Psalm 150 (continued, part 36)
J e r e m i a h L a m e n t a t i o n s E z e k i e l D a n i e l H o s e a J o e l A m o s O b a d i a h
J o n a h M i c a h N a h u m H a b a k k u k Zephaniah H a g g a i Z e c h a r i a h M a l a c h i
S o l o m o n I s a i a h
Zephaniah in His Time If the Hezekiah named in Zephaniah 1:1 is King Hezekiah (715–686), then the prophet Zephaniah was his great-great-grandson. His name means "Jehovah hides" (i.e., "Jehovah protects") and describes God's ministry of protection for His faithful people when the day of His anger arrives (2:3).
OUTLINE Key theme: The coming day of the Lord Key verses: Zephaniah 1:14; 2:3
I. THE DAY OF THE LORD AND THE JEWS
(1:1—2:3)
A. Pictures of that great day.
1. Like a flood—1:2–6 2. Like a great sacrifice—1:7–13 3. Like a battle—1:15–18 B. Plea to seek the Lord—2:1–3
Zephaniah's major theme is the day of the Lord, that period of time when God will judge the nations and usher in His righteous kingdom.1 This theme is found in almost all the prophets, but it is particularly evident in Joel and Zephaniah. "The great day of the Lord is near" (Zeph. 1:14 niv).
II. THE DAY OF THE LORD AND THE GENTILES
(2:4–15)
The Scriptures reveal very little about Zephaniah's personal life. He ministered in Judah during the time of King Josiah (640–609), who led the nation in a religious reformation triggered by the finding of the book of the law in the temple in the year 622 (2 Chron. 34:14ff.).2 It's likely that Zephaniah preached prior to this reformation, or he would have said something about it in his book. Jeremiah and Zephaniah were contemporaries.
A. Philistia—2:4–7 B. Moab and Ammon—2:8–11 C. Cush—2:12 D. Assyria—2:13–15
III. THE DAY OF THE LORD AND THE KINGDOM
(3:1–20) A. Jerusalem: God's jealous anger—3:1–8 B. The Gentiles: graciousness and forgiveness—
Politically, the times were in ferment. Assyria was losing its power, the Scythians were invading from the north, and Babylon had become the leading empire. King Manasseh (697–642) had led the people of Judah deeper and deeper into idolatry and the adoption of foreign ideas and customs, and Josiah had sought to reverse this trend. Alas, King Josiah died on the battlefield before his work was finished, and his successors on the throne allowed the people to return to their sinful ways.
3:11–20 C. The remnant: bounteous blessing—3:11–20
1. The sinners removed—3:11–13 2. The believers rejoicing—3:14–17 3. The land restored—3:18–20
Zephaniah 1—2 1482 There's a Great Day Coming!
Zephaniah 3 1485 The Glory of the Kingdom
1 Strictly speaking, any time of divine judgment could be
Zephaniah 1
the people obeyed more from a fear of the king than a love for the Lord. The changes were only on the surface of the nation; the people's hearts were still devoted to the false gods. No sooner was Josiah dead than the nation reverted to their old ways. What they experienced was a surface reformation but not a deep revival.
called the day of the Lord. Local judgments were but examples of the final day of the Lord to occur in the end times. 2 Some students call this "Josiah's revival," but it's doubtful that "revival" is the best word. Certainly the people put away their false gods and returned to the worship of Jehovah, but their motivation was not spiritual. Since the king commanded them to abandon the foreign gods,
ing a life of ease. Instead, you find him ministering as God's prophet, which was a dangerous calling. His contemporary, Jeremiah, was arrested and put in a filthy cistern for admonishing the leaders of Judah to surrender to the Babylonians.
CHAPTER ONE Zephaniah 1—2 THERE'S A GREAT DAY COMING! W
I. The Day of the Lord and the Jews (1:1—2:3) A. Pictures of that great day. 1. Like a flood—1:2–6
God had shown Zephaniah that judgment was coming upon Judah in the form of the Babylonian captivity, and the prophet had to share this message with the people. However, Babylon's invasion of Judah was but a feeble example of what would occur on that final day of the Lord, which would sweep over all the earth. Zephaniah opened his book by presenting three graphic pictures of the day of the Lord.
hen was the last time you sang a hymn about the future judgment of the world? Most modern hymnals don't contain songs about the day of the Lord, and you certainly won't find the phrase in your daily newspaper or weekly news magazine. Even if they do believe in God, most people don't connect Him in any way with either current or future events. The closest we come to involving God in human events is when insurance policies mention "acts of God over which we have no control." But that's a far cry from Zephaniah's day of the Lord.
The first picture is that of a devastating universal flood (Zeph. 1:2–3). The Hebrew word translated "consume" in the KJV means "to sweep away completely." The picture is that of total devastation of all that God created and is probably a reference to Noah's flood. (You find similar wording in Gen. 6:7; 7:4; 9:8–10.) God gave man dominion over the fish, the fowl, and the beasts (1:28; Ps. 8:7–8), but man lost that dominion when Adam disobeyed God. However, through Jesus Christ, man's lost dominion will one day be restored (Heb. 2:5–9).
Thinking people used to take God's judgment of the world seriously and even sang hymns about it. A famous medieval Latin hymn was based on Zephaniah 1:15: "That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress. …" The first two verses read:
Day of wrath! O day of mourning! See fulfilled the prophets warning, Heav'n and earth in ashes burning!
God will not only destroy His creation, but He will also destroy the idols that people worship—the "stumbling blocks" that offend the Lord (Ezek. 14:1–8). In Zephaniah's day, idolatry was rife in Judah, thanks to the evil influence of King Manasseh. When God stretches out His hand, it means that judgment is coming (Isa. 9:12, 17, 21). The prophet names two of the false gods that had captured the hearts of the people: Baal, the rain god of the Canaanites (Zeph. 1:4), and Malcom (Milcom, Molech), the terrible god of the Ammonites (1 Kings 11:33; Amos 5:26). The people also worshipped the host of heaven (Deut. 4:19; Jer. 19:13; 32:29) and followed the godless example of the idolatrous priests ("Chemarim"2 in Zeph. 1:4; see 2 Kings 23:5, 8; Hos. 10:5).
O what fear man's bosom rendeth When from Heav'n the Judge descendeth On whose sentence all dependeth'1
I wonder how popular a worship leader would be if he or she selected that particular hymn today.
The day of the Lord is an important biblical concept that we must take seriously, because it tells us where things are going and how they're going to end. During the day of the Lord, God will send tribulation to the world, judge the nations, save His people Israel, and then establish His righteous kingdom. God warns the world that judgment is coming, and it's foolish for anybody to be unprepared. The big question is "Where will you hide on that great day?" (see Zeph. 2:3).
These idolaters may have claimed that they were still faithfully worshipping Jehovah, the true and living God, but Jehovah will not share worship or glory with any other god. In turning to idols, the people had turned away from the Lord and were not seeking Him or His blessing (Zeph. 1:6). They were guilty of sins of commission (worshipping idols) and omission (ignoring the Lord).
