November 19, 2016
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Mercy for the Defiled

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Opening Prayer

Gracious Lord, out of my need I cry to You. Challenge, confront, call and renew me.

Read Haggai 2:10-23

[10] On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Haggai: [11] “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests what the law says: [12] If someone carries consecrated meat in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated?'” The priests answered, “No.” [13] Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?” “Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.” [14] Then Haggai said, “‘So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares the LORD. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled. [15] “‘Now give careful thought to this from this day on-consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in the LORD’s temple. [16] When anyone came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty. [17] I struck all the work of your hands with blight, mildew and hail, yet you did not return to me,’ declares the LORD. [18] ‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid. Give careful thought: [19] Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit. “‘From this day on I will bless you.'” [20] The word of the LORD came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: [21] “Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. [22] I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother. [23] “‘On that day,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares the LORD Almighty.”

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Reflect

“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin” (Exodus 34:6,7). We must never forget this.

 

Indifference is a spirit-killer. We look for a response from the people as the prophet ends his last message. But one does not come. Haggai’s audience is silent. They had gone from fearing enemy attack to seeking their personal prosperity and comfort in their homes. Twice the Lord warns, “Give careful thought” (15,18) as hunger, thirst and poverty come as a result of not putting God’s Temple first but instead prioritizing themselves, their comfort and their homes. In a word, they are defiled (13,14). And defiled means cursed.
Zerubbabel’s name means “seed or descendant of Babylon,” a name that would remind all who hear of his parents’ commitment to a pagan god. The entire situation was wrong. The people who had returned from Babylon and joined with the builders to reconstruct the Temple years earlier had walked away from God’s priority; they had walked away from God. But true to God’s mercy, he foretells of a day when he will restore the blessings of the people. Amazingly, he ends the book with affirmation of Zerubbabel as his chosen leader (20–23). The book of Ezra tells us that the people do turn from their apathy toward God and his Temple and go on to finish the Temple with grand celebration (Ezra 6:16–18). God predicted it all.
The small book of Haggai’s prophecies reminds us that in our darkest hours of rejecting God and suffering the consequences, our merciful Heavenly Father saves us from inevitable destruction. As a bright new day dawns on God’s wayward people, he turns our hearts toward him and we respond to his tender love of us. It is never over, even when it seems like all hope is lost. We should never give up hope in the face of a crisis. We should never give up on ourselves. God doesn’t.

Indifference is a spirit-killer. We look for a response from the people as the prophet ends his last message. But one does not come. Haggai’s audience is silent. They had gone from fearing enemy attack to seeking their personal prosperity and comfort in their homes. Twice the Lord warns, “Give careful thought” (15,18) as hunger, thirst and poverty come as a result of not putting God’s Temple first but instead prioritizing themselves, their comfort and their homes. In a word, they are defiled (13,14). And defiled means cursed.

Zerubbabel’s name means “seed or descendant of Babylon,” a name that would remind all who hear of his parents’ commitment to a pagan god. The entire situation was wrong. The people who had returned from Babylon and joined with the builders to reconstruct the Temple years earlier had walked away from God’s priority; they had walked away from God. But true to God’s mercy, he foretells of a day when he will restore the blessings of the people. Amazingly, he ends the book with affirmation of Zerubbabel as his chosen leader (20–23). The book of Ezra tells us that the people do turn from their apathy toward God and his Temple and go on to finish the Temple with grand celebration (Ezra 6:16–18). God predicted it all.

The small book of Haggai’s prophecies reminds us that in our darkest hours of rejecting God and suffering the consequences, our merciful Heavenly Father saves us from inevitable destruction. As a bright new day dawns on God’s wayward people, he turns our hearts toward him and we respond to his tender love of us. It is never over, even when it seems like all hope is lost. We should never give up hope in the face of a crisis. We should never give up on ourselves. God doesn’t.

 

Apply

Are you in one of those periods of your life in which you are apathetic toward God? Turn to him and give him your fears.

Closing prayer

Father, forgive me for not caring enough about my relationship with You. Renew the joy of my salvation and enable me to see Your loving hand in my life.

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