The Lord is prompting his people and calling us to make a decision. I recently read Haggai, a word of the Lord that came to him after the exile of Israel. In Haggai, the Lord’s rebuke calls people to a decision and then offers a promise for their obedience. While reading this I felt very strongly that the Lord is calling us to make a decision today. 

Why is everyone saying it is not the right time for rebuilding my Temple?” asks the Lord.

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His reply to them is this: “Is it then the right time for you to live in luxurious homes, when the Temple lies in ruins? Look at the result: You plant much but harvest little. You have scarcely enough to eat or drink and not enough clothes to keep you warm. Your income disappears, as though you were putting it into pockets filled with holes!

“Think it over,” says the Lord Almighty. “Consider how you have acted and what has happened as a result! Then go up into the mountains, bring down timber, and rebuild my Temple, and I will be pleased with it and appear there in my glory,” says the Lord. (Haggai 1:2-9 TLB)

The people had been given the task to rebuild the Lord’s house. However, they stalled, insisting it wasn’t God’s timing. The Lord sent Haggai with a rebuke, not for living in nice homes, but for abandoning the work He called them to do. They chose their own personal prosperity over God’s house. He then provoked them, “Consider your ways.” Consider why you aren’t harvesting. Consider why you work so hard, but never have enough. It was their disobedience that led to this. In the following verses, the Lord tells them it’s not an enemy who is doing this to them, but it’s the Lord’s doing. Their continual disobedience brought God’s judgment.

Therefore the heavens above you [for your sake] withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its produce. And I have called for a drought upon the land and the hill country, upon the grain, the fresh wine, the oil, upon what the ground brings forth, upon men and cattle, and upon all the [wearisome] toil of [men’s] hands. (Haggai 1:9-11 AMP-C)

The Prophets’ Task

Haggai was a prophet. He did what the Lord asked and brought a word. It was a hard message and a rebuke; however, the word of the Lord never returns void. The heart of the prophetic always seeks to honor the Lord first. It always calls God’s people back to Him when they have veered off. Prophetic words also call for a decision or bring you to a course of action as prompted by the Lord. This is what Haggai did and the leaders recognized the word of the Lord and chose to be obedient.

Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people [who had returned from captivity], listened to and obeyed the voice of the Lord their God [not vaguely or partly, but completely, according to] the words of Haggai the prophet, since the Lord their God had sent him, and the people [reverently] feared and [worshipfully] turned to the Lord. (Haggai 1:12 AMP-C) 

Rebuilding God’s House

I firmly believe that for some time God has been trying to get the attention of the Church. 

I sense that like His message to Haggai, He is saying, “Consider your ways.” Many prophetic voices and pastors used Covid and the events following to bring the word of the Lord to the people. Those words were heartfelt pleas to the Church to humble ourselves through repentance, fasting, and seeking His face. 

I believe God is calling us to rebuild His house once more, repairing the ruins.

A year ago I had a continual series of dreams about different leaders in my church. The common theme in each dream was that they were rebuilding the house (church) literally. Everything was torn down from the inside out. All the church was working together to rebuild it. The only piece that remained intact was the altar. Everything else was being rebuilt.

Remember that we are God’s temple. Much that has happened has exposed our hearts and foundation. Everything that is not founded on Christ must go. He is and has been dealing with us personally, but I believe He wants to deal with the Body corporately. He is cleansing both His people and His house. I believe He is saying, “It’s time to rebuild,” but the obedience is entirely up to us.

After praying over those dreams, I wondered why the altar was still intact and nothing else.

The altar is significant to the Lord. 

The altar is a place of sacrifice or death. We are called to be living sacrifices. We are called to a lifestyle of death to self. Our old self has been crucified with Christ, but unfortunately much of the Church has walked away from these truths. The Church must come back to this place. We are called to be set apart (Lk 9:23, Rom 6:6, Rom 12:1, 2 Cor 5:17).

The altar is where many of us made a decision to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Even if you never physically made the walk, you probably bowed your head to pray. In the New Testament we are called temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:9). Every temple has an altar. If our bodies are the temples, I believe our hearts are God’s altars. It’s where we first made that decision to give our lives to Jesus Christ. I believe He wants the altar call back. The Lord wants our leaders issuing heartfelt pleas for salvation by way of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Rom 10:8-14).

The altar represents a place of prayer and worship. Remember we are the temple. Worship and prayer are a choice we make that flows from our relationship with the Lord. Everything else was torn down except the altar. Worship is the key to our breakthrough. When we worship the Lord, we exalt Him and He sits enthroned over all. The Lord is seeking true worship in spirit and in truth, not just entertainment and feelings.

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (Jn 4:24)

The Heart of the Prophetic

Even though a rebuke was given, the Lord is merciful and compassionate. Even prophetic  words of judgment should have a redemptive message. That’s exactly what Haggai does.