In the first two chapters of his book, the prophet Zephaniah relates the day of the Lord to both the Jews and the Gentiles.
The Day of the Lord and the Jews (1:1–2:4) You would expect the great-great-grandson of King Hezekiah to be living comfortably in Jerusalem, enjoy-
During the Babylonian captivity, the Jews were
Zephaniah 1—2
cured of their fascination with foreign gods. Their temple was destroyed, their priesthood was scattered, and for seventy years they could not worship the way Moses had commanded them. When they were finally allowed to return to their land, one of the first things the Jews did was rebuild their temple and restore the sacrifices.
submit to the word of the Lord. The fire of God's jealous zeal6 would consume everything, and no one would escape. Even the wealthy would not be able to ransom their lives, and the enemy would take away their ill-gotten riches.
What Zephaniah described here is but an illustration of what will happen in the end times when God's judgment falls on a wicked world, only that final day of the Lord will be far more terrible (see Rev. 6—19). There will be cosmic disturbances that will affect the course of nature and cause people to cry out for a place to hide (Amos 5:18; 8:9; Joel 2:1–2, 10, 30–32; Rev. 6:12–17). Unless you know Jesus Christ as your own Savior, you will have no place to hide (Zeph. 2:3).
The second picture is that of a great sacrifice (vv. 7–13). Since the Jewish people were accustomed to attending communal sacrifices (1 Sam. 9:11ff.), this image was familiar to them. But this sacrifice would be different, for it was God who was hosting the sacrifice. His guests were the Babylonians; and the sacrifices to be offered were the people of Judah! No wonder the prophet called for silence as he contemplated such an awesome event!3 (See Amos 6:10; 8:3; Hab. 2:20.)
This explains why the prophet closed this message with a plea for the people to repent of their sins and turn to the Lord for His forgiveness (vv. 1–3). Like the prophet Joel (2:16), he told them to call a solemn assembly and seek the Lord. Zephaniah especially called upon the godly remnant ("you meek of the earth") to pray and seek God's face, perhaps referring to the promise in 2 Chronicles 7:14. But even if the majority of the nation followed false gods and turned away from the Lord, God would still protect His own precious remnant when the day of Judgment comes (Mal. 3:16–18).
You would expect the royal family and the religious leaders4 of the land to be the honored guests at God's feast, but they are the ones to be sacrificed (Zeph. 1:8–9)! God punishes them because they have abandoned His Word and adopted foreign practices, including wearing foreign clothes and worshipping foreign gods (see Num. 15:38; Deut. 22:11–12). After the death of King Josiah in 609, the last four kings of Judah were weak men who yielded to the policies of the pro-Egyptian bloc in the government. Instead of trusting the Lord, they trusted their allies, and this led to disaster.
2. Like a great sacrifice—1:7–13 3. Like a battle—1:15–18 B.Plea to seek the Lord—2:1–3
Zephaniah and Jeremiah ministered during the same period in history, and both of them begged the rulers to trust God and turn from sin, but the kings, officials, and priests refused to obey. God would have rescued the nation at the last minute, but the leaders were insensitive to God's call and disobedient to His Word.
Zephaniah must have been a resident in Jerusalem, for he knew the layout of the city (Zeph. 1:10–13). When the Babylonians, God's guests, would come to the sacrificial feast, they would enter the city, plunder it, and then destroy it. The Fish Gate was where the fishermen had their markets; the "second quarter" was where the rich people lived in their fashionable houses, built from the wages owed to poor laborers. "Maktesh" was the market and business district of the city where the merchants and bankers were located.5
II. The Day of the Lord and the Gentiles (2:4–15) A.Philistia—2:4–7
But the Lord did spare a godly remnant that stayed true to Him throughout the seventy years of captivity. They were a "company of the concerned," who became the nucleus of the restored nation when they returned to the land. In every period in history it is the godly remnant that keeps the light burning when it seems as if the darkness is about to cover the earth. Today, God needs a "company of the concerned," who will walk the narrow road regardless of what others may do, obey God's Word, and share His gospel with the lost. God is keeping His "book of remembrance" (Mal. 3:16–17), and you and I want our names in that book.
But the city would be destroyed, and the merchants' wealth confiscated. So thoroughly would the Babylonians do their work that they would search the city carefully and find even the people who were hiding.
The tragedy is that the invasion could have been avoided if the people had not been so complacent and indifferent toward what God was saying through His prophets. Judah was certain that the Lord was on their side because they were God's covenant people. They were like wine that sits undisturbed for a long time (Jer. 48:11; Amos 6:1) and congeals because it isn't poured from vessel to vessel to get rid of the bitter dregs. The worship of false gods had polluted the nation, and the pure wine had become bitter.
The Day of the Lord and the Gentiles (2:4–15) God's judgment begins in the house of the Lord (1 Peter 4:17), which explains why Zephaniah started with the people of Judah; but now he explains how the day of the Lord will affect the Gentile nations surrounding Judah. Though they were never given God's law as were the Jews (Ps. 147:19–20), the Gentiles are still responsible before God; for God has revealed Himself to them in creation and conscience (Rom. 1:18ff.). Furthermore, these nations had not always treated the Jews kindly, and now the time had arrived for God to judge them.
The prophet's third picture of the day of the Lord is that of a great battle (Zeph. 1:14–18). The description is a vivid one: You can hear the cries of the captives and the shouts of the warriors; you can see thunderclouds of judgment and flashes of lightning; you behold the victims' blood poured out like cheap dust and their "entrails like filth" (v. 17 niv). What a scene of destruction and carnage, and all because the nation refused to
The nations named may represent all the Gentiles,
Zephaniah 2
Since the predictions about the destruction of these nations have all come true, isn't it reasonable to assume that Zephaniah's other predictions will also be fulfilled? Each of these local invasions and conquests was a precursor of the end times day of the Lord, which will come upon the whole world. But when the day of the Lord has run its course, Israel will be delivered, and the Lord will establish His glorious kingdom on the earth. In the last chapter of his prophecy, Zephaniah explains how the day of the Lord will relate to this promised kingdom.
since these nations correspond to the four points of the compass: Assyria (north), Cush (south), Moab and Ammon (east), and Philistia (west). During the great day of the Lord, all the nations of the earth will taste the judgment of God.
Philistia (vv. 4–7). The Philistines were ancient enemies of the Jews (Gen. 20—21, 26). According to Amos 1:6–8, they took Jewish people captive from cities in southern Judah and sold them to other nations as slaves. But the time would come when their populous cities would be empty and their land left desolate, a place for shepherds to feed their flocks. Their coastal cities, made wealthy by vast shipping enterprises, would be destroyed by the enemy and left in ruins. Nebuchadnezzar invaded Philistia and conquered it, and the only remnant of that great nation left today is the name "Palestine," which comes from "Philistine" (see Ezek. 25:15–28:26).
