A Select Few

I've started a new book study in my Sunday morning sermons. I am preaching through the book of Haggai, one of the minor prophets. It is the second shortest book in the Old Testament after Obadiah. It is a book of only two chapters. But don't let that fool you. Haggai has got a punch. Haggai was the one who gave the nation of Israel the shot in the arm they needed of encouragement to get them to rebuild their temple in Jerusalem. As Frank Gaebelein, one of the most famous commentators, has said, "The truth is that few prophets have succeeded in packaging into such brief compass so much spiritual common sense as Haggai did."

But a little background is in order. For Israel, "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." Those famous words of Charles Dickens could be applied to the nation of Israel in 536 BC. They had spent 70 years of captivity in Babylon following their defeat at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. But the captivity was about over.

They had been sent to Babylon as captives by God as punishment for their idolatry. But all through that time, they had longed to return to Israel. All that time, they had dreamed of going back - back to the land; back to the city of Jerusalem which now lay in ruins and to their temple dismantled stone by stone; back to rebuild all they had lost. And now the time was right. Now they were getting their chance.

Cyrus, the Persian Emperor, had conquered Babylon, and he looked favorably upon the Jews. In 536 BC, he issued a decree permitting the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild the Temple. You could feel the excitement in the air. The recruiters went out to sign up the volunteers.

"Are you ready?" they asked. "We can go back now. Come on! Let's go!"

But one after another turned away with their excuses:

"Nah, my business is going too good. You can't expect me to relocate."

"I've got a nice home here. You couldn't ask me to leave that now."

"You mean, I'd have to start all over from scratch?"

"Nah, it's greener here, and I like the climate better."

When the departure day came, only a fraction - just a hand full compared to the multitudes of Israel - returned. When Zerubbabel started off, only a remnant, only 50,000, followed him off into the unknown - off over those long, hard miles of desert. And what awaited them at the end of all their effort and hardship? A desolate land and a ruined city surrounded by enemies.

Oh, these were a chosen bunch - a choice lot. Don't ever forget that, Never look down your nose at this remnant. They dared to do the hard thing. They dared to try the impossible. They were willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work serving God, while the majority of their countrymen chose ease. The rest chose to bask in their comfort and the luxury of a pagan land. So these few were different. They had a special devotion to God which cause them to separate from their countrymen in order to serve God.

Why is it always just a remnant? Why is it always just a chosen few who are willing to serve God while the rest are content in their complacency? Why, even today, are so few willing to make the sacrifice? By the way, which are you? Are you one of the complacent comfortable? Or are you a part of the working, serving remnant?