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FAIR Resources for Come, Follow Me – Restoration Scripture
Week 50: December 7 - 13: "Holiness unto the Lord"

Haggai 1-2; Zechariah 1-4; 7-14

Doctrinal Focus
Historical & Contextual
Apologetic Application
Practical Applications
Ideas for Teaching
Quick Reference

Doctrinal Focus

  • Key doctrines addressed in this week’s reading

In Haggai 1:2–8, the Lord challenges the returned Israelites because they had built and improved their own homes while His temple remained unfinished. His invitation to “consider your ways” (Haggai 1:5-7) encourages us to examine whether our time, energy, and resources reflect our professed faith. The Lord’s question is not simply whether we are busy, but whether we are giving sufficient attention to the things that matter eternally.

Haggai 2:4–5 encourages the people to be strong and work because the Lord is with them, reminding them not to fear as they rebuild. Elder Vinson teaches that enduring joy comes when we make the Savior and His gospel the framework of our lives, rather than treating the gospel as an optional addition. His discussion of Oliver Granger, whose efforts to help the Saints did not achieve much material success, illustrates the principle that the Lord values faithful sacrifice and effort (Doctrine and Covenants 117:12–13).

Zechariah 7:8–10 teaches the people to exercise true judgment, show mercy and compassion, and refrain from oppressing the vulnerable. Zechariah 8:16–17 further emphasizes speaking truth, making righteous judgments, and rejecting evil thoughts and actions. These teachings show that holiness is expressed through our everyday conduct and relationships, not merely through participation in religious ceremonies.

In Zechariah 3:1–7, the high priest Joshua appears in filthy garments until the Lord commands that his iniquity be removed and that he be clothed in clean garments. This vision illustrates the possibility of spiritual cleansing and renewed service to God. Elder Renlund explains that our sins are cleansed through the power of Jesus Christ’s Atonement as we make and keep our baptismal covenant and repent; the sacrament provides a recurring opportunity to renew our commitment and retain a remission of our sins.

Zechariah prophesied that Jerusalem’s King would come “lowly, and riding upon an ass” (Zechariah 9:9), a prophecy fulfilled during the Savior’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1–11). Zechariah also foretold events associated with the Savior’s suffering and death (Zechariah 11:12–13; 13:6–7). These prophecies help us recognize Jesus Christ as the Messiah who fulfilled God’s promises and made redemption possible through His sacrifice.

  • Zechariah 14:9 looks forward to a day when “the Lord shall be king over all the earth,” pointing to the Savior’s ultimate reign. Elder Renlund teaches that we can “look beyond the mark” when we seek something more impressive or complicated than the blessings Christ already offers. Through repentance, the sacrament, and temple worship, we can strengthen our relationship with the Savior and receive spiritual guidance and cleansing (see Mosiah 4:2–3; 3 Nephi 18:7, 11; Doctrine and Covenants 109:22–23).

Historical & Contextual Insights

  • Insights in this week’s study
  • The rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple after the Babylonian captivity.

In the sixth century BC, the Persian conquest of Babylon made it possible for Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem. Although the returning Israelites began rebuilding the temple, opposition and other challenges interrupted the work. By the time of Haggai’s ministry, the temple project had been neglected for approximately 15 years. Haggai and Zechariah encouraged the people to renew their commitment, complete the temple, and restore their spiritual relationship with the Lord (see Haggai 1:1–8; Ezra 4:24; 5:1–2).

  • The temple represented more than a building; it was a central place of worship and a visible expression of Israel’s covenant relationship with God. Haggai taught that the people’s priorities mattered, while Zechariah called them to become spiritually clean and faithful. The Lord promised that the rebuilt temple would be filled with glory and that He would give peace (Haggai 2:4–9). Their experience demonstrates that rebuilding a community of faith requires both outward effort and inward transformation.
  • We can learn from these Israelites by examining whether our priorities reflect our covenants with God. Just as they needed to rebuild the temple and renew their commitment, we may need to rebuild spiritual habits, restore neglected relationships with God, or make room for worship in our busy lives. The Lord’s promise, “I am with you” (Haggai 1:13), reminds us that we do not have to accomplish this work alone.

