Author : Les Maydell
We are not the first ones of God’s people to be overwhelmed by the work God has given us to do. When a small remnant of God’s people came back to Canaan after being slaves in Babylon, they were given the large task to rebuild the temple of Solomon that had been destroyed 70 years earlier. Not only that, but they had to rebuild their homes and rework the farm land that had been allowed to go to ruin for the past two generations!
Nevertheless, they began well, laying the foundation of the new temple, shouting for joy, giving thanks to the Lord, saying, “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever towards Israel,” Ezra 4:11.
However, the older priests and Levites and heads of their fathers’ houses who had seen Solomon’s temple “wept with a loud voice,” Ezra 4:12. Why? Because, compared to the first temple, this temple was small, not so beautiful, and not so outwardly impressive. They “despised the day of small things,” Zechariah 4:9-10.
Trouble arose from outsiders as well. The people whom the former king of Assyria had sent to live in the land many years ago, had decided to worship the true God – but not properly. These worshippers decided they also wanted a part in rebuilding the temple. “We seek your God as you do,” they said, Ezra 4:2. When the children of Judah refused to have fellowship with their corrupted religion, they “tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building, and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia,” They even wrote a letter containing false accusations against them to the government, Ezra 4:4-6.
The new ruler, Artaxerxes, listened to the false accusations and ordered the building stopped. But even when a new king came to power, the people did not start building again. They procrastinated. “The time has not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built.” (Haggai 1:2) Instead they concentrated on building their own houses and on farming and their own businesses.
God was not happy. First He withheld rain and physical blessings from the nation, Haggai 1:11. Then He sent two prophets, Zechariah and Haggai, to preach to the people and motivate them to get busy doing God’s work.
God said, “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?…Consider your ways! You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but do not have enough;…You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, earns wages to put into a bag with holes.” (Haggai 1:4-6)
Brethren, I am sure many of you can identify with the children of God who lived in this time. Even today, in most places the Lord’s people are a small remnant compared to other religions, yet we have been given the very large task of building the true temple of God, the church of Christ. Many of us have had to face discouragement from those who call themselves the church of Christ, but who are not. And many have even faced opposition from the government. Others of us started well, but then we have allowed the cares of the world to hinder us. We experience financial hardship and consider ourselves too poor to give, yet we build our houses and educate our children and some of us even buy sound systems, televisions and cell phones – but the congregation has no place to meet and is not supporting men to go out to spread the gospel to the lost. We all tend to procrastinate when there is a difficult task to be done. Let us consider our ways! How can we build the church of the Lord, even if we are small or poor?
The books of Haggai and Zechariah tell us many ways to do this.
1. “ ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’says the Lord of Hosts.” (Zech.4:6) No matter what we do for God, we are busy with what is truly great. But it starts in a small way with the decision, “I will do what God wants.” This is exactly where we often fail because we believe to start something, we must first have money, ability, power, or materials. Let us not complain, feel sorry for ourselves, or stop working because we are not as rich as churches overseas or we do not have as many resources as the “liberals.” I have seen the Lord’s work ruined many times by too much money from outside sources due to jealousy and men becoming preachers for the sake of the money instead of for the love of the Lord. I have seen many baptized who did it only because they saw a physical benefit to being a Christian. They never repented, they only brought much trouble and heartache into the church. Money alone is not the answer. The Spirit of God has revealed to us what we need to be doing. Let us decide to do it! The Lord of Hosts is with us! “Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)
2. Do not despise the day of small things, Zechariah 4:10. If we do not have the resources to build a meeting place, start by extending a roof to the side of someone’s house! If we do not have enough to support a preacher full time, start by supporting faithful men partially. If I have no money, I can start giving some of what I have grown or made, so the church can use it to help needy brethren. I know a brother with no money who used old tomato boxes and other wood being thrown away to make a Lord’s Supper table, a pulpit and containers for the Lord’s Supper emblems and collection. If I have a job, but have not been giving properly, I can start by putting just a small amount more into the collection than I did last week – and then more – and more – until I am giving the way God wants. If we start giving properly – will not God open for us the windows of heaven and pour out for us such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it? (Mal.3:10) The Jews had to give a tenth for furtherance of the tabernacle or temple that was only a shadow of the good things to come. How much more should we be willing to give for the “true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man!” (Heb.8:2) The Pharisees were excellent in tithing, Matthew 23:23, but Jesus says to us, “unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven,” Matthew 5:19. If we sacrifice in order to give bountifully, purposefully, and cheerfully, “God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work,” 2 Cor.8:2, 9:6-8. Brethren, God says that if the congregation where you are does not have an abundance for every good work, it is because the members of the congregation are not giving bountifully, purposefully and cheerfully!
