The Altar of Priority

The Altar of Priority (Haggai 1)

So, today we’re going to take a look at the prophet Haggai who had a crucial warning to Israel for giving up on the Temple of the Lord as it laid in ruins, putting their own well being above the priority of building a place to meet God.

 

God had promised through Jeremiah, “After seventy years, I will visit you and bring you back” (Jer. 29:10). Much like how Moses lead them out of Egypt, again now under the leadership of Zerubabbel, Ezra, and Nehemiah the people would slowly return back from captivity in three waves. Zerubabbel would rebuild the foundation of the temple and Ezra would rebuild the worship in the temple, and then later Nehemiah would rebuild the walls of the city. During this time three prophetic voices emerged on the scene. Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi and their message was simple return to God, return and rebuild!

 

Today, I want to give voice to Haggai’s prophetic warning.  Return to the altar, and put God first again!  He would remind the people that their harvest was empty and their hearts were weary because they had misplaced their priorities.  They had allowed survival to replace surrender and comfort to replace commitment.

 

POINT 1 — STOP MAKING EXCUSES (1:2)

After returning from exile, the people began well but quickly found reasons to delay obedience. They said, “It’s not the right time.” — not out of rebellion, but rationalization.

Fear of enemies, financial instability, political pressure — all real — but they became convenient excuses.  Excuses are nothing more than a buffer to obedience. It’s like saying, “I’ll obey when life slows down.” But life rarely slows down — and delayed obedience is still disobedience.

When we stop making excuses, the next step is to consider our ways.

 

POINT 2 — CONSIDER YOUR WAYS (v. 5-7)

The drought wasn’t punishment; it was realignment. God withheld blessing to remind them that nothing truly prospers when He’s not first.

 

Jesus later summarized Haggai’s message in one sentence:

“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

 

When God isn’t first, nothing else fits.

When God is first, everything else finds its place.

 

A time-management teacher once demonstrated with a jar, rocks, gravel, sand, and water.

When he put the sand in first, nothing else fit.

When he placed the big rocks first, everything fit perfectly.

The lesson?

“If you don’t put your big rocks in first, you’ll never fit them in at all.”

Your “big rock” must be God and His house.

 

When we seek Him first in every area, we experience what Haggai promised — God’s pleasure returns, His blessing flows, and our labor bears fruit.  Once the people realized their misplaced priorities, God didn’t leave them in guilt — He stirred them to action.

 

POINT 3 — STIR UP YOUR SPIRIT TO OBEY (v. 12)

Obedience doesn’t start with emotion — it starts with  a Word from God!  Hebrews 4 tells us that the Word of God is living and active. When Haggai spoke, and the people responded. They feared the Lord, they heard His word, and they began to rebuild.  When we respond in faith and live in obedience to God’s word revival begins.   Which leads to the final conclusion of the matter. 

 

When the people finally obeyed, God didn’t respond with money or comfort — He gave them something greater:  HIMSELF!

 

That’s the ultimate promise of revival — not abundance, not success, but His presence.

 

Even in our failure, God’s grace meets us.

“While we stand as perpetually unfaithful, unforgiving, unloving, and ungrateful,

God stands, with affection and grace, ready to usher us into His family through the redemption offered in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus — all because of His radically sufficient grace.”

 

Is there something God’s been calling you to do — serve, give, forgive, build — but you’ve been saying, “Not yet, Lord”?

 

Haggai’s message is clear: Stop waiting for a better time. Start today.

 

When was the last time God’s Word stirred you to action? Are you open to letting the Spirit reignite your passion for His work?

 

When we respond with obedience in faith, God revives the work and becomes not only the Author but the Finisher of our faith.  He who began this good work in you is faithful to complete it, just trust and obey God word in your life.  His grace will take you further and farther than you could ever imagine, don’t give up now, put God First!