Do Not Ignore the Warning Signs – Lesson from the prophet Haggai

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Danger in Ignoring Warning Sign’s

Environmental reporter Kate Sheppard wrote in a recent article how the oil giant BP ignored warnings signs in its offshore drilling operation that led to the tragic explosion and environmental disaster in the gulf region.

How BP, MMS Ignored Spill Warning Signs— By Kate Sheppard
| Tue Jun. 1, 2010 11:30 AM PDT
New documents released over the weekend to the New York Times show that both BP and federal regulators at the Interior Department's Minerals Management Service had plenty of warning that the drilling operation at the Macondo well site was plagued with problems—dating as far back as June 2009. But despite known issues with the well and the blowout preventers, the operation continued until the April 20 blast.
One document reveals that on June 22, 2009, BP engineers noted concerns that the metal casing the company wanted to use on the well could collapse under high pressure. BP used the casing anyway, after overriding its own design and safety standards. Other documents released this week reveal that the company knew that there was "unlikely to be a successful cement job" on the site and that the casing would be "unable to fulfill M.M.S. regulations."
BP also knew that there were problems with the blowout preventer, or BOP, which was supposed to shut off the well in the event of an emergency. The BOP clearly failed to function following the explosion of the well, which has now spewed oil into the Gulf for 43 days. As the documents note, the BOP was found to be leaking fluids on at least three occasions prior to the blast, which would impair its ability to function. But because of the other known problems with the well casing—drilling mud falling into the well, sudden gas releases, and loss of "well control"—the company asked federal regulators at the Minerals Management Service to delay a mandatory test of the BOP.
The MMS first rejected their request for a delay, but then relented. Here's the email issued to BP granting the request:
It's becoming more and more evident that BP knew about numerous problems with this drilling operation, but chose to proceed anyway. But it's also apparent that MMS also knew about these risks and allowed to the company to operate. The Times piece also highlights the fact that federal regulators gave little scrutiny to an April 15 request from BP to revise its plan to deal with a blockage in the well, approving it in under 10 minutes. That was just days before the blast—but it doesn't appear that MMS attempted to question what was going wrong with the well.
Source: http://motherjones.com/authors/kate-sheppard

Yahweh is Forthcoming with Direction, Purpose, and Warnings

Several weeks ago I talked how Yahweh uses events in our life experiences as a way to teach us spiritual lessons. Often these events are warning signs designed to get our attention because we have wandered off course and are headed for danger.

Since the beginning of time, Yahweh has been forthcoming with mankind in providing direction and purpose. He has also been tenacious in getting our attention when we chose our own direction and purpose.

Jeremiah 7:25-26
(25)  Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:
(26)  Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.

Yahweh will use whatever it takes to get our attention. He has used prophets, rulers, ordinary people, and for those really stubborn people, donkeys. And he if can’t get our attention using people or animals, he will use ordinary events in our life, whatever we put our hand to do.

Deuteronomy 28:20
(20)  Yahweh shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.

Lesson from the Prophet Haggai

Haggai 1:1-15
(1)  In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of Yahweh by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying,
(2)  Thus speaketh Yahweh of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that Yahweh's house should be built.
(3)  Then came the word of Yahweh by Haggai the prophet, saying,
(4)  Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste?
(5)  Now therefore thus saith Yahweh of hosts; Consider your ways.
(6)  Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.
(7)  Thus saith Yahweh of hosts; Consider your ways.
(8)  Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith Yahweh.
(9)  Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith Yahweh of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.
(10)  Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.
(11)  And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labor of the hands.
(12)  Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of Yahweh their God (Elohim), and the words of Haggai the prophet, as Yahweh their God (Elohim) had sent him, and the people did fear before Yahweh.
(13)  Then spoke Haggai Yahweh's messenger in Yahweh's message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith Yahweh.
(14)  And Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of Yahweh of hosts, their God (Elohim),
(15)  In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.

 

Mathew Henry’s Commentary:

What the sin of the Jews was at this time, Hag_1:2. As soon as they came up out of captivity they set up an altar for sacrifice, and within a year after laid the foundations of a temple, Ezr_3:10. They then seemed very forward in it, and it was likely enough that the work would be done suddenly; but, being served with a prohibition some time after from the Persian court, and charged not to go on with it, they not only yielded to the force, when they were actually under it, which might be excused, but afterwards, when the violence of the opposition had abated, they continued very indifferent to it, had no spirit nor courage to set about it again, but seemed glad that they had a pretence to let it stand still.

Though those who are employed for God may be driven off from their work by a storm, yet they must return to it as soon as the storm is over. These Jews did not do so, but continued loitering until they were afresh reminded of their duty. And that which they suggested one to another was, The time has not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built; that is, 1. “Our time has not come for the doing of it, because we have not yet recovered, after our captivity; our losses are not repaired, nor have we yet got before-hand in the world. It is too great an undertaking for new beginners in the world, as we are; let us first get our own houses up, before we talk of building churches, and in the mean time let a bare altar serve us, as it did our father Abraham.”...

...Note, There is an aptness in us to misinterpret providential discouragements in our duty, as if they amounted to a discharge from our duty, when they are only intended for the trial and exercise of our courage and faith. It is bad to neglect our duty, but it is worse to vouch Providence for the patronising of our neglects.

 

II. What the judgments of God were by which they were punished for this neglect, Hag_1:6, Hag_1:9-11. They neglected the building of God's house, and put that off, that they might have time and money for their secular affairs. They desired to be excused from such an expensive piece of work under this pretence, that they must provide for their families; their children must have meat and portions too, and, until they have got before-hand in the world, they cannot think of rebuilding the temple.

Now, that the punishment might answer to the sin, God by his providence kept them still behind-hand, and that poverty which they thought to prevent by not building the temple God brought upon them for not building it. They were sensible of the smart of the judgment, and every one complained of the unseasonable weather, the great losses they sustained in their corn and cattle, and the decay of trade; but they were not sensible of the cause of the judgment, and the ground of God's controversy with them. They did not, or would not, see and own that it was for their putting off the building of the temple that they lay under these manifest tokens of God's displeasure; and therefore God here gives them notice that this is that for which he contended with them. Note, We need the help of God's prophets and ministers to expound to us, not only the judgments of God's mouth, but the judgments of his hands, that we may understand his mind and meaning in his rod as well as in his word, to discover to us not only wherein we have offended God, but wherein God shows himself offended at us...

Learn to Recognize Warning Sign’s

How can I recognize warning signs from Yahweh in my life?

Look to see if His promises are present in your life.

Deuteronomy 28:1-13
(1)  And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of Yahweh thy God (Elohim), to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that Yahweh thy God (Elohim) will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
(2)  And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of Yahweh thy God (Elohim).
(3)  Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
(4)  Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
(5)  Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.
(6)  Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
(7)  Yahweh shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
(8)  Yahweh shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which Yahweh thy God (Elohim) giveth thee.
(9)  Yahweh shall establish thee a holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of Yahweh thy God (Elohim), and walk in his ways.
(10)  And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of Yahweh; and they shall be afraid of thee.
(11)  And Yahweh shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which Yahweh swore unto thy fathers to give thee.
(12)  Yahweh shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
(13)  And Yahweh shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of Yahweh thy God (Elohim), which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:

 

Psalms 1:1-4
(1)  Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
(2)  But his delight is in the law of Yahweh; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
(3)  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
(4)  The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away

Comments or questions accepted.

 

mikek@messiahshouseofyahvah.org