“The Lord of Hosts says this: 'Think carefully about your ways.'”

Haggai 1:7, “The Lord of Hosts says this: 'Think carefully about your ways.'”

In the context that the Lord was speaking to the people to consider their ways, they were building their homes and going about their daily business but had not rebuilt the temple. It ways lying in ruins as they had been saying the time has not come to rebuild.

As a result of the busyness with their own activities and neglecting the kingdom work, there was lack. People would sow much and reap very little -never being satisfied or having enough.

The literal translation of thinking carefully about or considering, the Hebrew word sim, Strongs# H7760, according to one source is “place your heart on.” [1]

Some examples of the use of are Ezekiel 40:4 where the Lord spoke to Ezekiel, “Son of man, look with your eyes, listen with your ears, and pay attention [set your heart in some translations] to everything I am going to show you, for you have been brought here so that I might show it to you.”

The opposite of considering with one's heart is to disregard. Psalm 54:3 says, “They have no regard for God” and other translations, “They have not set God before them.”

What God was asking the people in Haggai to do was to acknowledge God in their hearts by the actions they were choosing rather than disregarding Him or His kingdom. He wanted them to rebuild the temple.

Sometimes God does call us to consider some task. He wants us to perform some specific ministry or fulfill a certain commitment. And He uses it to build His kingdom. However, often I think that it is in the very small choices of the day that He is asking us to consider Him. Moment by moment in all our choices we can consider if they are from the heart, filled with His purposes, or out of some other motive.

Deuteronomy 30: 19b-20 says, “...I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."

When we are living by the heart, staying focused on God and putting Him as our first priority, we will be guided by Him into His paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.

The Lord speaks in Zephaniah 3:9 that in that day when He rises up, that He will “restore pure speech to the peoples so that all of them may call on the name of Yahweh and serve Him with a single purpose.'

Titus says something that sounds similar to the verse in Zephaniah in Titus 2:14, “He sacrificed himself for us in order to set us free from all wickedness and to purify a people so that it could be his very own and would have no ambition except to do good.”

What this says is that being single purposed is a work of God. He captivates our hearts and draws us into being singled purposed. What is interesting is the Hebrew word for single purposed, shekem, Strongs# 7926 actually means “between the shoulders.” It comes the root word shakam, Strongs #7925 which means to rise up. [2]

It literally is referring to the place of burdens between the shoulders. [3] This makes me think of Genesis 49:14-15, “Issachar is a strong donkey lying down between the saddlebags. He saw that his resting place was good and that the land was pleasant so he leaned his shoulder [shekem] to bear a load and became a forced laborer [bondslave].”

Issachar submitted to bear the burden of working the land as a bondslave, giving up 'his' freedom to do whatever 'he' wanted to bear the yoke of laboring because he saw that the place 'he' was given (the land 'he' was inheriting) was good and pleasant.

Isaiah 9:6-7 speaks of Jesus bearing the weight of the kingdom on earth between His shoulders:

”For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder [shekem]: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

As we are called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, God may call us to be single purposed and bear the burden of labor as a bondslave to Him, giving up our freedom in total surrender to God, in order to establish His kingdom purposes on earth.[a]

Paul is an example. In Romans 1:1 he says, “Paul a [bond]slave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle and singled out for God's good news...” Paul preached the gospel with a heart that was single purposed. He was willing to bear the burdens that he faced in order for God's kingdom purposes to be established.

Paul explains some of the burden he carried in 1 Corinthians 4:9-12, “For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor. To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;…”

Coming all the way back to the scripture in Haggai 1:7, when we put our hands to what our heart prompts and are willing to step into His kingdom work, God is pleased and glorified (1:8). He promises to be with us (1:13), and that his Spirit will be present among us (2:5).

And kingdom labors that God directs us into are never over burdensome. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. "FOR MY YOKE IS EASY AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT."

Paul proclaims about his labors in Philippians 4:11-13, “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.…”

Lord, forgive me for where I am more like the people of Haggai and go about my own business and busyness with worldly concerns. Help us to have open ears and open hearts to the kingdom purposes You would have us participate in. Help us to see what a gift it is to be invited to participate in Your kingdom work with You.

I pray Matthew Henry's prayer on Genesis 49:14-15, referring to Issachar, “let us, with an eye of faith, see the heavenly rest to be good, and that land of promise to be pleasant; and this will make our present services easy, and encourage us to bow our shoulder to them.” [4]

a.  One article writes about Paul and being a bondslave for Christ, “There is a word the Bible uses to describe the true character of one who serves God in the proper attitude of surrender. That Greek words is "doulos."... This Greek word, "doulos," is the most servile term in the New Testament. It speaks of one whose will is swallowed up in the will of another. It is a slave who is bound to his master unto death. He is one who has only the will of his master in mind. A bondslave does not belong to himself. He has no rights."

For more information on bondslaves see:  The Good News. Bondslaves of Christ. Located at: http://www.goodnewsarticles.com/Mar00-3.htm. Last Accessed: 10/15/13

And Peter says about being a [bond]slave, "You are slaves of no one execpt God, so behave like free men, and never use your freedom as an excuse for wickedness.  Have respect for everyone and love for your community; fear God and honour the emperor (1 Peter 1:16-17)
 

1, 3. HCSB Study Bible. Holman Christian Standard Bible: God's Word for Life. Holman Bible Pubulishers, Nashville, TN. 2010.

2. Strong, James: The New Strong's Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1996, S. H7926

4. Henry, Matthew: Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible : Complete and Unabridged in One Volume. Peabody : Hendrickson, 1996, c1991, S. Ge 49:13