03/27/2021 – Day 314 – Haggai 1 – 2 // You will be amazed! ; just a glimpse of a sublime paradox in the rebuilding of the temple.
First of all, this morning, I recall a short but hilarious conversation between Nancy and I a few years back. In a visioneering look forward to a point I haven’t reached yet, I shared with her a vision I had to start a men’s great books study in retirment, connecting with God’s Word and His Truth, much on the order of “The Inklings” group of C.S. Lewis and J.R. Tolkien , approaching a century back in history. Her response was short and sweet: “Good luck with that Jim!”
So, in addition of course to the two chapter study in Haggai itself, I am using Halley’s Bible Handbook and a tantalizing peak at one of those great books that I have on my future wish list: “An Introduction to the Old Testament Books” by C. Hassell Bullock. These three minor prophets : Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi are within the post exile period. Let’s look at a shortened timeline from Halley’s Bible Handbook for a quick overall perspective:
- 536 B.C. – 50,000 Jews, under Zerubbabel, return to Jerusalem.
- 520 B.C. – 6th month (September), 1st day, Haggai, God’s messenger that communicates God’s Call to Build in the 1st Chapter.
- 516 B.C. – 12th month (March), 3rd day, the Temple is completed.
- 457 B.C. – Ezra comes to Jerusalem , and makes certain reforms.
- 444 B.C. – Nehemiah Rebuilds the Wall, Period of Malachi, our study 3 Saturdays hence.
Ok , are you ready? With prayer even as I type this, I am going to outline what is so paradoxically amazing about the context of this book , the scene and Haggai’s prophecies:
There is just so much toil and obstacles in the 20 years since the return to the breaking of ground. And then the four year construction period. Bear in mind, this temple physically and in grandeur is just so miniscule compared to Solomon’s temple that was destroyed. How novel, in that there is such an immediate response with “all hands on deck” , in just 23 days from Haggai’s message from God, to take charge, take heart and “get it done”! (Jeremiah would have fainted!)
Unlike say the book of Ezra, we do not get a perspective of how difficult an obstacle was faced in getting this little simple physical temple built. So where is amazing paradox? Answer; Haggai 2: 6 – 7 – the “Desire of All Nations” and the “shaking of all nations”. And in verse 9: “The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts.” We are talking about “The Coming Glory of God’s House, as my bible is titled for Chapter two.
I am going to share just a paragraph from Halley’s Bible Handbook: “This is distinctly a Messianic vision. Haggai’s mind was on that Temple, which he was helping Zerubbabel to build. But His words were God’s words; and God’s mind, in a sense deeper perhaps than even Haggai himself realized, was on Another Temple, yet to be , of which Solomon’s Temple and Zerubbabel’s Temple were but dim pictures (*A): the Church, built not of stones, but of the Souls of the Redeemed. The Church, of Fadeless, Endless, Ineffable Glory, and Consummation, of all God’s wondrous works, is the Temple of God (1 Corinthians 3: 16-17; II Corinthians 6:16, Ephesians 2:21), of which Haggai here dreamed. Explore this New Testament verse connecting points to God’s Truth! Let me paraphrase this amazing Truth: “We are the temple of the living God, the Holy Spirit, God in us”, or “We too are being built together to become a dwelling for our Lord.”
- (*A) – or for that matter, it goes without saying, the visual grandeur of Herod’s temple , completed in 20 B.C. and subsequently destroyed in 70 A.D. by the Romans, with one million deaths estimated by the reknowned Jewish historian of the time, Josephus. This temple was constructed on a level platform of 36 acres, that was literally on top of this simple little temple constructed here in 516 B.C. Historians are baffled of how the huge stones were even brought in that were used in the construction.
Halley then closes his two page commentary of Haggai with: “Haggai closes with a vision of Zerubbabel’s crowning day, Zerubbabel represented David’s Family (see under Zechariah 4).” (*B)
*(B) – Our reading next Saturday.
I dinged Solomon in the Eccleisiastes reading yesterday. But once again, he got the first section right!: “Stand in Awe of God” (as in always!)
Soli Deo Gloria indeed! Always connected through prayer and by His grace!