The Lord’s house is sacred, but He also wants His people to become holy in their daily choices, conduct, and relationships.

In Haggai’s day, the Israelites needed to recognize the importance of rebuilding the temple rather than concentrating exclusively on their own homes and interests. Zechariah expanded this message by describing a future in which holiness would extend throughout Jerusalem, even to ordinary objects such as cooking pots and the bells of horses (Zechariah 14:20–21). This imagery suggests that devotion to the Lord should not be confined to a sacred building or a particular day of the week. Elder Vinson’s message, “True Disciples of the Savior,” reinforces this principle by inviting us to make the gospel the framework around which we build our lives.

Temple worship can help us draw closer to Jesus Christ and remember our covenants, but the blessings of temple worship should influence how we live outside the temple. Honesty, compassion, repentance, and service are ways we can reflect the holiness we seek in the Lord’s house (see Zechariah 7:9–10; 8:16–17).

Holiness does not mean that we must be perfect before we can approach God. Rather, it means consistently turning toward Him, repenting when we fall short, and allowing Jesus Christ to change our hearts. We can ask ourselves, “What would it look like if holiness were reflected in my words, entertainment, relationships, and daily decisions?”

We can miss the Savior’s influence when we expect His help to come in ways that differ from His actual teachings and promises.

Zechariah’s prophecies described a Messiah who would come humbly and bring deliverance (Zechariah 9:9–11). Yet many people in Jesus’s day did not recognize Him as the promised Redeemer because their expectations of salvation differed from what He came to accomplish. Elder Renlund explores this danger in “Jesus Christ Is the Treasure,” using Jacob’s warning about “looking beyond the mark” (Jacob 4:14). We can make a similar mistake when we undervalue familiar gospel practices or assume that spiritual answers must come through extraordinary experiences rather than through Jesus Christ’s established teachings and ordinances.

The sacrament, personal repentance, and temple worship may become so familiar that we overlook their spiritual power. Elder Renlund teaches that these practices help us focus on Christ, renew our covenants, receive the influence of the Holy Ghost, and strengthen our spiritual foundation (see 3 Nephi 18:7, 11; Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79).

Looking to Jesus Christ does not mean ignoring sincere questions or expecting every challenge to disappear immediately. It means bringing our questions and struggles to Him, learning His teachings, and acting in faith while trusting His timing. As we do so, we can discover that the Savior’s grace, guidance, and redeeming power are greater than we may have realized.

If you have questions on this week’s reading, please email your questions to us here.

