‏ Haggai 1

** After the return from captivity, Haggai was sent to encourage

the people to rebuild the temple, and to reprove their neglect.

To encourage their undertaking, the people are assured that the

glory of the second temple shall far exceed that of the first,

by the appearing therein of Christ, the Desire of all nations.

* Haggai reproves the Jews for neglecting the temple. (1-11) He

promises God's assistance to them. (12-15)

1-11 Observe the sin of the Jews, after their return from

captivity in Babylon. Those employed for God may be driven from

their work by a storm, yet they must go back to it. They did not

say that they would not build a temple, but, Not yet. Thus men

do not say they will never repent and reform, and be religious,

but, Not yet. And so the great business we were sent into the

world to do, is not done. There is a proneness in us to think

wrongly of discouragements in our duty, as if they were a

discharge from our duty, when they are only for the trial of our

courage and faith. They neglected the building of God's house,

that they might have more time and money for worldly affairs.

That the punishment might answer to the sin, the poverty they

thought to prevent by not building the temple, God brought upon

them for not building it. Many good works have been intended,

but not done, because men supposed the proper time was not come.

Thus believers let slip opportunities of usefulness, and sinners

delay the concerns of their souls, till too late. If we labour

only for the meat that perishes, as the Jews here, we are in

danger of losing our labour; but we are sure it shall not be in

vain in the Lord, if we labour for the meat which lasts to

eternal life. If we would have the comfort and continuance of

temporal enjoyments, we must have God as our Friend. See also

#Lu 12:33|. When God crosses our temporal affairs, and we meet

with trouble and disappointment, we shall find the cause is,

that the work we have to do for God and our own souls is left

undone, and we seek our own things more than the things of

Christ. How many, who plead that they cannot afford to give to

pious or charitable designs, often lavish ten times as much in

needless expenses on their houses and themselves! But those are

strangers to their own interests, who are full of care to adorn

and enrich their own houses, while God's temple in their hearts

lies waste. It is the great concern of every one, to apply to

the necessary duty of self-examination and communion with our

own hearts concerning our spiritual state. Sin is what we must

answer for; duty is what we must do. But many are quick-sighted

to pry into other people's ways, who are careless of their own.

If any duty has been neglected, that is no reason why it should

still be so. Whatever God will take pleasure in when done, we

ought to take pleasure in doing. Let those who have put off

their return to God, return with all their heart, while there is

time. 12-15 The people returned to God in the way of duty. In

attending to God's ministers, we must have respect to him that

sent them. The word of the Lord has success, when by his grace

he stirs up our spirits to comply with it. It is in the day of

Divine power we are made willing. When God has work to be done,

he will either find or make men fit to do it. Every one helped,

as his ability was; and this they did with a regard to the Lord

as their God. Those who have lost time, need to redeem time; and

the longer we have loitered in folly, the more haste we should

make. God met them in a way of mercy. Those who work for him,

have him with them; and if he be for us, who can be against us?

This should stir us up to be diligent.