"Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes." Haggai 1:6
2006-11-17 04:49:31 · 12 answers · asked by Brigid O' Somebody 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
There is a lesson in that we must never put material interests ahead of spiritual duties. Sacrificing spiritual interests in the pursuit of material advantages does not result in God's [JHVH] blessing.—(Compare Luke 12:15-21)
The Jews who returned to their homeland had reason for concern over economic uncertainties, hostile neighbors, and so forth. But these were not the causes of their negligence, in view of their luxurious living conditions. Only after being roused by Haggai did they begin to work on the temple. Likewise today, we need to ‘set our hearts upon our ways’ and be sure that we support God’s work to the fullest extent possible.—(In view of the context of Haggai 1:2-15.
Consumed by daily concerns, the Jews had forgotten that divine blessings in the form of rain and fruitful seasons would overtake them only if they endured in a course of obedience to God, even in the face of opposition. (Haggai 1:9-11) How fitting, then, the exhortation: “Set your heart upon your ways”! (Haggai 1:7) In effect, Jehovah-God was telling them: ‘Think! See the connection between your futile labor in the fields and the desolate state of my house of worship.’ The inspired words of Jehovah’s prophets finally reached the hearts of their listeners, for the people resumed work on the temple, completing it in 515 B.C.E.
2006-11-17 05:16:00 · answer #1 · answered by jvitne 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Haggai 1: 6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. The Lord is telling the Nation of Israel that it was time to build the Temple but they were not ready because they were wasting their living.
2006-11-17 12:57:37 · answer #2 · answered by Ray W 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If we look at the whole passage of Haggai 1:2-11 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "These people say, 'The time has not yet come for the LORD's house to be built.' "
3 Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: 4 "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?"
5 Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. 6 You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it."
7 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. 8 Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the LORD. 9 "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the LORD Almighty. "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. 10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. 11 I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands."
We see that the Isrealites were called to rebuild the temple but they did their houses and went on with thier life. GOD is saying this is not good.
2006-11-17 12:55:43 · answer #3 · answered by Kenneth G 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Basically what Haggai is saying to the people they wanted to be free to rebuilf the temple and instead of doing that they built nice houses for themself and a nice lifestyle but they woill never be satisfied untill they do what is right and build the long neglected temple after their return from exhile for 70 yrs Gorbalizer
2006-11-17 12:58:33 · answer #4 · answered by gorbalizer 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The purpose of Chapter 1 is for God to say through Haggai: "the people say it's not necessary to rebuild the Temple, yet they live in luxurious houses. Have they noticed that they're not prospering? They plant seeds, but the harvest is spare; they eat, but they're still hungry; they drink but they're still thirsty; they clothe themselves, but are still cold; they earn money, but not enough to get by. REBUILD THE TEMPLE and you'll again have prosperity and happiness!!"
Peace.
2006-11-17 12:54:58 · answer #5 · answered by Suzanne: YPA 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Zerubbabel told Haggai it was not time to build his temple, and Haggai replied that his resources were not being put to better use anyway. He was basically accusing Zerubbabel of being greedy and hording the money himself instead of building the temple.
2006-11-17 12:52:30 · answer #6 · answered by nondescript 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
"Your religion is empty."
In context, the Prophet is saying "Build God's House properly...or not at all"
Can be taken literally (it was) - see verse 14: "...and they came and worked on the house of Yahweh of Armies, their God" - -
or figuratively (in the inner man).
Basically: "Clean up your act" !!
2006-11-17 12:59:09 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's just the opposite of "Thou hast thy cake and eatest it too."
2006-11-17 12:59:45 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
We are never satisfied. We are a spoiled nation. Plenty is not enough.
2006-11-17 12:55:56 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
did you read a few verses before and after...
2006-11-17 12:52:03 · answer #10 · answered by I give you the Glory Father ! 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