Before we leave Zephaniah 1 and 2, we must note some practical truths that apply to believers today. First, God judges His people when they deliberately disobey His law. His people are to be different from the other nations and not imitate their ways or worship their gods (Num. 23:9; Ex. 33:16; Deut. 32:8). "Be not conformed to this world" is an admonition for all believers today (Rom. 12:2; see 2 Cor. 6:14— 7:1). Second, God's promise to Abraham still stands: Those who bless Israel, God will bless; those who curse Israel, God will curse (Gen. 12:1–3). The nations that have sinned against God by mistreating the Jews can expect Him to judge them.
B.Moab and Ammon—2:8–11 C.Cush—2:12 D.Assyria—2:13–15
However, the Jews will inhabit the land of the Philistines when the kingdom is established, and the Lord will enable them to live in peace. Zephaniah will later have more to say about this when he describes the kingdom blessings (Zeph. 3:9–20).
Moab and Ammon (vv. 8–11). The Moabites and Ammonites originated from Lot's incestuous union with his two daughters (Gen. 19:30–38) and were hateful enemies of the Jews (Num. 22; Judg. 3, 10; 1 Sam. 11:1–5; 2 Sam. 12:26ff.). But these two arrogant nations would end up like Sodom and Gomorrah, wiped off the face of the earth (Gen. 19; note the connection here with Lot). No more would they insult either the nation of Israel or the God of Israel. (See Amos 1:13—2:3 for further evidence of the wickedness and inhumanity of these two nations.) Once again, the prophet promised that the Jews would occupy the land of their enemies when the kingdom is established (see also Ezek. 25:1–11).
Finally, God's Word is true and will be fulfilled in its time. God's people can claim His promises and know that their God will be faithful, and God's enemies can be sure that His words of warning carry costly penalties. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb. 10:31).
1 The hymn is attributed to Thomas of Celano. This translation of "Dies Irae" ("day of wrath") is by William J. Irons. 2 The root of the Hebrew word means either "black," referring to the color of their robes (Jewish priests wore white), or "zealous," referring to the frenzy of their religious ceremonies as they prostrated themselves before their gods. 3 For other instances of judgment depicted as sacrifice, see Isaiah 34:5–7; Jeremiah 46:10; and Ezekiel 39:17–19; and note Revelation 19:17–21. 4 The phrase "leap on [over] the threshold" in verse 9 is usually related to the pagan practice described in 1 Samuel 5:1–5, but perhaps it describes the haste with which the covetous Jews left their houses to go out to exploit the poor and acquire wealth to devote to their false gods. The prophets condemned the rich for their brutal treatment of the poor in the land. 5 Maktesh means "mortar" in Hebrew, possibly because the district lay in a part of Jerusalem that was in a natural depression. But perhaps there is a double meaning here: God would deal with His people the way women pound grain in a mortar. 6 The Hebrew word translated "jealously" (1:18; 3:8) means "to be hot, to be inflamed." God's jealousy is not like human envy, for what could God envy when He has everything? He is jealous over His name and His glory, and His anger is aroused when His people worship other gods (Ex. 34:14; Ps. 78:58; 79:5). God is jealous over His people and wants their wholehearted love and devotion.
Cush (v. 12). This nation was located in the upper Nile region. Some students think the reference includes Egypt, another long-time enemy of the Jews. It was Nebuchadnezzar and the swords of the Babylonian soldiers that conquered this ancient nation (Ezek. 30:4–5). Assyria (vv. 13–15). Until the rise of Babylon, Assyria had been the dominant power, a ruthless people who were notorious for their pride and their cruelty to their enemies. A century and a half before, God had sent the prophet Jonah to Assyria's capital city of Nineveh to warn them of God's judgment, and the people had repented, but successive generations went back to the old pagan ways, and Nineveh was destroyed in 612. Within the next few years, the once great Assyrian Empire simply vanished from the face of the earth, and Zephaniah saw it coming.
Because Nineveh thought it was an impregnable city, her citizens were careless and carefree when Zephaniah made his prediction, but God brought both the people and their city down into the dust of defeat. (See the book of Nah. and Isa. 45; 47:10.)
Zephaniah 3
the Lord and His Word and dealt treacherously with the people. They didn't proclaim God's truth; they only preached what the people wanted to hear.
CHAPTER TWO Zephaniah 3 THE GLORY OF THE KINGDOM W
As for the priests, their very ministry was toxic and polluted the sanctuary! (Matt. 23:25–28 relates what Jesus said about the Pharisees in His day.) Instead of serving God for His glory, the priests twisted the law to please themselves and gain what they wanted.
hy did the prophets consistently close their books with messages of hope? For at least three reasons. To begin with, hope is a great motivation for obedience, and the prophets wanted to encourage God's people to submit to God's will and do what He commanded. God's covenant blessings come to His people only when they obey His covenant conditions.
The tragedy is that God had spoken to His people and corrected them in discipline, and yet they wouldn't listen or obey (Zeph. 3:2). "If in spite of these things you do not accept my correction but continue to be hostile toward me, I myself will be hostile toward you and will afflict you for your sins seven times over" (Lev. 26:23–24 niv). This was the message of Jeremiah to the city of Jerusalem even while Babylon was poised to attack (Jer. 2:30; 5:3; 7:8; 17:23; 32:33).
A second reason is the prophets' emphasis on the faithfulness of God. The Lord will keep His promises and one day establish the kingdom; and since God is faithful to keep His promises, we ought to be faithful obeying His Word. If we obey, God will be faithful to chasten; if we confess, He will be faithful to forgive.
A righteous God (vv. 5–8). God's name was identified with the city and the temple (2 Sam. 7:13; 1 Kings 5:5; Neh. 1:9), and yet both were cesspools of iniquity. Therefore, He would have to act in judgment for His own name's sake. The wicked officials met at the city gate morning after morning to transact their evil business, and the Lord was there to behold their deeds. How patiently He waited, and yet they would not repent and turn to Him for cleansing!
Finally, the closing message of hope was an encouragement to the faithful remnant in the land who were true to God and suffered because of their devotion to Him. It's difficult to belong to that "company of the committed" who stand true to the Lord and His Word no matter what others may do or say. Knowing that God would one day defeat their enemies and reign in righteousness would encourage the believers remnant to persist in their faithful walk with the Lord.
Since the Lord reminded His people that He had judged the Gentiles and cut off nations (Zeph. 3:6), He was able to cut Judah off as well. In fact, the Jews were more guilty than were the Gentiles because the Lord had given Israel more truth and more blessing. The people were sinning against a flood of light. Surely God's judgment of the other nations should have awakened the Jews to their peril, but they paid no attention. After all, they were God's covenant people, and He would protect them from their enemies. They forgot that covenant privileges also involved covenant responsibilities.
In this last chapter, God reveals His plans for Jerusalem, the Gentile nations, and the faithful remnant. At the same time, the Lord reveals Himself and His gracious working on behalf of His people in every age and in every place.
Jerusalem: God's Jealous Anger (3:1–8) Jerusalem is commonly called "the Holy City,"1 but in Zephaniah's day, the city didn't manifest much holiness! Isaiah (1:21ff.), Jeremiah (29:12ff.), and Ezekiel (4—6, 9) gave the same assessment in their day. Even the Gentiles called Jerusalem "the rebellious and wicked city" (Ezra 4:12, 15), and they could cite proof for their statement.
