(359) December 25: Haggai
1-2 & Revelation 16
Ask God to open
your mind, heart and will to understand, delight in and obey what you read.
Read Haggai 1-2 &
Revelation 16
To discover:
As you read consider what
lessons there are for Christian service.
To ponder:
Haggai
spoke to the exiles after they returned to Judah from Babylon in fulfilment of
God’s word through other prophets. They had begun to rebuild the temple only to
be opposed by others living in the region (see Ezra 1-6, and 5v1-2, 6v13-15).
God had given the kings responsibility for the temple, so in the absence of
one, alongside the high priest (Joshua), it was the governor (Zerubbabel,
Jehoiachin’s grandson) who was most responsible to him for its rebuilding (see
1 Chr 17v14).
The book begins with God relating
how the people say it’s not yet time to build the temple. They may have felt
this because they didn’t want to provoke opposition, but the context suggests
it was primarily because they wanted to prioritise their own homes. So God
responds asking if it is time for them to live in their plush panelled houses
whilst the temple is in ruins. The point is that God’s house is far more
important - because he is. This is why the Christian is prepared to neglect
attaining or perfecting the things of this world in order to honour Christ as
God’s temple, and build his church, the spiritual temple (1v2-3).
God tells the people to think
carefully about the fact that they have invested (planted) much materially, but
benefited (harvested) little. So they never have enough of all the food and
drink they enjoy, nor warmth from their clothes, nor money left from wages.
Again, this demonstrates the futility of focusing on such things rather than
God. And so, for a second time, God calls the people to consider their ways and
choose better priorities by getting timber and building God’s house so he can
take pleasure in it and be honoured – no doubt by the people’s worship there.
Here we see that the reason the people’s expectations of receiving much from
what they have prioritised has turned out for little, is because God blew it
away by calling for a drought (1v4-11). In other words, the people are under
his curse (as Deut 28-30) because of their lack of concern for his concerns. We
should examine our priorities in the light of this. Paul is clear that if we
give generously to the LORD and his church (temple), he will bless us
materially. Although this doesn’t promise us great wealth, it does imply that
if we struggle to achieve in life, it may be because we are prioritising the
things we desire over those God desires (2 Cor 9v6-15).
On hearing this, Zerubbabel, Joshua,
and the people all feared and obeyed God, presumably by fetching the timber.
God then declared that he was with them, and stirred up their spirits so that
they began rebuilding the temple again (1v12-13). When the Christian recognises
their wrong priorities and starts to remedy them, they often find the Lord, in
turn, giving them right desires for his priorities. And if we or our church
lack such desire, these verses encourage us to pray God would change our
desires accordingly.
Again, God speaks, and this time to
Zerubbabel, Joshua and the remnant. He tells Haggai to ask who saw the temple
in its former glory before the exile seventy years ago, and to note that it now
seems like nothing in comparison. Yet, as if to ward off discouragement, God
urges the two leaders and people to be strong and keep working as he is with
them by his Spirit, just as he promised in the covenant at Sinai (2v1-5). The
note that they need not fear, again, implies they may have been tempted to give
up because of opposition by others in the area (see Ezra). In building the
church, it is only to easy to be discouraged by comparing our work with that of
other ministers or other churches. But the Lord promises to be with each church
by his Spirit, and urges its members to be strong in their service, to build it
as best they can.
In the light of the sense that the
temple was less glorious than Solomon’s, God promises it will one day be
better. He states that in “a little while” he will shake heaven, earth and all
nations – the language of earthquake that from Sinai signifies God’s awesome
presence, often in judgement. Then the “desired” (or “treasured”) of all
nations will come. In context, this probably refers not to Christ, but the
treasures of the nations being brought into the temple, making it more glorious
than Solomon’s (as Is 60). This is why God declares silver and gold are his.
Because he owns and governs the use of all things, he can do this. And he does,
as people from all nations come to faith in Christ, and invest their wealth in
the building of the church, that is made of the spiritual stones of God’s
people and that pervades the world (2 Pet 2v4-12, Rev 21v26). God promises that
he will fill this temple with his glory, ie. presence, as he had when Solomon’s
was finished (2 Chr 7v1). And he does fill the church by his Spirit. He also
promises peace, which has always been the result of his dwelling amongst his
people when they are faithful. This implies his kingdom finally established in
perfection, and looks to the peace of the world to come.
God’s next word gets Haggai to ask
the priests if someone carries consecrated meat (ie. that used in offerings)
and the garment it is held in touches other food or wine, does that become
consecrated? They answer no as holiness is not transferable. However Haggai
then notes that defilement is, as those defiled by contact with a dead body who
touch food do make it defiled. God’s point is that because the people are
defiled by sin, their offerings and everything else are defiled and so
unacceptable to God. It’s a reminder that nothing we do pleases God, including
our building of his church, unless we love and obey him from the heart
(2v10-14). Again, this raises the issue of prioritising him.
In what follows God tells the people
to carefully consider how much they lacked before they began to rebuild the
temple, because he inflicted their resources with the very things the law said
would accompany God’s curse (2v15-16, Deut 28v22, 38-42). However, it seems on
this day they laid the foundation stone. And so God tells them to carefully
consider that from this day, before which they lacked seed and fruit, the LORD
will now bless them (2v17-29). Likewise, when we work to fulfil God’s purposes
we experience blessing (Phil 4v19).
On that same day God’s word also
came through Haggai to Zerubbabel. In it, he promises that his coming shaking
of heaven and earth, when his glory will fill the temple (2v7), will mean the
overthrow of kings, kingdoms and their armies, as they turn on each other. Whatever
near fulfilment, this looks most clearly to Christ’s return in judgement. God
commends Zerubbabel’s faithfulness by saying that then he will be like the
valuable signet ring king’s cherished, and that carried their authority.
Because Zerubbabel was in the line of David (Matt 1v12), and also here given
the important titles “servant” and “chosen,” this may actually refer to God
establishing the promised Davidic kingdom under a chosen descendent of
Zerubbabel, who would serve God by ruling with his authority (2v20-23). The
point is that although the temple didn’t look like much, God’s promises would
be fulfilled. And this should encourage us in what may be thought a day of
small things for the church.
Praying
it home:
Praise God that he
will fulfil his purposes no matter how distant that seems to any generation. Pray
that you prioritise him and the building of his church.
Thinking
further:
To read the NIV Study Bible introduction to Haggai, click
here.
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