On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, ‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’ Haggai 2:1-5
“The rationale for the encouragement indicated by the clause that introduces the formula “I am with you.” thus the whole text offering encouragement is: be strong and work because Yahweh of hosts is with you. The exhortation is similar to the use of the formula elsewhere in its focus on alleviating people’s fears or providing reassurance of deliverance in the face of adversity.”
Mignon R. Jacobs in The Books of Haggai and Malachi (NICOT; Grand Rapids; Eerdmans, 2017) 80.
Three times the group coordinating the rebuilding project receive the exhortation to be strong. Remember the context. They had cared for themselves but forgotten God’s house. So why be exhorted repeatedly to be strong?
It’s easy for us to pivot toward generosity and selfless service as a one-time act but not as a lifestyle. They needed to follow through. They needed to get the job done. The structure seemed like “nothing” to onlookers.
The same is true for us in modernity. God says to give careful thought to our ways and we do it for a day or a week or a month, then we revert. God wanted them to finish well, and He wants that for us today. We can, because He is with us.
That means He will empower our efforts and enrich us for generosity. He will help us do the work that He has called us to do. Fear comes into view as the limiting factor. He answers that with the promise of His presence.