The Lord concludes this message to Jerusalem by describing a courtroom scene in which He stands to testify against His people (v. 8). While the impending Babylonian captivity is involved here, there is also an end-times application in the Battle of Armageddon, when the nations of the world converge against Jerusalem. God will pour out His wrath upon these nations, deliver His people, and establish His kingdom (Zech. 14:1–9). His jealous anger will burn like fire against all who resist His truth and disobey His Word. The terrible day of the Lord will dawn, and there will be no escape (see Zeph. 1:2ff.).
III. The Day of the Lord and the kingdom (3:1–20) A.Jerusalem: God's jealous anger—3:1–8
A sinning people (vv. 1–2). Instead of being holy, the city was filthy and polluted because of shameful sin; and instead of bringing peace ("Jerusalem" means "city of peace"), the city was guilty of rebellion and oppression. God gave His people the revelation of Himself in His Word and His mighty acts, yet they didn't believe Him or seek Him. "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded" (James 4:8 nkjv).
The Gentiles: God's Gracious Forgiveness (3:9–10) It's important to keep in mind that God's call of Abraham involved bringing God's blessing to the whole world (Gen. 12:1–3). God accomplished this by giving the Jews the knowledge of the true God, the written Word of God, and the Savior, Jesus Christ (Rom. 9:1–5). Therefore, they were to share these blessings with the Gentiles.
A godless leadership (vv. 3–4). God expected the civil and religious leaders of the land to take His Word seriously and lead the people in the way of righteousness. Instead, the leaders acted like ravenous beasts in the way they oppressed the people and took what they wanted from them. The prophets were unfaithful to
Zephaniah 3
earn God's salvation by their good works. In contrast to the proud sinners will be the believing remnant, the "meek and humble, who trust in the name of the Lord" (Zeph. 3:12 niv).
The Jews were supposed to magnify the Lord's name before the Gentiles. Instead, they imitated the pagan nations and disgraced God's name (Isa. 52:5; Rom. 2:24). The court of the Gentiles in the Jewish temple was supposed to be the place where Gentiles could talk with Jews about the true God and even pray to Him, but the religious leaders made that area into a market for selling sacrifices and exchanging money. What kind of testimony was that to the outsiders who were earnestly seeking the truth?
Faith in Christ will make everything new so that the people will no longer disobey God or practice deception. This suggests that all love of idolatry will be taken from their hearts, for idols are lies and to worship them is to practice deception. For the first time in centuries, the Jews will be able to enjoy their meals and their sleep, for all their enemies will have been defeated. During the years of their worldwide dispersion, in many places the Jews have been subjected to threats and intimidation, even fearing for their lives (Deut. 28:63–68), but that will end when God establishes the kingdom and Christ reigns over the nations.
What blessings does God promise for the Gentiles in the last days? First, He promises that the Gentiles shall be converted (Zeph. 3:9). Instead of calling on their false gods, the Gentiles will call upon the true and living God and have their lips purified. Since what we say with our lips comes from the heart (Matt. 12:34–35), cleansed lips indicate forgiven sin and a cleansed heart (Isa. 6:1–8).
God's people will rejoice (vv. 14–17). This is one of the most poignant passages in Scripture. It depicts the Lord as a loving mother, singing over her children and finding joy in their presence. The people of God sing and shout because of all that God has done for them. He has taken away their punishment, defeated their enemies, and come to dwell with them. Furthermore, He has guaranteed that the people of Israel will never again be afraid. Because the Lord is the King of Israel, His people have nothing to fear.
But the Gentiles will do much more than call on the Lord and receive His cleansing; they will also serve the Lord as one people and no longer be divided ("serve Him shoulder to shoulder," Zeph. 3:9 niv). The prophets teach that during the Kingdom Age the Gentiles will go to Jerusalem to worship and serve the Lord (Isa. 2:1–5; 4:1–6; Ezek. 40—48; Zech. 14:9ff.).2 The God of Israel will be the Lord of all the earth, and the Gentile nations will honor and serve Him. Along with the scattered Israelites who return to their land, the Gentiles will bring the Lord offerings and be called His "worshippers."
When Pilate presented a suffering Jesus to the Jewish leaders, they rejected Him and shouted, "We have no king but Caesar" (John 19:15). But now the Jewish people will joyfully acknowledge that Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Phil. 2:9–11). Instead of standing dejectedly like defeated prisoners of war, the Jews will enthusiastically shout God's praises.
Before our Lord's death on the cross, there was a vast difference between the relationship of Jews and Gentiles to each other and to the Lord. But the middle wall that separated them has now been taken down (Eph. 2:11ff.), and both can share in the spiritual blessings that come through faith in Christ. "For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich unto all who call upon Him. For 'whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved'" (Rom. 10:12–13 nkjv, italics mine). This miracle of God's grace will be demonstrated in the Kingdom Age as the Gentile nations trust and worship the God of Israel.
B.The Gentiles: graciousness and forgiveness—3:11–20 C.The remnant: bounteous blessing—3:11–20 1. The sinners removed—3:11–13 2. The believers rejoicing—3:14–17 3. The land restored—3:18–20
What do they have to sing about? To begin with, they have God's presence with them and God's power working for them (Zeph. 3:17). Even more, their God holds them next to His heart like a loving mother holds a baby; He quiets them with His love,3 and He even sings to them! This image of "the motherhood of God" assures forgiven sinners that God is with them, that He loves them, and that they have nothing to fear.4
Our God is a "singing" God. God the Father sings to the Jewish remnant entering the kingdom (v. 17). God the Son sang at the close of the Passover Feast, and then went to the garden to pray (Matt. 26:30). He also sang after His triumphant resurrection from the dead (Ps. 22:22; Heb. 2:12). God the Spirit sings today through the hearts and lips of Christians who praise God in the Spirit (Eph. 5:18–21).
The Remnant: God's Bounteous Blessing (3:11–20) When the terrible day of the Lord is over, Israel will be a new nation. The Jews will look by faith upon the Messiah whom they crucified, believe in Him, and enter into a new life in the promised kingdom.
Sin will be removed (vv. 11–13). The Jews won't have to be "put to shame" because, when they see Christ, they will be ashamed of what they did to the Lord and will mourn over their transgressions (Zech. 12:10—13:1). It will be a time of deep repentance and confession that will lead to salvation. God will especially deal with the pride of Israel that for centuries had kept them from submitting humbly to the righteousness of God that comes only by faith in Christ (Rom. 9:30—10:13; Phil. 3:1–12). There will be no place on God's holy hill for proud sinners who think they can
The nation will be restored (vv. 18–20). During the seventy years of captivity in Babylon, and then during their worldwide dispersion among the Gentiles after AD 70, devout Jews were not able to celebrate their appointed feasts (Lev. 23). Since the destruction of the temple in AD 70, the Jewish people have had no temple, altar, priesthood, or sacrifice (Hos. 3:4–5). Of course, the types and symbols of the Old Testament law have all been fulfilled in Christ, including the
Zephaniah 3
prophet Nathan assured him that the Lord had put away his sin, but the rest of his days, David suffered the tragic consequences of what he had done (2 Sam. 12:1–15). But when God establishes His kingdom on earth, He will restore His people, renew the land, and give His people a new beginning that will cause them to forget their past disobedience and focus on praising the Lord and glorifying His name.
feasts and sacrifices (Heb. 10), but Zephaniah intimates that these feasts will be restored in the Kingdom Age, and Zechariah 14:16–21 seems to support this interpretation.
