Haggai 1:3 Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, These people were glad to have an excuse for turning away from building the Lord's house to build houses for themselves. Though they found plenty of time and means for adorning their own houses in a costly manner, the Lord's house was left to lie waste. Are they the only people who have ever acted after this fashion? Have we not been equally slack in doing the Lord's work? We may not be called to build up the Lord's house of stone and mortar; but there is another work requisite, even soul work; and from that neither we nor any other Christians can be spared. Every Christian is called to bear his part in building up the Church of the Lord spiritually, by prayer and thanksgiving, by faith and righteousness, by holiness and love; for this is the Lord's true Church. The New Testament Church is the congregation of believers. But any hindrance, however petty, is now deemed insurmountable — any excuse, however trifling, is held to be perfectly valid — if it is only to keep a person away from Church. Even when we come to Church, are we all diligently employed in building the house of the Lord? It is not of the bodies of men, but of their hearts, and souls, and minds, that the Lord's house is built. When we come to Church, as members of Christ's congregation, we come, or at least we ought to come to Christ. Moreover, every Christian ought himself to be a temple of God. He is so already, as St. Paul tells the Corinthians; and he ought to become so more and more entirely. This should be the great work of his life, to build himself up as such, with the help of God's Spirit dwelling in him. This is our work — a long and laborious work — to fit all our thoughts and feelings for being built up into the house of God, by purging them from the untempered mortar of this world. When so purged, how are we to cement them together? By good works; by works of holiness and love. It behoves us, one and all, to make it the great work of our lives to build up the Lord's house, both in our own hearts and souls and minds, and in the congregation of His people. We must be careful to carry on both works together; for neither will prosper without the other. (Julius C. Hare, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,WEB: Then the Word of Yahweh came by Haggai, the prophet, saying, |
    |