Haggai - When You Can't Get Ahead: God's Answers for a Tough Economy by Christy Bower

Haggai

When You Can’t Get Ahead

God’s Answers for a Tough Economy Christy Bower

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When You Can’t Get Ahead: God’s Answers for a Tough Economy (Haggai) © 2012 Christy Bower All rights reserved. This workbook is for individual use only and may not be distributed in electronic or print form unless an extended license is purchased at www.ChristyBower.com. The extended licenses offer quantity discounts for those who wish to use the workbooks for groups. Cover image purchased to support artists. © iStockphoto.com / Mike Cherim All other images are in the public domain. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. When You Can’t Get Ahead: God’s Answers for a Tough Economy (Haggai) © 2012 Christy Bower

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Welcome! The Bible Explorer Guides provide a hands-on approach to studying individual books of the Bible. The studies are intended to help you discover the answers for yourself, while guiding you through the difficult terrain of context and setting. May God bless you as you study His Word. Christy

About Christy I have a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies from Multnomah Biblical Seminary (2004). I am the author of three books: Best Friends with God (2010), Devotion Explosion (2007), and Abundant Life (2002). I have written numerous articles for Christian publications, as well as writing web content for clients. And, in January 2011, God set me on the path of full-time writing ministry, which has enabled me to focus on creating Bible resources to help others grow in their faith.

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Introduction You never seem to have enough. No matter how hard you work, you can’t get ahead. Just when you think you can start saving a few dollars, the car breaks down. Sound familiar? Sometimes it can feel like you’re leaking money like a sieve. Where has all the money gone? Why is there never anything left over? If only I could get caught up. If only I could get a month ahead. If only I could get some overtime. If only, if only, if only. No matter how hard you work, it seems like you’re not making any progress. In fact, more often than not, it feels like your hardearned money is being swept away. Why? Why can’t I get ahead? Why won’t the Lord bless my hard work? Through the prophet Haggai, the Lord answers these questions. Haggai brings a message of exhortation to a discouraged people. After the Babylonian exile, the captives were freed by the Persians and allowed to return to Jerusalem. But they returned to a land devastated by war that had been left untended for seventy years. Now they were forced to clear massive rubble piles, overgrown brush, and seventy-year-old trees from farmland and city streets! To make matters worse, those first years were plagued with drought and famine, killing off the meager crops and starving the cattle. They were poverty-stricken. Through a series of messages from the Lord, Haggai offers the people a challenge that will change everything.

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“Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!” (Haggai 1:6, NLT).

Haggai: A Challenge That Will Change Everything Zerubbabel, the governor, and Jeshua, the high priest, they both insisted that I deliver the message directly to the people. I climbed up on one of the enormous building stones amid the rubble of Solomon’s Temple. After gazing at the faces of those gathered before me, I began: “My brothers, the governor and the high priest have called you here today so I could give you a message from the Lord. This is what the Lord Almighty says:” “The people are saying, ‘It’s not time to rebuild the Temple yet.’ But I ask you: Why are you living in paneled houses while my house lies in ruins?”

August 29, 520 B.C.E. I addressed the people today. I was nervous because the Lord has never spoken through me this way (to an audience), but after giving the Lord’s message to

I saw the people look at each other nervously. Then I continued the Lord’s message: “How’s that working out for you? For sixteen years you have planted much, but harvested little. Do you think it is a coincidence that you

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have food to eat, but not enough to fill you up? You have wine to drink, but you are still thirsty. You have clothing to wear, but you can’t stay warm. Your wages disappear as if you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!” “I called for a drought on the land to starve both you and your cattle. I have ruined everything you have worked so hard to get! Why? Because my house lies in ruins, while you are busy building your own fine houses! How’s that working out for you? Not so well, is it? Now rebuild my house so I will take pleasure in it and be honored.”

The people worshiped the Lord and agreed to obey God on this matter. It was good to see the people begin to make construction plans with renewed enthusiasm.

September 21, 520 B.C.E. The people began work on the Temple today. It was good to see their renewed enthusiasm for the Lord’s work.

