The sin of the people

The Lord says, “Is it time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses while this house remains desolate?” (v 4). This is a rhetorical question (a matter so obvious that it requires no answer). (1) As we saw previously, the people are saying that now is not the time to build the temple (v 2). In response, God asks, “Then is it time for you to build your own paneled houses?” (2) “Paneled” refers to the interior of the temple (ref. 1 Kings 6:9, 15; 7:3-7). The people likely used the cedar that had been prepared for building the temple fifteen years earlier as materials for their own houses. (3) The problem of the people was that their priorities were reversed. Setting aside what concerns God and acting in a self-centered way is also a problem for us today.

The results of sin

It is written, “Now then, the Lord of armies says this: ‘Consider your ways! You have sown much, only to harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but there is not enough for anyone to get warm; and the one who earns, earns wages to put into a money bag full of holes.’” (v 5-6). (1) The people were called to examine their present condition in light of God’s promises. It is also necessary for us to pause and examine our lives in accordance with the word of God. (2) Because of the sin of self-centeredness, the people had come to experience several curses: (1) a poor harvest, (2) insufficient food, (3) a lack of wine, (4) a lack of clothing, and (5) labor that was in vain. (3) Behind this curse lies the covenant relationship between God and Israel. Deuteronomy 28:38-40 says: “You will bring out a great amount of seed to the field, but you will gather in little, because the locust will devour it. You will plant and cultivate vineyards, but you will neither drink of the wine nor bring in the harvest, because the worm will eat it. You will have olive trees throughout your territory but you will not anoint yourself with the oil, because your olives will drop off prematurely.” A life that puts God first is the way to receive blessing. “Now I say this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows generously will also reap generously… And God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed” (2 Cor. 9:6-8).