Haggai Series: How to Experience God's Blessing (Hag 2:10-23)

How to Experience God’s Blessing

On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month of Darius’ second year, the Lord’s message came to the prophet Haggai: “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has said, ‘Ask the priests about the law. If someone carries holy meat in a fold of his garment and that fold touches bread, a boiled dish, wine, olive oil, or any other food, will that item become holy?’” The priests answered, “It will not.” Then Haggai asked, “If a person who is ritually unclean because of touching a dead body comes in contact with one of these items, will it become unclean?” The priests answered, “It will be unclean.” Then Haggai responded, “‘The people of this nation are unclean in my sight,’ decrees the Lord. ‘And so is all their effort; everything they offer is also unclean. Now therefore reflect carefully on the recent past, before one stone was laid on another in the Lord’s temple. From that time when one came expecting a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty measures from it, there were only twenty. I struck all the products of your labor with blight, disease, and hail, and yet you brought nothing to me,’ says the Lord. ‘Think carefully about the past: from today, the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, to the day work on the temple of the Lord was resumed, think about it. The seed is still in the storehouse, isn’t it? And the vine, fig tree, pomegranate, and olive tree have not produced. Nevertheless, from today on I will bless you.’” 20 Then the Lord spoke again to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: 21 “Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah: ‘I am ready to shake the sky and the earth. 22 I will overthrow royal thrones and shatter the might of earthly kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and those who ride them, and horses and their riders will fall as people kill one another. 23 On that day,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

Haggai 2:10–23 (NET)

How can we experience God’s blessings?

Haggai’s first two messages to the post-exilic Jews, when he rebuked them for building their own richly paneled homes while the temple was in ruins and telling them God’s presence was with them, came on August 29 and September 21, 520 BC (Haggai 1:1-15). The third message, when he encouraged them with a prophecy about the future glory of the temple they were working on in comparison to Solomon’s temple, came on October 17, just short of a month later (Haggai 2:1-9), and this message came two months later on December 18th, almost three months since the work began.

Why does Haggai give this message two months after his last message, including an initial rebuke, declaring them and their works unclean, even though they were building the temple? Apparently, the post-exilic Jews viewed their work on the temple as a good luck charm. As long as they were in obedience to God by rebuilding, surely he would bless them. However, since Haggai rebuked them, saying this in verse 14, “The people of this nation are unclean in my sight,’ decrees the Lord. ‘And so is all their effort; everything they offer is also unclean,” apparently, though they were working, they had not repented of sin in other areas of their lives. Haggai does not explicitly share what their sins were, but we know from other post-exilic books (Ezra, Nehemiah, and Malachi), that the post-exilic Jews started to divorce their wives (Mal 2:13-16), intermarry with the foreigners (Ez 10:10-11, Mal 2:11), mistreat the poor (Neh 5:1-3), neglect their tithes (Mal 3:8-18), and even neglect the Sabbath days (Neh 13:15-22). In fact, when they were divorcing their wives, in Malachi 3:13-14, God specifically said he had stopped accepting their offerings because of it, like Haggai said (2:14).

You also do this: You cover the altar of the Lord with tears as you weep and groan, because he no longer pays any attention to the offering nor accepts it favorably from you. Yet you ask, “Why?” The Lord is testifying against you on behalf of the wife you married when you were young, to whom you have become unfaithful even though she is your companion and wife by law.

Maybe, these were already happening and, therefore, led God to reject their offerings and discipline them through economic and agricultural failure. Haggai 2:16-17 says,

From that time when one came expecting a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty measures from it, there were only twenty. I struck all the products of your labor with blight, disease, and hail, and yet you brought nothing to me,’ says the Lord.

God requires obedience and not just religious practices from his people (1 Sam 15:22), and in their case, the rebuilding of the temple. Psalm 24:3-4 says this about proper temple worship:

Who is allowed to ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may go up to his holy dwelling place? The one whose deeds are blameless and whose motives are pure, who does not lie, or make promises with no intention of keeping them. Such godly people are rewarded by the Lord, and vindicated by the God who delivers them. Such purity characterizes the people who seek his favor, Jacob’s descendants, who pray to him.

Also, Jeremiah 4:4 says,

Circumcise yourselves to the Lord; remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds.

Jeremiah’s rebuke demonstrated that rituals like circumcision (or even offerings) meant nothing if the offerors’ hearts and lives were not right before God. Consequently, like the Psalmist and Jeremiah, Haggai, after three months of the post-exilic Jews building, pointed out the uselessness of temple offerings and their rebuilding of the temple without right hearts and lives before the Lord. That’s why God had Babylon destroy the temple and exile Israel in the first place! Apparently, the post-exilic Jews immediately responded to Haggai’s rebuke as they finished the foundation of the temple of December 18th, 520. In response, God promised to bless them from that day on. Haggai 2:18-19 (ESV) says,

Since the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid [or “work on the temple of the Lord was resumed” in the NET], consider: Is the seed yet in the barn? Indeed, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have yielded nothing. But from this day on I will bless you.

As we consider this text, we can discern principles about experiencing God’s blessing in our lives. When God created humanity in the garden, he initially blessed them and called them to be fruitful, multiply, and rule over the earth (Gen 1:28). However, after humanity sinned against God, he pronounced the difficulties they would go through in birth, marriage, and work, and God cursed the ground because of them (Gen 3:16-19). People lost God’s blessing because of sin, but in later Scripture, we learn principles about walking in God’s blessing, which initially was lost. For example, in Genesis 5:24, in the midst of a genealogy of people dying, it says Enoch walked with God and God took him. He was blessed in the midst of the curse. Likewise, Genesis 6 describes how God was going to destroy the earth because of people’s sins, but then says Noah walked with God, and God made a covenant with him (v. 9 and 18). Later in Genesis 12, after God judged the people of the earth at the tower of Babel because of their rebellion, God promised to bless a man named Abraham if he believed and obeyed him (v. 1-3). Later in Genesis 15:16, the text says Abraham believed God, and it was counted for him as righteousness. The world and humanity are under God’s curse, but there is a way to be blessed. Likewise, with Israel and their covenant with God through the Mosaic law, God told Israel in Deuteronomy 28, he was putting before them a blessing and a curse: a curse if they disobeyed and a blessing if they obeyed (v. 18-19). In the midst of a fallen, cursed world, there is a way for us to experience God’s blessing.

