Weekly Sermon
This sermon is a companion to two previous sermons: Consider Your Priorities - Haggai 1:5
Consider the Lord's Pleasure - Haggai 1:8
Haggai 2:10-19 reads, “In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No. Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean. Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean. And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD: since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty. I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD. Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD’S temple was laid, consider it. Is the seed yet in the barn? Yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.”
In the opening portion of Haggai 2:15, the Lord our God instructed His people in that time, saying, “And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward.” Again in the opening portion of Haggai 2:18, the Lord instructed them, saying, “Consider now from this day and upward.” Finally, at the end of Haggai 2:18, the Lord instructed them, saying, “Consider it.” Yet what specifically were they to consider? In Haggai 2:15-17 the Lord focused their attention upon His hand of chastening in their lives, saying, “And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD: since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty. I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD.” This is what they were to consider – the Lord’s chastening upon them and the Lord’s purpose in that chastening. In like manner, we ourselves today must consider our Lord’s purpose in His hand of chastening upon our lives.
This sermon is a companion to two previous sermons: Consider Your Priorities - Haggai 1:5
Consider the Lord's Pleasure - Haggai 1:8
Haggai 2:10-19 reads, “In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No. Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean. Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean. And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD: since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty. I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD. Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD’S temple was laid, consider it. Is the seed yet in the barn? Yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.”
In the opening portion of Haggai 2:15, the Lord our God instructed His people in that time, saying, “And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward.” Again in the opening portion of Haggai 2:18, the Lord instructed them, saying, “Consider now from this day and upward.” Finally, at the end of Haggai 2:18, the Lord instructed them, saying, “Consider it.” Yet what specifically were they to consider? In Haggai 2:15-17 the Lord focused their attention upon His hand of chastening in their lives, saying, “And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD: since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty. I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD.” This is what they were to consider – the Lord’s chastening upon them and the Lord’s purpose in that chastening. In like manner, we ourselves today must consider our Lord’s purpose in His hand of chastening upon our lives.
We must consider our Lord’s purpose in chastening to convict us of our spiritual uncleanness.
In Haggai 2:11-13 the Lord asked two questions of the priests concerning the Law of Moses – “Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No. Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.” The Lord’s first question was whether the holiness of a holy sacrifice could be transferred onto the skirt of the priests garment by which he carried it, and then from that garment to some other thing that it might touch. The answer to this question was, No. According to the Law of Moses, holiness did not transfer in this manner. The Lord’s second question then was whether the uncleanness of a dead body could be transferred to a person that touched it, and then from that person to some other thing that he might touch. The answer to this question was, Yes. According to the Law of Moses, uncleanness did transfer in this manner.
Yet these two questions were intended as an illustration by the Lord to make a spiritual point concerning the spiritual condition of His people. Thus in Haggai 2:14 the Lord revealed His point through His prophet Haggai – “Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.” The hearts and lives of the Lord’s people were spiritually unclean in His sight. Therefore also, their works and their worship were unclean in His sight. The ministry work of their hands and the religious worship of their sacrifices was spiritually unclean in the sight of the Lord. The spiritual uncleanness of their hearts and lives transferred to their works and worship. Because their inner hearts were spiritually unclean, their ministry works were unclean also. Because their private lives were spiritually unclean, their religious worship was unclean also. They may have appeared outwardly to be clean and right in their works and worship. Yet their inner, heart uncleanness corrupted their outward works and worship in the sight of the Lord. Indeed, this was the purpose of the Lord’s chastening hand upon them – that they might be convicted concerning the spiritual uncleanness of their hearts and lives.
Even so, brethren, we ourselves must consider our Lord’s purpose in chastening us. His purpose is to convict us of the spiritual uncleanness in our hearts and lives. His purpose is to teach us not to rely upon the outward goodness of our ministry works and religious worship. His purpose is to pierce us with the truth that our outward works and worship are corrupted and made unclean in His sight by the spiritual uncleanness of our hearts and lives. His purpose is to convince us of the need to repent concerning whatever uncleanness is in our hearts and lives and to get right with Him thereby.
We must consider our Lord’s purpose in chastening to call us out of our stubborn rebellion.