I’ve been praying about this and the Lord gave me another message to deliver to the remnant of people in Judah: “Who among you can remember the Temple as it was before? How does it look now? It seems like nothing, doesn’t it? But be encouraged! Be encouraged and work because I am with you , says the Lord Almighty. My Spirit remains among you, so don’t be afraid.”

I assured them with a message from the Lord: “I am with you, says the Lord!” They were very excited.

October 17, 520 B.C.E. As I’ve worked among the people to help rebuild the Temple, I’ve heard the discouragement creeping into people’s voices. I know what they’re thinking. They whisper it once in a while: “this Temple will never compare to the glorious Temple of Solomon.” They are already disappointed and the work has barely begun!

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“And don’t worry about how you’re going to pay for all of this! I know your poverty! I caused it, remember? Check it out! I am going to shake the nations so their money provides for the building of My Temple. Remember, all the silver and gold in the world is at my disposal! The future glory of this Temple will be greater than in the past because of the contributions of other nations.” The people seemed less weary after I delivered the Lord’s message. There was a hastening of their steps and a glimmer in their eyes. I even heard some of them singing while they worked.

December 18, 520 B.C.E. I delivered this message from the Lord today: “For sixteen years you were under My judgment because you did not finish building the temple. During that time, nothing you touched would prosper. Everything you did and everything you offered to me was unacceptable.”

“Remember how things were before you started to lay the foundation of the Temple. You were always disappointed at the yield of your crops. I sent blight and hail to destroy the produce of your labor. But no matter how bad things got, you refused to turn to Me!” “Mark this day: December 18, the day you laid the foundation of the Temple. I am giving you a promise today. From this day forward, I will bless you.”

The people let out a cheer! Great joy followed and everyone worked with increased enthusiasm today. Then, I pulled aside Zerubbabel, the governor, to encourage him with this message from the Lord: “I will shake things up in the political arena. I will overthrow royal powers of foreign kingdoms. When this happens, I will honor you. I will treat you like a signet ring on my finger, for I have specially chosen you!” Zerubbabel’s lip quivered as I spoke these words from the Lord. His eyes brimmed with tears. He said nothing, but I could see the burden lift from his shoulders, for he had served the Lord for many years, even though he had little real power because of the Persian control of Judah. Zerubbabel half-smiled at me and then turned away to wipe his eyes. Lord, bless him.

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The Landscape of History When the Persians overthrew Babylon in 538 B.C.E., King Cyrus of Persia freed the captives held by the Babylonians. Not only did he allow the Jews to return to Jerusalem, but he also generously funded their return trip and donated generously to help restore the Temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1). When they arrived in Jerusalem, they realized the enormity of the task before them. The city had been destroyed by battering rams and other weapons of war and then burned to the ground so even the rubble would be useless debris. Plus, there was seventy years of untended growth that needed to be cleared. Where there were once streets and fields, there was bramble, brush, and massive trees. Still, they were glad to be home and went to work joyously, until regional enemies began to oppose the work. The people became discouraged and fearful because of the threats of their opponents and work stopped (Ezra 4:4-5, 24). For sixteen years, they did no work to rebuild the Temple or the city of Jerusalem. Instead, they built houses and planted crops. But those sixteen years happened to be plagued by drought and famine. Blight and mildew destroyed crops, and windstorms that blew away piles of grain after they had been harvested. Everything seemed to be going wrong. No matter how hard they tried, they just couldn’t get ahead. Meanwhile, the lumber and supplies for the Temple sat there unused, so the people began to put it to use by adding lavish wood-paneling to their homes. They were living in luxury, but they never had enough. Then the Lord gave the prophets Haggai and Zechariah messages for Judah (Ezra 5:1-2). Haggai’s message was simple: build the temple. The people had failed to put God first, so they lost the blessing that comes from a life centered on God. Zechariah, on the other hand, emphasized the need to rebuild the Temple to prepare for the coming Messiah. When You Can’t Get Ahead: God’s Answers for a Tough Economy (Haggai) © 2012 Christy Bower

