
Haggai 1:2 “Yahveh of Armies says this: These people say: The time has not come for the house of Yahveh to be rebuilt.”
Haggai 1:3 The word of Yahveh came through the prophet Haggai:
Haggai 1:4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?”
Haggai 1:5 Now, Yahveh of Armies says this: “Think carefully about your roads:
Haggai 1:6 You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough to be satisfied. You drink but never have enough to be happy. You put on clothes but never have enough to get warm. The wage earner puts his wages into a bag with a hole in it.”
Haggai 1:7 Yahveh of Armies says this: “Think carefully about your roads.
Haggai 1:8 Go up into the hills, bring down lumber, and build the house; and I will be pleased with it and be glorified,” says Yahveh.
Haggai 1:9 “You expected much but noticed it amounted to little. When you brought the harvest to your house, I ruined it. Why?” This is the declaration of Yahveh of Armies. “Because my house still lies in ruins, while each of you is busy with his own house.
Haggai 1:10 So on your account, the sky has withheld the dew and the land its crops.
Haggai 1:11 I have summoned a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, new wine, fresh oil, and whatever the ground yields, on man and animal, and on all that your hands produce.”
Haggai 1:12 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the entire remnant of the people obeyed Yahveh their God and the words of the prophet Haggai, because Yahveh their God had sent him. So the people feared Yahveh.
Haggai 1:13 Then Haggai, Yahveh ‘s messenger, delivered Yahveh’s message to the people: “I am with you– this is Yahveh’s declaration.”
Haggai 1:14 Yahveh roused the breath of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, the breath of the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the breath of all the remnant of the people. They began work on the house of Yahveh of Armies, their God,
Haggai 1:15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius.

revival sparked by rebuke

This revival of interest in the things of God happened because Haggai, the messenger (Mal’ak) dared to confront a complacent people with God’s message (mal’akut), and the people came and worked (mela’kah) on rebuilding the temple. God’s Spirit moved and brought about revival, but it began with a prophet who dared to say what needed to be said.

LORD, give us more Haggais. Forgive us for wanting to say what pleases the crowd, instead of what they need to hear.