Review - The work has been shut down. Now two prophets step up and appeal to the people to get up, regardless of what some old kings said, and get to work. Amos, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai.

Haggai the prophet steps up.

We know, specifically, what Haggai has to say by reading the book that bears his name. Here are the highlights:

1. Like any prophet worth his salt, Haggai goes after their values. He knows that altering behavior without influencing values is a formula for heartless religion. Like Jesus centuries later, Haggai knows that money is often the first and last frontier for proving our true values. Our checkbooks and bank accounts are mirrors into our souls as to the real order of our affection.
   
   Haggai uses a great image - a purse with holes in it. This is very similar to Jesus words about storing up treasure where moth and rust consume. You're investing, says Haggai, in things that have no lasting value. Hey, folks, nice paneling in your den. Have you looked at God's house lately?
   
2. Go! Get the timber and build (1:8), says the Lord Almighty.
3. Zerubbabel (the governor and chief architect) gets fired up. Joshua, the high priest gets fired up. The Lord stirred their spirits (1:14). Ezra 5:2 says the same thing, and that the prophets of God are spurring them on. What else is God saying through Haggai?
4. Be strong, Zerubbabel. Be strong, Joshua. Be strong all you people, and work. I am with you. (2:4) Remember our covenants? I still keep mine. Remember coming out of Egypt? I'm still the same God. My Spirit remains among you. Don't be afraid.
5. If you build it, I will come. I'll fill the place with my glory. It all belongs to me - silver, gold. Let me be your Lord and look out! I'm coming up, so you better get this party started.
6. And remember the lessons you learned in exile (2:15-19). Remember what it was like to walk away from me and to suffer the consequences. It was pure hard work for very little return.
7. I want to bless you (19-22) I want to help you live victoriously.
8. In fact, Zerubbabel, you are like a signet ring. Your blessed life will be among your people like a signet ring - like walking proof of my promise; the signature on my blessing.

All the while, Zechariah is preaching, too. More famously, I might add. Zechariah is often quoted.

1. "Return to me and I will return to you," says the Lord. You've seen the alternative. Don't go there. Walk with me.
2. My house will be rebuilt (Zech. 1:16-17). The architects and engineers have been quiet. Hey, the measuring line will be stretched over Jerusalem again.
3. By the way, if you're worried about building a temple with no wall to protect the city, I'll be your wall (2:4-5). I'm coming. I'll live among you. Others will see and join in. "Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has raised himself from his dwelling place." (2:13)
4. And if you think you can do this by your own strength, think again. "Not by power, nor by might, but by my spirit, "says the Lord (Zech. 4:6). He says these words directly to Zerubbabel and it's a good reminder. Zerubbabel if you remember this, people will rejoice when they see a plumb line in the hands of Zerubbabel (4:10).
5. But now the real issue. The bottom line. The core values, straight from God. Zerubbabel, administer true justice. Show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the fatherless, or the alien, or the poor. In your hearts, do not think evil of each other (7:8-10) Then he adds in 8:16-17, "speak the truth to each other. Render true and sound judgment in your courts. Do not plot evil against your neighbor. Do not love to swear falsely. I hate all that stuff, says God, minus the word stuff.
6. Oh, I want to save you. I want to make you a blessing. Again, I want to keep covenant, if only you'll keep your end. I want to bless you so you can be a blessing to the world. (Gen 12:1-3)
7. Then, as if to up the ante of God's goodness, he throws out snippets of messianic prophecy.

Read 9:9-10 - We tend to read this at Christmas season and sing it as part of Handel's Messiah.

Read 9:11-12 - A wonderful foreshadowing of Christ's blood and a new covenant. 11:13 talks about thirty pieces of silver, "the handsome price at which they priced me, " and how they are "thrown to the potter," which harkens us to the crucifixion story of Christ.

Read 12:10-11
Read 13:1

Let's do some obvious application.

First the words of God through Haggai for our day:

Oh, how often do we earn wages, only to put them in purses with holes? This is one of the huge battles of life - developing an understanding, and then a habit, of ordering our investments according to God's standards, hopes and interests. The temptation to horde and squander, to basically own and use money for immediate gratification instead of God's values is so strong. The people of Israel are barely back home. When the construction stops on the sanctuary, it's likely that there was some private relief, since money or time or focus once designated to paneling the temple was not going to panel their own homes.

I don't want to go too heavy today, but I simply believe we have to watch how subtly the creep of life in this world exacts its toll until we're putting so much time, talent and treasure into leaky purses and so little into heaven-minded causes where moth and rust don't consume and where thieves don't break in and steal.

Go get the timber and build! - Or whatever the equivalent is in your life and our shared life. What did God birth you/us here to do? What is your mission in life? Let the Holy Spirit fire you up like Zerubbabel and Joshua. Lead the way and know that God is with you. He wants to indwell your best energies and investments and fill them with glory. We've learned hard lessons in our seasons of exile from the things of God. Now we're back - let's remember God and God's ways. He wants to bless us and make us a blessing. Let your life be like a signet ring. Let your life be like a seal on the deal so that you and everyone around you have evidence that God keeps his promises.

From Zechariah, God's appeal is so clear. Return to me and I'll return to you. God never really goes anywhere, of course, but he's basically saying, "I'm not going to force myself on you. I choose to love you and if you'll love me back, you need to know that you'll find me nearby and eager to live in a close relationship. Then we'll really build something together. I'll protect you and give you peace and confidence. Not by all the earthly tools and tricks like power or prestige, but by my spirit, says the Lord.

In the meantime, don't forget what's important to God. He's communicated it a thousand times in scripture in so many different ways, but here it is: administer true justice. Exert whatever influence you have to show mercy, not to be punitive or judgmental. Let righteousness be the kind that constantly proves what compassion looks like, and let the fatherless, the alien, the poor and all who need an extra boost - let them be the first to enjoy the benefits of your way of life.

And as for your hearts, let the gross and critical and bitter things wash away. I want to save you from all of that, says the Lord. You might not even be able to imagine life without all of that internal clutter, but God wants to unclog that plugged up heart and let good things only come pouring out.

Jesus comes to you, gentle, righteous, riding into our lives with a mission for transforming us from the inside out until we're literally from another kingdom, foreigners in this land of misspent blessings and mindless gorging where we anesthetize our hopelessness with things, things and more things. He has something so much better and deeper and truer and more lasting. Peace that the world can't give and life forever, in a place without warfare or dying or tears.

Well we've been applying Ezra to our church projects. The building is almost done…now is the time to really tackle the transformation opportunities before us…fatherless, aliens, poor, urban issues, elderly.