Consider your ways

Up to this point, Haggai has pointed out (1) the sin of the people of Israel and (2) the consequences of that sin. In today’s passage, the remedy for sin is presented.

It is written, “The Lord of armies says this: ‘Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains, bring wood, and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be honored,’ says the Lord” (v 7-8). (1) “Consider your ways” means to carefully reflect on what kind of judgment the inaction of the past fifteen years (postponing the construction of the temple) has brought. (2) The remedy for sin is expressed in three verbs (imperative forms): “Go up to the mountains, bring wood, and rebuild the temple.” Faith must be expressed through actions. (3) The cedar that had been procured for the construction of the temple had likely already been used for building their houses. Therefore, the people needed to go up to the mountains of Judah and obtain timber from there. (4) If they faithfully obey the Lord’s command, blessing is promised. That is, “I may be pleased with it and be honored.”

The past judgement

The Lord points out to the people the judgment that had occurred in the past. (1) “You start an ambitious project, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away” (v 9a). The reason the harvest was small was that the people had postponed the rebuilding of the temple and were busy running about to build their own houses. (2) “Therefore, because of you the sky has withheld its dew, and the earth has withheld its produce” (v 10). For summer crops to grow, the falling of dew is an essential condition (since there is no rain during the dry season). If the dew does not fall, the summer harvest (especially grapes) will wither (ref. Deut. 28:23). (3) “And I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what the ground produces, on mankind, on cattle, and on all the products of the labor of your hands” (v 11). Because of the inaction of the people of Israel, famine came upon the land. As a result, various things were affected: (a) the land, (b) the mountains, (c) the grain, (d) the new wine, (e) the oil, (f) what the ground produces, (g) people, (h) livestock, and (i) all the labor of their hands (ref. Deut. 28:51). If we know God’s will and yet do not carry it out, that is sin. Let us examine ourselves to see whether there is any area in which we are postponing our decisions or actions.