3. Even if we feel that what we have is nothing in comparison to what others have, be strong and work! “‘Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing? Yet now be strong….all you people of the land,’ says the Lord, ‘and work: for I am with you,’ says the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:3-4. Everyone can be strong and work for the Lord, even if they have little ability and no money whatsoever! If you are not supported, you can still study deeply, prepare lessons thoroughly, and preach or teach the riches of God’s word in a truly beneficial way. Studying deeply and teaching properly also applies to women who are training the children – the Lord’s church of tomorrow. Good preparation by those in charge of teaching, presiding at the Lord’s table or leading the songs or prayers also edifies the whole congregation and spurs the other members on to work harder themselves. Christians will be motivated to start supporting men who are truly doing a good job of teaching and preaching. Our time together should also be spent in encouraging each other to do good works of love towards others throughout the week, Heb.10:24-25. Many good works can be done with little ability and no money. It is not necessary to be rich in order to teach the gospel to someone who is lost, but it IS necessary to study! How sad it is when a person is given something, such as a Bible, but does not study it! If each person is thankful for the ability, money and opportunities he does have, and starts using them to work for the Lord, the Lord’s work will go forward. “ ‘I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’says the Lord of hosts,” Haggai 2:7-8.
4. Consider what needs to be done – and make plans to do it. “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple…’” (Haggai 1:7-8.) The poor churches of Macedonia gave liberally because they considered the great need, 2 Cor.8:1-5. They also had a plan to meet the need – giving each first day of the week, 1 Cor.16:1-3. Do the brethren where you are truly see the great need to send preachers out to reach the lost, relieve needy saints, provide a place to meet, buy Bibles/song books/study material to edify the congregation, etc.? Do the brethren know how much these things will cost? Have they prioritized the needs of the congregation so that they can make specific plans to achieve their goals? Do the brethren know how much money needs to be collected each week so that the congregation can do the work it wants to do? Do the brethren know how much money is being collected, how much is stored up for a special use, and how the money is being spent? Do the brethren know what the congregation is planning so they can perhaps contribute in other ways – like making bricks for a building or building benches? Brethren will give when they can see the need and value of giving.
5. Consider the greatness of the work! “‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’says the Lord of hosts,” Haggai 2:9. The people of that time did not know how God was going to make that small temple great. It was only about 400 years later that it was revealed that God was not prophesying here about their physical temple at all, but about the church of Christ! The church of Christ is the most glorious place of worship that has ever existed – even though it be a handful of people under a tree! Let the greatness of the church of Christ and our gratitude towards God who made us to be a part of His church, motivate us to work our very best and hardest for Him. What seems to us to be an impossible task can be made a reachable task with God’s help. God said, “‘Who are you, O great mountain?’” (The task of building the temple was pictured as a large mountain.) “…’you shall become a plain.’” (Zech.4:7) Right now you may only be able to start with something small, but God can use that small thing and turn it into something great. “‘My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!’”(Haggai 2:5)
Les Maydell PO Box 2744, Nylstroom 0510, Rep. of South Africa
