INTRODUCTION: Because of opposition from the surrounding nations, Israel quit their work on the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 4:24Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
See All...). This continued for about 15 years until the second year of the reign of Darius. “Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them” (Ezra 5:1Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.
See All...). These two prophets prompted the Israelites into resuming their building of the temple. The book of Haggai shows us that, though we may get sidetracked from our God-given purpose, with true repentance and full effort, we can get back on track.

1. THE DELAY OF THE PEOPLE (Haggai 1:1-2 [1] In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying, [2] Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD's house should be built.
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1. The Responsibility of Leadership (Haggai 1:1In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying,
   See All...)
1. The time of the message
1. Second year of Darius the king
2. First day of the sixth month
2. The voice of the prophet – Haggai; Note: The words were only delivered “by” Haggai; they were the words of the LORD. This is again emphasized by the phrase, “Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts” (Haggai 1:2Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD's house should be built.
   See All...; see also Haggai 1:3Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,
   See All..., 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13).
3. The message of the prophet (1 Peter 5:3Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
   See All... – “ensamples to the flock”)
1. To Zerubbabel the governor – political ruler
2. To Joshua the high priest – spiritual leader
2. The Excuse of the People (Haggai 1:2Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD's house should be built.
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1. The cause of their delay (Ezra 4:4-5 [4] Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, [5] And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
   See All..., 24)
1. The people of the land weakened the hands of the people (Ezra 4:4Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
   See All...).
2. The people of the land hired counsellors to frustrate the purpose of the people of God (Ezra 4:5And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
   See All...).
3. The people of God ceased from building (Ezra 4:24Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
   See All...).
2. The reasons for further delay (see Proverbs 26:12-16 [12] Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him. [13] The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets. [14] As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. [15] The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth. [16] The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
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1. Not convenient – “The time is not come.” (Acts 24:25And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
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2. No priority – the time for the “LORD’S house” (Matthew 6:33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
   See All...); we will seldom accomplish that which is not a priority. God’s work should always be a priority (Ephesians 5:16-17 [16] Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. [17] Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
   See All...).
2. THE DISPLEASURE OF THE LORD (Haggai 1:3-6 [3] Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, [4] Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? [5] Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. [6] Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.
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1. In the Priorities of the People (Haggai 1:3-4 [3] Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, [4] Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?
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1. The interest of the Lord in this matter (Haggai 1:3Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,
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2. The interest of the people in their own houses (Haggai 1:4Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?
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1. They thought it time to build their own houses (contrast Proverbs 24:27Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.
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2. Their “cieled” houses refer to houses with ceilings, that is, finished houses.
3. The disinterest of the people in the house of the Lord (Haggai 1:4Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?
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1. They thought it not time to build God’s house.
2. The house of the Lord lay waste (Lamentations 4:1How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.
   See All...); the pressing needs of their daily lives caused them to ignore the work God had called them to complete.
2. In the Desires of the People (Haggai 1:5-6 [5] Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. [6] Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.
   See All...)
1. The call for evaluation (Haggai 1:5Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
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1. The time association of the evaluation – “Now therefore”
1. Now – at this point
2. Therefore – because of your actions
2. The One calling for evaluation – “thus saith the LORD of hosts”
3. The message of evaluation – “Consider your ways” (Deuteronomy 8:5Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.
   See All...; Psalm 50:22Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.
   See All...; Isaiah 1:3-4 [3] The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. [4] Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
   See All...; Ezekiel 18:14Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like,
   See All...).
2. The need for evaluation (Haggai 1:6Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.
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1. Their efforts
1. For food
1. They have sown much.
2. They eat.
3. They drink.
2. For clothing – They clothe themselves.
3. For wages – They earn wages.
2. Their conditions
1. They are in want (see Micah 6:14-15 [14] Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword. [15] Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine.
   See All...; Proverbs 23:4-5 [4] Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. [5] Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
   See All...).
1. Of food and drink
1. They sow, but bring in little.
2. They eat, but have not enough.
3. They drink, but are not filled with drink.
2. Of warmth – They clothe, but there is none warm.
3. Of wealth – They earn wages, but put them into a bag with holes.
2. They are confused.
1. They looked for much.
2. It came to little.
3. THE DEMAND OF THE LORD (Haggai 1:7-11 [7] Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. [8] Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD. [9] Ye looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. [10] Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit. [11] And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.
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1. For the Building of God’s House (Haggai 1:7-8 [7] Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. [8] Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.
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1. The word to be heeded (Haggai 1:7Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
   See All...; Philippians 4:9
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2. The work to be done (Haggai 1:8Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.
   See All...; Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
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1. Go to the mountain
2. Bring wood
3. Build the house
3. The rewards to be received (Haggai 1:8Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.
   See All...; Colossians 3:23-24 [23] And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; [24] Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
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1. The pleasure of the Lord (Colossians 1:10That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
   See All...; 1 Thessalonians 4:1Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
   See All...; Revelation 4:11Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
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2. The glory of the Lord
2. For the Glory Due His Name (Haggai 1:9-11 [9] Ye looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. [10] Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit. [11] And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.
   See All...); God will receive His glory one way or the other.
1. By bringing much too little (Haggai 1:9Ye looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.
   See All...; contrast Zechariah 4:10For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
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1. God did blow upon it.
2. Because His house was left waste
2. By holding back dew and fruit (Haggai 1:10Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.
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3. By calling forth a drought (Haggai 1:11And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.
   See All...; Psalm 105:16Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.
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4. THE DECISION OF THE PEOPLE (Haggai 1:12-15 [12] Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, 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 did fear before the LORD. [13] Then spake Haggai the LORD's messenger in the LORD's message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD. [14] And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, [15] In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
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1. To Obey the Voice of the Lord (Haggai 1:12Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, 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 did fear before the LORD.
   See All...)
1. In following (2 Thessalonians 3:7-9 [7] For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; [8] Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: [9] Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
   See All...) – “the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God.”
2. In fearing (Proverbs 1:7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
   See All...) – “the people did fear before the LORD.”
2. To Complete the House of the Lord (Haggai 1:13-15 [13] Then spake Haggai the LORD's messenger in the LORD's message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD. [14] And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, [15] In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
   See All...)
1. Encouraged by the presence of the Lord (Haggai 1:13Then spake Haggai the LORD's messenger in the LORD's message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD.
   See All...) – “I am with you.”
2. Motivated by the LORD (Haggai 1:14-15 [14] And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, [15] In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
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1. They were stirred up (Haggai 1:14And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,
   See All...; 2 Timothy 1:6Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
   See All...).
1. The spirit of Zerubbabel
2. The spirit of Joshua
3. The spirit of the remnant of the people (Ezra 1:5Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.
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2. They did work in the house of the Lord (Haggai 1:14And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,
   See All...; Ezra 5:2Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.
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3. It was the 24th day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius (Haggai 1:15In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
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CONCLUSION: Sometimes, when we have ceased to do the work God has called us to do, we need to be stirred up to repentance and renewed effort. We need to pray, “O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years” (Habakkuk 3:2O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.
See All...).