HAVING challenged the people of Judah, now God speaks his call to the people through the prophet Haggai. God calls the people of Judah to 'Give careful thought to their ways' or as the ESV puts 'Consider your ways'. When God challenges his people, then the next step for the people is to consider their ways, that is to apply God's challenge to their lives, and take to heart the challenge that God has given, and see the truth of God's challenge reflected in what they see their lives to be.

THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE CALL.

The seriousness of the call is found in the one who speaks. The call is serious because it comes from the Lord Almighty. God introduces himself to the people of Judah by these two words. The first is the 'Lord'; the second is the 'Almighty'. By these two words Judah is given a true perception of the one who makes the call. Firstly, God makes himself known to them as the Lord, their Lord. He is Jehovah, their God, their covenant God. He is the one who chose them as his people, and led them out of bondage in Egypt, through the desert to the promised land and settled them there. He is the one who had revealed himself to them as the one and only true God who is Lord of all, and creator of all, and who rules over all creation.

Then he reveals himself as 'the Almighty', that is the God who, being over all, is able to do all that he purposes to do, and has power that none can withstand. So when he speaks, his commands must be obeyed. In revealing himself as 'the almighty' God reminds his people that it was by his power that he led them and defended them, and that when they departed from him they were unable to oppose his punishment poured out against them. God proved his almighty power by keeping his word that the exile in Babylon would be only for 70 years, and that he kept his word in bringing his people back to Jerusalem according to his promise. So God impressed upon the people his majesty which they needed to heed and obey.

It is a fact that in our day one of the things the church seems to have lost or disregarded is the sense of the true nature of God, that he is the LORD ALMIGHTY. The church seems to have reduced their understanding of God to something more in tune with human concepts, and denuded God of his majesty and power. The church today thinks of God in human terms, limiting God to what human perception deems to be possible. This attitude to God is seen in the fact that the church has no real belief that God can do the impossible if it his will to do it. This limiting of the power of God is seen in the way the church has adopted the attitude of the world to creation, and speaks of the impossibility of the Bible's revelation concerning the creation of the world. The church's attitude to God is seen in the way so much of the miraculous in the Bible is turned into an expression of myths and stories which may contain some spiritual truth but have no historical credibility. From this attitude to the majesty of God the church feels it is quite alright to change, water down, even reject much of the word of God in the Bible. It is not surprising that where the church has this attitude, the church has lost its power and is declining in influence.

THE REVELATION OF THIS CALL.

This verse reveals to us that God does speak to his people, to his church. The words of our verse express this truth. We read 'Thus says the Lord...'. God spoke to his people in the Old Testament by the prophets. God spoke to the prophet Haggai who was then God's mouth-piece to tell the people the mind of God.

When we hear a person speaking to us, the words spoken take on greater significance according to the greatness of the person speaking. When we know that the person speaking knows his subject and is expert in that subject, we give attention to the words spoken. If the word is spoken by one high in authority we also give serious attention to what is spoken. In the case of God speaking we are privileged to hear from the highest authority and the highest wisdom. God is the one who has created us, and therefore we are his possession, and so his word should be heard with serious attention. God is the one who sustains our life and we are dependent upon him for everything. For this reason it is essential we listen to what he has to say, and heed what he says and obey his word.

The world lives without considering God and certainly denies that God is speaking or speaks to us, and therefore lives according to its own wisdom and opinions. The result of this is all the destruction and mayhem which we see in the world today. The church has taken on the attitude of the world, and seems to deny in practice that God speaks to his church. Here can be found so much of the problems the church is experiencing these days.

The fact is God spoke to his people in the days of Haggai and called his people to listen and heed his message. God still speaks to his church today, and this is where the church is going wrong in not listening to the word of God. We read in Hebrews 1: 1,2 'Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.' Jesus is the word of God, and all he spoke, and the example he gave, is God speaking to us, because Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Jesus told his disciples that he would bring to their remembrance all he said to them, and that he would convey to them also more truth and understanding. We are told this in John 14: 25, 26 where we read 'These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.' The disciples gave us this word and understanding in the epistles, etc. of the New Testament. From this we see that it is clear that the Bible, both Old and New Testament, is God's word and God speaking to us which we need to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest, and obey and live by his word. The world does not accept the Bible as God speaking, but the church should certainly believe and receive the Bible as God speaking, and receive the whole Scripture with faith and obedience.

