Ministering to material girls (and boys)
Haggai 1: God’s Message was delivered by the prophet Haggai to the governor of Judah.
The writer of the previous book of the Old Testament, Zephaniah, is long dead. The things he and Jeremiah preached about have come true. Israel and Judah fell to Babylon. Jerusalem, including their beloved Temple, was looted and then leveled. The years pass and men of God like Ezekiel and Daniel take the baton of God’s revelation. As promised, Babylon falls to Persia, led by Cyrus. It’s then that the curtain lifts on the next stage of God’s promises. Cyrus and later on, Darius, allows the Jews who desire to do so to return to their homeland. Before long, we hear the prophecies of Obadiah, Haggai, and Zechariah and the stories of Nehemiah and Ezra. To some extent all the Minor Prophets have targeted messages. For instance, both Jonah’s and Nahum’s entire stories are focused on God’s intentions for Nineveh. Habakkuk’s work is centered on God’s use of the Babylonians to discipline his people Israel. Haggai’s specialty is the attitude of the returned exiles concerning the rebuilding of the Temple. This prophet is a practical person. If there was ever a message in the Old Testament that speaks to a materialistic age this is it.
Take Away: The Lord has something to say to every generation in every circumstance.