“Work” (Haggai 1:1-2-5)

In the seventh month, on the twenty-first of the month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying:  “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying:  ‘Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing?  Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says the Lord; ‘and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,’ says the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ says the Lord of hosts.  (Hag 2:1-4)

God is on your side, so work. He says, “be strong, all of you people of the land’, says the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you”.  Your prospects may seem small compared to the former days, but this work of preaching Christ is what God’s called you to do.  He will reward your labors, and He is with you to achieve this task.  He says, “Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified’, says the Lord” (Haggai 1:8).  Don’t think that salvation by grace means that we rest without working; we labor BY faith.

The gospel confounds the flesh, teaching two things continually: we don’t work for salvation, and we work out our salvation, bringing the fruit of saved people, with fear and trembling.  Phil 2:12-13 says, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure”. This isn’t merit; it is responsibility.  It isn’t earning God’s favor; it is using His favor rightly. 

We can’t say, “I’m going to live for me”, and have God’s blessing. Consequences will show us our folly. He says, “Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, ‘Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?’ Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Consider your ways! You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but do not have enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages, earns wages to put into a bag with holes” (Hag 1:3-6).  Living God’s way is the best life for us. We will have trials, even in obedience, but it is better than living in sin.

Grace has made us new creations with a new purpose in life. He doesn’t come to patch up the old, but to give us something entirely new!  He says, “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined.  But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved” (Luke 5:33-39)! 

He makes us live with godly zeal, and don’t you resist this.  Many think, “It is someone else’s fault that I’m hurting”, but it may be your own fault, if you’re living in sin. He says again, “You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away.  Why?’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house (doing his own will).  Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit.  For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands” (Hag 1:9-11).  You may have a strong faith in Christ, but God reproves the self-centeredness that you couldn’t see, and He makes your sin unbearable, so that repentance results.  You need both pardon and power, and He gives it, and thereby, peace.  

Many are ashamed in their sin.  You fear being unworthy, are embarrassed at your behavior, and perhaps you are greatly stricken. But, do not work to cleanse your conscience!  Instead, believe on the pardon that He gives.  We read, ““Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him; and the people feared the presence of the Lord.  Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, spoke the Lord’s message to the people, saying, ‘I am with you, says the Lord” (Hag 1:12-13).  He promises to be with everyone who says, “I am wrong, Lord, and You are right”. 

The unrepentant have no hope, but the child of God’s past failures will not lead to future disappointment and uselessness.  He says, “According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear (vs5)!” You might not be as big as you were expecting, but God will bless your obedience, your zeal for His glory, and He’ll faithfully make you contented.

Be 100% optimistic, as you work. He says again, “work; for I am with you”. He’s forgiven you, will help you, and He will reward you eternally.