Passage: Haggai 1-2
This is the
fifth book in ‘A Sermon A Book Series’. My aim is to make the church very
familiar with the whole counsel of God so that you be strengthened in faith, be
stirred in your love for God, be educated in the whole counsel of God in His
Word so that you and others will be made wise for salvation. I hope this will kindle
a hot desire in you to read the whole counsel of God, including the OT and even
the least known books.
Haggai is
not among the least known – it is relatively known and is specifically recalled
when mobilizing resources for putting up church buildings! Is this the context
or even purpose of the book? We shall find out now. Thankfully we do not
believe the church building is an equivalent of a temple, do we?
When the
first wave of Jewish exiles returned from Babylon to Jerusalem in 538 BC, they
began to rebuild the temple but sooner than later they abandoned this efforts
and the temple lay in ruins. The Lord raised up a number of people to spearhead
a revival and completion of this work. There was Zerubbabel, the governor,
Joshua the High Priest and Haggai the prophet who inspired them to complete the
building in 516 BC. Haggai was raised by God at this time and he gave a series
of four serious prophetic messages to those who had returned from Babylonian exile,
in order to stir their zeal for the things of God.
1.
Apathy and Lack of Zeal for the House of God
Rebuked (1:1-11)
The rebuke: In the first message, Haggai specifically rebuked
the people for their selfishness and lack of concern for the house of God. They
were saying, “… the time has not yet come
to rebuild the house of the LORD” (1:2) yet living in ‘panelled or ceiled houses’. Here we see how people generally put
their needs before the Kingdom of God and its righteousness (Matt. 6:33). This
is not something that the Lord would overlook or bless. At the heart of this
attitude is materialism which is idolatry. While they showcased sheer selfishness and
apathy the house of God remained in ruins (1:4). For this they were rebuked,
for indeed they had put the cart before the horse, by being more concerned for
the transient, at the expense of the eternal. How has the material prosperity
blurred your eternal perspective?
God’s displeasure: For this reason Haggai spelt out God’s displeasure
and curses. He warned that despite their best efforts, their wealth would never
suffice, because the Lord would not bless them, rather He was sending the
covenant curses for breaching its terms. God was not pleased with this neglect
of His temple (which was the mark of His presence in their midst) and would
punish them if they did not change their ways. Do you realize that you have
invited God’s displeasure by being too engrossed with the things of this world?
The challenge to resume the work: He called them to consider their ways, repent and
renew their covenant with the God of their fathers by resuming the construction
works. He assured them that God would achieve His purposes for His people and
for all other nations. The rebuilding of the temple symbolized the restored
presence and fellowship of God with His covenant people. What would be better
blessing than the very presence of God, and a renewed relationship?
The favourable response: They
all obeyed the voice of the Lord (v.13-14)
a) The stirring of the Lord (v.14) – The Lord knew too well the despair that
prevailed among the people and gave the promise of His presence and so stirred
their spirits to obedience.
b) The vitality of their efforts (v.14) – They did their work with all possible strength.
They came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts their God. Every
one, according as his capacity, ability, skill and strength was willing and
eager to spend and be spent for the cause of the Kingdom of God. They did this with
an eye to God as the Lord of hosts, and as their God, the God of Israel.
In so doing they acknowledged the sovereignty of God and His covenant-relationship
with his people by his grace.
c) The speed of the execution of the duty
(v.15) – Haggai
preached to them the first sermon on the first day of the sixth month, and by
the twenty-fourth of the same month, about three weeks after, they were all
busy working in the house of the Lord their God. They were now convinced and
they were resolved to delay no longer, but to strike while the iron was hot,
and to set about the work while they were under the conviction. Surely, if you
lived in such a manner that you have lost time, then you need labour in order
to redeem time.
Clearly there was a united recognition that the delay and all the
procrastination had been wrong and sinful. Their response shows that this was a
genuine repentance. True repentance is more than words – it has to be followed
by obedience.
2. Consoling
those in despair (2:1-9)
The Lord gave second message to Haggai with an aim of encouraging and so
enlarging their hearts in their duty of obedience. This was meant for both the
leaders and all the remnant of the
people. They were called to
(1) remember the splendour and
beauty (glory) of the former house;
(2) to be strong in the Lord
as they work – just as Joshua had been instructed;
(3) to work and
(4) to remember the presence of
the spirit of Lord in their midst.
The Lord said that He would shake the
heavens and the earth and sea and dry land, and all the nations (v.7).
The Lord in this message reiterates His sovereignty over all His
creation to do with it as He pleases in order to accomplish His purposes – “… gold is mine and silver is mine!” It all
belongs to the Lord. Do you realize that what you call yours actually belong to
the Lord? In this statement alone, we must realize that when you give towards
the work of the Lord, you are not doing God any favour, rather, you are only
giving back to God what belongs to Him. However, the statement here means that
God was going to intervene and had already intervened in restoring the temple
in order that it would be filled with glory.
