The word of Haggai stands at the center of the story of the second temple. The entrance of the prophetic word is the pivot point of the narrative. Everything changes at that moment. The people respond in obedience and resume the work of rebuilding. God’s message, delivered through His prophet, becomes both correction and encouragement, moving the hearts of the people from repentance to obedience and from discouragement to renewed vision.
Haggai’s message unfolds in two distinct phases. First comes the command: “Consider your ways.” It is an invitation to moral reflection—to examine their circumstances and honestly reckon with the consequences of their disobedience. Then comes a second pair of calls to consider: “Consider from this day onward.” What grace and mercy are contained in those words. The message moves from judgment to hope, from rebuke to promise.
God’s encouragement takes concrete form.
“Fear not.”
Fear had been the original distraction that brought the work on the temple to a halt. Now God redirects their focus. When He is restored to the center of their lives and worship, fear no longer governs their decisions.
“In this place I will give peace.”
The Jews had been threatened with conflict over the rebuilding of the temple by the people of the land. God responds not with escalation, but with assurance. He promises peace in the very place of tension. The sovereign care of God transforms their outlook.
“From this day onward I will bless you.”
No more wages disappearing like money in a bag with holes. No more clothing that fails to warm. Blessing replaces barrenness. Restored fellowship with God brings not only security and peace, but abundance. What they reap will now far exceed what they sow.
The Word of God—and our response to it—is always the turning point. Repentance is never the end; it is the beginning. It opens the way to renewed hope, renewed vision, and renewed promise.
“Consider from this day onward.”
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