Introduction

The Book of Haggai is quite astonishing. Why? Because the people seemed to have snapped in their heads. They failed to realize that pleasing God and receiving His grace is the most advantageous thing. The history of the Israelites is nothing short of a melodramatic soap opera. Even before entering Egypt, many of them died in the wilderness; they were a remarkably perverse group.

From Joshua to Samson, and ultimately their exile to Babylon, the Israelites' journey into the Promised Land was a complete soap opera! If a good king occasionally appeared, it was a cause for immense gratitude. So, I pondered, what exactly caused people to have this snapping in their heads?

Now, as we read the first chapter of Haggai, the theme is Consider your ways. Being under a curse is a miserable state. One should be earning more money, but in reality, one earns very little. The harvest should be plentiful, but it turns out to be meager. Even if the harvest should have been twenty measures, it somehow dwindles to five measures at home. This is truly uncanny.

Therefore, let us carefully consider whether we are living in a blessed state or under a curse. If we are living under a curse, it is undoubtedly a soap opera. If we are living in a blessed state, needless to say, it is wonderful! The writing of the Book of Haggai likely spanned a few months.

The Background of Haggai

What is the background of Haggai? It involves the Israelites being exiled to Babylon eighty-six years before Haggai's time. Later, the Babylonian Empire was conquered by the Persian Empire! Among the Israelites exiled to Babylon was Daniel. If you read the Book of Daniel, you will understand that Daniel, after being exiled to Babylon, became the prime minister of Babylon and later of the Persian Empire.

Seventy years later, sixteen years before Haggai's time, the emperor of the Persian Empire was Cyrus, also known as Culei. This King Cyrus sent Zerubbabel back with the gold and silver vessels that Babylon had taken from the Temple of Jerusalem, to rebuild God's temple in Jerusalem.

Zerubbabel and the exiled Jews at the time numbered quite a few, so they returned to Jerusalem in a grand procession! Zerubbabel then became the governor of Judah, a very powerful position, and began to rebuild the temple. However, after Zerubbabel had been working for a few years, local officials wrote to the emperor, but the emperor had changed; it was no longer Cyrus but Cambyses.

Cambyses received the letter from the local officials, stating that the temple should not be built, as it would cause a loss to the throne and that these people were building the temple to rebel. As a result, Cambyses ordered the cessation of the temple construction. But after a few years, Cambyses died, and who came to power? It was Darius, also known as King Daliwu, who treated Jerusalem according to Cyrus's policies.

In the second year of King Darius's reign, the Jews wrote to him, suggesting that he examine the treasury to see if there was an edict issued by King Cyrus. Upon investigation, it was indeed found that King Cyrus had issued an edict many years ago, allowing Zerubbabel to lead the Jews back to Jerusalem to build the temple. Therefore, King Darius wrote a letter, instructing them to continue building the temple, which is quite interesting.

In fact, King Cyrus's territory was also very large; he was the founding hero of the Persian Empire, and he reigned for a relatively long time. According to historical records, King Darius reigned for thirty-six years, a very long tenure! As a result, in Jerusalem, after a gap of 16 years, when King Darius was preparing to continue building the temple, they said: The time has not yet come to build the Lord’s house.

I felt that these people's minds were broken, wasn't it? At that time, the Jews were sent by the Persian Empire back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Originally, they were the Jews who were exiled to Babylon, and the Persian Empire allowed them to go back, but how did they start living small lives again?

In fact, living a small life is a very corrupting thing, making people apathetic, just going to work, getting off work, and receiving a salary, day after day, year after year, just doing that. But you will find that such people do not live quite right. Originally, their income should be quite high, but how come their income is less? Because people live under a curse.

And why does living a small life live under a curse? Because living a small life is centered on one's own affairs, but God wants people to center on Him, to live a blessed life. But it is quite difficult for God to do that; it is so difficult for Him to bless us! And people just do not want to live a blessed life, they just want to live a small life.

In those days, the Israelites returned to Jerusalem in a grand and joyful procession! What did they go to do? To build the temple! Later, King Cambyses ordered the cessation of the temple construction, and the Jews were quite happy. Why were they happy? Because they could finally stop working. These people thought: the suspended ceiling in my house is not yet done, the renovation of my house is not yet completed! How can I have time to always work on the temple of God? These people are quite debased! The background of the Book of Haggai is this period of history.

One's Mindset Determines Whether One is Blessed

People's mindset is quite interesting. After the construction of the temple was stopped, people's hearts thought: just what I wanted, God, you cannot blame me, it was King Cambyses who ordered it, but he did not order we are not allowed to renovate our houses, so I must seize the time to renovate my house. What do you say, what are they thinking? Israel's and Judah's downfall was because of this idea, they just had a small-life mindset!

I must give everyone a reminder, maybe your thinking is similar to that of the Jews, otherwise how could you live with so much illness? How could your income be so low? How could you live with debt and bad luck? We must know: once God's house is in ruins, people are not blessed! Therefore, when I started to establish the church, I pushed very strictly for a God-centered life.

