pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: Haggai


by Leave a comment

Present in the People

Reading: Haggai 1:15b-2:5

Haggai 2:5b – “My spirit stands in your midst. Don’t fear.”

Photo credit: Joel Muniz

Fear is an emotion we often feel. When in a dangerous situation, when enemies are all around, when stepping into the unknown – these are but a few of the things that cause fear to rise up in us. The prophet Haggai speaks to a small remnant that has returned from exile in Babylon who is dealing with these three fear-inducing situations. Zerubbabel, the governor, led the remnant back and started to rebuild the temple, but threats from the groups who inhabited the land during exile derailed the building project.

Chapter 1 of Haggai isn’t exactly encouraging. The prophet challenges the people. They are living in nicely built homes while God’s house lies in ruins. Their return has been difficult. For example, they’ve planted crops but are hungry. The harvest has been meager. Haggai informs them that this is because they’ve been neglecting God. This pronouncement induces more fear in the people. But it is a good fear – a healthy respect, a reverent awareness, a motivator.

As the people return to working on the temple, Haggai addresses them in chapter 2. After speaking into their present reality, he speaks words of encouragement, “Be strong,” three times. Through him God encourages them to work, because “I am with you.” Then, in verse 5, God says, “My spirit stands in your midst. Don’t fear.” These words of Haggai remind the people that God is present – building or no building. God is present in the people of God doing the work of God. The same will be true for us. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, gathering to worship and to do other churchy things is wonderful. But you clearly call us beyond the walls of our churches. Like Jesus, who spent the vast majority of his time and energy ministering and teaching outside of the temple and synagogues, move us to be your hands and feet out there in the world. Amen.


by Leave a comment

A Good Plan

Reading: Haggai 1-2

Haggai 2:4 – “Be strong, all you people of the land… Work, for I am with you.”

Photo credit: Robert Linder

As we read Haggai’s words today we move past exile and back to Jerusalem. The small remnant that returned has built homes for themselves. But the temple still lies in ruins. Haggai is sent by God to encourage the people in this next step. At the start of the book, we read that Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the people do not think it’s time to start rebuilding the temple. God questions this. God says there is a reason they sow much and eat little. The drought and the lack of abundance are God’s doing. God’s house lies in ruins. The people hear Haggai’s words and they respond in faith, getting to work.

A month passes and God’s word comes to Haggai. He asks if anyone remembers the first temple. From Ezra 3 we recall that some did remember. They wept when they recalled the former temple’s glory. Haggai encourages them to be strong, to trust that God is with them, saying, “Be strong, all you people of the land… Work, for I am with you.” God then promises to shake the earth, leading nations to bring their wealth to the temple, making it more glorious than the first temple.

Fourteen months in, God’s word comes again. In the first message, Haggai asks questions about being clean and unclean. The priests know the right answers. The faith knowledge is there. God declares that the nation is unclean. The priests and the people have work to do. When God struck them before – providing just enough to survive – they didn’t return to God. But now the people have worked hard and the foundation is complete. God will now begin to bless them.

Haggai’s second word focuses on Zerubbabel directly and on Israel indirectly. God will take down the other nations, securing Israel. On that day, God will appoint Zerubbabel to reign. Once again, one from David’s line will rule over Israel. God has a plan and it is good. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, just as you encouraged your people to work on your house, you continue to encourage us to work on building your kingdom here on earth. Just as their obedience was a sign of their holiness and commitment, may our humble acts of service bear witness to our faith and to our love for you and for our neighbors. Use us to reveal your glory to the world. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Rebuilding

Readings: Ezra 4, Ezra 5, Ezra 6

Ezra 6:16 – “Then the Israelites, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles joyfully celebrated the dedication of this house of God.”

The rebuilding of the temple is not universally viewed as a joyous and good event. The local people do not like seeing the Israelites reestablishing themselves. The “enemies of Judah and Benjamin” come and offer to “help” with the rebuilding of the temple. These are likely the people who were relocated to the Promised Land by Assyria. They were taught to worship the “local god” (2nd Kings 17.) Their help is flatly refused. So they begin to cause trouble, trying to frustrate the building. A letter is sent to King Artaxerxes, pointing out the danger of rebuilding this “rebellious and wicked city.” The king stops the rebuilding of the temple.

