WEEK 6 Haggai 2:20-23

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Last week we ended on the amazing truth that while the people in Haggai were defiled by their sin problem, God was going to bless them in spite of it.  And this week we discovered that the blessing would be more shaking of the heavens and the earth! God is going to overthrow earthly kingdoms and re-establish a new kingdom; His kingdom, the spiritual kingdom.  And he is going to do this through Zerubbabel.

HAGGAI’S FOURTH ORACLE

The final message of Haggai is for Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah.  Zerubbabel was next in lineage to be king.  Had his people not been in captivity, he would be their ruler, but as subjects to the now ruling powers, he is NOT king, but rather governor in the service of Persia.

But here God declares He will restore the kingly line to Zerubbabel’s family.  Verse 23 says  “I will make you like a signet ring… for I have chosen you.”  Through our study this week, we saw the symbolism in the metaphor of the signet ring.  God is remembering His covenant.  Once again to His people He says, “You are my chosen people.  You need a King - I promised a King.”  And a King will come!  From the line of David…the family of Judah.  Zerubbabel’s family!

Imagine how encouraging this message would have been to the people.  To Zerubbabel himself!  It must have been so motivating to them.  I can imagine them getting to work finishing the temple; restoring the place of the presence and sacrifice of God.  Looking forward in hope for the coming King.  

I could stop right there…and we would have covered the book of Haggai.

THE END..?

Do you know that after this, we never again read that the presence of the Lord fills this temple?  Which is interesting because the biblical writers up until now have always made a big deal of it.  

The tabernacle is finished in Exodus 40 and vs. 34 says “then the cloud filled the tent of meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” And again in 1 Kings 8:10-11 as Solomon dedicates the temple he has just built: they bring in the ark of the covenant, and it says “And when the priests came out of the Holy Place (after they carried in the ark) a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.”  The prophet Ezekiel recounts vividly the Presence of God leaving the temple due to Israel’s unrepentant idolatry…but once Zerubbabel’s temple is finished there is no mention of the glory of God returning to the temple through the rest of the Old Testament story.

Why?  Why does God want them to rebuild this temple if His presence was never going to return there? And didn’t He promise to FILL the temple in Haggai 2:7? 

Not only do these people never see the Presence of God return to this temple, Zerubbabel himself never becomes King!  I trust that many of you are seeing where this is going.  But before we get there, perhaps we need to back up.

THE SIGN OF THE TEMPLE

We need to understand first that the temple was always meant to be a sign to the people…not the destination itself.  Zerubbabel’s temple as not comparing to the glory of Solomon’s or even Ezekiel’s vision, was a sign to the people that they had not yet arrived at the fulfillment of the promise.  Zerubbabel’s temple was not “it!”  This temple was intended to be a sign - like any good sign - to look ahead.  

Likewise the promise to Zerubbabel; it’s a sign to watch with expectancy! Interestingly…his name does come up again in the bible.  Do you know where?  If you did your homework, you know it’s in Matthew 1.  Zerubbabel is listed in the genealogy of Jesus.

Anybody want to take a guess at when the next time in the biblical story we see the Presence of God?

And there were shepherds in the field nearby, keeping watch over their flock by night and an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the GLORY OF THE LORD shone around them…and they were terrified. Luke 2 

THE RETURN OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD

The Presence of God has come to earth- IN a baby.  Has the Christmas story become too familiar for you to recognize how amazing this is?!

John 1:14 tells us that “the Word became Flesh and made his dwelling among us” literally the word there is “tabernacled.”  The presence of God once again comes to earth!!  And He walks among men!  At the time Jesus walked the earth, people could point to where God was.  Imagine that for a moment.  

“Where's God?”  He’s in the Jordan River, at the house of the tax collector, sitting on the mountain, in the market, at the wedding.  “Where's God?  He was just here…he had dinner with us!”

And one place you can often find Jesus is in the temple.  The gospel writers tell many stories of Jesus being in this temple built in the days of Haggai.  Even as a young boy, he is there…He is IN the temple.  He knows He came to fill it!!  And during the last week of his life on earth, he rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, and the first thing he does after arriving in Jerusalem is go into the temple Do you see it?  The Glory of God is IN the temple.

He teaches, heals the blind and the lame in the temple and he throws out the money changers who are defiling his temple…and then he announces that he will destroy this temple and in three days will raise it up.  And the Jews listening are confused but later on the disciples realize that “he was speaking about His own body being the temple.”

THE CROSS: THE PLACE OF GOD’S PRESENCE AND SACRIFICE

On the cross as Jesus died, he declared “It is finished” and the temple veil was torn in two top to bottom.  Heb.9 says Jesus entered once for all into that holy place - behind that curtain; into the presence of God - not in the same way the High Priests had to enter; with blood from a bull or goat, but by his OWN BLOOD thus securing eternal redemption.  His sacrifice, this payment was sufficient once and for all.  The temple curtain - the barrier to the Presence of God tore in two.  And the earth shook as the Lord of Hosts inaugurated the NEW TEMPLE in Jesus’ own body: now the place of God’s presence and God’s sacrifice.

The beautiful thing that the cross teaches us is that the presence of God with man is His purpose from the foundations of the world but it is also the way to make that happen!  Jesus - the better temple -comes to earth to be with people and thru his death, the sacrifice is made that finally reconciles man to God.  In the words of Ephesians 2:17: For He HIMSELF (Jesus!) is our peace.

