Haggai echoed David's words of encouragement to begin building, which David addressed to Solomon and Israel's leaders, hundreds of years later to Israel's leaders in his day (Hag. 2:4-5). David sought to instill his own zeal for God's glory in his hearers (29:1). The people donated a freewill offering of more gold, silver, bronze, and other materials to make Yahweh's house reflect the glory of His greatness (cf. Hag. 2:6-9).81The Israelites of Moses' day had been similarly generous in providing building materials for the tabernacle (Exod. 25:1-7; 35:4-9, 20-29).
"Often the extent to which we are prepared to put at risk our material well-being is a measure of the seriousness with which we take our discipleship. . . .
"People are closest to God-likeness in self-giving, and the nearer they approach God-likeness the more genuinely and rightly they become capable of rejoicing."82