But do you think I am after something from you? You are wrong, I am just after your being blessed! Who wants to live an unblessed life? Do you want to live an unblessed life? It is very easy to live an unblessed life, one disease, one cancer cell, one small virus can wipe out all your savings from the past few years. So it is very easy for you to live an unblessed life!

If people just live for themselves, then it is over! Is this not how we have been living, and then fallen into a curse? Only then did we realize: oh no! I have to turn back. Was not your mindset the same when you first came to church? Was it not because of illness, debt, and a lot of trouble?

When you first came to church, your thoughts may not have changed much, but later you will find that you are starting to be blessed. Do not think that being blessed is because you are more powerful. It is because God's house is prospering, you have just蹭ed a little popularity, got a little grace, do you understand this time?

People's mindset is too important. In fact, I wish that everyone could enter into God's blessing, because God's blessing is so good! But some people, the boss asks you to work overtime. You say: Teacher, the boss asked me to work overtime, then you cannot blame me! Or you will ask: Teacher, should I attend the meeting or work overtime? Then what else can I say? You hurry up and work overtime! As for whether you are blessed, we will talk about it later! When I say this, everyone will think: what? Cannot work overtime, must attend the meeting?

In fact, what I am saying is not a question of whether to work overtime, but a question of mindset. If people's mindset is not right, it is very troublesome! People will think: is it not just that I cannot participate because I have to work overtime? Just like the Jews! They felt that it was not because of themselves, but because King Cambyses issued an edict, and I cannot violate the edict!

As a result, the Jews went home to renovate, and they were very energetic. Later, when King Darius said that the temple could be rebuilt, these Israelites were good, saying: oh, my house is not yet renovated, the time to renovate God's house has not yet come. What kind of brain is this?

So brothers and sisters must know that if God's house is desolate, it is very difficult for people to be blessed. Now many people also build a church themselves, and then they are doing it there, but it is not prosperous. God's house is desolate, so why is it desolate? Because everyone is taking a small-life mindset, it is a very troublesome thing.

Therefore, we re-sort out our priorities, and know clearly in our hearts that building God's glorious church is the key to being blessed. If a person has the mindset of building God's glorious church, in fact, he does not really care whether he is blessed! If a person is just thinking about being blessed, is that not a selfish mindset?

If a person knows that living in the world is vanity of vanities, then he will build God's glorious church, and the matter of living becomes simple. And why do we make the matter of living so complicated? It is because there is a snapping in our heads, and our mindset is not to live a God-centered life, not to wish that God's house would prosper, not to hope that God's house is full of God's glory.

Consider Your Ways

Now therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways. You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but do not have enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages, earns wages to put them into a bag with holes.” Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the Lord.

“You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says the Lord of hosts. “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. For I called for a drought on the land and on the mountains, on the grain and on the new wine and on the oil, and on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.” (Haggai 1:5-11)

After listening to this passage of scripture, can you compare it and match it with yourself? Like Haggai, I also give everyone a reminder: can we examine ourselves and see ourselves? If you have a lot of bad things happening, one after another, and it just does not stop, examine yourself, are we living under a curse or living in blessing? What is our current status?

Some people make money and make money, but the money is like the wind, blown away by God; some people farm and farm, but the heavens do not send down dew, and the earth does not produce soil, and drought comes to the earth. In fact, the Israelites have not had a good life these years, not because King Cambyses issued an edict prohibiting them from building God's temple, but because the heart of the Israelites is corrupt.

The heart of Israel thinks: King Cambyses has finally issued an edict, we do not have to build the temple, then if we build the temple and live a God-centered life, can my life still go on? How can I live? You listen to how hateful and stupid these words are? You see these years of busy work, and you have not saved any money, why? Do you think this mindset can be blessed?

I can tell you that this mindset runs through the history of the Israelites, so the history of the Israelites is all soap operas. Even if there is occasionally a little bit good, it is not very good! Of course, you say: what about David? David is of course good! Samuel and Moses are of course good, but the people of Israel are just this virtue, their mindset is simply oil covering the heart, and the head has a snapping, what kind of brain is this?

The heavens do not send down dew, and the earth does not produce soil, what are you busy with? Has anyone been a farmer? Farmers rely on the heavens for food, but they are busy all day long, and God's house is desolate, what are you busy with? If you come to our church, you must thank God, you have received a little grace and a little blessing, but do not fall into this logic of the Israelites' blind work.

The heavens do not send down dew, and the earth does not produce soil, and drought comes to the earth, the mountains, the grain, the new wine, and then the produce you harvest, God blows it away, do not think that this is done by ghosts, it is actually done by God. If you go against God, then God will continue to do so! What can you conclude from this?

You want to get more, but you get less, and you do not feel warm when you wear clothes, does anyone have this feeling? Although you wear very thick clothes, you are shivering inside, and you do not get enough to eat, this is very nasty! Originally, there was little produce in the ground, but there was still a lot to eat! After more than ten years, God's house was desolate, although people installed ceilings in their homes, they lived a very desolate life.

From this, it can be concluded that if God's house is desolate, it is difficult for people to be blessed. Then why is God's house desolate? Because people's hearts are desolate, people's hearts only care about themselves. If God's house is desolate, how can people be blessed? God's house prospers because people's hearts are in God's house, which is why I say: there is no blessing outside of Mingding Doctrine!

