Haggai 1 … Consider Him Who Stirs Up the Spirit of His People

Originally posted: 11/20/2021

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, (1:14).

We come upon the scene of God’s fulfillment of His prophecies against Babylon spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, who had himself been taken captive by the ruthless enemy.

The word which the Lord spoke concerning Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, through Jeremiah the prophet:
² “Declare and proclaim among the nations.
Proclaim it and lift up a standard.
Do not conceal it but say,
‘Babylon has been captured,
Bel has been put to shame, Marduk has been shattered;
Her images have been put to shame, her idols have been shattered.’
³ For a nation has come up against her out of the north; it will make her land an object of horror, and there will be no inhabitant in it. Both man and beast have wandered off, they have gone away!” (Jeremiah 50:1-3).

But 200 years before it happened, God had revealed through His prophet Isaiah exactly who this nation from the north would be.

“Behold, I am going to stir up the Medes against them,
Who will not value silver or take pleasure in gold.
¹⁸ And their bows will mow down the young men,
They will not even have compassion on the fruit of the womb,
Nor will their eye pity children.
¹⁹ And Babylon, the beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the Chaldeans’ pride,
Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,” (Isaiah 13:17-19).

And even more astounding to our finite minds is that God revealed the name of the king He would raise up to fulfill His Word. It was to be King Cyrus who would release God’s people out of Babylonian captivity and send the exiles back to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple.

“It is I who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd!
And he will perform all My desire.’
And he declares of Jerusalem, ‘She will be built,’
And of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid,’” (Isaiah 44:28).

“When Cyrus king of Persia conquered Babylon, Darius the Mede was given rule over it… Cyrus (as Isaiah had predicted 200 years earlier) decreed that the exiles should be allowed to leave Babylon and return to Jerusalem to rebuild it. Ezra and Nehemiah record this matter, (they cover the reigns of five Medo-Persian kings namely Cyrus, Cambyses, Darius, Xerxes, and Artaxerxes).” https://www.simplybible.com/f638-toi-fall-of-babylon.htm

Babylon was captured by Cyrus the Great in 539 B.C, and the Jews were allowed to return to their beloved Jerusalem. And today, we find ourselves dropped right into their history, in the second year of the reign of King Darius.

In the second year of Darius the king, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying, (1:1).

Although Haggai is the second shortest book in the Old Testament next to Obadiah, this in nowise diminishes the profound significance of his teachings; and a look at the history involved will go far in our understanding his message.

From NIV Study Bible:

In 538 b.c. the conqueror of Babylon, Cyrus king of Persia, issued a decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple (see Ezr 1:2-4; 6:3-5). Led by Zerubbabel… about 50,000 Jews journeyed home and began work on the temple. About two years later (536) they completed the foundation amid great rejoicing (Ezr 3:8-11). Their success aroused the Samaritans and other neighbors who feared the political and religious implications of a rebuilt temple in a thriving Jewish state. They therefore opposed the project vigorously and managed to halt work until 520, after Darius the Great became king of Persia in 522 (Ezr 4:1-5,24).

Darius was interested in the religions of his empire, and Haggai and Zechariah began to preach in his second year, 520 b.c. (see 1:1; Zec 1:1). The Jews were more to blame for their inactivity than their opponents, and Haggai tried to arouse them from their lethargy. When the governor of Trans-Euphrates and other officials tried to interfere with the rebuilding efforts, Darius fully supported the Jews (Ezr 5:3-5; 6:6-12). In 516 the temple was finished and dedicated (Ezr 6:15-18).

And as we are dropped into their history, we land on a people who had given up in the face of discouragement. But they were not only giving up on God’s command to rebuild His temple; they were giving in to their own desires to build up their lives on the empty pursuit of seeking fulfillment in the things of the world.

It’s a reminder that the sin nature runs deep, and that apart from Him Who Stirs Up the Spirit of His People, we will spend our existence in worthless endeavors that will never last or satisfy.

And once again, I find myself in awe that He persists in His patience and lovingkindness. Why didn’t He just give up? And the answer came before the question was fully formed in my head. He is faithful and He will accomplish His Will. And even when we are faithless, He remains faithful.

