You have sown much seed, but there is a bringing of little in. There is an eating, but it is not to satisfaction. There is a drinking, but not to the point of getting intoxicated. There is a putting on of clothes, but it is not with anyone’s getting warm; and he that is hiring himself out is hiring himself out for a bag having holes [and the wage-earner earning into a pocket with a hole in it].”’”​—Haggai 1:3-6, NW; By.

24. What unbalanced state of affairs was there between their personal houses and Jehovah’s house, and what questions did this raise?

²⁴ There was a vital reason for their faring so poorly in a material way. Those repatriated Jews were saying that it was not the time for them to build the temple of Jehovah, and so “this house” of divine worship was lying “waste,” with just a foundation laid back in 536 B.C.E., but with no superstructure thereon.

Was this without consequences to them, not only to them in a spiritual way but also in a material way? Were they hurting themselves, not only religiously, but also economically? Yes!

25. What was the vital reason for it that they hurt themselves, not just religiously, but economically, in a material way?

²⁵ Why also economically, in a material way? Because theirs was a God-given land. Jehovah had also repurchased them from Babylon and brought them back as his ransomed people to that land. “So,” as He had long ago told their forefathers, “the land should not be sold in perpetuity, because the land is mine. For you are alien residents and settlers from my standpoint.” (Leviticus 25:23) As the land was His, he could make the land prosper and he could hold back his blessing from the land. He thus became responsible for its productivity. If he was displeased with his ransomed people, would he not logically withhold his blessing? And through his prophet Haggai did He not indicate divine displeasure because his house, the most important house in the whole land of Judah, was lying waste, and that for so many years?

26. The connection between Jehovah’s house being waste and their bad economic condition was due to what things?

²⁶ Under the circumstances, there must have been some connection between the “waste” condition of Jehovah’s house of worship and the fact that these ransomed Jews were sowing much seed on the God-given land and yet they were bringing in little in the way of crops. They were reaping something to eat, indeed, but it was not enough to satisfy their desires or needs. They were drinking wine made from the juice of their vineyards, but they did not have a large enough vintage so as to make sufficient wine that they could go as far as getting themselves intoxicated thereon. They were able to manufacture something to put on the outside of their bodies, but not enough, or not of such quality, as to keep them warm during cold weather. And if any needy ones hired themselves out to earn a living or to help in meeting expenses, it seemed as if the money they earned was put into a money bag full of holes to let the coins drop out and be lost with no benefit to the wage earners. In view of the relationship of these occupants of the land to the heavenly Owner of the land and their religious obligations to Him, there must have been some vital connection between his “waste” house and their economic depression.

27. How did Jehovah’s earlier prophecy at Ezekiel 36:33-36 indicate that there was such a connection?

²⁷ This connection must have been real in view of what Jehovah their God had promised by means of his prophet Ezekiel shortly after the destruction of Jerusalem and the desolating of the land of Judah more than seventy years ago: “This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said, ‘In the day of my cleansing you from all your errors I will also cause the cities to be inhabited, and the devastated places must be rebuilt. And the desolated land itself will be cultivated, whereas it had become a desolate waste before the eyes of every passerby. And people will certainly say: “That land yonder which was laid desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the cities that were a waste and that were laid desolate and that were torn down are fortified; they have become inhabited.” And the nations that will be left remaining round about you will have to know that I myself, Jehovah, have built the things torn down, I have planted what has been laid desolate. I myself, Jehovah, have spoken and I have done it.’”​—Ezekiel 36:33-36.

28. Why was it that by the year 520 B.C.E. that prophecy through Ezekiel had not been fulfilled upon the Jews, and why should we today apply the point of this to ourselves?

²⁸ When the ransomed remnant of God-fearing Jews returned to the desolated land in 537 B.C.E., they had the highest hopes of having such a glowing prophecy fulfilled. But now, by the year 520 B.C.E., their highest hopes had been disappointed. Why? Yes, why were not the pagan peoples round about saying: “That land yonder which was laid desolate has become like the garden of Eden”? The reason why is obvious: The ransomed remnant of Jews were neglecting the worship of the One who had made such a grand promise through the prophet Ezekiel.