The prophet Haggai had cause to call out the Jews who abandoned the temple of God and were busy with their own private affairs. They responded positively to the project as our text shows. When Haggai spoke, the Lord stirred up the people and they came in unison to face the task. There is hardly any person or group of persons who cannot achieve more if two conditions are met. The first one is order. Setting order increases the chance of greater progress. The other one is encouragement. The positive response of the people was on the heels of the encouragement received.

Until the word is spoken, the Spirit has nothing to work with. The Spirit hovers over the spoken word and causes the effect; it may be of conviction or motivation to duty.

Here is a crucial lesson for those who have been mandated to lead people or speak for God – they must never be weary of challenging and motivating people. It is God’s Spirit that takes over once the word has been faithfully delivered. Until the word is spoken, the Spirit has nothing to work with. The Spirit hovers over the spoken word and causes the effect; it may be of conviction or motivation to duty. A final lesson is that any work of God requires all hands to be on deck. In our text, both the ruling class, the religious community and the generality of the people rose up for God’s work. We must obliterate the imaginary line that we often draw between secular or political and church. The ways of the kingdom must be felt in every facet of the society.