Likewise, in Haggai 2:10-23, Haggai taught the post-exilic Jews that their last sixteen years of economic and agricultural hardship were because of their neglect of the temple and other areas of disobedience; however, because of their faithful work on the temple’s foundation and repentance, God would bless them, including eschatological blessing as given to Zerubbabel in verses 20-23. From this text, we learn principles about experiencing God’s blessing in our lives, which was God’s original plan for humanity and still is his present desire. In Psalm 81:10-11, God said this to Israel, “I am the Lord, your God, the one who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.’ But my people did not obey me; Israel did not submit to me.” God still wants to bless his people today, but many of us have our mouths closed and therefore cannot receive it, and we may even be walking under his discipline, even as the post-exilic Jews were. How can we experience God’s blessing today, as God desires for his children?

Big Question: In Haggai 2:10-19, what principles about experiencing God’s blessings can be discerned?

To Experience God’s Blessing, We Must Recognize the Defiling Nature of Sin and Pursue Holiness

On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month of Darius’ second year, the Lord’s message came to the prophet Haggai: “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has said, ‘Ask the priests about the law. If someone carries holy meat in a fold of his garment and that fold touches bread, a boiled dish, wine, olive oil, or any other food, will that item become holy?’” The priests answered, “It will not.” Then Haggai asked, “If a person who is ritually unclean because of touching a dead body comes in contact with one of these items, will it become unclean?” The priests answered, “It will be unclean.” Then Haggai responded, “‘The people of this nation are unclean in my sight,’ Now therefore reflect carefully on the recent past, before one stone was laid on another in the Lord’s temple.

Haggai 2:10-15

To rebuke the post-exilic Jews for their continued sin even while doing the good work of rebuilding the temple, Haggai told them to ask the priests simple questions about holiness and defilement, starting with a question about whether a garment with holy meat would transfer holiness to other food that was touched. The priests answered, “It will not” (v. 12). The priests were considered the custodians of God’s law, while the prophets called the people back to following it when they were not and also gave fresh revelations from God (cf. Mal 2:7, Jer 18:18). According to God’s law, the altar in the temple was holy. Exodus 29:36-37 says this about the altar: “For seven days you are to make atonement for the altar and set it apart as holy. Then the altar will be most holy. Anything that touches the altar will be holy.” The same was true with objects that touched the altar, like meat, and whatever the meat touched also became holy. Leviticus 6:17-18 (ESV) says this about food offerings:

It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it as their portion of my food offerings. It is a thing most holy, like the sin offering and the guilt offering. Every male among the children of Aaron may eat of it, as decreed forever throughout your generations, from the Lord’s food offerings. Whatever touches them shall become holy.

The altar was holy; whatever touched the altar became holy, like food offerings, and whatever the offerings touched became holy. In Haggai’s illustration, the garment of the offeror became holy from contact with the food offered at the temple. Most likely, this described a freewill offering, which was unique. With freewill offerings, a portion of the offering was burned up before the Lord, a portion was given to the priest, and the offeror ate his portion immediately or took it home to be eaten within two days. If kept till the third day, it needed to be burned up according to Leviticus 7:15-17. As mentioned, when the offeror placed the meat in his garment to take home, the garment became holy from touching the meat. Leviticus 6:27 says, “Whatever touches its flesh shall be holy, and when any of its blood is splashed on a garment, you shall wash that on which it was splashed in a holy place.” The garment was to be washed in a holy place after touching the meat because it was also now holy. However, holiness did not transfer from the garment to other foods at the offeror’s house when touched. The transfer of holiness was limited, from the altar, to food, to the garment, but not after that. Holiness was transferable, but only in limited situations.

The second question for the priests had to do with the transferability of uncleanness from a person who touched a dead body (v. 13). If a person touched a dead body, he was considered unclean and therefore could not participate in the worship at the temple until he had gone through ceremonial cleansing. While he was unclean, whatever he touched also became unclean, including food and the temple itself. Numbers 19:13 says, “Anyone who touches the corpse of any dead person and does not purify himself defiles the tabernacle of the Lord. And that person must be cut off from Israel…” What was the prophet’s point? Haggai’s point was that sin is more contagious than holiness. Holiness passed directly to objects, but only in a limited fashion; however, uncleanness was very contagious, including contaminating the temple. This is true in life. We can pass the flu or other sicknesses to people easily, simply by touching or breathing on them, but we can’t pass our good health to others by our touch or breath.

The illustration was meant to teach the post-exilic Jews that their sin was defiling their sacrifices and their work on the temple. In verse 14, God shared this through Haggai, “‘The people of this nation are unclean in my sight,’ decrees the Lord. ‘And so is all their effort; everything they offer is also unclean.” It should be noted that God said “the people” and “this people” instead of “my people.” His words demonstrated both condemnation and dissociation. Before they started rebuilding the temple, and after rebuilding for three months, they were still coming to the temple ruins and offering sacrifices, but all their effort was defiled because of their disobedience. They were like somebody who was unclean from touching a dead corpse but refused to go through the purification process. They thought their renewed religious activity made them right with God, even though they were still living lives of rebellion in other ways. Contemporary Christians often fall into the same trap. They might think coming to church on Sunday, reading their Bible, saying prayers, and even giving make them right with God, while they continue to live with unrepentant sin in their family-life, work-life, and recreation. However, in Psalm 66:18, the Psalmist said, “If I had harbored sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” Likewise, in Matthew 6:15, Christ said, “But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins.” In 1 Peter 3:6-7, Peter said this to husbands, “Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as the weaker partners and show them honor as fellow heirs of the grace of life. In this way nothing will hinder your prayers.” Unconfessed sin negatively affects our relationship with God, including our prayer life. Clearly, this does not just apply to outward sins but sins of the heart. In 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, Paul said,

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I give over my body in order to boast, but do not have love, I receive no benefit.