Jesus the King is lifted up on the cross and the promise to Zerubbabel is fulfilled.  The son of David…son of Shealtiel…son of Zerubbabel…Son of God, exalted King.

Jesus does not stay dead and he doesn’t even stay on earth.  And as he ascends to heaven 40 days later his disciples are left with a promise to look forward in future hope.  To look forward to his promise - He will COME TO THEM.  He will BE WITH THEM.  He will NOT LEAVE THEM ALONE.  His presence will come near once again.  And this…this will be far better than even how it was before when He was with them!

I WILL FILL THIS HOUSE

It’s not long after that the disciples are gathered together on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 and the presence of God falls again and once more FILLS a human body.  This time many bodies…Luke says in Acts 2 that it rested on “each one of the believers, and they were ALL FILLED with the Holy Spirit of God.”  The presence of a transcendent Almighty Holy GOD…that shakes mountains and splits earth…that cannot be confined to a building…now inside his PEOPLE. 

Where is God?  He is in HIS PEOPLE!  

He's in me.  He's in you.  He is WITH US.

God knew our primary need was not information or instruction…but indwelling.  His presence IN us.

It was the only thing that could finally deal with our prevailing sin problem.  

I WILL GIVE PEACE

He has done for us what we can’t do…what we desperately try but fail at.  He has taken our sin upon Himself and in exchange granted us the riches of Heaven, the glorious Presence of God. And like Haggai prophesied it IS far better…because it’s not just external cleansing, but inner cleansing…making clean temple space IN US so that He can be IN US and we are safe IN HIM.

This is what it means to be a Christian.  Not that you go to church on Sundays or are a really good person, or were born to christian parents.  Not that you prayed a prayer at one time or give money to some charitable organization, or even that you really really love your neighbours.   What it means to be a Christian is CHRIST LIVING IN YOU.  In submitting to the King to rule and reign in your whole being He has agreed to make His home in you.  This is true reconciliation between God and man, and your greatest need: to be with God.  

You are the temple of the living God.  The place for his presence and sacrifice.  And being a temple is not about taking care of your body.  It's not about doing things right in order to incur divine blessing and it's not about avoiding eternal fire. It's about a relationship, about being with the one you were created to be with.  Not only is your sin paid for, but the breath of God is in you; your life is being made over.  It is the ultimate fixer upper from the inside out! He guarantees He will finish the job and it will be glorious. 

Jesus has come to enable us to do more than just communicate with God.  He has lived, died, and lives again to ensure communion with Him.  And He signs this declaration with the seal of His signet ring, His own Holy Spirit…our guarantee of salvation and communion.

But the Holy Spirit is also spoken of as a deposit or down payment for a greater day to come.  You see, the bible says that Jesus will one day visibly rule and reign on earth forever.  And the presence of God will be among us in a new way that until then we can hardly imagine.  John’s vision of it in Revelation is magnificent: 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. - Rev. 21:1-3

The Bible starts with the presence of God with man and the story ends with the presence of God with man.  It is central to the story of all of creation… it is central to your story.  You were made for the Presence of God!  Do you KNOW it? 

Living with God is not always the focus of many self-ascribed "Jesus followers" these days.  It is so easy for us to reduce the Christian life into Life for God (where we are doing our best to do our best in order that He might be happy with us, or working hard assuming that we somehow control His blessings with our obedience).  Friend, if this sounds a lot like the way you view God, please know you are not alone.  But also be assured that a relationship with God is far more glorious than slaving away at living for God.  

If you are feeling like you have neglected the presence of God in your life, if you've been living an alternate gospel predicated on your good behaviour...and you want to know more of what it means to live this life, I encourage you to ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you even more...to fill you with his Presence and open your eyes to the truth of His presence.

Spending your days with God, can be as easy as devoting yourself to prayer.  Not as a means of controlling God, saddling Him with your long list of needs and wants, but coming before Him in worship (Pray the Psalms!) and a demonstration of your dependence on His presence in you.

Secondly, I cannot emphasize enough the need to be in God's word daily.  To both read it and study it for yourself.  God has revealed His heart through His word, and His Spirit is present in it...that's why the writer of Hebrews refers to it as "living and active."

Third...do not neglect meeting together!  In a very special way, God's people, the Church is a means of bringing His presence to the midst of the brokenness of earth.  As you gather with His children He is among you, He inhabits your praise, and is glorified when our gathering rehearses all He has done and will do.

I never want to end Bible studies with a simple checklist, especially one I could have just sung to you in an old Sunday School song.  But the truth is, just completing that list will not guarantee communion with the Presence of God.  And yet, how should we look toward applying all we have learned in our study?

My goal in writing these studies is that we would be shaped and changed by the Spirit Himself through his word.  And the greatest application we can walk away with after studying the Bible is not an easy checklist, but a Higher view of God than what we had before we started.  To know Him and His story - your story - better than when you began.  

Continue to behold the God of the Bible friend, and in beholding Him, may you find Him ultimately beautiful.  In the words of the Psalmist, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desire of your heart; your greatest need.

Return to what you were made for: the presence of God…desire His presence as FAR BETTER than anything earth can offer, and KNOW the presence of God thru the mystery of the Gospel which is KING JESUS residing and reigning IN YOU.

With St. Augustine we pray: restless our hearts dear Lord, until they find their home IN THEE.  

Amen.