Haggai the Prophet of Restoration

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Haggai: the Prophet of RestorationHaggai 1:1 15

Fairview Presbyterian ChurchJuly 22, 2012

Haggais setting: the restoration of the TempleIn the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the wordof the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor

of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest:

We are entering a new time period in our exploration of the Minor Prophets, sothis is a good opportunity to remind ourselves where we are in Hebrew history. After thedeath of King Solomon, the kingdom of Israel split into two: the northern kingdom keptthe name Israel; the southern kingdom was known as Judah. The northern kingdomwas eventually conquered by the nation of Assyria and lost. It was no more. Thekingdom of Judah continued on until it was conquered by Babylon in 597 B.C. The

temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. At that time, the brightest and best of the nation ofJudah were taken as slaves into Babylon. This period of servitude in Babylon is knownas the exile. The exile lasted about sixty years until the Persian king Cyrus gavepermission for the Jews to return to Jerusalem, to rebuild its walls and to restore itstemple.

The prophet Haggai is at work in the midst of the rebuilding project. His book isshort, two chapters; only Obadiah is shorter in the Old Testament. From the details hegives us, we know when Haggai preached. His book is composed of four brief sermons.He preached the first sometime in August to September of 520 BC, the secondsometime between September and October of that year; and the third and fourth werepreached in November and December of the same year. Haggai is mentioned in thebook of Ezra and he probably had a long and recognized ministry as a prophet. At thesame time, Haggai is included in the canon of scripture because of his role in the lifeand ministry of the people of God at a particular moment in time year 520 B.C. Why ishis service at this time important?

Haggai is often known in shorthand as the Prophet of the Temple, an aptsummary of his work. When the exiles return from Babylon, they immediately beginwork on rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and rebuilding the destroyed Temple. Everygood and worthy effort faces opposition. The returned exiles faced opposition from thefolk who now lived in the vicinity of Jerusalem. The work of rebuilding was difficult.Haggais messages date from about sixteen years after the return from exile. The workof rebuilding the temple had ground to a halt because of the hostility and trouble theyhad faced. God sends his man, Haggai, at the right time, with the right message.

Battlefield leaders in war will talk about who has the initiative. Are you playingyour enemies game? Or is your enemy playing yours? People grow tired. People can bedistracted from the task at hand. The initiative is lost. The prophet Haggai is sent to theJewish people with a message intended to put them back on track, to regain the


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initiative in the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. God sends his man at the righttime. After the exile, it appears that people had grown apathetic, perhaps even cynical.Their religious belief and faith grew small. Haggai was a prophet of first priorities. He putfirst things first. And the first thing needed was the restoration of Gods temple and theregular worship that happened there. Haggai is not only interested in the temple as a

building, but rather as a place of worship. He is seeking restoration of heart, mind andhabits.

To that end, to promote the restoration of right worship, Haggai tells Godspeople the ancient Jews and us to consider your ways: some hardship andheartache is self-inflicted.

Haggai tells Gods people: Consider your ways; some hardship and heartache isself-inflicted 1:5 - 65Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways.

6You have sown much, and

harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill.

You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into abag with holes.

Things just did not seem to be going right for the Jewish people of Haggais day.They had sown much, and harvested little. There was no satisfactory return on theirefforts. Haggais words are not intended to suggest that they were starving, or dying ofthirst. No, they had sufficient food, drink, clothing and money. What they lacked wassatisfaction, fulfillment, and blessing from God. They suffered from what might be calledfruitless prosperity: their material needs were well met, but their spiritual status, theirmoral equilibrium, was out of whack.

Haggais message to the Jews of his day was that the reason for their spiritualdissatisfaction was because their priorities were out of order. The spiritual emptiness oftheir lives was a consequence of not putting first things first. God has created this worldwith moral and spiritual intent. There are moral and spiritual rules that govern theuniverse. If we live our lives according to those rules, we are likely nothing is everguaranteed to be blessed; and if we live our lives outside of those rules, we are likelyto encounter judgment. When the people of Israel initially enter the Promised Land, theyhold an important ceremony between Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal ratifying their covenantwith God (Deuteronomy 27 28). Part of the ratification process is the declaration of theblessings that accompany obedience to the covenant and the curses that result fromdisobedience of it. It is an either / or. Haggais message is that the blessings are lackingbecause obedience is absent. Some hardship in life is self-inflicted. The error of theJews that Haggai names is that they put themselves before God. Their priorities werenot straight. They lived in beautiful and well-constructed homes while Gods templeremained incomplete.

