Daily Devotions
Thus Saith the Lord
Reading for September 26th: Haggai 1-2
In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest: “Thus says the Lord of hosts..."
Haggai 1:1-2
Haggai is a short book containing only 38 verses, yet it packs a powerful punch because it is jam packed with messages from God. The phrase "word of the Lord" is used 5 times. "Thus says the Lord" or "says the Lord" is used 8 times. "Declares the Lord" is found 9 times. And then there is Haggai's reference to the "voice of the Lord" (1:12). Haggai is called "the prophet" who delivered the words the LORD had sent (1:1, 3, 12; 2:1, 10), and is also called the "messenger of the LORD" who is delivering the "LORD's message" (1:13).
How does this compare with preaching today? In just 38 short verses that Haggai underscores the authority of his message by referencing the Lord no less than 30 times! I am embarrassed to tell you I sat through a Bible class (if you could even call it a Bible class) where not one Bible verse was used. Not one verse! It was so noticeably absent from his class that I asked to teacher later why he left scripture out. (And let me add that it was a lesson on the home and family and several good points were made.) His response was that there were several non-believers there and that he intentionally left scripture out to make it more accessible for them.
I wonder what would Haggai say to that? Perhaps he would remind us of what our goal is and what our job is. We are not preaching ourselves. We're not making followers of ourselves. We have no wisdom or power or authority in ourselves. Our job is to speak God's Word. Our job is to be a conduit to the power of God and the wisdom of God. Our goal is to bring glory to God as he changes and convicts and transforms through the preaching and teaching of his Word.
"And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." 1 Corinthians 2:1-2
Father, help us to put our faith in the power of your Word and not the wisdom of men.