This means we can pray, prophecy, act in faith, and give generously, but if we don’t have a right heart (one acting in love towards God and others), then there is no spiritual benefit to our good actions. They become unpleasant noise and actions to God (a clanging cymbal). That was true of the post-exilic Jews. Their offering of sacrifices on feast days and their effort in rebuilding the temple were not acceptable to God because of their unrepentant disobedience in other areas. As mentioned, the prophet does not explicitly name these sins, but later post-exilic writers mention their lack of tithing, divorcing their Jewish wives, marrying pagan women, neglecting the sabbath, and mistreating the poor.

If the post-exilic Jews were going to experience the blessings of the Mosaic Covenant (Dt 28), they needed to not just rebuild the temple but repent of all their sins and pursue holiness. Unrepentant sin defiled their worship and hindered God’s blessing.

This is true for us as well. To further illustrate this, Psalm 1:1-3 (ESV) says it this way:

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

We lose God’s blessing when we listen to the counsel of the wicked, practice their ways, and eventually mock those who believe God’s Word and follow it. The Psalmist is showing the pathway of sin and how it defiles us. First, a person begins to listen to sinful things (in their music, podcasts, or even a classroom), then they practice it (stands in the way), and eventually they become just like the world by mocking holy things. Sin spreads and defiles. To receive God’s blessing, we must turn away from sin and temptations to sin towards righteousness, including meditating on and obeying God’s Word.

To demonstrate further how sin and compromise lead to losing God’s blessing, 2 Corinthians 6:14 and 17-18 says this about being unequally yoked with unbelievers.

Do not become partners with those who do not believe, for what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship does light have with darkness? … Therefore “come out from their midst, and be separate,” says the Lord, “and touch no unclean thing, and I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,” says the All-Powerful Lord.

This verse is often applied to marriage, but it applies to more than marriage. It applies to any influencing relationships with the world. We can lose God’s blessing because of our associations. That might include the music we listen to, the movies we entertain ourselves with, and the relationships we keep. The Corinthians were compromising in these areas and therefore losing God’s blessing. In fact, it’s interesting to consider that after calling them to separate from worldly relationships, he gave them this promise in verse 18 if they did separate, “I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters.” This is strange since the Corinthians were Christians, God’s children! Though children, they lacked the intimacy and the blessing of their heavenly Father because of their ungodly associations and, no doubt, the compromise those associations led to. Certainly, this is true with many Christians today as well. They lack God’s blessings because of their association with ungodly people and ungodly ideas, in the books they read, the music they listen to, the podcasts they entertain themselves with, and the compromising friendships they have. No doubt, they declare proudly that these relationships have little to no negative effects on them, and they may even say they’re just trying to understand and relate to the world to reach them! However, God says to them, as he did to the Corinthians, “Don’t you know that a little yeast affects the whole batch of dough?” (1 Cor 5:6) and “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals’” (1 Cor 15:33). Sin quickly spreads and negatively affects us and others. To experience the Father’s blessings, the Corinthians needed to be holy, including being separate from ungodly relationships and worldiviews that were influencing them to sin. Sin (and ungodly relationships) keep us from walking in God’s blessing. Certainly, this is not a call to become monks and go into monasteries to stay away from the world. We are still called to be salt and light to the world (Matt 5:13-16), but we must be in the world like a doctor ministering to sick people in a hospital—realizing we’re called to heal but we’re also vulnerable to become sick and even die. That was God’s Word through Haggai to the post-exilic Jews. They were missing God’s blessings and experiencing God’s judgment because of their sins. It was even defiling their offerings to the Lord and their work in rebuilding the temple. Again, this is true for us. Sin defiles and removes God’s blessing. It may even defile our good works, like serving in youth or children’s ministry, leading worship, caring for the poor, giving generously, or even teaching God’s Word.

In what ways is God calling us to repent and turn away from sin, so we can experience his blessing in our work, families, ministries, and most importantly, our relationship with him? Scottish pastor, Robert Murray McCheyne, said this to his friend Reverend Dan Edwards on October 2nd, 1840, after his ordination as a missionary to the Jews in Germany:

In great measure, according to the purity and perfections of the instrument, will be the success. It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God’

Are we being holy—turning away from sins and pursuing righteousness? That’s where God’s blessing begins.

Application Question: Why is sin so contagious in comparison to holiness? How have you seen or experienced the contagiousness of sin, especially through relationships and the media one consumes? Why does holiness greatly affect our usefulness to the Lord (cf. 2 Tim 3:20-21)? How is God calling you to pursue holiness, getting rid of sin and becoming righteous?

To Experience God’s Blessing, We Must Regularly Evaluate Our Lives According to God’s Word, and Respond Accordingly

Now therefore reflect carefully on the recent past, before one stone was laid on another in the Lord’s temple. From that time when one came expecting a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty measures from it, there were only twenty. I struck all the products of your labor with blight, disease, and hail, and yet you brought nothing to me,’ says the Lord. ‘Think carefully about the past: from today, the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, to the day work on the temple of the Lord was resumed, think about it.

