Haggai 1:12-15

There is hope when we obey -- Haggai 1:12-15: The people decided to listen to the message delivered by God's messengers, the prophets. "Zerubbabel and Joshua, together with the others who had returned from exile in Babylonia, obeyed the Lord's message spoken by his prophet Haggai, and they started showing proper respect for the Lord.” When they decided to build the Temple God's prophet gave them hope. When they showed a willingness to obey the Lord Haggai assured them that the Lord was with them. "The Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God." God used the prophets to stir the hearts of the people to do the work. The work began on the twenty-fourth day of that same month. God is a great rewarder of faithful service. The initiative must be taken and enthusiasm must be maintained to put God first. The Temple should have been built before they built their own ceiled houses. Consider your ways