What happens when God's people postpone His work? The book of Haggai addresses this struggle through the story of the Jewish people who, after returning from exile, left God's temple in ruins for 16 years while building their own luxurious homes. Through His prophet Haggai, God highlighted how this procrastination reflected deeper spiritual priorities and called His people back to proper worship.

In this episode, Tiffany Coker and Pastor Jeff Cranston explore this relevant message from the second-shortest book in the Old Testament. They discuss how Haggai's four-month ministry succeeded in motivating the people to complete the temple - the very one where Jesus would later teach - and what this teaches us about prioritizing God's work in our own lives.

[00:00] Intro and Background

• Haggai is the second shortest book in the Old Testament at only 2 chapters long (Obadiah being the shortest)
• His name means "Festal One," likely indicating birth on a Jewish feast day
• Some scholars believe he was at least 70 years old when writing, as he may have seen Solomon's original temple

[09:54] Historical Context and Rebuilding The Temple 

• 538 BC: Persian King Cyrus allowed Jews to return from Babylonian exile
• Approximately 45,000-50,000 Jews made the journey home
• Temple rebuilding began in 536 BC with initial enthusiasm
• Their work was abandoned due to opposition from neighbors and Jewish indifference
• The original temple had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC
• This rebuilt temple was the one Jesus knew throughout His ministry

[00:14:54] Hey Theological Themes 

• The primary theme centers on rebuilding the temple as God's dwelling place; God's manifest presence among chosen people
• Haggai criticized people living in luxury while God's house lay in ruins
• Rebuilding the physical temple pointed to the ultimate messianic temple

Quote

"The Jews had thoughtlessly placed their own interests before the Lord's interests, looking after their own safety and security without giving consideration to the status of the Lord's house." - Pastor Jeff Cranston

Resources Mentioned

• Cherry, Kendra. “The Psychology behind Why We Wait until the Last Minute to Do Things.” Verywell Mind, 14 Nov. 2022, www.verywellmind.com/the-psychology-of-procrastination-2795944.
• Bisin A, Hyndman K. Present-bias, procrastination and deadlines in a field experiment. Games and Economic Behavior. 2020;119:339-357. doi:10.1016/j.geb.2019.11.010

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Remember, the real power of theology is not only knowing it but applying it. Thanks for listening!