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Haggai 1:6-13

Haggai 1:5-13 The Message (MSG)

And then a little later, GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies spoke out again: “Take a good, hard look at your life. Think it over. You have spent a lot of money, but you haven’t much to show for it. You keep filling your plates, but you never get filled up. You keep drinking and drinking and drinking, but you’re always thirsty. You put on layer after layer of clothes, but you can’t get warm. And the people who work for you, what are they getting out of it? Not much— a leaky, rusted-out bucket, that’s what.” That’s why GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies said: “Take a good, hard look at your life. Think it over.” * * * Then GOD said: “Here’s what I want you to do: Climb into the hills and cut some timber. Bring it down and rebuild the Temple. Do it just for me. Honor me. You’ve had great ambitions for yourselves, but nothing has come of it. The little you have brought to my Temple I’ve blown away—there was nothing to it. “And why?” (This is a Message from GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies, remember.) “Because while you’ve run around, caught up with taking care of your own houses, my Home is in ruins. That’s why. Because of your stinginess. And so I’ve given you a dry summer and a meager crop. I’ve matched your tight-fisted stinginess by decreeing a season of drought, drying up fields and hills, withering gardens and orchards, stunting vegetables and fruit. Nothing—not man or woman, not animal or crop—is going to thrive.” * * * Then the governor, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and the high priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak, and all the people with them listened, really listened, to the voice of their GOD. When GOD sent the prophet Haggai to them, they paid attention to him. In listening to Haggai, they honored GOD. Then Haggai, GOD’s messenger, preached GOD’s Message to the people: “I am with you!” GOD’s Word.

Haggai 1:6-13 Amplified Bible (AMP)

You have planted much, but you harvest little; you eat, but you do not have enough; you drink, but you do not have enough to be intoxicated; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns wages earns them just to put them in a bag with holes in it [because God has withheld His blessing].” Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Consider your ways and thoughtfully reflect on your conduct! Go up to the hill country, bring lumber and rebuild My house (temple), that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the LORD [accepting it as done for My glory]. “You look for much [harvest], but it comes to little; and even when you bring that home, I blow it away. Why?” says the LORD of hosts. “Because of My house, which lies in ruins while each of you runs to his own house [eager to enjoy it]. Therefore, because of you [that is, your sin and disobedience] the heavens withhold the dew and the earth withholds its produce. I called for a drought on the land and the hill country, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what the ground produces, on men, on cattle, and on all the labor of your hands.” Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people [who had returned from exile], listened carefully and obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the words of Haggai the prophet, since the LORD their God had sent him. And the people [reverently] feared the LORD. Then Haggai, the LORD’S messenger, spoke the LORD’S message to the people saying, “ ‘I am with you,’ declares the LORD.”