Haggai 2:1-5 Encouragement for the Discouraged
SATAN is always doing his utmost to stop the work of God. He hindered these Jews from building the Temple and today he endeavors to hinder the people of God from spreading the Gospel. A spiritual temple is to be built for the Most High and if, by any means, the Evil One can delay its uprising, he will stop at nothing. If he can take us off from working with faith and courage for the Glory of God, he will be sure to do it. He is very cunning and knows how to change his argument and yet keep to his design–he little cares how he works, so long as he can hinder the people of God and hurt the cause of God. (Spurgeon)
Reason for Discouragement
Daunting Project 1 In the seventh month – Sometimes we say, “It’s too hard to be a follower of Christ,” “I got too much rubble in my life to clear out,” ‘It’s not worth dredging it up,” or “There’s got to be an easier way.” The work was demanding with the cleaning up of the ruin left for over 50 years. Months had passed since they began the work. All the work of clearing the ground, removing the rubble, and deciding what to keep and discard was exhausting. In building a work of God the 1st things that must happen is clearing the ground, removing the rubble (Ferguson). Removing rubble is never easy. It is never “easy” to be a Christian either. The Christian life is difficult. (Matt 7:13-14). If it was easy everyone would follow Jesus. We look at the piles of besetting sin in our life and wonder if it will ever be removed. We want to live for God, but without all the work to be Godly. We want easy believism and minimal Christianity. We only want to do what we have to do to follow Christ. We want perfection without pain and happiness without hurt. We want to be at the top of the mountain, but we want to take the easy trail. We become discouraged because we can’t see how God can “clear all the rubble” away, and for some, they don’t really want him to take it away. We say, it is too hard to measure up to the Cristian life, so why even try? So we stop mid-stream, and look for something “easier” quitting our spiritual pursuit. We settle into mediocrity.
Delayed Process 1 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, 2 "Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say At times we feel that it is hard to keep going in my Christian walk. We say, “I can’t stop getting started and then stopping.” We start reading our Bible and then stop. We start sharing our faith and then stop. We go for while praying and memorizing Scripture and then stop. We can’t get ourselves motivated when we know we’ll just stop again. Why can’t we be consistent? Here the work had stopped for the most holy month in which they had 9 days of celebration (1stday Feat of trumpets, 10th Day the Day of Atonement, and the 15th -20th the 7 days of the Feast of Tabernacles). Slow or stalled progress is always a discouragement. Like the work here, our “sanctification”, our growing into the image of Christ, can proceed slowly and often we don’t see any spiritual progress in our pursuit of holiness. We can also, be blinded to think that there is no progress at all. We wonder what is the use? Why do I still struggle with this? (Ferguson). Haggai knew
that another setback- even if it was only one more interruption - would totally discourage the people. He knew, like you know, that when you're in the Christian life and sometimes things are going well, and you begin to get reading your Bible well and studying it and getting into it, you're maybe beginning to get a hold on prayer, things are starting to go well . . . and all of a sudden - bang! A discouragement comes across your path and you get disheartened. Are you a discouraged Christian? Are you like these Judeans? They were discouraged, every time they felt they were getting somewhere, whether it was with their nation, or with their God, or with their temple - something came along their path to thwart it. Has that joy, has that celebration, has that rejoicing gone out, because of disappointments and discouragements in your life? Can you remember the great days? Can remember great days, great days of blessing. (Legge). Do you long for them again? God can and will bring them if only you surrender and submit to him.
Disheartening Prospect We say, I could never be what God expects, so why try? 3 'Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? The people looked at the temple site and didn’t see how what they were building could ever measure up to the grandeur of Solomon’s’ temple. They couldn’t see the value of the finished product. They looked at the ruin rather than the result (Ferguson) Paul keep looking for the end result rather than the current ruin. He saw with eyes of faith where this process was leading, to Christ likeness (Phil 3:7-16). . . . it is such a discouragement to see . . . the disappointments, the discouragements, how the work of God to the human, fleshly eyes seems not to be going forward - nothing seems to be happening. . But God is working, no matter how small . . . They couldn't see that there was a progression, that things had to be done, that this fire of life within them had to come gradually and slowly, and God by His Spirit was gradually blowing His wind upon that little ember of a flame in their heart and their soul. They got so down, they got so discouraged, they thought, 'Well, I'll forget about that, it's not worth the bother!'. Do you feel like that sometimes? It could be the world, it could be Christians, and all it takes is for one little bit of opposition, from someone . . . and you say, 'Well, that's the end of that. It's not worth it, it's not worth the hassle, it's not worth the cost!' - and these people were so discouraged. (Legge) They couldn’t see what God was doing, so they didn’t want to do anything.
Response to Discouragement
There are three 3 imperatives or commands that the Lord gives to his discouraged people. Go commands us to do what we are unable to do in order to make us realize our utter dependence on him.
Courage –4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD God was with them. We are weak and don’t have enough strength for the task God has called us to. We can’t be strong and courageous without the enabling power of the Lord. Discouragements can incapacitate us. We feel like we don’t have the strength to continue in the Christian walk and so we don’t. We have tried and failed, but have not succeeded. It is then we must be courageous through the supernatural strength the Lord provides by his presence with us. We must realize in our own strength we cannot continue, but by his strength we can proceed. Three times God said to them be strong- maybe like them we need to hear it three times (Legge). We are not equal to our spiritual tasks, Like Moses we are weak. Like Joshua, we face tasks that are impossible by normal means. Like Solomon, we are can’t do it on our own. (Moses Deut 31:6; Joshua 1:6-7, 9; Solomon1 Chron 28:20) Thus, we are to “Be Strong” in the strength of his might. (Ps 84:5, 105:4, 118:14) In his strength we find courage to continue. (Boice).