Why would the Lord restore religious practices that have now been fulfilled? Possibly as a means of teaching Israel the meaning of the doctrine of salvation through Jesus Christ. The feasts described in Leviticus 23 picture "salvation history," from the slaying of the Passover lamb (John 1:29) to the day of Atonement (the cleansing of Israel) and the Feast of Tabernacles (the Kingdom Age). The prophet Ezekiel describes in great detail the structure and services of a great temple in Israel (Ezek. 40—48), and this includes the offering of the Levitical sacrifices. Just as the Old Testament types looked forward to the coming of the Savior, perhaps during the Kingdom Age these rituals will look back to His finished work.
Jehovah is "the God of hope." Therefore, He can fill us with "all joy and peace in believing" so that we can "abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 15:13 nkjv).
Is that your experience today?
YOU IN YOUR TIME I
God's promise is that His scattered people will be gathered, His lame people will be rescued, and His sinful people will be forgiven and no longer bear the shame of their wicked deeds. "I will bring you home" (Zeph. 3:20 niv) is God's gracious promise, and He will keep it. Where once the Jewish nation brought shame and disgrace to God's name and were poor witnesses to the Gentiles, now Israel will bring honor and praise to the Lord their God and reveal to the Gentile nations the glory of His name. Israel will receive honor from the Gentiles and give the glory to the Lord.
t does us little good to learn about the times of the Minor Prophets if we don't do something in our own times.
Situations vary from nation to nation, but the statistics for my own country aren't too encouraging.1
• Since 1960, the rate of births to unmarried teenagers has increased 200 percent. • Since 1960, violent crime has increased by 560 percent. • The fastest growing segment of the criminal population is children. Between 1982 and 1991, the arrest rate for juvenile murder increased 93 percent. • The average child will watch up to 8,000 murders and 100,000 acts of violence on TV by the time he or she leaves grade school. • Eight out of ten Americans can expect to be the victim of violent crime at least once in their lives. • Since 1960, teen suicides have more than tripled. It is now the second leading cause of death among teens. • The top problems in high schools are alcohol and drug abuse, pregnancy, suicide, rape, and robbery.
The state of Israel was "born" on May 14, 1948, but that event, significant as it is, was not the fulfillment of God's promise to regather His people and restore their fortunes. That promise will be fulfilled in the end times, after the Jews have experienced the day of the Lord and been prepared to see their Messiah. But God's promises will be fulfilled, and God's people Israel will be restored and bring worldwide glory to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But there is a present-day practical lesson here for any of God's people who have strayed from His will and have experienced His chastening. When you come to Him with a broken heart, confessing your sins, He will receive you the way a loving mother receives a disobedient child. He will love you and even sing to you! He will bring peace to your heart and "quiet you in His love." Yes, we suffer for our disobedience; and sometimes we carry the scars of that disobedience for the rest of our lives. But the Lord will forgive us (1 John 1:9), forget our sins, and restore us into His loving fellowship.
As go the homes, churches, and schools, so goes the nation. It's time to be concerned.
THE COMPANY OF THE CONCERNED O
Dr. William Culbertson, late president of Moody Bible Institute, sometimes ended his public prayers with, "And Lord, help us bear the consequence of forgiven sin and to end well." There are consequences to forgiven sin; for though God in His grace cleanses us, God in His government says, "You will reap what you have sown." After King David confessed his sin, the
ne of the key truths found in the Minor Prophets is the presence of a godly remnant in times of moral and spiritual decay. This remnant is a small group of people whose devotion to the Lord can make a difference in the nation. After all, if God had found
Zephaniah
places, people who have no professional ministerial training, yet who are doing great things for the glory of the Lord.2 Robert Murray M'Cheyne wrote, "It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God."
as many as ten righteous people in Sodom, He would have spared the whole city (Gen. 18:32)!
Israel was at its lowest ebb during the period of the Judges. Yet God could always find a dedicated man or woman to lead His armies to deliver His people. Elijah thought he was the only faithful person left in the land, but God informed him that He had seven thousand who hadn't bowed the knee to Baal (1 Kings 19:18). The prophet Isaiah wrote, "Unless the Lord of hosts had left to us a very small remnant, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been made like Gomorrah" (Isa. 1:9 nkjv).
The "company of the concerned" is made up of people who are separated from sin (Rom. 12:1–2; 2 Cor. 6:14—7:1), but who are not isolated from the real world. They aren't "holier than thou" in their attitude toward sinners. They have the courage to be different (but not odd) and to walk the narrow road no matter what it may cost them. They are people who pray consistently for those in authority (1 Tim. 2:1–4). It does no good to write letters and protest if we aren't praying for those leading our nation.
I like to call this godly remnant "the company of the concerned." They are people who are truly concerned about the will of the Lord and the character of their country, people who are distressed by evil and want to do something about it. The prophet Ezekiel had a vision of the remnant in his day: "Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof" (Ezek. 9:4). The NIV translates "sigh" and "cry" as "grieve" and "lament."
Second, the "company of the concerned" is composed of people who have a proper fear of God in their hearts. The prophets certainly teach the love of God toward His people and toward lost sinners, but they also remind us that "our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:29). They believed the Word of God and knew that judgment was coming to the land.
The only nation on earth that is in a special covenant relationship with God is the nation of Israel. While many of the founding fathers of the United States of America were God-fearing men, the people of the United States can't claim special privileges from God because of their citizenship. It's true that the Puritan forefathers felt called to build God's kingdom on American soil, but we have no biblical basis for their vision.
Whoever wrote Psalm 119 belonged to the "sighers and criers" of his day. "Indignation grips me," he wrote, "because of the wicked, who have forsaken your law" (v. 53 niv); and he confessed, "I am a companion of all those who fear you, and of those who keep Your precepts" (v. 63 nkjv). He was an encouragement to others who belonged to the "company of the concerned," for he said, "Those who fear You will be glad when they see me, because I have hoped in Your word" (v. 74 nkjv). And he told the careless sinners in the land, "Depart from me, you evildoers, for I will keep the commandments of my God!" (v. 115 nkjv).
What do we have? The promises of God for those of His people who will obey 2 Chronicles 7:14 and intercede for their country. God works in response to believing prayer, and believing prayer must be based on the Word of God.
But I need to make one thing clear from the beginning: I'm not talking about people motivated by anger so much as by anguish. Certainly there's a place for righteous anger in the Christian life (Eph. 4:26), but anger alone may do more harm than good. "For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God" (James 1:20 nkjv). When righteous anger is mingled with compassion, you have anguish; and anguish is what the "company of the concerned" feel as they behold the moral and spiritual decline of the nation. "Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep Your law" (Ps. 119:136 nkjv). "Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, yet Your commandments are my delights" (v. 143 nkjv).
