The people of
Israel moved back into Jerusalem after being captive in Babylon for
seventy years. After beginning the rebuilding of the temple of the
LORD, they were halted by edit of the Persian government because
their adversaries, the Samaritans, complained to “Darius” the
king concerning them. Because of this delay, the people left off
rebuilding the temple and began to focus upon their own houses. In
chapter one and verse two of his prophecy, Haggai shared the reason
for their delay was because they had “no time for the house of the
LORD” where we read:
Thus
speaks the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not
come, the time that the LORD'S house should be built.
The
verse begins, “Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, saying,
This people say, The time is not come,...”
Haggai began with the phrase, “Thus speaks”
or “herein avows, utters and answers” “the LORD”
which refers to “Yehovah or Jehovah whose name means the existing
One and is the proper name of the one true God” “of
hosts” who are “the ones
which go forth and organized as an army in war or warfare such as the
angels who are the heavenly hosts” “saying”
or “avowing, uttering and answering” “this people”
which refers to “the nation, kinsman and kindred of Israel” “say”
or “avow, utter and answer” “the time”
which means “the season or opportunity” “is not come”
or “entered, attained or enumerated”. The LORD of the heavenly
host in heaven declared the people of Israel not seizing this
opportunity which was presented before them.
The
verse goes on to say, “...the
time that the LORD'S house should be built.”
Haggai continued, “the time”
or “he season or opportunity” “is not come”
or “entered, attained or enumerated” “that the
LORD's” which refers to “that
which belongs to Yehovah or Jehovah whose name means the existing One
and is the proper name of the one true God” “house”
which means “home, temple or place” “should be built”
or “established, rebuilt, repaired or set up”. The opportunity
before the children of Israel was to “rebuild” the temple of the
LORD, and they were procrastinating against it.
When
we think about Haggai's words, we may be inclined to relate to his
exhortation. It has been said, “Procrastination is the
assassination of motivation”
and particularly when there is a delay for “the LORD's house”, we
place ourselves in direct opposition to His desire. The people of
Israel were busy about their daily activities, and there were
“excuses” and “delays” for paying attention to the “house
of the LORD”. From an early age, Jesus made it a priority to “be
about His Father's business”,
and the gospel of Luke in chapter four and verse sixteen tells us he
attended synagogue as His custom:
“And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought
up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath
day, and stood up for to read.”
Perhaps
we should examine whether we say, “the time is not come”
for building the “LORD's temple” in our own lives, and should we
find ourselves procrastinating “spiritual things”, may today be
the day we alter our path.
Next
time “the word of the LORD” comes
to Haggai, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
No comments:
Post a Comment