Haggai 1:14
And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,
When Zerubbabel the governor, Joshua the high priest, and all the remnant obeyed the message through Haggai and feared the Lord, the Lord stirred up their spirits.
Assured of His presence and help and moved by His encouragement, they came and resumed work on the temple, the house of the Lord of hosts, on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius.
They did so after recognizing that neglecting God's house while caring for their own houses had brought hardship, since work done selfishly and contrary to His word cannot be blessed.
The verse is a present call to rise up and build a house for God at once without delay, to honor Him and provide a place to worship Him humbly and in order, giving it first consideration and priority rather than leaving it until last.
That stirring means leaving selfish interests behind and moving in harmony with great willingness, some giving donations and others giving labor, refusing to build on hired money and leave His house burdened with debt, but by sacrifice and self-denial freeing it from debt.
Stirred to Resume Building
After Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the message given through Haggai and feared the Lord, the Lord stirred up their spirits. His stirring set in motion both the leaders and the remnant together, moving them to obey the call and to take up the work faithfully. Assured of His presence and help, they were moved by His encouragement to come and resume work on the temple, the house of the Lord of hosts, their God. Their renewed willingness and action were joined to that assurance, so that divine presence produced human doing.
Their return to the work followed recognition that neglecting God's house while caring for their own houses had brought hardship upon them. Work done selfishly and contrary to His word cannot be blessed, and dearth of means in the treasury is a sign of such unsanctioned work. Thus stirred, they came and did the work, beginning it on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius. Their action stands as the pattern of responding to God's call by faithfully undertaking the work He appoints and seeking His approval and presence.
Present Call to Build
Haggai 1:14 is a present call to rise up and build a house for God at once and without delay. The house is to show Him honor, to provide a place to worship Him in all humbleness of mind, to kneel down and serve Him becomingly and in order, to dedicate to Him, and to stand as a witness to the truth believed. This requires earnest resolve to do all that can be done and faith of the right quality, with regret for not doing it before and refusal to wait longer but haste to finish where located by the Lord's directions.
Building a meeting house and place of worship should receive first consideration and priority, not be postponed as a last concern. God's guidance moves the people to arise and build rather than hesitate. While the Spirit moves upon leaders and all the people, they move in harmony and arise and build with great willingness and burning desire to take hold of the work, some giving donations and others giving labor.
The stirring means leaving selfish interests and putting self first behind, arising to build for God rather than neglecting the work or building on hired money. Building on hired money and leaving churches burdened with debt year after year while very little sacrifice is made dishonors the God of heaven and shows wrong management from beginning to end, with interest swallowing up means that should pay the principal. The verse therefore calls for donations, sacrifice, and self-denial to pay off the principal and free church buildings from debt.
Those who realize the nearness of the Lord's coming must act their faith by coming and working on the house of the Lord. When one of God's instrumentalities is languishing or in peril, those who are heart and soul in the work must manifest their interest and help. When human stewards are one in mind and heart with heavenly intelligences and unitedly take the Lord's own substance and resources to lift the burdens resting on His institutions, the Lord cooperates with them. Being thus united allows them to be worked by heaven.