When God Asks You To Compare

In Haggai 2:1-3 God speaks to the remnant of Israel:

In the seventh month, on the twenty-first of the new moon, the word of יהוה came by Ḥaggai the prophet, saying, “Speak, please, to Zerubbaḇel son of She’alti’ĕl, governor of Yehuḏah, and to Yehoshua son of Yehotsaḏaq, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying, Who is there left among you who saw this House in its former esteem? And how do you see it now? Is it not in your eyes as naught when compared to it? The Scriptures (ISR)

God tells Haggai to speak to the leadership and all the remnant of the people of Israel and asks the older generation - how does this second temple compare to the first temple that Solomon built?

Lets see if we can identify differences between the two houses.

During the time of David, (See 1 Chronicles 22) he stored up the following materials for purpose of providing for the temple of God:

• Stone
• Iron
• Bronze
• Gold
• Silver
• Precious Stones
• Marble Slabs

In 1 Chronicles 28 we see that David giving Solomon the plans for the building the temple.

In 1 Chronicles 29 we see the leadership of Israel additional contributions for the temple with:

• Gold
• Silver
• Bronze
• Iron
• Precious Stones

During the time of Solomon, Israel had extreme favor with all the nations around them.  Reading through 1 Kings, you see Solomon building the temple with no hinderance or resistance from the people or the nations surrounding them.  He built the temple with an abundance of wealth.  He built a beautiful temple for the glory of God, but seen through the eyes of people.

Let's continue to ask the question what is the difference between the first House and the second House built for God.

From jewishhistory.org, they have created a series of YouTube videos, and one is called Differences between the First and Second Temple - #14 with Rabbi Berel Wein we learn the following:

1. Lacking the Holy Spirit - meaning that prophecy was not prevalent in the times of the second temple as compared the times of the first temple and following.
2. The eternal flame didn't exist
3. The ark of the covenant wasn't in the second temple - the Holy of Holies was empty
4. The Jews were poor and in poverty building the second temple - whereas during Solomon's time there was much wealth.
5. The second temple was rebuilt many times over the centuries

Additionally, we see in the book of Ezra, that the gentile king helped to fund the building of the temple and provided for the daily sacrifices.

When we look in scripture at the response of the people to the question God asks through Haggai, we can see it best in Ezra 3:12-13:

And many of the priests and Lĕwites and heads of the fathers’ houses, the old men who had seen the first House, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this House was laid before their eyes, and many shouted aloud for joy, and the people could not distinguish the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard far away. The Scriptures (ISR)

We see the older generation wept.

We see the younger generation shouted aloud for joy.

Why?

The older generation had memories of the glory of the first temple, but they were looking from a human perspective of what it use to look like.  It was beautiful to behold in the eyes of the people.  It seemed to signify the greatness of the people of Israel.

But God makes a startling statement Haggai 2:8-9:

The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ declares יהוה of hosts. Let the esteem of this latter House be greater than the former,’ said יהוה of hosts. ‘And in this place I give peace,’ declares יהוה of hosts.” The Scriptures (ISR)

What caught my attention was that God declared all gold and all silver as His.  He is not worried about the immediate beauty of His house, but rather that His House became a place to be with the people of the earth.

Also, with the second temple we have the gentile king directing sacrifices be made on his behalf and that there be prayers made for the king and his sons. (See Ezra 6:9-10)

We witness the royal priesthood that God desired the nation of Israel to be to the nations actually being carried out which we don't see recorded before this time.  The gentile king was asking for prayer, and the remnant of Israel was doing just that.

God was receiving more glory and was hearing prayers from other nations through the obedience of the remnant of Israel building the second temple.

Then God asks them to compare the fruit of focusing on ourselves versus obeying and putting God first in our lives.  Lets look at Haggai 2:11-19.

“Thus said יהוה of hosts, ‘Now, ask the priests concerning the Torah, saying, “If one bears set-apart meat in the fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread or stew, or wine or oil, or any food, is it set-apart?” ‘ ” And the priests answered and said, “No.” And Ḥaggai said, “If someone defiled by a dead body touches any of these, is it defiled?” And the priests answered and said, “It is defiled.” And Ḥaggai answered and said, “ ‘So is this people, and so is this nation before Me,’ declares יהוה, ‘and so is every work of their hands. And whatever they bring near there is defiled. But now, please consider, from this day onward: Before a stone was laid on a stone in the Hĕḵal of יהוה, since those days – one came to a heap of twenty ĕphahs, and there were ten; one came to the winepress to draw out fifty baths from the press, and there were twenty – I struck you with blight and mildew and hail in all the labours of your hands, and there was none of you with Me,’ declares יהוה. Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the Hĕḵal of יהוה was laid, consider it: Is the seed yet in the storehouse? And until now the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded fruit! From this day on I shall bless you!’ ” The Scriptures (ISR)

We see God asking a series of questions about what happens when something defiled touches something holy.  The priests answer that the holy becomes defiles.  God then explains that has been the case for the remnant of Israel with all their offering prior to obeying Him to rebuild the temple.  When their eyes were focused on themselves, even the offerings that they brought were defiled, because it was not about a relationship with God, but about religious duty.

God even tells them what the results of focusing on themself was:

• Expecting twenty ephahs, you only found ten
• Expecting to draw out fifty baths of wine from the winepress, you only received twenty
• Expecting health crops, they received blight, mildew and hail

But then God asks that very important questions - Consider your ways - Consider.

God tells them to compare what the fruit of focusing on Him and obedience was once they began to obey His Word.  He promised that He was blessing them, and they should see a difference in their lives.  They should see a difference in the amount of crops they harvest, the amount of wine from the vineyard, and the amount of fruit that would grow.

Now it is important that we consider our ways.

• Where is my focus?  On myself or on Jesus?
• Do I do what I want or do I obey what Jesus commands?
• Do I listen to my voice or do I listen and obey the voice of God?

We want more of Jesus.  We want a greater relationship with God.  Relationship involves both talking and listening.  God wants to hear from us.  He knows us better than we do, but He is always eager to hear from you.  But He also wants to talk to us.  He has created you for a purpose, and you need to do is listen and obey.  Take the next step of obedience to continue to fulfill the assignment God has given you in this adventure we are living.