HAGGAI

The following comments are from Navigator's and Quiet Time Diary journals. One verse will be entered, then the comment, then the date.

1:6    "You have sown much, but 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 no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes."

    Perhaps the short way of saying this is, "You've gone nowhere," or "You're going in circles." Not much had been accomplished, and Haggai was told by the Lord (v. 3) + (v. 5) to motivate the people to work on building the temple (v. 8). Life should be a series of goals and accomplishments - and Haggai was trying to set  new goal - like each of us needs to reach the ultimate destination => "Well done, . . ." (DRM 1/29/09)

1:8    "Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the Lord.

    This is a great verse to encourage people to build a church - or expand one. The highest priority should be to worship God and then to provide for our own needs. (DRM 6/11/89)

2:9    " 'The latter glory of this house [temple] will be greater than the former," says the LORD of hosts, 'and in this place I will give peace,' declares the LORD of hosts."

    Whenever God tells you or me any aspect of the future, we should be excited. Here the Lord God is motivating the construction of the temple and assuring those who will work on its construction that He will be with them. If I had the assurance of God's protection, my confidence would be nearly absolute - the only question I'd have is how or what next, Lord? (DRM 1/30/09)

2:17    I smote you and every work of your hands with blasting wind, mildew and hail; yet you did not come back to Me, declares the LORD.

    Sometimes its hard to realize when God is telling us (me) something. He works in different ways. Here Haggai is telling (via God) the people that God was doing things to get their attention, but they didn't realize it.
    God wants to bless us (v. 19) and wants us (me) to hear His voice, but we have to pay attention to ALL of the ways that He can speak. (DRM 1/31/09)

2:22    ' . . . I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots and their riders, and the horses and their riders will go down, everyone by the sword of another.'

    The temple wall was being rebuilt in Jerusalem. The neighbors didn't want the Israelites to succeed (like today) and tried to stop them.
    This verse is part of a quote by the Lord to Haggai where He said He would overthrow the enemies of Israel.
    This seems very similar to today's news. Israel's neighbors oppose whatever she wants to do. Like 2,500 years ago, we should expect that Israel will overcome - because the Lord God will be with her. (DRM 12/31/16)