Waiting for Help to Show Up

Haggai 1

Waiting for God to Show Up

• Understanding the purpose and call in ministry
• The analogy of cod fish and catfish to illustrate challenges and growth

Israel's History:

• 490 years of Israel's neglect of the sabbatical year
• Series of nations (Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia) as "catfish" in Israel's history
• Specific dates and events:
  • 606/605 BC (first invasion)
  • 586 BC (destruction of the temple)
  • 536 BC (return of the exiles)
  • 520 BC (time of Haggai)

Book of Haggai

• Key Dates:
  • Second year of Darius (520 BC)
  • August (latter part of the sixth month)
• Characters:
  • Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel (governor of Judah)
  • Joshua, son of Jehozadak (high priest)

Messages from Haggai

• Rebuke for Misplaced Priorities (Haggai 1:1-6)
  • The people's excuse: "The time has not come to rebuild the house of the Lord"
  • God's response: Consider your ways
  • Misplaced priorities lead to dissatisfaction
• Reminder to Start Building (Haggai 1:7-11)
  • Call to action: "Go up to the mountains, bring wood, and rebuild the temple."
  • Purpose: To glorify God and escape the drought
  • Historical parallels:
    1. Glory of the Lord filling the tabernacle (Exodus 33, 40)
    2. Solomon's temple (1 Kings 8)

New Testament Parallels

• The Word Became Flesh (John 1:14)
  • The tabernacle and temple as symbols of God's presence
• Believers as the Temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:19-20)
  • Call to glorify God in our bodies and lives

Practical Application

• Obedience (Haggai 1:12)
  • The people's response to God's word through Haggai
  • Obedience as the right response to the word of God
• Worship (Haggai 1:12-15)
  • Reverence for the Lord
  • The stirring of the spirit among the people

Work and Service (Haggai 1:14-15)

• Commitment to the unfinished work of God
• Encouragement for pastors to model their hearts for their congregations

Conclusion

• The importance of prioritizing God's work
• Personal challenge to assess and realign one's priorities with God's will
• Final prayer for encouragement and transformation

*The above summary is AI-generated, so discrepancies may exist. Please refer to the audio or video file to verify accuracy.