If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself, (2 Timothy 2:13).

The temple would be rebuilt as the Lord had spoken. And in His faithfulness, as He did then He continues to do today, as He Stirs Up the Spirit of His People to accomplish His Will.

Consider Him Who Stirs Up the Spirit of His People

• He Stirs Up the Spirit of His People as He calls us to consider our ways.
  • Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways!” (1:5).
    • If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. ³For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God, (Colossians 3:1-3).

• He Stirs Up the Spirit of His People as He proves the dissatisfaction of every worldly pursuit.
  • “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,” (1:6).
    • But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, (Philippians 3:7-8).

• He Stirs Up the Spirit of His People as He instructs us in how to please Him and bring Him glory.
  • Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways! ⁸ Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the Lord, (1:7).
    • Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? ²⁰ For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

• He Stirs Up the Spirit of His People as He reveals the end result of our misplaced affection.
  • “You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” declares the Lord of hosts, “Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house,” (1:9).
    • Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possession… ³³ Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. ³⁴ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” (Luke 12:15, 33-34).

• He Stirs Up the Spirit of His People as we offer Him our reverent worship.
  • Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him. And the people showed reverence for the Lord. (1:12).
    • Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship, (Romans 12:1).

• He Stirs Up the Spirit of His People as He Proclaims the Promise of His Presence.
  • Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke by the commission of the Lord to the people saying, “‘I am with you,’ declares the Lord.” (1:13).
    • “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age,” (Matthew 28:18-20).

• He Stirs Up the Spirit of His People that He would bring His work to His Perfect Completion.
  • 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, (1:14).
    • For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus, (Philippians 1:6).

How do we respond to Him Who Stirs Up the Spirit of His People?

What felt like  a million thoughts of gratitude rushed my mind for the ways He Stirs Up the Spirit of His People.

Today, let us close in thanking Him for His Truth: if He did not Stir Up our spirit, we would still be lost.

Father, we thank You that You created us as eternal beings in search of answers for eternity.

God makes everything happen at the right time. Yet none of us can ever fully understand all he has done, and he puts questions in our minds about the past and the future, (Ecclesiastes 3:11 CEV).

Father, we thank You that You created us to grope in our search for answers so that we might find You.

“and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, ²⁷ that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us,” (Acts 17:26-27).

Father, we thank You that You Stirred Up our spirit as You drew us to come to Jesus.

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me,” (John 6:44-45).

Father, we thank You that You Stirred Up our spirit by Your kindness that we would be led to repentance.

Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? (Romans 2:4).

Father, we thank You that as we come to repentance and place our faith in Your Son, You build us up as Your spiritual house and Stir Up our spirit to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to You by the work of Your indwelling Spirit.

And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, ⁵ you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (1 Peter 1:4-5).

And Father, how we thank You that if we do anything that brings You pleasure or glory, it is because You Stir Up the Spirit of Your People.

for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure, (Philippians 2:13).

He is faithful to Stir Up the Spirit of His People; but once again we must remember, He does not force His Stirring upon us. It was as His People responded in obedience and worship to His Stirring, that they were assured of His Presence and renewed in their commitment to continue the work.

Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him. And the people showed reverence for the Lord. ¹³ Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke by the commission of the Lord to the people saying, “‘I am with you,’ declares the Lord.” ¹⁴ 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, (1:12-14).

Oh, that we would daily offer Him our lives in humble obedience and reverent worship as we daily seek Him in His Inspired Word. Let us ask Him to Stir Up our spirits and renew our minds in our commitment to His Will, that we would be set free from the desire to build our lives on empty pursuits and worthless endeavors that will never last or satisfy.

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. ²And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect, (Romans 12:1-2).

Lord, please keep us in Your Holy Word through the power of Your Holy Spirit. For we know that apart from You, we can do nothing. Lord, we humbly ask You to Stir Up the Spirit of Your People, that You would cause us to bear fruit that brings You glory.

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing,” (John 15:5).

Let’s Grow Together!