Consider Your Ways

Our Ways Are Best Considered With Godly Wisdom

"Marble Socrates monument, life-size thinking man statue" The best philosophy is empty when God is not central.

We will consider the prophet Haggai in this blog post today. Haggai is regarded as a minor prophet, not because of his prophesies but because of the space the minor prophets take in God's Holy Word. To think of any prophet of God as minor would be to belittle the prophecies of God, as they all come forth from Him. There is nothing ever minor about God, but all His thoughts are as major as one can get.

Hence, in the first chapter of Haggai, we learn about God's ways and the people who returned to the land after their exile in Babylon. We should note that in the first chapter, which consists of just fifteen verses, God refers to Himself as Yehovah Sabaoth, or the LORD of Hosts, five times. This name refers to the Heavenly angels and emphasizes spiritual warfare. Furthermore, God again refers to Himself as Yehovah Sabaoth nine times in the second and final chapter. It is always important when reading scripture that we understand who is doing the talking. God often refers to His word when spoken by a prophet as the Word of the LORD or Yehovah, the I AM THAT I AM, or the eternal God, who is without beginning of days or end of life. In this way, God expects us to submit ourselves to Him humbly. The last name to consider is God or Elohim, the strong, faithful One. As men are often unfaithful, particularly to God, but Elohim is never unfaithful to us, and in His sovereign grace, He is often faithful even in our disobedience.

Consider Your Ways In Light Of Your Selfishness

The word of the LORD came to Haggai, and he said, "Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?" Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, "Consider your ways! He might have said, Who are you listening to, God, or the devil? All selfishness is a sin because it prioritizes self over considering what God wants and His will for us. In America today, we are a very materialistic people and going to church does not necessarily change that, and it doesn't make our selfishness better in the eyes of God.

When John D. Rockefeller, the wealthiest man in the world at that time, was asked how much money it takes to satisfy, he replied, "A little more." Because of Israel's selfishness, God withheld blessings, but the produce of selfishness can never truly satisfy. Therefore, God spoke through Haggai, "Consider your ways! "You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes." (1:5, 6).

Consider Your Ways In Light of God's Will

God did not need a place to live when David decided to build a house for God; it was the opposite of what took place when Haggai prophesied. The people cared nothing for God. David, we are told, in Acts 13:22, "After He had removed him (Saul, the rejected king), He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, 'I HAVE FOUND DAVID the son of Jesse, A MAN AFTER MY HEART, who will do all My will.'"

David's heart was revealed in many ways throughout his lifetime. Regarding the building of a house for God, we learn in 2 Samuel 7:2, "The king said to Nathan the prophet, 'See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within tent curtains."

God's will is most clearly revealed when He is seen working through His people. So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God." (Haggai 1:14)

Consider Your Ways In Light Of Spiritual Corruption

"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Ask now the priests for a ruling: 'If a man carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and touches bread with this fold, or cooked food, wine, oil, or any other food, will it become holy?'" And the priests answered, "No." Then Haggai said, "If one who is unclean from a corpse touches any of these, will the latter become unclean?" And the priests answered, "It will become unclean." (2:11-13)

The option to disobey God's callling to be holy as He is holy does not exist. "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.” (1 Peter 1:14-15) Therefore, the option to allow unbelievers into the fellowship of believers is sin and unholy.

Consider Your Ways In Light Of God's Promises

David understood the promises that God made on his behalf. These promises were not due to David's greatness, but rather to God's grace. David prayed, "Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far? "And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, O Lord GOD, for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant concerning the distant future." (2 Samuel 7:18, 19) David said these things because he heard the promises God made concerning the things He would do. "When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. "He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever." (2 Samuel 7:12, 13)

Jesus Christ built a house for God when He humg upon a wooden cross, He bare the sins of many, and covered God's people with righteousness when He rose from the deaad.