In Haggai 2:15-17 the Lord pleaded with His people in that time, saying, “And now [having been confronted with your spiritual uncleanness], I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD: since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty. I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD.” In like manner, in Zechariah 1:1-4 we read, “In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers. Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the LORD.”
It is worthy of notice that this first message in Zechariah’s ministry as a prophet is the only one that was delivered during Haggai’s ministry as a prophet. It is also worthy of notice that Zechariah’s first message and Haggai’s second to last message both confronted the Lord’s people at that time for the stubbornness of their rebellion against the Lord. The Lord had confronted them for the spiritual uncleanness of their hearts and lives, yet they would not hearken unto Him. The Lord had chastened them for the spiritual uncleanness of their hearts and lives, yet they would not repent and return unto Him. They had continued in stubbornness and in rebellion. Yet still the Lord called them to repentance. In Zechariah 1:3 the Lord sent His prophet with this message, “Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.” Indeed, this was the purpose of the Lord’s chastening hand upon them – that He might call them out of the stubborn rebellion of their hearts and lives.
Even so, brethren, we ourselves must consider our Lord’s purpose in chastening us. His purpose is to call us out of the stubborn rebellion of our hearts and lives. His purpose is to remove from us any joy, or peace, or success, or support in our stubborn rebellion against Him. His purpose is to break our hard hearts and our stiff necks until we will resist Him no longer. His purpose is to bring us to our knees in humble repentance so that we will turn away from our stubborn and sinful rebellion and will turn again unto Him.
We must consider our Lord’s purpose in chastening to correct us unto spiritual fruitfulness.
In Haggai 2:18-19 the Lord proclaimed unto His people in that time, saying, “Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD’S temple was laid, consider it. Is the seed yet in the barn? Yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.” They were to consider the Lord’s purpose in His hand of chastening upon them. They were to consider that the Lord’s hand of chastening upon them because of their spiritual uncleanness and stubborn rebellion had brought fruitlessness into their lives. Yet they were also to consider that the Lord’s hand of grace was open toward them, inviting them to repent of their sinfulness and to return unto the Lord. Yea, they were to consider that from the very day of their repentance, the Lord’s hand of blessing would be open toward them so that the chastening of fruitlessness would be removed and so that the blessing of fruitfulness would be poured out. Until that day their barns were empty. Until that day the grape vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree had not brought forth its fruit. Fruitlessness was the characteristic of their lives. Yet from that day of repentance everything changed. From that day the Lord promised to bless them. From that day fruitfulness would be the characteristic of their lives. Indeed, this was the purpose of the lord’s chastening upon them – that He might correct them unto the place of spiritual fruitfulness.
Even so, brethren, we ourselves must consider our Lord’s purpose in chastening us. In Hebrews 12:11 God’s Word declares, “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” His purpose is to exercise us unto the place of correction. His purpose is to correct us unto the place of spiritual fruitfulness – that we might bring forth the peaceable fruit of righteousness in our lives. His purpose is that He might remove His hand of chastening from us and might open wide His hand of blessing upon us.
In Haggai 2:11-13 the Lord asked two questions of the priests concerning the Law of Moses – “Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No. Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.” The Lord’s first question was whether the holiness of a holy sacrifice could be transferred onto the skirt of the priests garment by which he carried it, and then from that garment to some other thing that it might touch. The answer to this question was, No. According to the Law of Moses, holiness did not transfer in this manner. The Lord’s second question then was whether the uncleanness of a dead body could be transferred to a person that touched it, and then from that person to some other thing that he might touch. The answer to this question was, Yes. According to the Law of Moses, uncleanness did transfer in this manner.
Yet these two questions were intended as an illustration by the Lord to make a spiritual point concerning the spiritual condition of His people. Thus in Haggai 2:14 the Lord revealed His point through His prophet Haggai – “Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.” The hearts and lives of the Lord’s people were spiritually unclean in His sight. Therefore also, their works and their worship were unclean in His sight. The ministry work of their hands and the religious worship of their sacrifices was spiritually unclean in the sight of the Lord. The spiritual uncleanness of their hearts and lives transferred to their works and worship. Because their inner hearts were spiritually unclean, their ministry works were unclean also. Because their private lives were spiritually unclean, their religious worship was unclean also. They may have appeared outwardly to be clean and right in their works and worship. Yet their inner, heart uncleanness corrupted their outward works and worship in the sight of the Lord. Indeed, this was the purpose of the Lord’s chastening hand upon them – that they might be convicted concerning the spiritual uncleanness of their hearts and lives.