Apologetic Application

  1. Claim: “The temple’s unfinished state proves that the Lord had abandoned Israel or that their religious commitments were ineffective.”
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  3. Response:
  4. Historical Evidence: Ezra 4:1–5, 24 describes opposition to the rebuilding effort and explains that the work was interrupted. Haggai 1:2–8 shows that the people also needed to reconsider their priorities and resume building, providing a historical and scriptural explanation for the delay rather than evidence of divine abandonment.
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  6. Eyewitness Support: The biblical record preserves the ministries of Haggai and Zechariah, who encouraged the returned exiles to continue the temple project (Ezra 5:1–2). Their accounts are scriptural testimony rather than independent eyewitness verification, but they document a tradition in which prophetic encouragement helped the community resume its work.
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  8. Spiritual Confirmation: Haggai 1:13 records the Lord’s assurance, “I am with you, saith the Lord.” Believers can prayerfully consider how this promise applies when spiritual progress feels slow, recognizing that challenges do not necessarily mean God has withdrawn His support.
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  10. Logical Analysis: An interrupted project does not logically prove that the purpose behind it has failed or that God has abandoned those involved. The account instead presents a community facing opposition and misplaced priorities that needed correction before its work could progress.
  • Claim: “The Israelites’ failure to prioritize the temple and their need for correction show that religious faith does not produce genuine righteousness.”
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  • Response:
  • Historical Evidence: Haggai 1:3–11 records the Lord’s rebuke of the people for neglecting the temple while attending to their own homes. Zechariah 7:8–14 also condemns injustice and a refusal to listen to the Lord, showing that the scriptures openly acknowledge failures among professed worshippers.
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  • Eyewitness Support: The biblical accounts preserve prophetic rebukes rather than presenting Israel’s religious community as flawless. Although these passages do not independently verify every event, their candid portrayal of spiritual failure and correction supports the interpretation that covenant membership does not eliminate the need for repentance.
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  • Spiritual Confirmation: Zechariah 3:1–7 depicts Joshua the high priest being cleansed of his iniquity and given clean garments. For believers, this vision illustrates the hope that God can forgive, renew, and prepare people for faithful service rather than permanently defining them by past mistakes.
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  • Logical Analysis: The failure of some religious people does not establish that every religious teaching is false or that spiritual transformation is impossible. At the same time, religious affiliation alone does not prove that someone is righteous; the relevant test includes whether a person sincerely repents and treats others with greater justice and compassion.
  • Claim: “The suffering of faithful people and the apparent failure of their efforts contradict the belief that God is loving and involved in their lives.”
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  • Response:
  • Historical Evidence: Haggai 2:3–9 acknowledges the discouragement surrounding the rebuilding of the temple, especially when compared with its former glory. In “True Disciples of the Savior,” Elder Vinson also discusses Oliver Granger, whose efforts to sell the Saints’ properties in Kirtland achieved little material success, yet whose sacrifice was commended by the Lord (Doctrine and Covenants 117:12–13).
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  • Eyewitness Support: Elder Vinson recounts his own experiences playing rugby, including a broken jaw sustained during a game, and shares the account of a woman who experienced profound emotional pain before finding relief through the Savior’s Atonement. These are personal accounts presented in his talk; they illustrate individual experiences but do not independently establish a universal explanation for suffering.
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  • Spiritual Confirmation: Elder Vinson teaches that enduring joy is not the same as temporary happiness and that faithful sacrifice can bring joy even when success is limited. Haggai 2:4–5 similarly reassures the people that the Lord is with them as they work, inviting believers to seek spiritual strength amid uncertainty.
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  • Logical Analysis: Suffering and disappointment do not, by themselves, establish that God is absent or unloving. However, these passages do not explain every instance of suffering or guarantee that every faithful person will experience relief in this life; they instead emphasize divine companionship, faithful effort, and the hope offered through Jesus Christ.

Practical Applications

Practical solutions for someone in faith crisis:

Action Step: Identify one activity or habit that regularly crowds out prayer, scripture study, temple worship, family relationships, or service, and make one intentional change this week.

Haggai 1:4–7 invites us to consider whether our priorities reflect our commitment to the Lord. Elder Vinson warns that when the gospel becomes an optional extra rather than the framework of our lives, our efforts can feel spiritually unfulfilling. Reordering our priorities helps align our daily choices with our covenants and our deepest values.

  1. – Pray and ask the Lord to help you recognize where your priorities need attention.
  2. – Review how you spent your time over the past few days.
  3. – Choose one realistic adjustment, such as beginning the day with scripture study or setting aside time for family prayer.
  4. – Put the change on your calendar and follow through for seven days.
  5. – At the end of the week, reflect on how the change affected your relationship with the Savior.

Encouraging Thought:

  • “Consider your ways” (Haggai 1:7). The invitation is not to become discouraged about past choices, but to recognize what can change today.

Action Step: Choose one area in which you need spiritual renewal and take a concrete step toward repentance or reconciliation.

Zechariah 3:1–7 portrays the Lord removing Joshua’s iniquity and clothing him in clean garments, illustrating the possibility of spiritual renewal. Zechariah 7:9–10 reminds us that holiness also involves showing mercy, compassion, and concern for people who are vulnerable. Repentance becomes more meaningful when it changes both our relationship with God and the way we treat others.