Haggai 2:15-18

After challenging the post-exilic Jews to be holy and turn away from sin to experience God’s blessings, Haggai invited them to examine their lives and make changes. Haggai 2:18 can be translated both “Think carefully about the past” (NET) and “From this day on” (NIV). One translation calls for the Jews to look to the past and the other to the future. The NET connects verse 18 with 15-17, as the Jews were called to consider God’s discipline in the past, while the NIV connects verses 18 and 19 and how God was going to bless them from that day. Maybe, the verse is intentionally ambiguous, since the Jews needed to do both. Another interpretive issue is when Haggai 2:18 (NIV) says, “From this day on, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid. Give careful thought:” This is confusing because the foundation of the second temple was laid sixteen years prior in 536 BC after the Jews returned from the Babylonian exile. Since Haggai is clearly referring to December 18, 520 BC as the laying of the temple’s foundation and not the original laying of it sixteen year prior, he must be referring to the post-exilic Jews’ renovation of the foundation. In fact, though the verb can have the sense of “to lay a foundation” (cf. Ezek 13:14; Mic 1:6), it can also mean “to restore or repair” (cf. Zech 8:9; Ezra 3:6). Therefore, Haggai is probably referring to the post-exilic Jews’ restoration of the existing structure, as the time God’s blessing began. That was the same day as the message he was currently giving. For the three months prior, the post-exilic Jews, in response to Haggai’s initial rebuke in Haggai 1:1-11, were most likely gathering wood, putting people into teams, removing the rubble, and preparing the brick for building, but without right hearts and full repentance. Apparently, on the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month (December 18th, 520 BC in the modern calendar) when the Jews renovated the foundation of the temple, they also truly repented, in part because of Haggai’s preaching, and consequently, from that day God was going to bless them (v. 19). As mentioned, clearly the Jews thought of the temple like a good luck charm. As long as they were working on it, God would bless their lives, regardless of their sinful condition. However, in this fourth message, Haggai confronted their wrong thinking which, no doubt, assisted their repentance, leading to God’s blessing.

As we consider Haggai 2:15-19, what should stand out most is Haggai’s call for the post-exilic Jews to “reflect carefully” in verse 15, “think carefully about” in verse 18, and “think about it” in verse 19. They can all be translated “consider” as in the ESV. This is one of the major themes of the book. The phrase literally means ‘to set your heart upon’ and implies serious reflection. The Hebrew verb is mentioned five times in the book (1:5, 7, 2:15, and 18). It’s constant repetition in such a short space means that the post-exilic Jews were not living reflective lives. They were not considering their ways—their actions, motives, and the results of them against God’s Word. This was especially important because of their covenant with God. Amidst all the nations on the earth, God specifically chose Israel to be his people. In Deuteronomy 28, he told them if they obeyed God, he would bless them, corporately, individually, militarily, and agriculturally. If they obeyed God, he would empower them, and they would defeat their enemies. If they obeyed God, the heavens would give forth rain, and they would have abundant crops. But if they disobeyed God, they would be conquered by foreigners, the heavens would not give forth rain, they would experience barren lands, and ultimately would be removed from the land. Therefore, they would have been able to look around them, at their military, crops, and lives in general, to see if they were walking correctly with God by their works aligning with God’s Word and whether they were experiencing his blessing or not. That’s exactly what God called them to do. In verses 15-16, he said, “reflect carefully on the recent past, before one stone was laid on another in the Lord’s temple. From that time when one came expecting a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty measures from it, there were only twenty.” If they considered their ways, they would recognize that their harvests were only producing half what they were supposed to (ten measures intead of twenty, v. 16). When they went to get their wine, it only produced forty percent (twenty measures instead of fifty, v. 16). They were not experiencing the blessings of the covenant, which means they were being disobedient and therefore under God’s curse.

Likewise, though we are not under the Old Covenant, it still reflects God’s character, and we still have been given his Word and its promises. Therefore, we must regularly evaluate ourselves according to them. For example, we should ask ourselves questions like:

1. Are we experiencing God’s peace in our hearts instead of anxiety, worry, and depression?

Though God has not promised us wealth and health (as in the Mosaic Covenant), he has promised that we can have his peace regardless of our circumstances. Isaiah 26:3 (ESV) says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Also, Galatians 5:22 says the fruit of the spirit is “peace.” And, Philippians 4:6-7 gives us this promise:

Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

To those who choose, in obedience to God, to not be anxious or worried about their circumstances, but to instead pray about everything, give thanks in everything, and make their requests to God in everything, God will give them peace.

Do we have God’s peace, or are we consumed with worry and fear? We should constantly consider these things and respond accordingly.

2. Are our relationships with others, as much as depends on us, in peace or discord?

In Matthew 5:23-24, Christ said if we went to the altar but realized that a person had something against us, we should leave our gift, be reconciled with the person, and then offer the gift. Our relationships with others always reflect and affect our relationship with God. In fact, Christ said in Matthew 6:15, “But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins.” First John 4:20 says it this way: “If anyone says ‘I love God’ and yet hates his fellow Christian, he is a liar, because the one who does not love his fellow Christian whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” Our relationships with others demonstrate if we are even saved (loving God). If our confession of Christ has not changed our relationship with others, then we may not be truly saved, according to Scripture. John also says this in 1 John 3:14, “We know that we have crossed over from death to life because we love our fellow Christians. The one who does not love remains in death.” Therefore, since our horizontal relationships tell us something about our vertical relationships, we should always survey them. Am I in discord with someone? As Romans 12:18 says, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people,” am I doing my part to reconcile, including seeking to overcome evil by doing good to them, praying for them, and blessing them (Rom 12:20-21, Matt 5:44)? Do I have any unforgiveness in my heart I need to repent of? If we don’t forgive others, God will not forgive us (Matt 6:15). Unforgiveness causes a rift in our relationship with God and invites his discipline (cf. Matt 18:23-35). If it’s perpetually in our lives (meaning an unwillingness to forgive others), it might represent an unconverted heart, which is a serious condition.

How are our relationships with others?

3. Are there any unconfessed sins in our lives? Are we allowing God’s Word to continually expose our sin so we can repent and get rid of it?

As mentioned, in 1 Corinthians 5:6, Paul said this about sin, “Don’t you know that a little yeast affects the whole batch of dough?” Sin has a tendency to spread, so we must expose it, confess it, and turn from it immediately. This is why so many pastors and ministry leaders, get exposed for being in an affair or embezzling money from the church for years. Why? It’s because they stopped examining their lives and repenting, so little sins got in and spread. Not repenting of sin, even small sins, is like getting a pet lion. The baby lion may be cute and almost harmless, but as it grows, it can become impossible to control and eat us or others. A person serving God in ministry who never gets rid of pet sins like pride, lust, anger, or greed, they eventually grow, get out of control, and devour them. Though the post-exilic Jews were serving the Lord by doing the greatest work on the earth at that time, rebuilding God’s temple, they, at least initially, had accepted certain sins and stopped fighting to get rid of them.