Haggais message, to his ancient hearers and to us, is: Do not neglect yourspiritual priorities. Keep first things first. I admit some sympathy for Haggais hearers.You know the southern proverb, When you are up to your rear end in alligators, it is


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difficult to remember that your objective was to drain the swamp. Encountering anddealing with intrigue, opposition, threats, disagreement and hostility every day takes itsemotional toll. Nobody wishes to be in a position where you are beat up on all the time.

At the same time, we are called to keep our priorities straight. There is a cost to

be born in the walk of faith. God calls us to give careful thought to our ways. Are ourways leading us toward God or away from him? Am I inattentive? Am I self-indulgent?Do I create plenty of time for myself and my priorities, but carve out little time for Godand his service? I have money for my needs and wants, comfort and pleasure; am Igiving to God joyfully, sacrificially, and liberally?

Haggais message is to make a sober self-assessment. Do you sense that youplant much but harvest little? Is it possible that your priorities are out of whack? Haggaipoints his people to the temple. My job is to point people to Sunday morning worship,when Gods people gather for the most important hour of their week. Too many peoplein our world are busy with their own commitments and priorities, living their lives with

God as a fond after-thought: and they wonder why with so much effort they reap so littlejoy and satisfaction in life. That we receive less than anticipated or expected from lifemay be because we do not follow Gods rules. The universe is moral. We must live in itin a moral way. Failure to do so has consequences. Haggai is a prophet of priorities:putting first things first.

How are we motivated to break out of the destructive habits of heart, mind andeffort? Haggai encourages Gods people to remember the former glory.

Haggai encourages Gods people to remember the former glory 2:33

Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it

not as nothing in your eyes?

In the past year in the United States there have arisen two popular movements inthe political world of our day: the Tea Party Movement and the Occupy Movement. Bothwant to impact and influence the current political debate within America. Both have cleargoals and aims that they wish to accomplish on the political landscape. I would arguethat the Tea Party folk were wiser in their choice of a name for the movement, thanwere the Occupy folk. Why? The name Tea Party is a very clear appropriation of theglory of the American story of independence. The Boston tea party is an historicalevent revered in the heart of every American patriot. When the modern Tea Party folkappropriate that name, it is appealing to a well-established former glory. The problemwith the Occupy movement is the meaning in its name: once you have occupiedsomething, what is next? They failed to appeal to any clearly shared value to embrace.

When the prophet Haggai speaks of the former glory of the temple, his intent is toinspire service and effort in the present. Haggai encourages the people to restore theplace of worship, the temple, to its former glory. There is no doubt as to what he isasking the people of Jerusalem to do. If you know what has been lost, then you have


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some idea as to what must be done. If you know the former glory, you have a sense asto what the goal ought to be.

Haggai does not stop there. He admonishes Gods people to trust God for thefuture.

Haggai admonishes Gods people to trust God for the future 2:99

The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts.

In the memorable movie Apollo 13 there is a scene where Houston control isassessing the challenge faced in bringing the damaged space ship back to earth.Concern is expressed regarding the possibility of failure, NASAs greatest failure. Tothis, Gene Krantz, head of Mission Control, replies, With all due respect, I believe thatthis will be our finest hour. It is a remarkable story of courage, hard work, self-mastery,cooperation and creativity that brings the three astronauts back to earth safely. It trulywas NASAs finest hour.

The prophet Haggai points the people of his day to the former glory of the templein order to motivate them to do their duty in the present. The former glory provides anincentive for their faithfulness today. Their hope is to see a restoration of Gods gloryreflected in the Jerusalem temple. Significantly, God speaks through the prophet Haggaisaying that in the latter days, the glory of the temple will be greater than that of thetemple that had been destroyed. There is the hope of a greater glory.

