Because the
children of Israel were neglecting the rebuilding of the temple after
they returned from captivity in Babylon, the LORD through Haggai the
prophet told them to “Consider your ways”. In chapter one
and verse six of his prophecy, Haggai shares some of the signs and
results of their unconsidered ways. We read:
You
have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but you have not
enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe you,
but there is none warm; and he that earns wages earns wages to
put it into a bag with holes.
The
verse begins, “You have sown much,
and bring in little; you eat, but you have not enough;” Haggai
began with the words, “You have sown”
which means “to scatter, produce or yield seed” “much”
or “many, numerous, multiplied or grow great”, “and
bring in”
which means “go in, enter, come in, attain or be enumerated”
“little”
or “few, small, hardly, shortly or little worth”; “you
eat” or
“devour, burn up, feed and consume” “but
you have not enough”
which is the Hebrew word “sob`ah”
which
means “satisfaction, satiety or one's fill”. Though the
Israelites were sowing seed in their fields, they were only producing
a few crops, and though they continually ate, they were never
satisfied completely and remained in hunger.
The verse goes on to
say, “you drink, but you are not
filled with drink; you clothe you, but there is none warm;” Haggai
goes on to say, “you drink” or
“imbibe” “but you are not filled
with drink”
which is the Hebrew word “shakar”
which
means “to be or become drunk or drunken or be intoxicated”; “you
clothe you”
or “dress, are arrayed with or wear clothing” “but
there is none warm”
which is the Hebrew word “chom”
and
means “heat or hot”. Though the Israelites were able to drink
beverages, they were never satisfied with the amount, and though they
dressed themselves with the finest of clothing, they were never warm
enough.
Finally the verse says,
“and he that earns wages earns wages
to put it
into a bag with holes.” Haggai
completes this verse with the words,
“and he that earns wages” which
is the Hebrew word “sakar”
and
means “rewards, wages or hire” “to
put it into a bag”
which is “tsĕrowr”
in the Hebrew and means “bundle, parcel, pouch, bag or pebble”.
Though the Israelites were able to “earn
wages”,
their income seemed to go away as quickly as it came.
When
we consider the LORD's words through Haggai, we keep in mind the
reason for these areas of lack. They neglected prioritizing the
temple of the LORD and rather paid attention to their own homes. The
Israelites sowed, ate, drank and earned wages, but were lacking in
every one of them. Do we have areas in our lives which feel as though
we are never satisfied? Does our outgo seem to be greater than our
income? Perhaps we should reexamine our priorities, and if we find
the LORD Jesus taking a backseat to our personal concerns, we may
discover the reason we are never satisfied and why our income seems
to come into pockets “with
holes”.
May we come before the LORD Jesus openly, and repent of any ways
which do not have Him as first in our lives.
Next
time Haggai once again tells the Israelites to “consider
your ways”, 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.
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