Important to reemphasize, it’s not just our actions we must survey but also our attitudes. We should constantly examine our hearts and repent of selfishness, pride, lust, anger, jealousy, and any other heart motive that doesn’t glorify God. The greatest way we do this is by constantly meditating on God’s Word as a daily discipline. Hebrews 4:12 says,

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart.

When we are not consistently reading the Word of God and hearing it preached, often the desires and thoughts of our hearts (including unforgiveness, pride, lack of faith, love, and zeal for the Lord, etc.) are not exposed, and therefore, we cannot repent of them. Obviously, the post-exilic Jews were not being consistently exposed to God’s Word, but when the Word of God came through Haggai, they repented—first by rebuilding the temple and second by getting rid of unconfessed sin. This led to God’s blessing.

4. Are we going through any aspects of God’s discipline? Why did God allow it, and how are we responding to it?

In Haggai 2:17 (ESV), God said this to the post-exilic Jews, “I struck you and all the products of your toil with blight and with mildew and with hail, yet you did not turn to me, declares the Lord.” This means for sixteen years, while they neglected the temple, they were experiencing agricultural and economic failure, and yet they never realized it was happening because of their sin. Likewise, we commonly go through conflict in our relationships at work, with friends, or in our marriage, and we never stop to think what is God aiming to teach us through it. We experience vocational or health failure and never examine them prayerfully before the Lord. Hebrews 12:7-8 and verse 11 says,

Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? But if you do not experience discipline, something all sons have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons… Now all discipline seems painful at the time, not joyful. But later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness for those trained by it.

When the writer of Hebrews says to endure suffering as God’s discipline, he is referring to all suffering. Whether caused by our sin, that of others, or even the devil, we should see God as in control of it. For example, even though Job lost his children because of Satan, he saw God in control of his circumstances. In Job 1:21, he said, “The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. May the name of the Lord be blessed!” Often, instead of correctly evaluating our problems and seeing God, we only see the difficult boss, roommate, parent, spouse, or situation. However, the writer of Hebrews said to endure suffering as God’s discipline meant to train us. This means when we enter trials, we should immediately obey God’s command through Haggai to the post-exilic Jews to consider our ways. Are we faithfully enduring the suffering or simply getting mad at God, others, and/or even trying to escape? James 1:2-3 says, “My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” Often God allows trials to make us strong, including developing perseverance in us (the ability to bear a heavy weight). Therefore, we should praise him during it (like Job did) and persevere through it instead of primarily complaining and trying to escape. Part of how we faithfully persevere through trials is thanking God for it and asking for his wisdom on how to respond during the trial. In the context of going through trials, James 1:5 says, “But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him.” Certainly, sometimes, trials may be God’s direction, leading us somewhere else. But often, it’s simply something he wants us to persevere through to make us rely on him more and therefore become strong. We need to pray (and often get counsel) to discern God’s will in the situation (cf. Prov 11:14).

While in the trial, we should evaluate ourselves to see if our sin has caused it or is contributing to it, and repent. With the post-exilic Jews, it was their initial disobedience to God’s command to rebuild the temple and their ignoring other commands in the covenant that was causing their economic and agricultural failure. However, that’s not true of all trials. With Job, his trials came because he was righteous. God allowed Satan to test him to reveal what was in his heart and to create a deeper dependence on God and understanding of him. The post-exilic Jews either did not consider their ways, discerning that their sins were causing the trials, or they came to a wrong conclusion. Maybe, they were deceived by comparing themselves to the Jews who did not leave their home, family, and jobs, to go to the land in faith. Maybe, this gave them a false estimation of themselves. When we evaluate ourselves, we should compare ourselves to God and his Word, not others, so we can come to a proper conclusion. Either way, when trials come, we must consider our ways. Are we in the trial because of sin, or even possibly our righteousness? Do we have the right attitude in the trials (trusting God and praising him), or are we bitter and complaining?

How we go through the discipline is very important because, according to Hebrews 12:11, the trial produces peace and righteousness in those who are trained by it. This means for those who go through various trials improperly at work, school, church, or the home, they often leave the trial with a lack of peace—more fear and anxiety—and a greater propensity towards sin instead of righteousness. For many, the way they deal with their trials is, instead of drawing near God, they draw closer to the world and sin, including developing addictions. They get into an unhealthy dating relationship; they become addicted to drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes, all as coping mechanisms. Others become angry at God instead of developing greater faith. Others become angry with others and struggle with trust and commitment issues instead of developing a greater love for people, including God’s body. God allows the trials to test us, develop endurance, peace, and righteousness in our lives, but Satan wants to use it to draw us away from God, his plan for our lives, and his people (whom his grace often flows through).

Furthermore, as we consider God’s discipline and our response to it, we must also consider the absence of God’s discipline. Hebrews 12:8 says, “But if you do not experience discipline, something all sons have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons.” God regularly allows discipline in the lives of his children. In fact, in John 15:1-2, Christ says, “I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me. He prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit.” For the branch that is fruitful, God allows more trials in their lives to get rid of sin and to make them more fruitful. With Joseph, he went from a pit, to being a slave, to being a prisoner (altogether for about thirteen years) before God exalted him to second in command over Egypt. God multiplied trials in the life of the one who was faithful to prepare him for greater works. Likewise, if we are God’s children, he will multiply trials in our lives, both to get rid of sin and to promote righteousness. However, again, in Hebrews 12:8, the author of Hebrews says, “if you do not experience discipline, something all sons have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons.” If we can live in unrepentant sin and not experience God’s discipline, we might not be God’s children. He is a good father who disciplines his kids to make them holy. If we can live in unrepentant lust, dishonesty, or unforgiveness towards those who hurt us, then we may not be truly saved. We are saved by repenting of our sin and putting our faith in Christ, and these two things will continue in the life of a true believer. To no longer repent of sin or no longer believe in God means we were never truly saved, because faith and repentance are gifts God gives to those he calls to himself (cf. Eph 2:8-9, Acts 11:18). When some Ephesians left the church to follow a cult who had unorthodox views of Christ and righteousness, in 1 John 2:19, John said, “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us, because if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But they went out from us to demonstrate that all of them do not belong to us.” John didn’t believe they lost their salvation; he believed they were never truly saved. Likewise, with those who called Christ, “Lord,” but lived lifestyles of sin (and apparently experienced no discipline), Christ said to them in Matthew 7:23, “I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!” Therefore, to profess Christ as Lord and live in sin and yet be without discipline proves we are not saved. With the Corinthians who were abusing the Lord’s supper, Paul said this to them in 1 Corinthians 11:30-32:

