I assume that the group in Haggai 1 is the faithful remnant spoken of in Zephaniah 3. These are the ones who were going to be blessed because of their faithfulness, except they seem to be full of excuses about why they are focusing on rebuilding their own houses instead of the house of the Lord.
Haggai 1:5-6 Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”
As usual, my instinct is to lay into this foolish people, to berate them for being idiots. Can’t they see what they are doing? Can’t they see how ridiculous, how futile the path of making excuses to God? As usual, I am stopped in my tracks because I know I am guilty of the same things. Jesus, Help me.
Haggai 1:7-8 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the Lord.
Lord, Once again this seems to boil down to pride—the pride of the faithful remnant, which causes them to put themselves first, my own pride which prompts me to jump to judgement. Forgive me. Help me instead to give careful thought to my ways, to get my own priorities straight, to stop trying to judge others and focus instead on You. Draw me closer. Amen.
Haggai 1:9 “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house.
Have a blessed day. I love you.