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Survey of History 538 B.C.E. The Decree of Cyrus allowed the Jews to return home 536 B.C.E. The Jews began to rebuild the Temple, but became discouraged and quit 520 B.C.E. Haggai and Zechariah encourage the people to rebuild the Temple 515 B.C.E. The Temple was completed

With faith restored, the people resumed work only to have the old, familiar enemies send letters to the Persian king (Ezra 6:1-5). There was a new king in place and Darius made a careful search of the archives to find the original order of Cyrus authorizing the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. With that, King Darius ordered these local authorities who opposed the project to fund it out of their own tax money (Ezra 6:6-12)!

The Persian Empire This map shows the Persian Empire at its greatest extent (525 B.C.E.).

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Outline I.

II.

Hitting Bottom (1:1-2:9) A. First Sermon: Return to the Task God Has Given You (1:1-11) i. The people made excuses for not finishing the Temple. ii. The people focused on trying to get ahead financially but they were frustrated. iii. The Lord ruined everything they worked for because they had not finished the Temple. B. Second Sermon: God Is with You When You Obey (1:12-15) i. The people obeyed the message of Haggai. ii. The people worshiped the Lord. iii. The Lord said, “I am with you!” C. Third Sermon: God Will Provide for His Projects (2:1-9) i. The rebuilding may seem insignificant. ii. God says, “Be encouraged, for I am with you!” iii. God will shake the nations and their treasures will come to the Temple so the future glory of the temple will be greater than the past. Turning Point (2:10-23) A. Fourth Sermon: Under God’s Judgment, Nothing You Touch Will Prosper (2:10-19) i. God gives an illustration about contamination, saying: “Everything they do is contaminated.” ii. Under God’s judgment, nothing you touched would prosper, no matter how hard you worked. iii. In response to their obedience, God says, “From this day onward I will bless you.” B. Fifth Sermon: God Will Honor Those Who Faithfully Honor and Serve Him (2:20-23) i. To the governor, Zerubbabel, God says: “I will overthrow the foreign kingdoms over you.” ii. God says, “I will treat you like a signet ring on my finger, for I have specially chosen you.”

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Haggai ministered to a discouraged people. They were under God’s judgment and nothing was going well. But a simple act of obedience often brings about a turning point.

Faith Lessons Imagine you barely had enough food to eat due to drought and famine. Then, imagine that God told you to finish a multi-million dollar project that He asked you to do nearly two decades ago. No wonder you’d been putting it off. Where would you come up with that kind of money? That’s exactly the situation the people of Haggai’s day found themselves in. They had neglected the task God called them to do because of opposition and discouragement. But after they stopped working on building the Temple, nothing else seemed to go right. They tried to rebuild homes and farms, only to have their crops and herds destroyed by drought and famine. They had food, but not enough to feel full. They had drink, but not enough to satisfy their thirst. They had clothing, but not enough to keep warm. God taught them some important faith lessons. Let’s see what we can learn about God’s answers for a tough economy. If you never seem to have enough: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Stop making excuses (1:1-2) Consider your circumstances (1:3-6) Change your priorities to please and honor God (1:7-11) Worship and obey God to spark your enthusiasm (1:12-15) Return to the task God has given you (2:1-5) Expect God’s provision for His projects (2:6-9) Understand that if you don’t honor God, no amount of personal effort will guarantee your success (2:10-14) 8. Turn back to God (2:15-17) 9. Anticipate a turning point (2:18-19) 10. Receive hope and encouragement from God (2:20-23)

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In Haggai’s day, the Temple was a symbol of the people’s relationship with God. Neglecting the work of rebuilding the Temple was like neglecting their relationship with God.

Stop making excuses (1:1-2) For what purpose were the exiles allowed to return to Judah? See Ezra 1:2-4.

What excuse did the people give for not completing the Temple? What excuses do you give for not doing what God tells you to do? What productive actions could you take instead?

How did God respond to their excuses (Haggai 1:3-4)?

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“This is what the LORD Almighty says: The people are saying, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the LORD’s house— the Temple’” (Haggai 1:2, NLT).