That is why many of you are weak and sick, and quite a few are dead. But if we examined ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned with the world.

God disciplined them through depression, sickness, and even death because of their sin. A good father will not allow his children to continue in sin without discipline, and the same is true of God. God disciplines his children so they will not ultimately be condemned eternally with the world. Therefore, if we can live in unrepentant sin, including not doing what God has called us to do, which is called a sin of ommission, not reading God’s Word, not going to church, not serving others, and we receive no discipline from God, no correction through his Word or trials meant to turn us back, we may not be his children. The post-exilic Jews failed to properly evaluate themselves, including considering the discipline they were going through and responding to it.

5. Are we allowing others to wisely evaluate us, and if so, what are they saying?

As mentioned in the study of Haggai 1:1-15, we must not only evaluate ourselves but also allow others to do so. God used Haggai to reveal the sin of the post-exilic Jews and the discipline God was using to bring repentance in their lives. When we are walking in a right relationship with God, he will commonly use others to prophetically correct us as well. With David, the prophet Nathan challenged him when he was living in unrepentant adultery and murder. God will commonly do the same to us through a healthy relationship with his church. As we come and sit under biblical teaching, it should expose our sin and draw us to righteousness. As we meet with others in small groups, they challenge us both directly and indirectly through their sharing. And certainly this happens as we gather in each other’s homes or meet for coffee. God will prophetically speak through others, as we open our hearts both to God and them.

If we are going to walk in God’s blessing, we must continually evaluate ourselves and allow others to as well. Socrates, as quoted in Plato’s book Apology, said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” As a philosopher, he believed we cannot live a meaningful life without critical examination of our actions, beliefs, and motives, and certainly this is true in our relationship with God and his calling on our lives. Because the Psalmist understood the importance of this practice, he asked God to do it for him. In Psalm 139:23-24, he prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.” This is a wise prayer for us as well. Are we examining our spiritual lives against God’s Word and inviting God and others to do so?

Application Question: Why is it so important to constantly, prayerfully evaluate our lives against God’s Word? How have you experienced the blessing of having spiritual brothers and sisters speak into your life for both encouragement and challenge? What makes speaking into the lives of others, especially in the context of sin or potential sin, hard? How is God calling you to better spiritually evaluate your life and help others to as well?

To Experience God’s Blessing, We Must Wholeheartedly Trust God’s Sovereign Plan and Obey in Faith, Despite Difficult and Confusing Circumstances and Delays

‘Think carefully about the past: from today, the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, to the day work on the temple of the Lord was resumed, think about it. The seed is still in the storehouse, isn’t it? And the vine, fig tree, pomegranate, and olive tree have not produced. Nevertheless, from today on I will bless you.’ ” Then the Lord spoke again to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: “Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah: ‘I am ready to shake the sky and the earth. I will overthrow royal thrones and shatter the might of earthly kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and those who ride them, and horses and their riders will fall as people kill one another. On that day,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

Haggai 2:18–23

After calling the post-exilic Jews to think about the past (God’s discipline upon their economy and agriculture) and to consider the future from their re-laying of the temple’s foundation, God promised to bless them (v. 19), including eschatological blessing as prophetically mentioned to Zerubbabel (v. 20-23). When he asked if the seed was in the storehouse (v. 18), the answer would have been no. It was late December, winter time, and the planting had been done. They were waiting on the harvest to come in the spring, early summer, and some in the fall. With that said, as they looked at their circumstances, there was no proof that God was going to bless their harvest, other than God’s Word through Haggai. They had to believe it in faith. The vine, fig tree, pomegranate, and olive tree were barren, and they wouldn’t produce for months. They were already experiencing famine and inflation (v. 16-17). They had to wait in faith for God’s blessing on their harvest.

In addition, on the same day, God spoke a prophecy, through Haggai, to Zerrubbabel that would not be fulfilled in his life time and ultimately waits the end times and Christ’s coming. Haggai 2:20-23 says this

Then the Lord spoke again to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: “Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah: ‘I am ready to shake the sky and the earth. I will overthrow royal thrones and shatter the might of earthly kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and those who ride them, and horses and their riders will fall as people kill one another. On that day,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

Though Israel was small, weak, and under the authority of Persia, God encouraged Zerubbabel with the fact that God was over nations. He was about to shake the sky and earth by overthrowing royal thrones and shattering the might of earthly kingdoms. This was the same prophecy God gave earlier in Haggai 2:6-7:

Moreover, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has said: “In just a little while I will once again shake the sky and the earth, the sea and the dry ground. I will also shake up all the nations, and they will offer their treasures; then I will fill this temple with glory,” So the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has said.

This prophecy was repeated in Hebrews 12:26-28 in referring to the coming kingdom that Christ will bring. It says,

Then his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “I will once more shake not only the earth but heaven too.” Now this phrase “once more” indicates the removal of what is shaken, that is, of created things, so that what is unshaken may remain. So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe.

