Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah

Today's Reading - Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah

Good Morning! Today, we look at three more minor prophets; Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah. Let's get a little background on these prophets first.
Zephaniah was sent to wake up the people of Judah. GOD wanted them to repent of their sinful ways, and urge them to return to GOD. Zephaniah prophesied in the days of King Josiah.
Haggai was a neat book with a great message. This was my favorite out of the three books. Haggai was sent to tell the people of Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.Zechariah was sent to give hope to the people in Jerusalem by telling them of the coming Messiah.

Haggai 1:5-10 ESV5 Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts:
Consider your ways. 6 You have sown much,
and harvested little. You eat, but you never
have enough; you drink, but you never have
your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is
warm. And he who earns wages does so to put
them into a bag with holes.7" Thus says the LORD
of hosts: Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the
hills and bring wood and build the house, that
I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified,
says the LORD.
9 You looked for much, and behold, it came to little.
And when you brought it home, I blew it away.
Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my
house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself
with his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens
above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce.

Give Careful Thought
The story of Haggai is simple, yet one that we need to be reminded of. The Lord's house was in "Ruins" while the people were living comfortably. GOD had provided for them, and they became comfortable. GOD was not pleased that His people had forgotten about HIM, so HE reminded them with a drought. (v1:10-11)

Did you catch that it was not so much that the building was in ruins, and not that GOD wanted a building. He wanted the people hearts and minds to be focused on Him, and GOD needed a place to be honored.

I really like the phrase that appears several times in the NIV version; "Give careful thought." It is like GOD was saying to HIS people. "My children, try and put two and two together, I provide for you, you are ignoring ME, and there just happens to be a drought, do you see the connection? Give careful thought to what is happening."

GOD loves us so much, and HE loves to provide for us, but sometimes we start to take these blessings for granted. GOD may soon be forgotten as the giver of these gifts, as we start to look to ourselves and others. GOD then may need to get our attention by sending us a "Drought."

If you feel that you are going through a drought in your life right now, you may want to check your heart. Does the place that you meet Jesus, lay in ruins? Or are you spending time daily, building and cleaning it up? Making it a place where Christ can be honored?

Have a great weekend! Over the weekend we finish the Old Testament, then Monday, we start the New Testament. I hope that our study of the Old Testament has blessed you. I know a lot of people dismiss the Old Testament as being not revelent today. I pray that you have seen the opposite.

Bible Trivia
How many swords did the disciples take with them when they followed Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane?
Hint: Luke 22:38-39