Consider your circumstances (1:3-6) What were the priorities of the people in Haggai’s day? What was the result? “Consider how things are going for you!” (Haggai 1:5, NLT) and list any of your frustrated goals.

Are you trying so hard to make financial ends meet that you have neglected to do the things God wants you to do? How does your financial security, your striving to get ahead, or your personal interests get in the way of your commitment to God?

The Lord said, “Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!” (Haggai 1:6, NLT). And Jesus said to store up treasure in heaven because “the purses of heaven have no holes in them” (Luke 12:33, NLT). What lesson can we learn from this? How could you put this into practice?

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“You have planted much but harvested little. You have food to eat, but not enough to fill you up. You have wine to drink, but not enough to satisfy your thirst. You have clothing to wear, but not enough to keep you warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!” (Haggai 1:6, NLT).

Change your priorities to please and honor God (1:7-11) From the very beginning, God established blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. According to Leviticus 26:18-20 and Deuteronomy 28:38-40, what were some of the curses for disobedience? How might God show His displeasure in our less agricultural society?

God sent drought and famine to remind His people that He was in control and no amount of hard work on their part would achieve the results they desired. They could not get ahead on their own effort. How are you trying to make things work out on your own? How is that working out?

What did God command them to do? Has God asked you to do something that you have been putting off? Do you think you will have God’s blessing until you do it? Could God be disciplining you because you have wrong priorities? What did Jesus say in Matthew 6:33?

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“You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the LORD Almighty, while you are all busy building your own fine houses” (Haggai 1:9, NLT).

Worship and obey God to spark your enthusiasm (1:12-15) According to Ezra 3:8-9, what was the attitude of the people when they began to build the Temple in 536 B.C.E.? What was their attitude for the next sixteen years, until the time of Haggai? Does that reflect your experience?

What happened after they obeyed God’s message and worshiped Him in earnest (Haggai 1:13-14)?

Zechariah, who ministered with Haggai, had a similar message. What did he urge the people to do (Zechariah 1:1-6)?

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So the LORD sparked the enthusiasm of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of God’s people. They came and began their work on the house of the LORD Almighty, their God (Haggai 1:14, NLT).

Return to the task God has given you (2:1-5) The people were discouraged, in part, because they knew they could not rebuild the Temple to match its former glory. In their minds, if they couldn’t build it as before, they were hesitant to build it at all. Does fear of failure or disappointment prevent you from attempting things for God? Or does perfectionism hold you back?

In Ezra 3:12, what was the reaction of those who could remember Solomon’s Temple? Are you disappointed because you feel your current efforts don’t amount to much or aren’t that impressive or important?

What was God’s response to their reluctance (Haggai 2:4-5)? Do you need courage for the task God has given you? How does it help to pursue scary-big goals if you remember that God’s Spirit is at work?

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“Take courage, all you people still left in the land, says the LORD. Take courage and work, for I am with you, says the LORD Almighty” (Haggai 2:4, NLT).

Expect God’s provision for His projects (2:6-9) According to Ezra 3:7, they had purchased magnificent cedars of Lebanon, which they floated down the Mediterranean coast for the project when they started in 536. But when construction on the Temple came to a halt, they apparently used the lumber to add luxurious wood-paneling to their homes (Haggai 1:4, 9). Now the Lord told them to “go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house” (Haggai 1:8, NLT). By putting off what God asked them to do and by misappropriating what God had provided, their delayed obedience would be more difficult. Do you ever procrastinate and find it more difficult to do the task? Have you ever squandered the Lord’s blessings? What happened?

The people didn’t even have enough food to eat because God’s judgment brought drought and famine, so building the Temple seemed way beyond their financial means. The Lord encouraged them, saying He would shake the nations and they would send money to the Temple (Haggai 2:7). How was this fulfilled in Ezra 6:6-12?

Is God asking you to do something beyond your financial means? What encouragement do you find in Haggai 2:8? Did God’s provision happen before or after the people resumed work on the Temple?

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“The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD Almighty” (Haggai 2:8, NLT).