This promise from God through the prophet Haggai found twin fulfillment in thefuture. On a human, horizontal level, the temple in Jerusalem arrived at its apex underthe work of Herod the Great. Herod is known as Herod the Great not because he was agreat man far from it! but because he was a great builder. Herod oversaw thesignificant expansion of the temple, making it architecturally glorious and impressive.The second fulfillment of Haggais promise is found in the life and work of Jesus Christ.The temple, for all its spiritual significance and glory, was never intended as an end initself. It was a spiritual sign post. The temple was the place where Gods presencewould be found. In the temple was the Ark of the Covenant, a symbol of law and grace,where God and mankind would meet. In the Ark were the Ten Commandments, asample of the manna of the wilderness, and the staff of the high priest, Aaron. Thesewere the key spiritual symbols of ancient Israel and, while I do not have time to explorethem today, each pointed to and found fulfillment in the person and work of JesusChrist. In the church the three key spiritual symbols we have been given are: the cross,where redemption was secured; the communion table, where our relationship with Godis nourished; and the Bible, where Gods word is revealed to us. We do not know whatthe future holds. But we do know God, who holds the future. For this reason, while thefuture is uncertain, we trust that God is in control, he is working his purposes out and heholds us firmly in his hand.

Haggai is the prophet of the temple. Haggai challenges Gods people to seriousself-examination. He calls Gods people to remember and be inspired by the glory of the


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past. He admonishes Gods people to trust God for the future. Next, Haggai remindsGods people that while sin is easily spread, spiritual capital is accumulated slowly.

Haggai reminds Gods people: Sin is easily spread; spiritual capital isaccumulateds l o w l y 2:11 - 1311

Thus says the LORD of hosts: Ask the priests about the law:

12

If someone carries holy meatin the fold of his garment and touches with his fold bread or stew or wine or oil or any kind of

food, does it become holy? The priests answered and said, No.13

Then Haggai said, Ifsomeone who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become

unclean? The priests answered and said, It does become unclean.

I was leading a tour group as we explored the northern Galilee town of Safed.There were twenty or more of us standing outside a shop on a narrow, pedestrian onlystreet. An ultraorthodox man approached our group and he moved deliberately to theright hand side of the pedestrian street. He approached the first member of our groupand politely asked if she would please move to the left, toward the center of the street.

She did. He made the same request of each person alongside of the pathway. Eachmoved to the center so that he could move forward. Our people quickly recognized thepattern of his request and so moved to the center of the walkway and this man was thenquickly on his way. Our guide explained: for an Orthodox Jew to come into Godspresence at the synagogue or other duties, he must be ritually clean. One loses ritualcleanness by coming into contact with that which is not ritually clean. In our verse fromHaggai we see that one becomes unclean through contact with the dead. Ritualcleanness is also lost through contact with a menstruating woman. By asking everyoneto move to the center, and by keeping his right shoulder to the wall, the man protectedhis spiritual status.

As Christians we no longer observe such rules of ritual. When the Lord Jesusheals the leper we read, Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched himand said to him, I will; be clean. (Mark 1:41 ESV). The Lord Jesus provides true, innercleanness. Touching the leper, Jesus is not made unclean; rather he cleanses the leperof his leprosy.

That said there remains an important spiritual truth that is taught by the ritualpurity laws: sin is highly contagious. Sin is easily spread. There is no quid pro quobetween holiness and defilement. Holiness is developed and expressed through athousand little decisions. Holiness can be unmade in a single act. A marriage is builtand maintained through promises given and observed through the years. It can bedestroyed in moments through a foolish act of self-centeredness, giving in to violence,sin or temptation. Sin contaminates what it touches: whereas the pursuit of holiness is along obedience in the same direction (Milton).

Haggais message is to keep on moving in the same direction, doing what weknow God calls us to do and expects of us. We gather for worship each week with otherbelievers, as long as we are physically able to do so. We spend time each day readingGods word and gather each week with others for Bible study. We remain faithful to our


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marriage vows. We do our best to raise our children into honorable faithful adulthood.We serve in mission and ministry as God may lead and enable. It is a long obedience inthe same direction. There are no promises or guarantees, but God blesses faithfulness.

