HAGGAI: THE LAW OF THE HARVEST (18 OF 20)
by Roger Thomas
Scripture: HAGGAI 1:1-11
This content is part of a series.
Haggai: The Law of the Harvest (18 of 20)
Roger Thomas
Haggai 1:1-11
Introduction: We are almost to the end of the Old Testament. Haggai is the third from end. It is also the second shortest book in the Old Testament with just two chapters and thirty-eight verses. But it is short and powerful!
Before you can appreciate Haggai's message, you need to understand a principle that many find a bit foreign to our world. I will call it the Law of the Harvest. Simply put, the Law of the Harvest says ''Whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap.'' In other words, life has consequences. This is not surprising. I suspect most people believe that in one form or another. But for Haggai and the Bible there is a bit more to the Law of the Harvest. God is a part of the equation now, not just in the future. Haggai believed and preached that God doesn't wait until the next life to send his judgment. There will be that judgment. But there are also consequences now.
Do you believe that? Most people don't. Most of our friends and neighbors are secular thinkers. They may believe in God. They may even go to church. But most people we know believe in a very limited God. For some he is limited in power. For other his interest is limited. Either way God has nothing to do with the real issues of Monday through Saturday life, things like business, money, and finances.
Haggai couldn't have disagreed more. Haggai lived five hundred years before the time of Jesus. To a people facing hard economic times he proclaims and applies the Law of the Harvest. Their problems were not just the result of poor planning, a lack of hard work or even bad luck. They were failing because they had turned from God. It was cause and effect-the Law of the Harvest.
I want to read four texts-one from Haggai and three from the New Testament. They all teach the Law of the Harvest. We will then step back and look at the world of Haggai and his message for ours.
''Now this is what the LORD Almighty ...
Roger Thomas
Haggai 1:1-11
Introduction: We are almost to the end of the Old Testament. Haggai is the third from end. It is also the second shortest book in the Old Testament with just two chapters and thirty-eight verses. But it is short and powerful!
Before you can appreciate Haggai's message, you need to understand a principle that many find a bit foreign to our world. I will call it the Law of the Harvest. Simply put, the Law of the Harvest says ''Whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap.'' In other words, life has consequences. This is not surprising. I suspect most people believe that in one form or another. But for Haggai and the Bible there is a bit more to the Law of the Harvest. God is a part of the equation now, not just in the future. Haggai believed and preached that God doesn't wait until the next life to send his judgment. There will be that judgment. But there are also consequences now.
Do you believe that? Most people don't. Most of our friends and neighbors are secular thinkers. They may believe in God. They may even go to church. But most people we know believe in a very limited God. For some he is limited in power. For other his interest is limited. Either way God has nothing to do with the real issues of Monday through Saturday life, things like business, money, and finances.
Haggai couldn't have disagreed more. Haggai lived five hundred years before the time of Jesus. To a people facing hard economic times he proclaims and applies the Law of the Harvest. Their problems were not just the result of poor planning, a lack of hard work or even bad luck. They were failing because they had turned from God. It was cause and effect-the Law of the Harvest.
I want to read four texts-one from Haggai and three from the New Testament. They all teach the Law of the Harvest. We will then step back and look at the world of Haggai and his message for ours.
''Now this is what the LORD Almighty ...
There are 13285 characters in the full content. This excerpt only shows a 2000 character sample of the full content.
Price: $5.99 or 1 credit