Understand that if you don’t honor God, no amount of personal effort will guarantee your success (2:10-14) The Lord had Haggai ask the priests a question about contamination and then He said, “That is how it is with this people” because “everything they do and everything they offer is defiled” (Haggai 2:14, NLT). In other words, as long as they were under God’s judgment for not finishing the Temple, nothing they touched would prosper. Even today, if we don’t honor God, no amount of personal effort will guarantee our success. How are you trying to achieve success? How is that working for you?

Read John 15:1-8. What does this tell you about how to achieve the kind of success God desires for us? Is it a matter of our own effort? What kind of fruit is your life bearing? How can you change that, if necessary?

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Then Haggai said, “That is how it is with this people and this nation, says the LORD. Everything they do and everything they offer is defiled” (Haggai 2:14, NLT).

Turn back to God (2:15-17) God destroyed their hopes for profit and a good return for their labor, but they just worked harder rather than returning to God. They didn’t see the connection between their dire circumstances and their spiritual apathy. What does it take for God to get your attention?

What does 2 Chronicles 6:26-31 contribute to your understanding of the relationship between economic distress and returning to God? How do you think that would apply to modern economic situations? How might it apply to your situation?

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“I sent blight and mildew and hail to destroy all the produce of your labor. Yet, even so, you refused to return to me, says the LORD” (Haggai 2:17, NLT).

Anticipate a turning point (2:18-19) God wanted them to mark down December 18, the day the foundation was laid, because that would be the turning point. Where they formerly struggled to make financial ends meet and put food on the table, now they would receive God’s blessing. Can you look to specific events in your life and see God’s turning points for you?

Read Zecharaiah 8:9-13. Haggai and Zechariah ministered together. In this message from the Lord through Zecharaiah, what marked the turning point? How did the Lord characterize the situation of the people before and after the turning point?

Money is not an indicator of how much we please God. Wealthy people can be wicked and poor people can be intensely close to God. But when we experience financial difficulties, our first response should be to turn to God rather than trying harder on our own. If you are currently experiencing financial difficulty, what have you learned so far that might give you hope that you, too, could reach a turning point? Do you think you can reach a financial turning point without also reaching a spiritual turning point? What is the relationship between the two?

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“I am giving you a promise now while the seed is still in the barn, before you have harvested your grain and before the grapevine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have produced their crops. From this day onward I will bless you” (Haggai 2:19, NLT).

Receive hope and encouragement from God (2:20-23) The Lord turned from addressing the people of Judah to addressing their governor, Zerubbabel. He assured Zerubbabel that He would overthrow the foreign powers over the people of Judah. On that day, God would honor Zerubbabel. A signet ring was a symbol of authority. Zerubbabel would be able to do God’s work with God’s authority. As you reflect on your life situation, consider what unfinished business God has been asking you to go back to complete. How do you think God will work through you to accomplish His purpose?

The Lord also delivered a message to Zerubbabel through the prophet Zechariah. Read Zechariah 4:6-10 and describe the words of encouragement and hope found there. How does it apply to Zerubbabel? How might those words of encouragement apply to you?

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“I will treat you like a signet ring on my finger, says the LORD, for I have specially chosen you” (Haggai 2:23, NLT).

Bible Explorers I encourage you to explore the Bible on your own. To learn more about Haggai, consider these ideas for further study. In a Bible dictionary, look up: Haggai Zerubbabel. the governor Jeshua, the high priest. A good Bible atlas will provide a thorough description of the Persian Empire and all the segments of the Bible where the Persian influence is noted (for example, Esther!). If you don’t have access to a good Bible atlas, try looking up the Persian Empire in your Bible dictionary.

Contact Christy The best way to get to know me is to meet me on Twitter @christybower. You can also read more of my writings on my blog at www.christybower.com. And I have a contact form on my website if you need to contact me personally. You can even write to me: Christy Bower PO Box 983 Whitefish MT 59937

I love to hear from readers! Go ahead, make my day!

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How has the study of Haggai helped you overcome financial despair or renewed your passion for the task God has given you to complete?