Is It Time to Live in Paneled Houses?
Next up in our series of questions that God asked man is “Is it time to live in paneled houses?” This question, posed through the prophet Haggai, addresses the Israelites' priorities after they returned from exile. While they focused on their own comfort and luxuries, God's house lay in ruins, prompting a call to reassess their values and commitment to Him.
The book of Haggai is set during the post-exile period when the Israelites returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity around 520 B.C. The temple lay in ruins and neglect while the people focused on rebuilding their own homes. In the first 11 verses of chapter 1, the prophet Haggai urges the people to prioritize God's house over their own:
[2] “Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.”
How many times have we said this? Such and such is a great thing to do. But the timing isn’t right yet. I’ll do it later. Procrastination can often seem justified by our busy lives, but this verse calls us to reconsider our priorities.
[3] “Then 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?”
God says, “Wait a second. You live in paneled (aka fancy) houses but yet, My house is still in ruins?” This stark contrast highlights the misplaced priorities of the people. If we aren’t careful, we can easily find ourselves investing in our own comfort and worldly luxuries while neglecting our spiritual responsibilities and commitments.
[5] “Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. [6] You 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.”
Oof. If this doesn’t describe our society today, I don’t know what does. I distinctly remember one time when I was in Rwanda for work, and I was spending some time with the local ladies I was working with. We were in the kitchen and one of the ladies opened up this tiny fridge and saw there was more food in there than usual (still way less than is typical by American standards) and exclaimed, “Wow, we have so much food!” And that’s when it hit me. How many times had I opened the giant, overflowing fridge at home and thought, “Wow, we have nothing to eat”? The contrast was stark, and now I often think of that moment when I open up my fridge.
But let’s be honest. As Haggai says, this doesn’t end there. How many times have we opened our closets and thought, “I have nothing to wear”? Or looked at our bank account and thought “Where in the world did the money go”? When, in reality, we are so very blessed. This passage captures the emptiness of materialism and the dissatisfaction that comes from neglecting God's work.
[7] “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways.”
As God keeps telling us - think about what we are doing and how we are acting. Really consider your ways for a moment. Reflection and self-examination are critical in realigning our actions with God's will.
[8] Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD. [9] You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. [10] Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. [11] And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.”
God tells them that because they (we) each busied himself with his own house - his own possessions and matters of this world - that He withheld the dew and called for a drought. This was to serve as a wake-up call, urging them to reassess their priorities and focus on what truly matters.
I don’t know how God’s providence works today, but I do know that I think about this a lot. And it’s usually when something goes wrong. Was I focused too much on the wrong things? Did I get too busy building my career that God withheld the dew and called for a drought? I don’t know. What I do know though is that the drought helps you to regain perspective on what is important. On where your focus should be. On just how blessed you really are.
This passage from Haggai invites us to reflect deeply on our own lives. Let’s ask ourselves:
What are the "paneled houses" in your life that might be distracting you from God's priorities?
How can you realign your focus to ensure that God's work is not neglected?
In what ways can you contribute to building up the "house of the LORD" in your area?
God’s message through Haggai reminds us to keep our priorities aligned with His. When we put God first, everything else falls into place. Reflect on your ways, make the necessary adjustments, and trust in God's provision. He is always faithful to those who seek His kingdom first.