Haggai 1:1-7
In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest: “Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.”
Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways.” (ESV)
Theme:
God calls His redeemed people to reorder their priorities for His glory, according to His covenant grace, with their hope anchored in Christ.
Introduction:
When God’s Work Feels Small.
1. The Historical Moment: Redeemed, Returned, Yet Neglectful
1.1 God’s redeemed people returned from exile by sovereign grace.
1.2 The work of God stalled due to opposition and discouragement.
1.3 God’s Word addressed to the covenant community, not unbelievers.
2. The Central Message: God’s Glory Before Our Comfort2.1 God’s house neglected while personal comfort is pursued.
2.2 The glory of God displaced by temporal concerns.
2.3 A timeless call to seek first God’s kingdom.
3. Theological Foundations: God’s Sovereign Covenant Faithfulness, Worship, and Grace
3.1 God’s Sovereign Covenant Faithfulness.
3.2 True Worship Is Central, Not Optional.
3.3 Obedience as the Fruit of Grace.
4. The Glory of the Latter House: A Christ-Centered Promise
5. Zerubbabel and the Unshakable Kingdom
6. Why Haggai Matters for the Church Today
Conclusion:
Redemption, Responsibility, and Glory.