Haggai’s prophecy of overthrowing royal thrones and kingdoms probably had a partial fulfillment in the shaking of the world powers, which greatly affected Israel. Persia was eventually conquered by Greece, and then Greece was conquered by Rome, which was ruling on the earth at Christ’s first coming. However, as mentioned, this prophecy ultimately points towards the coming of the unshakeable kingdom at Christ’s second return. Before Christ returns, there will be a major shaking and overthrowing of kingdoms, especially those who will attack Israel. Haggai and Zechariah were prophetic partners who were both used to call the post-exilic Jews to repentance and the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 5:1-2). Zechariah gave more specific prophecies about Israel and the overthrowing of all nations, which Zerubbabel would have also heard. Zechariah 12:1-10 says,

This is an oracle, the Lord’s message concerning Israel: The Lord—he who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundations of the earth, who forms the human spirit within a person—says, “I am about to make Jerusalem a cup that brings dizziness to all the surrounding nations; indeed, Judah will also be included when Jerusalem is besieged. Moreover, on that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy burden for all the nations, and all who try to carry it will be seriously injured; yet all the peoples of the earth will be assembled against it. On that day,” says the Lord, “I will strike every horse with confusion and its rider with madness. I will pay close attention to the house of Judah, but will strike all the horses of the nations with blindness. Then the leaders of Judah will say to themselves, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem are a means of strength to us through their God, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.’ On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like an igniter among sticks and a burning torch among sheaves, and they will burn up all the surrounding nations right and left. Then the people of Jerusalem will settle once more in their place, the city of Jerusalem. The Lord also will deliver the homes of Judah first, so that the splendor of the kingship of David and of the people of Jerusalem may not exceed that of Judah. On that day the Lord himself will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the weakest among them will be like mighty David, and the dynasty of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord before them. So on that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. “I will pour out on the kingship of David and the population of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication so that they will look to me, the one they have pierced. They will lament for him as one laments for an only son, and there will be a bitter cry for him like the bitter cry for a firstborn.

There will come a time when all the nations of the earth come against Israel, and God will fight for them through Christ, the Davidic King, who will return to judge the nations. This will lead Israel to accept Christ as their messiah, weeping over the one they pierced on the cross two thousand years ago (Zech 12:10). Prophecies like this are spread throughout the prophetic books, including Revelation (cf. Joel 3:2, 9-14, Zeph 3:8, Mic 3:11-13, Zech 14:2-5). Revelation 16:13-16 describes Satan and the Antichrist gathering all the nations of the earth to one place to battle against God.

Then I saw three unclean spirits that looked like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of the demons performing signs who go out to the kings of the earth to bring them together for the battle that will take place on the great day of God, the All-Powerful. (Look! I will come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays alert and does not lose his clothes so that he will not have to walk around naked and his shameful condition be seen.) Now the spirits gathered the kings and their armies to the place that is called Armageddon in Hebrew.

Also, Revelation 19:19-21 says this battle will culminate with Christ’s coming to bring judgment on the nations. It says,

Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to do battle with the one who rode the horse and with his army. Now the beast was seized, and along with him the false prophet who had performed the signs on his behalf—signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur. The others were killed by the sword that extended from the mouth of the one who rode the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves with their flesh

This prophecy corresponds with Haggai, Zechariah, and Hebrew’s prophecies about God shaking and overthrowing the nations, and it culminating with Christ’s return and him bringing an unshakable kingdom, the kingdom of God. Zerubbabel would not have understood the far-reaching implications of this prophecy, but it was meant to encourage him because Israel was God’s people, and he is in control of the nations and will ultimately protect Israel and bring judgment for its enemies’ animosity towards it (cf. Gen 12:3). In addition, God gave a personal prophecy to Zerubbabel. In verse 23, he said:

On that day,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

God said several encouraging things about Zerubbabel—that he was God’s servant, that God would make him a signet ring, and that he was chosen by God. Though a governor of a small and downtrodden people, Zerubbabel was God’s chosen servant. Servant was an honorific title used of David, and even the messiah in Scripture (2 Sam 7:5, Ez 37:24-25, Is 42:1, Matt 12:18). The symbol of a signet ring represented the authority God was going to bestow on him. It was with the signet ring that a king signed royal documents. It was so valuable it was typically kept on his person. When Pharaoh made Joseph second in command over Egypt, he gave Joseph his signet ring so that he could sign documents and make official moves to protect the kingdom during the famine (Gen 41:42). The implication of Zerubbabel being made God’s signet ring seems to represent a restoration of the Davidic kingship to Israel. Zerubbabel was in David’s line, as he was a grandson of Jeconiah (also named Jehoiachin), the king (Hag 1:1, 1 Chr 3:17-19, 2 Kgs 24). With that said, this never happened to Zerubbabel. Israel continued under foreign oppression for centuries.

How is this prophecy fulfilled, then? As with God shaking the nations and bringing the eternal kingdom, this prophecy also will be fulfilled in the end times, not through Zerubbabel specifically but through his seed, Christ. As mentioned, Zerubbabel was in the line of David, and him being God’s signet ring represents the restoration of the Davidic kingship through Christ, who would come from Zerubbabel. In both Matthew and Luke’s genealogy of Christ, Zerubbabel was mentioned (Matt 1:12-13, Lk 3:27). Zerubbabel was the carrier of the promise but not it’s fulfilment. That awaits his greater grandson.

