Is It Time to Dwell in Paneled Houses when My House Lies Desolate?
Gary DeLashmutt
Haggai 1:1-14
The prophet Haggai admonishes Zerubbabel, the governor of Israel, and Joshua, the high priest, for prioritizing the construction of their own homes over the construction of the Lord's temple. The Israelite's response to discouragement is not unlike our own; when obstacles come into our path, giving in to those obstacles instead of resisting them creates a God-sized hole that we will try to fill with a multitude of things, such as materialism. God's dealing with the Israelite's in this passage is the same as His dealing with us: when we truly want to, God, in His grace, will help us get back on the right path to glorifying Him.