Just as the apostles were given the Holy Spirit to hear and receive the Word of God and so pass it on to us in the Bible, so we are given, and the church is given, the Holy Spirit to make the Bible known and understood, and God's people have found this to be so, and found great blessing from God, where the Scriptures have been received and believed without any reserve. Because the church in so many ways has lost and denied this revelation, the church has ceased to know the blessing of God. Where God's word has been believed in its entirety and obeyed, there the church has found blessing.

APPLICATION.

Before we consider, which we will do in our next sermon, the way God applies this verse in Haggai, we need to consider how this verse can be applied to us in our lives today. The Lord speaks to us in His word the Bible, and by the understanding given by the Holy Spirit. How should we approach this voice of God in our living today and everyday.

What this verse calls us to do is to stop and think how we are living with regard to our attitude to God today and everyday. In this respect the first question we need to ask ourself is how we receive the Bible. Are we tempted to disregard that truth that the Bible is God speaking to us, and calling us to listen to him and live in the light of his word to us. We may well say we believe the Bible to be the very word of God, and that we hold fast to its total inspiration by God. But then the question comes to us that if we believe and consider the Bible to be the very word of God, are we really listening to God speaking in his word. By this I mean do we give prime importance and time to reading the Bible, and seeking to hear God speaking to us from the Bible. Do we so attend to his word that it is changing our lives all the time as we seek to believe and obey his word understood and received by us. Do we seek such ministry and preaching that opens up our understanding of God's word, and do we pray earnestly for such ministry, and pray earnestly for the Holy Spirit to open up the word of God to us.

In applying God's word we need to enquire as to how God's word is effecting our lives. Here is a searching question which calls us to enquire into our lives. The questions we need to ask ourselves are something like this – How much do we love God, and is our love for God increasing. Do we repent of our failure to love God with our whole heart. In this respect we need to ask ourselves how our understanding of the revelation in the Bible is increasing our understanding and appreciation of the love of God for us, and the love of Christ in his astounding and great work to save us from our sins. We need to ask ourselves whether in our meditation in God's word we appreciate the depth of our sin and sinfulness, and the greatness of the love sacrifice of God in Christ when Christ came into the world and became like one of us, and then suffered the deserving of God's justice against our sins, suffering hell in our place.

Then we need to ask ourselves how much we listen to God. Do we give our full attention to his word. How much of our time and energy do we give to listening to God, and do we delight, like Mary, to sit at the feet of Jesus listening to him speaking to us. In this question we need to compare how much time we spend in worldly pleasures and how much time we give to seeking treasure in heaven.

Then again as we listen to God speaking in his Word how much do we consider the will and purpose of God presented before us as we listen. Do we immediately repent when we are shown our falling short of God's glory. Do we immediately and with determination seek to apply the Word to our daily living. Do we really seek to know the will of God for us, and are we listening to hear that will and purpose of God in order to heed it and obey it. We need to ask ourselves whether our obedience to the Word of God is with all our heart, mind and soul, or whether it is half-hearted or delayed.

Then there is the question of believing the Word of God and putting our trust in the Lord according to his revelation in the Bible. We may well reply that of course we believe and trust in the Lord as our Saviour and Lord, but what about the details of our living and trust. How strong is our faith as we view the future. How real is our faith as we read such Scripture as Philippians 4: 6,7 'Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.' We certainly bring our needs and worries to God in prayer, and believe that he hears and answers our prayer, but, having prayed, do we still carry our burden, and so the peace of God does not fill our hearts and minds.

There are so many ways that our faith and trust in God can waver and fluctuate. How often does our trust in God waver under the assault of the evil one who brings doubts and questions to our minds, and because we have not put on the whole armour of God, we find ourselves vulnerable when the evil days comes upon us.

Together with this there is the question as to how earnestly we heed the call of God to serve him and witness for him.