Lastly, Haggai declares to Gods people, God is working his purposes out, so

take comfort.

Haggai declares to Gods people: God is working his purposes out (so takecomfort) 2:2323

On that day, declares the LORD of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of

Shealtiel, declares the LORD, and make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the

LORD of hosts.

A key theological conviction of the Protestant Reformation is known as theperspicuity of scripture. The doctrine arose to challenge the Roman Catholic belief thatthe scriptures should only be interpreted by the priesthood, the professional clergy. The

Protestant Reformers said, No. Scripture is reasonably clear. No approved interpreteris required. The average lay person, through effort and disciplined personal study, candiscern the key truths of the scriptures.

I affirm the doctrine of the perspicuity of scripture. That said, not all scripture iseasily interpreted. The concluding verse of Haggai should come with an interpretivewarning: Difficult verse ahead. Professional scholars on a closed course required. Donot try to interpret this verse on your own at home. ! -- Just kidding, but theinterpretive key is rather obscure.

Haggai ends with a Messianic promise. At one point in this brief book, Haggaipoints us to the past saying, Remember the former glory. Haggais purpose is tomotivate his hearers to offer real time service for the rebuilding of the temple in Haggaisday. Now, in these last verses, Haggai reinforces the Messianic promises of the Bible.One day, the Messiah will come. He will fulfill all that is intended and pointed to in thework and symbolism of the temple. The question is a valid one, How does this versereaffirm the Messianic promises of the Hebrew scriptures?

The first thing to note is the reference to the signet ring. A signet ring is a sign ofauthority. A signet ring could be used to imprint the kings emblem upon hot wax,marking a document as having his blessing and approval. The signet ring was theindicator of the kings power and role. The reference to the signet ring by Haggaiharkens back to a prophesy of Jeremiah (22:24) As I live, declares the LORD, thoughConiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, were the signet ring on my right hand, yet Iwould tear you off. God is angry with the leadership of the kings of Judah and he isdeclaring that he will tear off the ring, remove its authority. Essentially, that is exactlywhat happened when Babylon invaded, conquered Judah, and led the people into exile.The signet ring was removed.


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With Haggai, we are at the point of the restoration of the Jews to Jerusalem. Thetemple is being rebuilt. Haggais prophecy is that the authority of the kingship will bereturned. Here is the key. Remember that the Messiah is to be born of King Davids line.In this verse we find a reference to Zerubbabel. Who is he? Zerubbabel was theGovernor of Judea at this time and, most importantly, he was a direct descendent of

king David. The gospel of Matthew tells us in the genealogy of Joseph (Matthew 1:12):And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, andShealtiel the father of Zerubbabel. Lukes gospel gives us the genealogy of Mary (Luke3:27): the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel,the son of Neri. Zerubbabel is an ancestor of both Mary and Joseph. Jesusdescendancy from the lineage of King David is doubly secured. Does God keep hispromises? You bet he does.

The prophet Haggai ends his message pointing us to the coming Messiah. Tohim will all honor and glory be given. We are privileged to live in the age in which theMessiah has been revealed. He is Jesus Christ. In him is salvation. Upon him the

church is being built. Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of all that matters in life. Turn tohim in believing faith.

Say Amen Somebody.


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Haggai 1:1 15

1 In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, theword of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel,

governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest:2

Thus says the LORD of

hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the L ORD. 3 Then theword of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet,

4Is it a time for you yourselves to

dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?5Now, therefore, thus says the

LORD of hosts: Consider your ways.6

You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, butyou never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no

one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.7

Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways.8

Go up to the hills and bring wood and

build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD.9

You

looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away.Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you

busies himself with his own house.10

Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew,

and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 And I have called for a drought on the land and thehills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and

on all their labors.

The People Obey the LORD12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with

all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggaithe prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD.

13Then

Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, spoke to the people with the LORDs message, I am withyou, declares the LORD. 14 And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel,

governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of

all the remnant of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts,their God,

15on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of

Darius the king.

Haggai the Prophet of Restoration

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