Bible Text: Haggai 2:20-23 | Preacher: Pastor Joe Ricchuiti | Series: A Reason to Hope, Haggai

1.  God challenged His people through four messages in the Book of Haggai:

-the problem of wrong priorities (putting ourselves ahead of God-God must be first)

-the problem of wrong perspective (looking backward instead of forward-must get God’s perspective)

-the problem of “wrong assumptions” (taking sin and its consequences lightly)

-the problem of insignificance (finding our significance in God not possessions, status, achievement, role, job, etc.)

2.  This final message (Haggai 2:20-23) is directed to Zerubbabel, the governor, personally.  As Warren Wiersbe writes: “No doubt Zerubbabel needed special encouragement as he directed the work of the Lord.  Satan always attacks spiritual leaders, and it is our duty to pray for them and work with them.”  See 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; Hebrews 13:17.

3.  The world considered Israel an insignificant people, in an insignificant place, building an insignificant temple, so God encouraged Zerubbabel and the people by reminding them of future glory when God will shake the nations aligned against Israel totally destroying them politically and militarily (Daniel 2) and establishing His messianic kingdom on earth.  Zerubbabel himself was in the legal line of Messiah (Matthew 1:12).

4.  Robert L. Alden suggests the following four truths taught in the Book of Haggai:

-“God and His work must take first place in the life of His people.  Only in this way is God honored.”

-“Putting personal or selfish interests ahead of God is self-defeating.”

-“God [is pleased by]= those who put His interests before their own.”

-“The value or significance of a man’s work is not to be estimated by comparing it with the work of others, but by the measure of its conformity to God’s will and purpose.  Zerubbabel’s temple seemed insignificant compared to Solomon’s.  Yet in God’s sight it was a valued and significant part of His overall purpose.”