First Things First - Haggai

Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of God’s people began to obey the message from the LORD their God. When they heard the words of the prophet Haggai, whom the LORD their God had sent, the people feared the LORD.

Haggai 1:12

In an art gallery in Berlin, Germany hangs German painter Adolf von Menzel’s partially finished image of Prussian king Fredrick II the Great speaking with some of his generals. Menzel painted the generals and the background, leaving Frederick until last. Unfortunately, Menzel died before finishing it.

Setting priorities is a key to doing anything well. That is true in your life as a believer, husband, and father.

The Old Testament prophet Haggai believed strongly in setting the right priorities and in encouraging others to do the same.

The people of Jerusalem had a problem with priorities after they returned from the Babylonian captivity. They were settling nicely into their homes, but they forgot the vital importance of the holy Temple. They had begun the project of restoring it, but after sixteen years, it remained unfinished.

That’s where the prophet Haggai stepped into the picture.

Haggai was probably born in Babylon. He returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel and scolded the people for their misplaced priorities: “Why are you living in luxurious houses while [God’s] house lies in ruins?” (Haggai 1:4).

Haggai knew that the people of Jerusalem were missing out on God’s richest blessings because they hadn’t finished the Temple, and he knew that they hadn’t finished the Temple because it wasn’t at the top of their to-do list.

He also knew that God would be with them as they made God’s Temple a priority (see Haggai 1:13).

Haggai preached the right message at just the right time. The people listened to him, and with their sense of priorities straightened out, they got busy!

Think about the priorities in your life and ask yourself if they are pleasing to the Lord. Do you make daily prayer and Bible reading a priority? Do you give to a ministry that God has put on your heart? If not, it may be time to rearrange your priorities.