Consider your ways

³Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, ⁴“Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? ⁵Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. ⁶You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.
Haggai 1:3-6 (ESV)

A matter of priority

God sent Haggai to the returned Jews who had stopped rebuilding the temple due to opposition. Rebuilding the temple was their purpose from God. Over 10 years later they still had not resumed rebuilding. In fact, they gave up on the idea and focused their priority on their own houses, their own livelihood. They allowed their priorities to become messed up.

The rebuke, the wake up call, was, “consider your ways!” As a result of their misplaced priorities, their neglect of their primary responsibility, God was frustrating their lives. He wanted to get their attention and get them back on task.

God’s motive

I won’t pretend to fully understand God’s ways since they’re higher than our own (Isaiah 55:8-9), but let us consider what we do know. He is concerned about His glory. God loves His creation and wants to give good things (Matthew 7:11). He knew that establishment of the temple and return to His prescribed way of worship would accomplish both. He wanted to bless them and give them hope.