The fear of the Lord is the fear that conquers every fear. John Wesley said, "Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen, such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of God on earth." He was describing the "company of the concerned."
Third, the "company of the concerned" is indeed a company, composed of believers who realize that God wants His people to "flock together" and not try to do everything alone. The most dangerous believers are those who aren't accountable to anybody but do whatever they please and think they're serving God. They write angry letters to government officials, media people, and even local pastors, and often they don't sign their names. God has called them to set everything right in the world, even though they often don't really understand the problems they're trying to solve. Instead of belonging to the "company of the concerned," they're charter members of the "company of the confused."
Each of the prophets whose writings we have studied belonged to the "company of the concerned," and they are good examples for us to follow.
First, they were totally committed to the Lord. Amos was an ordinary farmer and shepherd, untrained in the schools of the prophets; yet God called him to deliver His message at a strategic time in history. As I travel in ministry, I'm more and more impressed by the "laypeople" God has called to serve Him in significant
Malachi 3:16 is a good description of the kind of
Zephaniah
However, during the times of the prophets, the leaders of Israel and Judah were too often selfish, disobedient to God's law, and unwilling to trust Him for the wisdom and help that they needed. The prophets warned the kings, princes, and priests that their sins would ruin the nation, but the men refused to listen. After Judah was ravaged and Jerusalem and the temple ruined, Jeremiah wrote that it had been caused by "the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests" (Lam. 4:13).
"company" God is looking for: "Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate in His name" (nkjv). "The more the truths by which we believe are contradicted," said Alexander Maclaren, "the more should we commune with fellow-believers." When you study the "one another" statements of the New Testament, you discover how much Christians need one another and need to minister to one another. It has well been said that you can't raise one Christian any more than you can raise one bee.
A democracy is not a theocracy, where the king is God's representative on earth; nor is a pluralistic society the same as the homogeneous society of the Jewish people, who were all governed by the same moral code. But leaders in a democracy should still be expected to be men and women of character, who practice honesty and integrity and who genuinely care for their people. Someone has said that a politician is concerned about his party and asks, "Is it popular?" The diplomat is concerned with policy and asks, "Is it safe?" But the statesman is concerned about the good of the nation and asks, "Is it right?"
To be sure, every local church has its weaknesses and faults, but it's the family of God, and that's where we belong. Nobody was born into a perfect family. Yet we love our brothers and sisters and try to ignore the things that irritate us. When Jesus sent out the twelve apostles, He sent them out two by two, because "two are better than one" (Eccl. 4:9). People who are a part of the "company of the concerned" don't try to go it alone. They love one another, pray for one another, and seek to encourage one another.
Edward Everett Hale, author of The Man without a Country, wrote,
Something else is true: They realize the importance of righteousness and justice in the land. "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people" (Prov. 14:34 nkjv). The believers in the "company of the concerned" seek to be salt and light in the land (Matt. 5:13–16) and do all they can to prevent decay and dispel darkness. The influence of their character, conduct, and witness promotes righteousness, whether it's in their daily work, the way they vote or pay their taxes, their example, the way they raise their children, or how they invest their time and money.
I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
That's a good motto for the "company of the concerned." But add to it the great words of Paul: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me … for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Phil. 4:13; 2:13 nkjv).
Nehemiah is a person who exemplifies what it means to be in the "company of the concerned." When he heard about the tragic condition of Jerusalem, he sat down and wept, knelt down and prayed, and then stood up and worked to change things (Neh. 1—2). He could have excused himself by arguing, "It's not my fault that Jerusalem is in ruins," or "I have a job to do right here in the palace." Nehemiah never read the words of Edmund Burke, but he lived by them: "It is necessary only for the good man to do nothing for evil to triumph."
It's time to be concerned.
1 See Nehemiah 11:1, 18; Isaiah 48:2; 52:1; Daniel 9:24; Matthew 4:5; 27:53; Revelation 11:2; 21:2; 22:19. 2 Interpreters are divided over whether the prophets are speaking literally (a real temple with real priests and sacrifices) or metaphorically (the temple as symbolic of worship and service in the new Kingdom Age). Certainly the prophets had to use language and images that the people understood, but if these predictions are not to be take literally, it's difficult to understand why the prophets (especially Ezekiel) wrote in such great detail. 3 The Hebrew phrase has been variously explained: "He will quiet you with His love"; "He will be silent in His love" (i.e., not bring up your past sins); "He will renew you in His love"; "He will renew your love for Him"; "His love for you will make everything new." Perhaps it all means the same thing: A new and deeper relationship with God will bring peace and joy and make all things new. 4 Other passages that speak of the "motherhood of God" are Isaiah 49:14–16; 66:13; and Matthew 23:37–39. Psalm 131 might also be included, and see also 1 Thessalonians 2:7–8.
When you read the book of Nehemiah, you meet a man who enlisted the help of the Jewish leaders and rallied the common people to rebuild the wall of the city. He didn't try to do it alone. He was a man of prayer who trusted God to supply the needs and defeat the enemies around Jerusalem. In fifty-two days, the job was done, and the song of praise from Jerusalem could be heard for miles.
Much more can be said about the "company of the concerned," but let me close with this observation: these people know the importance of good leadership in the nation. "Everything rises and falls with leadership," claims Dr. Lee Roberson, and he's right.
Zephaniah
5 Statistics taken from the Index of Leading Cultural Indicators by William J. Bennett (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1994). 6 This statement isn't a criticism of ministerial education. Since I teach for several evangelical Christian schools, I'm
not anti-intellectual. But often God lays hold of "untrained" people and trains them in His own way to accomplish His work. There's a place in God's vineyard for a brilliant Jonathan Edwards and also for a D. L. Moody, who probably had the equivalent of a sixth-grade education.
H A G G A I
G e n e s i s E x o d u s L e v i t i c u s N u m b e r s D e u t e r o n o m y J o s h u a J u d g e s R u t h
1 S a m u e l 2 S a m u e l 1 K i n g s 2 K i n g s 1 C h r o n i c l e s 2 C h r o n i c l e s E z r a N e h e m i a h
E s t h e r J o b P s a l m s P r o v e r b s E c c l e s i a s t e s S o n g o f
J e r e m i a h L a m e n t a t i o n s E z e k i e l D a n i e l H o s e a J o e l A m o s O b a d i a h
J o n a h M i c a h N a h u m H a b a k k u k Z e p h a n i a h H a g g a i Z e c h a r i a h M a l a c h i
S o l o m o n I s a i a h
OUTLINE Key theme: Complete the work you have begun. Key verse: Haggai 1:8
Haggai 1 1492 Stirring Up God's People
I. FIRST MESSAGE: CONVICTION (1:1–15)
Haggai 2 1495 Keeping the Work Alive
A. Stop making excuses—1:1–4 B. Start considering your ways—1:5–11 C. Begin to serve the Lord—1:12–15
II. SECOND MESSAGE: COMPARISON (2:1–9)
A. Discouragement—2:1–3 B. Encouragement—2:4–9
1. Be strong—2:4 2. Fear not—2:5 3. Glory will come—2:6–7 4. God will provide—2:8–9
III. THIRD MESSAGE: CONTAMINATION (2:10–19)
A. The question of defilement—2:10–13 B. The assurance of blessing—2:14–19
IV. FOURTH MESSAGE: CORONATION (2:20–23)
A. The coming judgment—2:20–22 B. The promised Messiah—2:23
Haggai 1
The Jews certainly knew the words that the prophet Isaiah had recorded about Cyrus: "He is My shepherd, and he shall perform all My pleasure, even saying to Jerusalem, 'You shall be rebuilt,' and the temple, 'Your foundation shall be laid'" (Isa. 44:28 nkjv). Isaiah had also written, "I have raised him [Cyrus] up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways; he shall build My city and let My exiles go free" (Isa. 45:13 nkjv). By stopping their work, the Jews were admitting that they had no faith in God's Word or in God's power to perform it.