  1. – Read Zechariah 3:1–7 and consider what the clean garments might represent in your life.
  2. – Identify one attitude, habit, or action that you want the Savior to help you change.
  3. – Pray honestly and, where appropriate, seek counsel from a trusted Church leader.
  4. – Take one practical step, such as apologizing, correcting a mistake, or offering help to someone in need.
  5. – Participate thoughtfully in the sacrament and reflect on how you can continue following Jesus Christ.

Encouraging Thought:

  • The Lord did not leave Joshua in his filthy garments; He commanded that his iniquity be removed (Zechariah 3:4). Our past does not have to determine our future when we sincerely turn to the Savior.
  • Action Step: Prepare for the sacrament this week by reviewing your covenants, reflecting on the Savior’s Atonement, and identifying one way to follow Him more faithfully.

Zechariah 9:9 points to the humble Messiah, while Zechariah 14:9 looks forward to the Lord’s reign over the earth. Elder Renlund’s message encourages us not to overlook the spiritual treasures found in Christ’s gospel while searching for something more impressive or extraordinary. Deliberately focusing on the Savior can help familiar religious practices become more meaningful.

  1. – Read Zechariah 9:9 and reflect on what the Savior’s humility teaches you about His character.
  2. – Before the sacrament, think about one blessing you have received through Jesus Christ.
  3. – Review your baptismal covenants and consider how you can better remember Him throughout the week.
  4. – Choose one Christlike action to practice, such as forgiving someone, serving quietly, or speaking with greater kindness.
  5. – At the end of the week, record how focusing on Jesus Christ influenced your choices

Encouraging Thought:

  • King Lamoni’s father was willing to give up everything to receive eternal life (Alma 22:15). His example invites us to consider whether we treasure the Savior’s gifts more than the temporary rewards that compete for our attention.

Ideas for Teaching

Objective: Help learners identify one way to make Jesus Christ a more central part of their daily lives.

  • – Scriptures or digital access to Haggai 1:2–8
  • – Paper and pens
  • – A weekly calendar or simple time-use worksheet
  • – Optional sticky notes

Activity Steps:

  1. Introduction (5 min): Ask learners to imagine earning money all week only to discover that their bag has holes and their earnings are disappearing. Invite them to name other things that can consume time and energy without bringing lasting fulfillment. Explain that Haggai 1:6 uses a similar image of wages placed in a bag with holes to challenge the people to examine their priorities.
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  3. Scripture Discussion (5 min): Read Haggai 1:4–8 together. Discuss why the people had time to improve their own homes while the temple remained unfinished. Invite learners to consider what modern equivalents might look like, such as allowing entertainment, social media, or excessive busyness to crowd out spiritual commitments.
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  5. Application (5 min): Have learners write down one priority they want to improve and one specific action they can take during the next seven days. Encourage them to choose a realistic adjustment rather than attempting to change everything at once.

Follow-Up Question: What is one change you could make that would help the Savior become more central to your everyday life?

Objective: Help learners understand how Jesus Christ makes spiritual renewal possible and how holiness should influence everyday behavior.

  • – Scriptures or digital access to Zechariah 3:1–7
  • – Two pieces of paper or fabric, one representing stained garments and one representing clean garments
  • – Markers or pens
  • – Optional slips of paper for personal reflection

Activity Steps:

Introduction (5 min): Display or describe a stained garment and a clean one. Ask learners what might need to happen before a stained garment could be suitable for a special occasion. Connect the example to the idea that we sometimes need spiritual cleansing and renewal rather than simply trying to hide our mistakes.

Scripture Discussion (5 min): Read Zechariah 3:1–7. Discuss the symbolism of Joshua’s filthy garments and the Lord’s command to remove them. Explain that the vision points toward the possibility of forgiveness and renewed service through God’s power. Ask how repentance differs from simply feeling guilty about a mistake.

Application (5 min): Invite learners to privately identify one quality they want the Savior to help them develop, such as honesty, patience, humility, or compassion. They can write one small action that would help them practice that quality during the coming week; sharing personal sins or private struggles should not be required.

Follow-Up Question: How does understanding the Savior’s power to forgive and renew us change the way we approach our mistakes?