Some people may ask: Teacher, is it not only by keeping and doing God's word that we can be blessed? We must keep and do it, but can we keep and do it without Mingding Doctrine? What can people keep and do without Mingding Doctrine? They cannot keep and do anything! So we restore living a God-centered life, this is the key!

God's house must be prosperous, the church must be prosperous, the purpose of our living is to build God's glorious temple, to build God's glorious church, to become a blessing to many people! If people do not know why they are living in this life, but just want to live, and live very seriously, then they will arrange God's time out of their lives, this is very common.

You have to sanctify your time, but some people need to be reminded by the pastor every time, and as a result, after he comes to participate in the meeting, his nose is not a nose, his face is not a face, twisting and pulling him, what are you doing here? Later, I told our pastors: do not ask them to come, whatever they want. It is easy for people not to want to be blessed, just put their own things in front of God, is that not easy?

Originally, the curse came from God, we quickly examine ourselves, see how much snapping there is in our minds, if we are living an unblessed life, that is the problem! If you are in debt, sick, it is because you are taking your small life too seriously. In fact, it is not easy for God, in order to bless us, God has to encourage us and excite everyone.

The Road to Blessing Still Requires God to Excite Us

Then the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God (Haggai 1:14).

We need God to excite us in order to be blessed, should we sympathize with God? Although these words are not pleasant to hear, God has used all possible means in order to let us live a blessed life, just hoping that we can be blessed, do you say it is hard? It is hard!

From the time the Israelites came out of Egypt, God stimulated the Israelites, saying: you must take the road to blessing. But people do not want to take the road to blessing, they just want to live in a curse, from the time they came out of Egypt until they entered the land of Canaan, God kept stimulating them.

After Solomon, Israel split into the Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel, also called the Southern Kingdom and the Northern Kingdom, and God stimulated them one by one, which is really not easy. Later, Israel and Judah were both destroyed, did God stimulate them? He stimulated them! God let the Jews be exiled to Babylon to stimulate them, how much they wanted to return to Jerusalem, praying and crying out to God there day and night.

Later, when they returned to Jerusalem, they became like before, these people are so hateful, the reason is here. Since the beginning of history, God has been constantly stimulating people, so that people can find the road to blessing, but people just do not listen. When Zerubbabel was in power, they returned to Jerusalem, but did they build the temple? No, people's hearts were still living a small life!

Living a small life is almost the main axis of the church now, I can boldly say: I want to tear down your mindset of living a small life. Why? Because I do not want you to live under a curse. People live a small life with careful calculations, just do not want God's house to prosper, just do not want to live a God-centered life, just do not want to live a blessed life, what happened as a result? They got sick, got into debt, were scammed, and a lot of problems arose.

Now God is still among us, doing the work of stimulating us, but it is not certain whether you can wake up, it really depends on your good fortune. I once ministered to some people, they all got cancer, prayed well, and went back to the way they were before. I asked him to live a God-centered life and sanctify his time, which was particularly difficult.

The purpose of some people coming to this world is to start a business, go public, and scam money, and the whole unicorn, two-horned beast. This unicorn is not as good as a two-horned beast, the worst thing is a two-legged beast, the four-legged ones can't beat the two-legged ones! Therefore, not only Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest, the son of Jehozadak, are included, but also the people of Israel in that generation, all need God to excite and stimulate them.

If you are willing to be a wise man, you must completely destroy the worldly dreams inside you. If your dreams are still in this world, God will get you no matter what, how will God get you? You expect much, but get little; when you bring it home, God blows it away. Not only that, but because of your mindset, the heavens will not send down dew, and the earth will not produce crops.

Do you like to be this kind of person? With your small appearance, don't go against God. Someone asked: Teacher, are you qualified to go against God? Stop it! I can't beat him either, I still follow him better.

I don't want to be so stupid that I need God to excite me and stimulate me. God doesn't need to stimulate me. When I go astray, God will give me a whip and a slap, and slap me on the right path.

Being blessed is God's will for us, but people's hearts want to be biased. We should examine ourselves carefully, how much do we have to experience before we are willing to return to God's path, and return to the road of blessing?

We must come out of the state of living a small life. Although it is not easy to come out, it is a good choice. Someone asked: Can you live without a small life? The answer is certain! I ask you: Is it better to live a God-centered life or a small life? It must be better to live a God-centered life!

Brothers and sisters, listen to my advice, start to prosper, destroy the worldly dreams inside us, understand that on this earth it is just emptiness of emptiness, let us return to God, live a life with Mingding Doctrine, choose to be God-centered, live for God from now on, and die for God! We come to this earth for only a few decades, there is no great meaning.

But in these short decades, being able to work with God to build His glorious temple and live a blessed life is an incomparably good choice, this is our blessing, and that Mingding Doctrine is really good. If you live a small life, and you feel uncomfortable, that is God exciting you and stimulating you.

How many times do you have to experience before you can completely destroy your small-life mentality? We must examine ourselves, see how this road has gone in the past?

We will share it here, may God bless you all!