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In God's dealings with His ancient people, we find the principles of His government in all ages of the world. God took no greater interest in the history of the world then than He does now. He did not interfere more constantly in the affairs of men then than He does now. The only difference is, men used to see the hand of God where we find no trace of it at all. In all the calamities and blessings of life they heard the voice of God. And God still speaks to us in all the events of life. We can find many philosophical reasons for them, but who ever hears the name of God in connection with them? This persistent denial of the government of God is one of the saddest phases of public life amongst us. The prophet tells the people that their poverty and distress are due directly to their selfish care for themselves, and their neglect of God's house. The underlying principle may be thus stated — neglect of the laws and claims of God, either in this world or the next, never results in any good... In the particular direction which God gave concerning this temple, we may find the principles which should guide us in the erection of all houses for His glory and worship. We find a severe condemnation of that specially modern custom of lavishing wealth in increasing the luxuries and beauties of our private dwellings and public buildings, whilst we are content that the Lord should dwell in a house scarcely equal to our granaries or our stables How easy it is to find intimations of providence against a work for which we are little disposed. Indolence, selfishness, a fear of the trouble and expense, were the real causes of the delay in building the Lord's house in Haggai's time. What unbounded faith people have in providence when providence seems to speak on the side of their own inclinations: but how deaf men are to the voice of providence when it contradicts their own desires! God says to these people, "Consider your ways." What have you gained by your neglect of My house? You thought by so doing to escape poverty, yet poverty has come. Have your selfishness and niggardliness produced the results you expected? God says nothing about the insult offered to Himself in this neglect. This is the final argument against sin, and the one which perhaps touches men most. Sin is a violation of God's law; but men care little for that. It is the basest ingratitude; but men care little for that. More still — it is the most consummate folly. The man who does wrong is not only a sinner, he is a fool. Consider, — what has sin done for you? Does sin answer your purpose? The laws of God are for this life as well as the next. The most sure way of securing prosperity and happiness is to acknowledge them. The most certain way to bring upon ourselves adversity and misery is to live in defiance of them. God's laws vindicate themselves now. Prosperity and happiness here are as much dependent on our acknowledgment of God's laws as prosperity and happiness in the world to come. What did this people's neglect of God's house imply, and how would this affect their material prosperity?

1. It implied the fear of a little expense. But niggardliness never pays.

2. It exhibited great selfishness. In time of disaster, who has the selfish man to fall back upon? Selfishness won't do in the world nowadays. In three different ways God may destroy our prosperity.

(1)  He may make our labour unproductive.

(2)  He may take away the power to enjoy what we have gained.

(3)  Our earnings may slip away as quickly as they come.Let me ask you again, What do we gain by neglecting God? What prosperity can we secure or enjoy without His blessing? Of what happiness have we such a firm grasp that He cannot take it away from us? What is our strength if we provoke the Lord to fight against us? Is it wise to forget God? God says, "He that sinneth against Me wrongeth his own soul."

(B. G. Wilkinson.)

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KJV: Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,

WEB: Then the Word of Yahweh came by Haggai, the prophet, saying,