Objective: Help learners recognize the incomparable value of Jesus Christ and choose one way to prioritize their relationship with Him.

  • – Scriptures or digital access to Alma 22:15 and Zechariah 9:9
  • – Paper and pens
  • – A small box or container labeled “My Greatest Treasure”
  • – Optional pictures representing possessions, achievements, relationships, and spiritual blessings

Activity Steps: 

Introduction (5 min): Present a hypothetical scenario: If you could keep only three things that matter most to you, what would they be? Invite learners to consider the difference between things that provide temporary pleasure and things that offer lasting spiritual value. Explain that the activity is about examining priorities, not judging anyone’s personal possessions.

Scripture Discussion (5 min): Read Alma 22:15, where King Lamoni’s father expresses his willingness to forsake his kingdom to receive eternal life. Connect this account to Zechariah 9:9, which prophesies of the humble King who Christians recognize as Jesus Christ. Discuss why someone might be willing to sacrifice worldly advantages to receive the blessings of the gospel.

Application (5 min): Ask learners to write one way they can give the Savior greater priority in their lives. Examples might include more meaningful scripture study, preparing thoughtfully for the sacrament, serving someone who feels forgotten, or making time for temple worship. Invite them to place their written commitment in the “My Greatest Treasure” container if they feel comfortable doing so.

Follow-Up Question: What might change in your life if you treated your relationship with Jesus Christ as your greatest treasure?

QUICK REFERENCE

  • Put the Lord first. Haggai 1:4–8 teaches us to examine our priorities and make the Lord’s work an important part of our lives.
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  • Trust the Lord during discouragement. Haggai 2:4–5 reminds us to be strong and continue working because the Lord is with His people.
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  • Pursue holiness through repentance. Zechariah 3:1–7 illustrates the Lord’s power to cleanse, forgive, and prepare His people for renewed service.
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  • Practice justice and compassion. Zechariah 7:9–10 teaches that genuine devotion to God includes mercy, kindness, and concern for vulnerable people.
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  • Recognize Jesus Christ as the promised King. Zechariah 9:9 prophesies of the humble King Christians recognize as Jesus Christ.
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  • Value sacrifice and faithful effort. Doctrine and Covenants 117:12–13 teaches that the Lord remembers faithful sacrifice even when efforts do not achieve the hoped-for results.
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  • Choose eternal treasures over worldly distractions. Alma 22:15 illustrates the value of eternal life through King Lamoni’s father’s willingness to forsake his kingdom to receive it.
  • Why trust modern prophets?

  • Modern prophets invite us to turn to Jesus Christ, keep our covenants, repent, and live according to revealed truth. Their counsel can be evaluated in light of scripture, the teachings of Jesus Christ, and the spiritual fruits of following it. Latter-day Saints believe that God continues to guide His Church through living prophets, while recognizing that prophetic service does not make human beings infallible.

  • Why does God allow mistakes?

  • The experiences described in Haggai and Zechariah show that the Lord’s people can neglect their responsibilities, make poor choices, and need correction. God’s response is not simply rejection; He calls people to repent, renew their commitments, and receive His help. Through Jesus Christ, mistakes can become opportunities for learning, spiritual growth, and renewed discipleship, although repentance does not necessarily remove every earthly consequence.

  1. Haggai 1:5–8 — The Lord invites His people to consider their ways and prioritize His work.
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  3. Zechariah 3:1–7 — Joshua’s clean garments symbolize the Lord’s power to remove iniquity and renew His servants.
  1. The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles — A testimony of Jesus Christ’s divine mission, Atonement, Resurrection, and role as Savior.
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  3. The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World — A proclamation about the Restoration, prophetic revelation, and the central role of Jesus Christ.
  1. **“True Disciples of the Savior” — Elder Terence M. Vinson** — Explores wholehearted discipleship, sacrifice, and enduring joy through Christ.
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  3. **“Jesus Christ Is the Treasure” — Elder Dale G. Renlund** — Explains why Jesus Christ is our greatest treasure and how repentance and sacred ordinances help us focus on Him.