CHAPTER ONE Haggai 1 STIRRING UP GOD'S PEOPLE W
hen the foundations of the temple were laid in Jerusalem in the year 536, the younger men shouted for joy while the older men wept (Ezra 3:8–13). Although Haggai probably had seen Solomon's temple in its glory (Hag. 2:3), he was undoubtedly among those who expressed joy, for the Lord was at work among His people.
In the light of these facts, on what basis were the people refusing to obey God and build His house? For one thing, both Isaiah and Jeremiah had predicted a national restoration that would amaze the Gentile nations and bring glory to Israel, but that wonderful event had not yet occurred. (See Isa. 2:1–5; 11; 35; 60:1–5; Jer. 30—31.) The people failed to understand that some of these promises would be fulfilled in the end times ("the last days"); and when the situation in Judah became worse, the people questioned the dependability of the word of God.
But it doesn't take long for zeal to cool and God's people to grow apathetic, especially when opposition began an ominous growl that soon became a roar. The shout awakened the enemies of the Jews, aroused official opposition, and caused the work to stop (Ezra 4:1–6, 24); and the temple lay unfinished from 536 to 520, when Haggai and Zechariah brought God's message to Zerubbabel and Joshua.
In this first message, the prophet gave four admonitions to the leaders and to the people to encourage them to get back to work and finish rebuilding the temple.
Perhaps some of the scribes studied Jeremiah's promise about the seventy years of captivity (25:1–14) and decided that the allotted time hadn't yet ended. Only fifty years had transpired since the temple had been destroyed in 586, said the experts, so the Jews would have to wait another twenty years for the prophecy to be fulfilled. God took them at their word, and the work stopped for sixteen years.1 The temple was completed in 515, so the scholars got their seventy years accounted for!
"Put God First in Your Lives" (1:1–4) The first statement in the divine message went right to the heart of the problem and exposed the hypocrisy and unbelief of the people.
Excuses. "It isn't time to rebuild the house of the Lord" was their defense of their inactivity. Billy Sunday called an excuse "the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie," and Benjamin Franklin wrote, "I never knew a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else."
Evasion. The people were terribly inconsistent: it wasn't time to build the house of God, but it was time to build their own houses! And some of the people had built, not just ordinary dwellings, but "paneled houses," the kind that kings built for themselves (1 Kings 7:3, 7; Jer. 22:14).
The first congregation I pastored met in a corrugated metal tabernacle that should have been replaced years before, but whenever somebody would suggest a building program, some of the fearful people would resurrect their excuses for maintaining the status quo. "The economy isn't good and there might be another strike," was the major excuse we heard, but in that part of the country, there were always strikes! And who can predict or control the economy? "Our pastors don't stay long," one member told me, "and it would be a tragedy to be in a building program without a leader." But the Lord led us to build a lovely sanctuary and He saw us through!
I. First message: conviction (1:1–15) A.Stop making excuses—1:1–4
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things [food, clothing, shelter] shall be added to you" (Matt. 6:33 nkjv). Haggai's congregation had never heard that great promise, but the principle behind Christ's words was written into their law. "Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine" (Prov. 3:9–10 nkjv; and see Lev. 26:3–13; Deut. 16:17; 28:1–14; 30:3–9). It's obvious that the nation had its priorities confused, but are God's people today any different from those ancient Jews?
Evidence. What more evidence did the Jewish people need that God's time had come? How could they doubt that it was God's will for them to rebuild the temple and restore true worship in Jerusalem? Hadn't God moved King Cyrus to free the exiles and commission them to return to Jerusalem for that very purpose? (See 2 Chron. 36:22–23; Ezra 1:1–4.) Didn't the king generously give them the money and materials they needed, and didn't the Lord graciously protect the exiles carrying the temple treasures as they traveled from Babylon to Judah?
Local churches can't expand their budgets for world evangelism because the money isn't there, and yet many church members don't believe Matthew 6:33 and put God first in their giving. Measured by Third World standards, Christians in the Western world are living in luxury, yet their giving is low and their debts are high because their wealth is being used for things that really don't matter.
Haggai 1
Had the nation believed what God promised in His covenants, they would have obeyed Him and enjoyed His blessing.
When we put God first and give Him what's rightfully His, we open the door to spiritual enrichment and the kind of stewardship that honors the Lord. A century after Haggai ministered, the prophet Malachi accused the people of robbing God of tithes and offerings and thereby robbing themselves of blessing (Mal. 3:7–12); and his words need to be heeded today.
However, we must be careful not to turn giving into a "business arrangement," for our obedience should be the evidence of our love and faith. Christian industrialist R. G. LeTourneau used to say, "If you give because it pays, it won't pay!" He was right.
The Lord never made a "prosperity covenant" with the church as He did with Israel. In fact, our Lord's first statement in the Sermon on the Mount is, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:3). "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God" (Luke 6:20 nkjv). God has seen fit to bless some Christians with wealth, but it isn't a guarantee for every believer, in spite of what the contemporary "prosperity preachers" claim. If we help to meet the needs of others, God does promise to meet our needs (Phil. 4:10–20; 2 Cor. 9:6–11), but this isn't a pledge of material prosperity. No matter how much God gives us materially, we all must say with Paul, "as poor, yet making many rich" (2 Cor. 6:10).
"Believe God's Promises" (1:5–6, 9–11) Haggai's second admonition invited the people to examine their lifestyle and actions in the light of the covenant God made with them before the nation entered the land of Canaan (Lev. 26; Deut. 27—28). The word translated "consider" in the KJV is translated "give careful thought to" in the NIV (Hag. 1:5). It was time for the people to do some serious self-examination before the Lord.
B.Start considering your ways—1:5–11
God's covenant stated clearly that He would bless them if they obeyed His law and discipline them if they disobeyed. "If you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. I will break the pride of your power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. And your strength shall be spent in vain; for your land shall not yield its produce, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruit" (Lev. 26:18–20 nkjv; see Deut. 28:38–40). Indeed, their strength was spent in vain! They sowed abundantly but reaped a meager harvest. When they ate and drank, they weren't filled or satisfied. Their clothing didn't keep them warm and their income didn't cover their expenses. As supplies became scarcer, prices got higher, and a shopper might as well have carried his wealth in a wallet filled with holes!
