Neglect of God’s House
Category: Failure of devotion
Could endure: Prioritize rebuilding the temple for God’s glory.
“Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored.” (Haggai 1:8)
Cross-Refs: 1 Chronicles 22:19; Matthew 6:33.
Chose wrongly: Focused on their own homes while God’s temple lay in ruins.
“Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” (Haggai 1:4)
Cross-Refs: Malachi 1:8–9; Luke 12:20–21.
Endured (negatively): Experienced drought and futility.
“You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away.” (Haggai 1:9)
Cross-Refs: Deuteronomy 28:38–40; Amos 4:9.
Why (wrong motive): Selfishness, misplaced priorities.
“Each of you is busy with your own house.” (Haggai 1:9)
Cross-Refs: Philippians 2:21; 2 Timothy 3:2.
Result: Withheld blessing, hardship until obedience was restored.
“Because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops.” (Haggai 1:10)
Cross-Refs: Leviticus 26:19–20; James 4:3.
Discouragement in Worship
Category: Failure of faith & hope
Could endure: Rejoice in God’s promises, however small the beginning.
“Be strong… for I am with you.” (Haggai 2:4)
Cross-Refs: Zechariah 4:10; Matthew 28:20.
Chose wrongly: Compared new temple to Solomon’s, despised it.
“Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?” (Haggai 2:3)
Cross-Refs: Ezra 3:12–13; Zechariah 4:10.
Endured (negatively): Lost joy, became disheartened.
“You have planted much, but harvested little.” (Haggai 1:6)
Cross-Refs: Galatians 6:9; Hebrews 12:3.
Why (wrong motive): Lack of vision, worldly comparison.
“Does it not seem to you like nothing?” (Haggai 2:3)
Cross-Refs: Isaiah 55:8–9; 2 Corinthians 5:7.
Result: Missed immediate blessing, though God promised greater glory later.
“The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house.” (Haggai 2:9)
Cross-Refs: John 2:19–21; Revelation 21:22–23.