Build The House Haggai 1:7-8 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

The problem during the reign of Darius is that the Lord’s house was not built.  And the people were saying, “It’s not time,” (Hag 1:2).  The Lord disagreed (Hag 1:4).  So, he told them in Hag 1:8 to build the house.  And they obeyed (Hag 1:12) and built and the Lord encouraged them (Hag 2:2-4).

There are great instructions in this passage for us.  The Lord has a house today, a temple.  And it must be built (Eph 2:19-22; 1 Cor 3:10-17).  In other words, there is work that we must do to build his house.  Look what the Lord told Judah to do:

Consider your ways – Hag 1:7 – It was obvious that the Lord was not blessing their labor.  He was against them (Hag 1:9).  Yet after they began to build, that changed (Hag 2:17-19).  Consider your ways.  Is your life consumed with sowing, eating, drinking, clothing, and earning?  What do you have to show for all that in eternity?   What are you doing to build the house?  Not so much!!

Go up to the mountain – Hag 1:8 – The mountain is where the wood is.  We must go where the building material is.  It is inconvenient, out of the way, and takes special effort to go up to the mountain.

Bring wood – Hag 1:8 – The house was framed and built with wood.  The house of God today is built with living stones.  Nevertheless, the living stones were wood before they were converted (Mk 8:24; Ezek 20:46-48).  Some churches today are built with wood members (i.e., lost people).  God wants us to bring lost people so that he can convert them and build his house with them.  The wood doesn’t get there on its own.  It must be brought.  We must bring them in.  And remember that you can only carry one log at a time (it may take two or three to carry one log).

Build the house – The house must be built.  It is not just a matter of winning a soul here and there.  It’s a matter of getting the tree, bringing him to the house [God’s house, his temple] and through discipleship and edification strengthening him so that God can use him in the building.  Paul was a master builder.

Please God – Hag 1:8 – God sets “the members everyone of them in the body, as it hath pleased him,” (1 Cor 12:18).  When we build the house and the new converts are placed in the house where God wants them, he is pleased.

Glorify God – Hag 1:8 – God is glorified when we build the house (1 Cor 6:19-20; Jn 15:8).

Conclusion:  Now that you have considered your ways and you have seen that God wants us to build the house, don’t run back to your own houses and continue on with everything you have been doing.  Build the house.