As the people chose to be obedient, the Lord was pleased and reminded them of His promise.

Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, spoke the Lord’s message to the people saying, I am with you, says the Lord. And the Lord aroused the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people, so that they came and labored on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God . . . (Haggai 1:13,14)

Why Rebuilding Matters

But take courage, O Zerubbabel and Joshua and all the people; take courage and work, for I am with you, says the Lord Almighty. For I promised when you left Egypt that my Spirit would remain among you; so don’t be afraid.’ For this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land.  I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. (Haggai 2:4-7 LBT)

This verse is shared after Haggai prophesied to the people to be strong and finish the work.

This verse about shaking can come across as a scary verse to many believers, but the shaking is necessary. 

Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. (Heb 12:27 NKJV)

The shaking serves a twofold purpose. It removes that which cannot remain. I believe it’s already begun. This is not a punishment, but a wake up call. If God has been highlighting things to you, if His Spirit has been convicting you, if you have felt His hand heavy on you at times, if you feel as if everything around you is being shaken, then praise the Lord. He is not only doing a deeper work within you, He is removing what must go, so that what remains is all Him. Nothing and no one else can get that glory. He is building you into an unshakeable church that can withstand the tempest. (Mt 7:24,25)

The second reason for shaking (according to the Matthew Henry commentary) is that the shaking is also the Lord’s deliverance. “God will once again do for his church as he did when he brought them out of Egypt. He shook the heavens and earth at Mt. Sinai, with thunder, lightning, and earthquakes.” This is the reason Haggai reminds the people the God’s Spirit would be with them as He was when they left Egypt. 

The final verses of Haggai leave God’s people with a promise. After the shaking comes the greater glory. The Lord declares the silver and gold are His.(The wealth of the world is really the Lord’s. We are called to steward it wisely.) He promises to bless the leaders and the people for their obedience. He again repeats the phrase, ” I will shake the heavens and earth.” However this time He addresses the nations. He promises to deal with evil rulers and kingdoms. God will not be mocked. 

This book is rich with meaning for us today, but I want to highlight just a few points for prayer and response. 

• Turn back. If God called you to something or gave you a specific assignment and you stopped out of discouragement, fear, or hopelessness, take heart and turn back from where you left off. It’s time to rebuild.
• Consider your ways. If you feel like you are hitting the wall and nothing seems to be working, really think about it, pray, and seek the Lord. Maybe He is calling you to take a different course of action. Maybe He is asking you to lay something down. Maybe you didn’t do what he asked you to do the first time. (See #1)
• Pray for God’s prophets and leaders. Being God’s leader is never an easy task. Pray for pastors who need strength and encouragement. Pray for prophets to be the mouthpieces that God has called them to be. Let them boldly speak forth the word of God, bringing correction, exhortation, edification, comfort, and encouragement.
• Pray for unity in the church. God gave the word to His leaders and people. However, He told the leaders to get to work and called all the people to work together. We cannot give all responsibility to our pastors and sit back and do nothing. We have work to do. Everyone has a part.
• Pray for godly leadership/partnerships. Zerrubabel was a governor and a godly one. He worked alongside Jeshua the high priest.  How wonderful would it be to see godly leaders in office, working with spiritual leaders? This is something we can pray about. 
• Worship. Remember how crucial worship is to us. Worship is like fuel. When we feel like our fire is dwindling, it means we need to fix our gaze afresh on the Lord and worship. However that looks to you, let’s worship the Lord! 

Father,

I thank You for Your words. They are a light to my feet and light to my path. I know that despite how it looks, You are working. Lord, breathe on those whose hearts have grown weary in waiting. Let Your words bring fresh hope. I pray for weary pastors and leaders–impart strength to continue the work You have called them to do. Strengthen their weary hands. I pray for prophets to be the mouthpieces You’ve called them to be and to share what You’ve asked them to share. Purify the prophetic from people pleasing, fear of man, pride, lust, and anything that is not of You. Bring restoration to the prophetic movement. 

I pray that leaders in governmental offices find salvation in Jesus Christ. I pray for divine partnerships to emerge. I pray that national leaders would seek out spiritual leaders and begin to work together. It seems impossible, but You’re the only one who could make it happen, Lord. 

I pray for Your church to have our eyes fixed and our foundation in Jesus, so that no matter what may come we are securely planted. Thank You that even in hard words, You still leave us with Your promises. Thank You for all of them, especially the promise of Your presence. We know that You are with us through it all. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

What are your thoughts? What do you feel God is speaking to his people? 

Author Gloria Robles is a passionate intercessor with a prophetic voice for today. For more from Gloria, go to Spotify or Anchor to listen to her podcast Something To Share.