The prophets Haggai and Zechariah encourage those in Judah with a word from God and the rebuilding resumes. Tattenai, the local governor, questions this and sends a letter to King Darius. Unauthorized building could be treasonous. Darius searches the archives and finds Cyrus’ decree. Darius tells Tattenai to allow the temple to be rebuilt and he tells him to pay for anything the Jews need. A harsh punishment for any who disobey the directions is also included. Rebuilding resumes.

In the sixth year of Darius’ reign the temple is completed. It took just over 40 years to rebuild. A joyful celebration follows – with lots of entirely burned offerings and 12 purification offerings. The priests and Levites are assigned to their duties in the temple. The people then celebrate the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The Israelites are joyful because the Lord changed the attitude of the king. They recognize that God is in control. All Israel celebrated this blessing.

Prayer: Lord God, in the times when you are clearly present, it is easy to be joyful and to walk faithfully with you. But in times of trial or suffering, in moments when we face opposition, it isn’t always easy to cling to you. We want to do something. We want to take action. In these moments, Lord, remind us of your steadfast love and of your complete power and authority. Draw us into who and what you are so that our walk remains steadfast and true. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Awaiting God’s Work

Reading: Haggai 2: 6-9

Verses 6 and 9: “I will once more shake the heavens and earth… and in this place I will grant peace”.

Haggai continues to address the people on God’s behalf. He has just encouraged them to be strong, to have courage, and to remember God’s covenant to be with them. In today’s reading, the prophet continues to help the people know the end game that God has planned. They were worrying that the rebuilt temple would not measure up to Solomon’s temple. Into their worry God says, “I will fill this place with glory”. God also reminds them that all the silver and gold belong to God – they will have whatever they need to complete their efforts.

Through Haggai God also speaks to the future. God pronounces, “I will once more shake the heavens and earth”. God will be at work. Yes, change is on the horizon, but God is in the midst of it all. God will shake things up for the better. We read that the new glory will be greater than the glory of the former. I can’t but help that this applies to the church today. With an uncertain future we need to trust that God’s plans are for the good and that whatever God creates, it will be for God’s glory. The passage today closes with these words: “And in this place I will grant peace”. May it be so. In my heart and in the hearts of the faithful, may God’s peace reign as we await the work of the Lord Almighty.

Prayer: Lord, on those days when I feel more anxiety and worry over the future, reassure me. I know that you are in control and that your plans are for good. Whisper those truths into my heart and mind when the clouds arise. Plant my hope for the future in you alone. Amen.


by Leave a comment

For I am with You

Reading: Haggai 1:15b to 2:9

Remember when America was great?  A TV in every living room and a car in every driveway…  This was the ‘land of opportunity’, the place where hundreds of thousands came to make a better life for themselves.  Every parent’s dream was for their children to be better off than they themselves were.  It was a significant event when that first child from a family went off to college.  Remember the good old days?!

Haggai speaks to the people in a time just after the Babylonian exile has ended.  The people returning to Jerusalem and other communities remembered their homes and the temple in an idealized way.  All was beautiful and perfect in their mind’s eye.  But they return to a temple in ruins, to homes that show decades of neglect.  There is such a disconnect between what they envisioned and their reality that it is depressing and causes them to question all that matters, especially their faith.

We too can experience this remembering of a glorified past.  It can be physical – like when one returns to the old family home and thinks, “My this bedroom is small, I remember it being bigger”.  This can also happen in our faith.  Like those returning to Jerusalem, we too can return to our faith after a time of exile.  After we have been away from God for a while, we come to return and expect God’s magnificent presence to be there all the time.  We recall our ‘mountaintop’ faith moment and want to reclaim that feeling.  But our reality is that often times our faith must be rebuilt, just like the homes and temple that the people of Haggis’s had to rebuild.

The Lord speaks to Haggai as this large task has deflated the people.  “Be strong all you people of the land and work.  For I am with you…  I will fill this house with glory”.  These are our promises too.  Be strong, stay true to our faith, work at it.  God is with us.  God loves us.  God will fill each of us, all of us, with God’s glory.  God is faithful.  May we be too.