"Honor God's Name" (1:7–8) When the Babylonian army set fire to the temple, this destroyed the great timbers that helped to hold the massive stonework together. The stones were still usable, but the interior woodwork had been demolished and burned and had to be replaced.
According to Ezra 3:7, the Jews purchased wood from Tyre and Sidon, just as Solomon had done when he built the original temple (1 Kings 5:6–12). Now Haggai commanded the men to go into the forests on the mountains and cut down timber to be used for repairing and rebuilding the temple. What happened to that original supply of wood? Did the people use it for themselves? Did some clever entrepreneur profit by selling wood that had been bought with the king's grant? We don't know, but we wonder where the people got the wood for their paneled houses when no wood was available for God's house.
While I don't believe that the Old Testament tithe is demanded of the New Testament believer (Acts 5:1–4), I think that tithing is a good place to start when it comes to systematic stewardship. After all, if an old covenant Jew under law could gladly give tithes to the Lord, should a new covenant believer under grace do less? But the tithe is only a start! The principles laid down in 2 Corinthians 8—9 encourage us to give offerings to the Lord and trust Him for all that we need (see 2 Cor. 8:9).
During nearly fifty years of ministry, I've noted that some professed Christians buy the best for themselves and give to the Lord whatever is left over. Worn-out furniture is given to the church and wornout clothing is sent to the missionaries. Like the priests in Malachi's day, we bring to the Lord gifts we'd be embarrassed to give to our family and friends (Mal. 1:6–8). But when we do this, we commit two sins: (1) we displease the Lord, and (2) we disgrace His name. The Lord told the people through Haggai, "Build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored" (Hag. 1:8 niv). God delights in the obedient service of His people, and His name is glorified when we sacrifice for Him and serve Him.2
Because the Jews returned to the land in obedience to the Lord, they thought He would give them special blessings because of their sacrifices, but they were disappointed (Hag. 1:9). Instead, the Lord called for a drought and withheld both the dew and the rain. He took His blessing away from the men who labored in the fields, vineyards, and orchards. In verse 11, Haggai named the basic products that the people needed to survive: water, grain, wine, and oil (Deut. 7:13; 11:14). Once more, the prophet revealed the source of their trouble: the people were busy building their own houses and had no time for the house of the Lord (Hag. 1:9). It's Matthew 6:33 all over again!
"Hallowed be thy name" is the first petition in the Lord's Prayer (Matt. 6:9), but it's often the last thing
Haggai 1
Jews had to remove the debris from the temple site, take inventory of their supplies, and organize their work crews. It would have been foolish to rush ahead totally unprepared. It's also possible that they took time to confess their sins and purify themselves so that their work would be pleasing to the Lord (Ps. 51:16–19). The church today can learn a lesson from the Jewish remnant of Haggai's day. Too often we make excuses when we ought to be making confessions and obeying the Lord. We say, "It's not time for an evangelistic crusade"; "It's not time for the Spirit to bring revival"; "It's not time to expand the ministry." We act as though we fully understand "the times and the seasons" that God has ordained for His people, but we don't understand them (Acts 1:6–7).
we think about as we seek to serve God. Jesus said, "I do always those things that please him [the Father]" (John 8:29), and that's a good example for us to follow. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16).
It certainly didn't please God or honor His name when the people neglected God's house and built elaborate houses for themselves. We know that God doesn't live in temples made by hands (Acts 7:48–50), and that our church buildings are not His holy habitation, but the way we care for these buildings reflects our spiritual priorities and our love for Him. Dr. G. Campbell Morgan said it best in a sermon he preached on Haggai 1:4 many years ago:
Any interpretation of the Bible that limits God and encourages His people to be lazy instead of busy in ministry is a false interpretation and must be abandoned. If the Lord is to be pleased with us and glorified before an unbelieving world, we must hear His Word, believe it, and act upon it, no matter what the circumstances may be. After all, God is with us, and "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31).
Whereas the house of God today is no longer material but spiritual, the material is still a very real symbol of the spiritual. When the Church of God in any place in any locality is careless about the material place of assembly, the place of its worship and its work, it is a sign and evidence that its life is at a low ebb.3
C.Begin to serve the Lord—1:12–15
"Obey His Command" (1:12–15) When God speaks to us by His Word, there's only one acceptable response, and that's obedience. We don't weigh the options, we don't examine the alternatives, and we don't negotiate the terms. We simply do what God tells us to do and leave the rest with Him. "Faith is not believing in spite of evidence," said the British preacher Geoffrey Studdert-Kennedy; "it's obeying in spite of consequence."
1 However, it's difficult to think that God's servants would wait for sixteen years before urging the people to get back to work rebuilding God's house. Did Haggai and Zechariah arrive in Judah much later, sent by God to get the work going again? Or do their books record only the success of their ministry? They may have been urging the people all along to return to the task for which they had been released from bondage. Ezra doesn't mention them in his book until 5:1. It's likely that God permitted His people to suffer sixteen years of discipline and disappointment to prepare them for the words of His prophets. It's a good illustration of the truth of Matthew 6:33. 2 One of the basic themes of Malachi is the honor of God's name. See the section of this book, "Malachi" for an exposition of Malachi. 3 Morgan, G. Campbell. The Westminster Pulpit (London: Pickering and Inglis, 1955), vol. 8, 315. 4 Zechariah uses the title "Lord of hosts" thirty-seven times and Malachi twenty-three times. Why should the little Jewish remnant fear the Gentile armies around them when the Lord of Armies is their Savior and Commander? The Hebrew word for "hosts" [tsaba] is transliterated as "Sabaoth" in Romans 9:29 and James 5:4. Martin Luther used it in verse 2 of his hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God."
The leaders and all the people united in obeying God's instructions, and they were motivated by a reverent fear of the Lord (v. 12). After all, He is the "Lord of hosts," a title used ten times in this little book (vv. 2, 9, 14; 2:4, 7, 8, 9, 23). It means "the Lord of the armies," the God who is in supreme command of the armies of heaven (stars and angels) and of earth.4 Obedience always brings further truth (John 7:17), and the prophet assured them that God was with them in their endeavors (Hag. 1:13; see 2:4). "The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge" (Ps. 46:7, 11). The obedience of the leaders and people was the result of God working in their hearts, just as He had worked in the heart of King Cyrus and in the hearts of the exiles who had returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel (Ezra 1:5). "For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13 nkjv).
Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing, Were not the right man on our side, the man of God's own choosing.
Haggai delivered this first message on August 29, 520, but it wasn't until September 21 that the people resumed their work on the temple. Why the threeweek delay? For one thing, it was the month when figs and grapes were harvested, and the people didn't want to lose their crop. Also, before they could build, the
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he; Lord Sabaoth his name, from age to age the same, And he must win the battle.
Haggai 2
help them finish it. Haggai said "Be strong!" to the governor, the high priest, and the people working on the building, and those two words would be very significant to them.