When they heard the word they feared and trembled
just as the Israelites did in Mt. Sinai. But, lest they should drown under the
weight of that fear, God stirred them up, and made them cheerful and bold by
declaring the end of the matter at hand from the beginning – The latter glory of this house shall be
greater than the former… in this place I will give peace (v.9). They obeyed
as the Lord enabled them for obedience is what the Lord produces in us by His
Spirit.
The last two messages were delivered on the
same day:
3.
Completion of the temple (2:10-19)
The third
message encouraged the people with a prospect of divine blessing upon
obedience. There is no doubt that the Lord rewards obedience – the community
was promised such a bounty harvest compared to the previous years that will be
obvious that the Lord has visited His people with blessings. Haggai’s third
message ties tightly with Zechariah’s message which implied that people were
still struggling with achieving a non-equivocal repentance. This demanded the
priests to come and explain the law of God with clarity. In this, the authority
of the priests is being highlighted and recognised. They had a responsibility
to explain as well as answer any questions people may have regarding the Law of
God. Haggai here posed questions whose answers were too obvious to everyone in
order to establish a public common ground, that ritual purity cannot be indefinitely
transferred by physical means although ritual defilement can!
The first
question to establish that ritual purity is not transferable (2:11-12)
Israel had
originally been set apart as holy (Ex. 19:6), but that did not mean that all
they did or did not do was, on that basis, sacred and so acceptable and
agreeable to God. Holy status requires obedience. Even though God’s covenant
relationship with them had been renewed when they returned to the land, that
did not automatically convey immediate approval of all that they had done before
or at the time. Even the mere presence of the temple in Jerusalem must not be
interpreted to imply that divine favour rested on every one of their failures
and disobedience! Too many people want to use things of God as magical charms
even when they are acting in rebellion – preachers constantly shout “Praise the
Lord!” even when they are just doing their own selfish bidding or preaching
heresy. Many Christians constantly flash the card, ‘In the name of Jesus…’ even
when they are feeding their selfish and covetous appetites. They need to know
that shouting in the name of Jesus is not a magical abracadabra.
The Second
question to show that sin is contagious (2:13-14)
There is no
doubt that a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Sin is so contagious and pervasive
and so it must be amputated and killed as soon as it lifts it’s head. To know
the fullness of God’s blessing they must ensure that there is no sinful corruption
spreading his contagion throughout all their efforts, as good as they may be. If
anyone turns a deaf ear to the law of God, even his prayers are detestable
(Prov. 28:9; Isa. 1:11-14).
It is
instructive that the priests answered correctly to both questions. This is a
mark of approval of their service in the temple because the temple would not be
complete without the priestly service.
4.
Renewal of the promise of salvation by the Messiah
(2:20-22)
In the last message on that day when the foundation of the temple was re-laid
(v.18), Haggai was told something about Zerubbabel, the governor of the
restored community. He was of the lineage of David and so was a precursor of
the Messiah. He appears in the genealogies of Christ in Matthew (1:12) and Luke
(3:27).
Yes, indeed, the Lord made him ‘a
signet ring’. A signet ring would have identifying device or name on it,
and was used to impress a clay tablet or a wax or clay seal affixed on a
document. It attested ownership and was closely protected, usually worn on a
person. This is remarkable blessing, bearing in mind that the Lord had told
King Jehoiakim that even if he were a signet ring on His right hand, He would
still pull him off (Jer.22:24). Now in reversal of that divine rejection, the
Lord reveals to Zerubbabel that he is reinstated into God’s favour and that he
and the line of promise he represented would be looked after with divine care.
Just as a signet ring symbolised the authority of the owner, so Zerubbabel was
authorised to act in the Lord’s name. In this way God would use him to
authenticate his blessing to the people, as shown in the completion of the
temple project (Zech. 4:9)
God chose him out of His mere good pleasure and mercy. But while being
chosen by God is an immense privilege, it also came with an awful
responsibility. For example, The Lord chose the Israelites to be His treasured
possession (Deut. 14:2. They were chosen for the purpose of being the
possession of God. God chose David to rule His people Israel (1 Kings 8:16). The
purpose of choosing David was for him to rule God’s people. God chooses with a
purpose.
Here, we see God’s faithfulness in choice of David and his lineage to
rule His people, being perpetuated in Zerubbabel. His rule pointed the
Israelites to the full realisation of the promise, ‘My servant David will be king over them’ (Ezek. 37:24) pointing to Jesus
Christ. He supremely is the chosen servant (Matt. 12:18; 1 Pet. 2:4) On Him God
the Father has placed His seal of approval. In fact this is the ultimate and
the most magnificent blessing that the Lord was to give His covenant people –
to send His anointed King to rule over them and provide for all their needs,
even eternal needs. He was to do this through the remnant from whom He would
raise the Saviour, even Christ. It is the Messiah who is the sole basis and
foundation of our hope.
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