Nuggets of truth from Haggai

As I mentioned before, our Bible studies have been truly amazing! I'd love to share everything that I found about Haggai and Ezra, but I just don't have the time and you might not find it nearly as interesting as the rest of us, but let me give you a brief overview of what we have done so far.

This is how I have fallen into doing the study. I take the passage of the week and read it in many versions, but still refer back to my NIV when I have a question. I made notes all along about the verses in a journal. After I read it in the different versions I start doing some research in commentaries from http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/ . It takes the same passage and has commentaries from about 6 authors, with John Darby; Jamieson, Faussett, and Brown; Matthew Henry and John Wesley being my favorites. When I read something that really jumps out at me or helps explain something I didn't understand, I copy and paste it into a document for more notes. I also use LifeWay's Online Bible Library. http://bible.lifeway.com/crossmain.asp Then I go back and look at all of it all together to see what really jumps out at me. It may not be how others are doing it, but I found it works for me.

The first week we worked through the whole book of Haggai, which was only 2 chapters. You'd be surprised how much is packed in that little book! Basically, the history is that the exiles have returned and started building the temple, but got defeated and harassed by their enemies and neighbors and and had to stop. Then they got busy leading their own lives, taking care of their own houses and building themselves up and did not get back to rebuilding. In the meantime, there were many troubles for the people, 1:6 You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough to be satisfied. You drink but never have enough to become drunk. You put on clothes but never have enough to get warm. The wage earner puts his wages into a bag with a hole in it. 1:9-11 Because My house still lies in ruins, while each of you is busy with his own house. So on your account the skies have withheld the dew and the land its crops. I have summoned a drought on the fields and the hills, on the grain, new wine, olive oil, and whatever the ground yields, on the people and animals, and on all that your hands produce.

Haggai the prophet comes with words from the Lord and spurs them on to get started again, which they do. 1:14 The Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, the spirit of the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. They began work on the house of Yahweh of Hosts, their God. Once they got started back working on the temple, the Lord began to bless them immensely. The Lord reminds them that He is there with them 2:4 "...be strong, Zerubbabel”—the Lord’s declaration. “Be strong, Joshua son of Jehozadak, high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land”—the Lord’s declaration. “Work! For I am with you.” Those words encouraged the Jews to get back to work, despite the troubles they knew they were going to have again.

So basically, these are the principles from Haggai, compliments of one of the commentaries (not me!):

Principles from Haggai

1. The work of the Lord should never be procrastinated (1:3)
2. Misplaced priorities hinder the work of God (1:4,9)
3. Obedience and reverence are prerequisites for spiritual blessing (1:12-14)
4. It is never too late to start obeying God (1:12-15)
5. Courage comes from knowing that God is present (2:1-4)
6. Everything belongs to and is under the control of the Lord (2:7-8)
7. Sin contaminates everything one does (2:13-14)
8. Disobedience brings discipline, while obedience guarantees blessing (2:15-19)
9. God is sovereign over the nations and kingdoms of this world. (2:20-22)
10. The covenants of the Lord are guaranteed to be fulfilled (2:23)

I'm not sure I have done dear Haggai justice with this short overview, but I hope it will encourage you to get into it and see what you can find for yourself! Now I have to get off to start working on supper and get ready for my sweet girlies to get home!

O:)
Melissa