Confidence - Fear Not We are fearful people. We are afraid we will disappoint ourselves, others and most importantly disappoint God. God commands us to not fear. Fearlessness is not a desired option but rather a divine mandate. (Smith) Be we lack confidence and ability to be fearless. Again, it is not our confidence because we become so easily discouraged. It is the supernatural enabling presence of the Lord that makes us brave. Discouragement always brings paralysis. We become discouraged and we become frightened to do anything. The longer we go without seeking, sharing and serving Christ the more fearful we become to do it. When is the last time you were really engaged in seeking and serving God? Don’t be afraid of breaking the spirit of paralysis that has overtaken you. As with the man Jesus meet paralyzed by the pool, to whom he asked the most ridiculous question, “Do you want to be healed?” Who wouldn’t be laying paralyzed by a pool and wouldn’t want to be made well. But for some they prefer paralysis to action. (John 5:2-9) (Ferguson). Fear is overcome through faith in the presence and promises of God. Faith defeats fear. Faith says step out, fear says stay put. Faith trusts in God, fear trusts in self. When we step out in faith we believe God’s promises and trust in his power to dispel our fear.
Consistency –Work One of the hardest aspects of the Christian life is to be consistent in our walk. When life get busy we are tempted to put our time with God and service for God on the back burner, it just dies out. When we are faced with obstacles we can’t seem to overcome and opposition we can’t get past we can easily let our spiritual life diminish. When we fall into temptations and trials we can often pull away from God rather than draw close to him. The most fatal thing for you and me to do as Christians when we face and are flooded with discouragement is to let go of the basic principles and duties God has given to our lives (Ferguson). Discouragement by disappointment, saddened by difficulty, by opposition, we become less interested in fulfilling the basic responsibilities God has given us (reading scripture, prayer, scripture memory etc). Even at a nominal human level it is fatal. When you become depressed or discouraged the one thing you must do is never ever let go of the basic routines that God has planted in you. When you are physically depressed and you don’t feel like eating or getting out of bed, you must. The Doctor will tell you that you still have to eat and go about life. You can’t just shut down, that would be fatal. So it is in our spiritual walk, when we get discouraged, we must continue to “feed” on his word, especially when you don’t want to. We must be consistent even when distractions and difficulties seek to deter us. We will only find consistency for our fluctuating state in the arms of our faithful savior, Seek him and sit with him no matter what comes your way (Dan 6:10).
For you and me who are serving faithfully, trying to allow the Holy Spirit to use us to help build up His church, to help reach the lost with the gospel of Jesus Christ, there are those days when discouragement sets in and you start thinking, “Man, this is just hard. This is just difficult. I’m not sure any fruit is coming from this.” I hope in that moment God would say, “I’m the One who saved you. I’m the One who liberated you. If anybody is for My plan, it’s Me. If anybody is for you being a part of My plan, it’s Me. I’m with you. So don’t look at your physical circumstances and allow those to dictate how you obey or don’t obey. Look to the promises that I have before you. That’s your hope. Now get to work. (Shea Sumlin).
Resource for Discouragement (1 Chron 28)
We are not able in ourselves to have courage, confidence and consistency without the Presence Promises and Power of the Lord. We are not equipped but God is. When our faces are cast down because of discouragement, we must look up for encouragement. God enables us to do what he commands us to do.
Presence Work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts, It is the presence of God that makes people strong. In ourselves we are not strong (Boice). (Eph 6:10) God’s presence with us gives us courage, confidence and consistency. Knowing that he is with us through the good times and bad give us the ability to step our in faith and remain faithful to him or return to Him. He is with us in our troubles (Is 41:14, 43:1-2) He will never abandon us or forsake us (Neh 9:15-19,). So step out with the little faith you have, knowing that he is with you.
Promise 5 according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt God promised to dwell among his people and be their God. (Ex 29:45-46.) As with them, God’s covenant promise is good for believers as well. He made an eternal covenant with us through the sinless life, sacrificial death, and supernatural resurrection of Jesus. We are clothed in the righteousness of Christ, not because of what we have done or do, but because of what Christ has done for us. As he was a covenant keeping God with Israel, even in their rebellion, so he will be with us (Ps 106:43-45). God is faithful to his promises even when we are not faithful in our promise to follow him. (Joshua 21:45). So step out trusting in what he says.
Power 5 My Spirit remains in your midst. The Holy Spirit is with us and in us to empower us to live the Christian Life (John 14:16-17). It is by his power we can have courage to stand against temptations, have confidence to step out in faith and consistency in the midst of the greatest trials. Some say, “I cannot feel my need of Christ as I need to feel it?” The Spirit remains among us. He can make you feel more deeply the guilt of sin and your need of pardon. He is able to work in you the deepest conviction and the truest repentance. Even if we don’t feel as if we could do anything, the Spirit remains with us and all things that are necessary for godliness, He can give. He can work in you to will and to do of His own good pleasure. . .. He will give you both the will and the power to use it successfully. Through the Spirit’s might, you can overcome every sin, even that which has dragged you down and disgraced you! The Spirit of God is still waiting to help you. The power of the Spirit of God can work in you. . . . He can work in you all that is pleasing in His sight. (Spurgeon)
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