With that said, this gives us another principle about experiencing God’s blessing. With both prophecies given in verses 18-23, Israel had to wait for them in faith, while trusting God’s sovereign plan. With Israel, who was rebuilding the temple and had repented of their sins, from the day the foundation of the temple was laid, God was going to bless them. Though the fig, olive, and pomegranate trees lay barren and would be for months, God would ultimately bless the coming harvest. They needed to trust God, even though their circumstances were dire and difficult, including famine and inflation. In addition, with Zerrubbabel, all the prophecies given to encourage him ultimately await the end times and Christ’s coming. That will be the time of the ultimate shaking of all nations, which will lead to the restoration of the Davidic kingship, Israel’s blessing, and even blessing to the world. In Romans 11:11-12 and 15, Paul said this about Israel’s rejection of Christ and ultimately acceptance of him in the end times:

I ask then, they did not stumble into an irrevocable fall, did they? Absolutely not! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel jealous. Now if their transgression means riches for the world and their defeat means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full restoration bring? … For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

This is important for us to understand as well, if we are going to experience God’s blessing. We must trust God’s sovereign plan, despite difficult and confusing circumstances and delays. Proverbs 3:5 says it this way: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.” In Isaiah 55:8-9, God said this to the Jews, “Indeed, my plans are not like your plans, and my deeds are not like your deeds,” says the Lord, “for just as the sky is higher than the earth, so my deeds are superior to your deeds and my plans superior to your plans.” If we rely on our circumstances and what we might see, it could discourage us and even make us doubt God. However, to experience God’s blessing, including his peace, we must trust him. This is what Habbakuk said after experiencing God’s perplexing promise to judge Israel through the ungodly Babylonians. With a heavy and confused but trusting heart, Habbukuk said this in Habbukuk 3:16-19:

I listened and my stomach churned; the sound made my lips quiver. My frame went limp, as if my bones were decaying, and I shook as I tried to walk. I long for the day of distress to come upon the people who attack us. When the fig tree does not bud, and there are no grapes on the vines; when the olive trees do not produce and the fields yield no crops; when the sheep disappear from the pen and there are no cattle in the stalls—I will rejoice because of the Lord; I will be happy because of the God who delivers me! The Sovereign Lord is my source of strength. He gives me the agility of a deer; he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain.

We must trust and obey God in faith as well, even when we don’t understand his plan and while waiting for his intervention in our difficult circumstances. To doubt God when things are hard and confusing will often lead us into sin and ultimately God’s discipline. Satan came to Eve and sought to make her doubt God’s promises and goodness, so he could lead her and Adam into sin. He did the same with Job—trying to make him curse God. The enemy will do the same with us when things are hard and confusing. Like Job, we must trust God through loss of wealth, health, friends, and family and long waiting seasons. God’s will is ultimately perfect and good, but it will be fulfilled in his timing.

Again, God promised to bless the post-exilic Jews from the time of their wholehearted obedience, when they restored the temple’s foundation on December 18, 520 BC. They could not see his blessing around them, only barren trees and plants. The harvests would take months, and therefore, they needed to trust and obey in faith. And Zerubbabel would potentially be confused with God’s prophecy. Israel would remain under foreign domination for centuries, and he would never become the Davidic king. The fulfillment of those prophecies ultimately awaits the end times and Christ’s coming. He had to trust God, though the fulfilment of prophecies would be delayed and not happen in his lifetime. This is true for us as well, especially, because many of God’s promises are eternal, in that they won’t be experienced until God’s Son returns to rule on this earth. Hebrews 11:13 said this about the patriarchs and God’s promises to them: “These all died in faith without receiving the things promised, but they saw them in the distance and welcomed them and acknowledged that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth.” And for us, Romans 8:17 says we are “heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ.” The eternal rule and blessings of Christ will be experienced by believers because we are co-heirs with him, since we have been spiritually united with him, as his body (cf. 1 Cor 12:13, Eph 1:3). To experience God’s blessing, we must wholeheartedly trust God’s sovereign plan and obey God in faith, despite difficult and confusing circumstances and delays.

Are we wholeheartedly obeying God in faith, even when tempted not to because of difficult and confusing circumstances in our family, work-life, health, or even our nation? God’s blessing is on those who trust and obey his Word, despite circumstances and delays that tempt them to doubt.

Application Question: In what ways have you had to trust God in difficult and confusing circumstances and long delays, and how did you experience God’s deliverance or sustainment? In what ways have you at times struggled with doubting God’s faithfulness in difficult and confusing seasons, and how did you overcome those doubts? How can we increase our faith, especially when tempted to doubt God or turn away from him in difficult circumstances or delays (cf. Rom 10:5, Prov 13:20)?

Conclusion

How can we experience God’s blessings? After three months of the post-exilic Jews working on God’s temple, Haggai shared with them why they were missing God’s blessing and instead were under his judgment, including economic and agricultural failure. He also shared with them God’s promise of future blessings, including eschatological ones, because of their repentance and obedience to rebuild the temple. Clearly, it’s possible to do great works for the Lord, including serving in the church and raising a godly family, and yet miss God’s blessing because of unrepentant sin. Not only was that true of the post-exilic Jews rebuilding the temple, but it was also true of the Pharisees, who were the chief teachers of Israel. Christ called them white-washed tombs (Matt 23:27-28). They were pretty on the outside for others to see, but on the inside, they were dead men’s bones. Their religious works had not changed their hearts and ultimately led to God’s judgment instead of his blessing. Unfortunately, that can be true of us, and therefore cause us to miss the blessings God desires to give us. No doubt, like the post-exilic Jews laboring on the temple, many believers are faithfully laboring in the church, discipling the next generation, ministering to the broken, practicing hospitality, or doing some other benevolent endeavor, yet missing God’s blessing currently and may miss them eternally, like the servant who was unfaithful with his one talent (Matt 25:24-30). How can we experience God’s blessings?

1. To Experience God’s Blessing, We Must Recognize the Defiling Nature of Sin and Pursue Holiness

2. To Experience God’s Blessing, We Must Regularly Evaluate Our Lives According to God’s Word, and Respond Accordingly

3. To Experience God’s Blessing, We Must Wholeheartedly Trust God’s Sovereign Plan and Obey in Faith, Despite Difficult and Confusing Circumstances and Delays

Application Question: What stood out most in the study/text and why and how will you apply it to your life?

Prayer Prompts

• Pray for God to lovingly expose our sin and deliver us from it through the study of his Word, the exhortation of his saints, and the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

• Pray for God’s grace to wholeheartedly trust and obey him in faith, despite barren and difficult circumstances.

• Pray for God to abundantly bless us, including increasing our faith, intimacy with him and his people, and productivity for his kingdom.