Haggai

August 5

Haggai 1:12-14, 2:15-19

A promise of blessing

When Haggai told the Jews who had returned from Babylon that God wanted them to rebuild the Temple, they obeyed straight away. As they began working on the Temple, the Lord encouraged them.

The Lord said, “Before you started working on the Temple, you expected a big harvest, but there was very little. I sent winds and hail to ruin everything you tried to grow. Today you have finished laying the foundation of the Temple. Now see what will happen!

Although there is no grain left, and the grapevines, fig trees, and olive trees have no fruit, I will bless you from this day on.”

Do I have to do things to be blessed?

It was only when the people started rebuilding the Temple that the Lord promised to bless them. At this stage they had only laid the foundation, yet God was already waiting to pour out His blessing on them. He had wanted to bless them for many years, but their disobedience had kept His blessing away. Now the trees would start bearing fruit again, and the crops would grow tall. God’s blessings would fall on them like showers of rain.

Does that mean we have to do things to be blessed? God was not rewarding the people for what they did, but for their obedience! God had held back His blessing so that the people would turn away from sin. Now that they were obedient and walking in His ways, the blessing He had been holding back could flow freely again.

It is your obedience that is important—whether it means stopping something that is wrong or starting something that God has been telling you to do.

Verse for today

I will bless them and the places surrounding my hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. Ezekiel 34:26