Haggai 1:2
Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say, 'The time has not yet come, the time for the LORD's house to be built'—the diagnosis of the problem emerges: the community, despite having returned from exile, defers the temple's reconstruction. The claim that 'the time has not yet come' represents rationalized procrastination; the returned community prioritizes private security over covenant duty. The emphasis on 'these people' establishes the community's collective failure.