Haggai: A Restored Life Week One
Haggai 1:1-11
Greet everyone and check in on how everyone’s week has been.
Take some time to ask God to quiet your hearts and make you aware of his presence in your life and in the group tonight. Remember: We are not just gathering as a small group, but we are gathering and the Lord is in the meeting with us.
Pray that everyone would feel welcomed and willing to join in the discussion.
Haggai 1:1-11
A Call to Rebuild the Temple
1 On August 29 of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the Lord gave a message through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest.
2 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The people are saying, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.’”
3 Then the Lord sent this message through the prophet Haggai: 4 “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins? 5 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! 6 You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!
7 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! 8 Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord. 9 You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, while all of you are busy building your own fine houses. 10 It’s because of you that the heavens withhold the dew and the earth produces no crops. 11 I have called for a drought on your fields and hills—a drought to wither the grain and grapes and olive trees and all your other crops, a drought to starve you and your livestock and to ruin everything you have worked so hard to get.”
What initially stands out to you from the passage?
Why is the rebuilding of the temple so important? See verse 1:8 for help.
Where did the people exert their energy? Why was this such a problem?
How does the call to “Consider your ways” or “Think carefully about your ways” in verse 5, 7, relate to your own life? How does this challenge you?
Do you view this call as an indictment or an invitation?
Pray for God to show you ways that you can reorder your life to seek Him first.
Pray for ways to share the blessing of a life lived for the glory of God.