Even so, brethren, we ourselves must consider our Lord’s purpose in chastening us. His purpose is to convict us of the spiritual uncleanness in our hearts and lives. His purpose is to teach us not to rely upon the outward goodness of our ministry works and religious worship. His purpose is to pierce us with the truth that our outward works and worship are corrupted and made unclean in His sight by the spiritual uncleanness of our hearts and lives. His purpose is to convince us of the need to repent concerning whatever uncleanness is in our hearts and lives and to get right with Him thereby.
We must consider our Lord’s purpose in chastening to call us out of our stubborn rebellion.
In Haggai 2:15-17 the Lord pleaded with His people in that time, saying, “And now [having been confronted with your spiritual uncleanness], I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD: since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty. I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD.” In like manner, in Zechariah 1:1-4 we read, “In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers. Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the LORD.”
It is worthy of notice that this first message in Zechariah’s ministry as a prophet is the only one that was delivered during Haggai’s ministry as a prophet. It is also worthy of notice that Zechariah’s first message and Haggai’s second to last message both confronted the Lord’s people at that time for the stubbornness of their rebellion against the Lord. The Lord had confronted them for the spiritual uncleanness of their hearts and lives, yet they would not hearken unto Him. The Lord had chastened them for the spiritual uncleanness of their hearts and lives, yet they would not repent and return unto Him. They had continued in stubbornness and in rebellion. Yet still the Lord called them to repentance. In Zechariah 1:3 the Lord sent His prophet with this message, “Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.” Indeed, this was the purpose of the Lord’s chastening hand upon them – that He might call them out of the stubborn rebellion of their hearts and lives.
Even so, brethren, we ourselves must consider our Lord’s purpose in chastening us. His purpose is to call us out of the stubborn rebellion of our hearts and lives. His purpose is to remove from us any joy, or peace, or success, or support in our stubborn rebellion against Him. His purpose is to break our hard hearts and our stiff necks until we will resist Him no longer. His purpose is to bring us to our knees in humble repentance so that we will turn away from our stubborn and sinful rebellion and will turn again unto Him.
We must consider our Lord’s purpose in chastening to correct us unto spiritual fruitfulness.
In Haggai 2:18-19 the Lord proclaimed unto His people in that time, saying, “Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD’S temple was laid, consider it. Is the seed yet in the barn? Yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.” They were to consider the Lord’s purpose in His hand of chastening upon them. They were to consider that the Lord’s hand of chastening upon them because of their spiritual uncleanness and stubborn rebellion had brought fruitlessness into their lives. Yet they were also to consider that the Lord’s hand of grace was open toward them, inviting them to repent of their sinfulness and to return unto the Lord. Yea, they were to consider that from the very day of their repentance, the Lord’s hand of blessing would be open toward them so that the chastening of fruitlessness would be removed and so that the blessing of fruitfulness would be poured out. Until that day their barns were empty. Until that day the grape vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree had not brought forth its fruit. Fruitlessness was the characteristic of their lives. Yet from that day of repentance everything changed. From that day the Lord promised to bless them. From that day fruitfulness would be the characteristic of their lives. Indeed, this was the purpose of the lord’s chastening upon them – that He might correct them unto the place of spiritual fruitfulness.
Even so, brethren, we ourselves must consider our Lord’s purpose in chastening us. In Hebrews 12:11 God’s Word declares, “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” His purpose is to exercise us unto the place of correction. His purpose is to correct us unto the place of spiritual fruitfulness – that we might bring forth the peaceable fruit of righteousness in our lives. His purpose is that He might remove His hand of chastening from us and might open wide His hand of blessing upon us.
Posted in Weekly Sermon, Haggai, Receiving Correction, Repentance of Sin, Blessing of the Lord, Spiritual Revival
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