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Series: Living for God’s Glory
Theme: How does it look?
Reading: Haggai 2 v. 1-9
Sermon date: Sunday 24th November
Icebreaker
It would be useful to give a summary of the background to Haggai (see NOTES for last week) and to quickly go over the main points of chapter 1 (especially for the benefit of those who missed last week’s study).
Give an opportunity for any questions or further insights that members of the group may have had.
Please read Haggai 2 v. 1-9
Verse 1. It was just under one month since work on the Temple had recommenced. It was less than two months since Haggai’s first prophecy and only two months would pass between these words and his final two messages. So here we have a prophet who very quickly “comes and goes” – unlike many of the other OT prophets who were around for some considerable time.
There would have been little to show after such a short time but it seems that the people remained steadfast in the face of such a daunting task.
The message came towards the end of the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23.33-43), the last of the three great annual feasts.
Q. 1 what do we know about this Feast?
Probably very little! But it is worth making the following point: The Feast recalled the wanderings of their ancestors – very reminiscent of their current circumstances. It was a time when people looked back at God’s deeds, and also the time when the first Temple was dedicated (1 Kings 8: 1-3). God had rescued their ancestors from Egypt, had spoken to them through Moses and was the one for whom they had built the tabernacles.
In the light of this background
Q.2 do you think there is any significance in the timing of this event?
Q.3 how do you think the people who had started rebuilding the Temple might be feeling?
It should have been a great encouragement to them!
Verses 2-3. God knew that the task ahead was difficult and that the people could easily give up. There would still been a few (very elderly by now) who had witnessed the desecration and destruction of the Temple during the rule of Nebuchadnezzar. And they knew that what they were building would never live up to the lofty standards set by the first Temple. Centuries later it would be raided and defiled by the Greeks (168BC), restored and defiled again, and finally destroyed by the Romans in AD70, never to be rebuilt.
Q.4 why do you think God asked them to build something that would be no more than a mere symbol – and a temporary one at that?
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Symbols are important in any community.
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It was a call to radical obedience, regardless of the outcome.
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To show God’s glory, no matter how insignificant the building might seem. For it was to stand as a monument to God’s presence in their midst. We can perhaps understand why many felt God deserved better than this.
Q. 5 what is the best way we might reflect God’s glory in the world? Is it through many of the magnificent cathedrals and churches that exist?
Verses 4-5. This second message is, at its heart, a message of ENCOURAGEMENT. No matter how tough the future might seem, if the people acted according to God’s plan and purposes (as revealed through Haggai) then that is all that was required. The people needed the assurance that, despite everything, God was faithful – and would remain faithful.
Q.6 have you ever experienced a time of doubt in your Christian journey? How did you deal with it?
How did God encourage the Israelites?
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Be strong. This is repeated three times and was the same encouragement that God had given to Joshua as he was about to cross the River Jordan and lead the people into the Promised Land (Joshua 1.6-7a). Again we get the promise, “I am with you.”
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Work! When we know that we are doing the Lord’s work then that work should be a delight and not a chore.
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Fear not – for your God is with you.
Q.7 is there such a thing as a rightful “fear of the Lord”? (1.12) He is an awesome God; he is “Almighty” and not “All-Matey”.
Q.8 why should we be zealous for the Lord’s work today?
You might like to share out the following verses as you consider this question:
1 Corinthians 6.19-20
2 Corinthians 6.16
Ephesians 2.14-18
Ephesians 2:21-22
Verses 6-8. Many scholars feel these verses are set in the context of the Messianic hope which was still to come at that time. The seemingly insignificant Temple was part of God’s great plan – the coming of a COSMIC RECREATION when the glory of the Lord would be revealed to all nations (Micah 4.1-4). We have the privilege of being able to look back to the coming of Jesus – and can look forward to his coming again in glory and majesty as the King of kings and the Lord of lords (Rev 21:22-24)
All we have belongs to God (8)
Q.9 so what is our responsibility as Christians in the light of this?
Our answer should be very different from the answer given by the majority of people living around us.
Verse 9. What really matters is where God’s glory really dwells. Herod the Great spent many years and huge sums of money on rebuilding the Temple and in the eyes of many people it truly was one of the wonders of the world at that time. But God was not interested in simply a bigger and better building – rather places where he would be glorified. And we know what happened to this magnificent building in AD70.
The New Testament “mystery” is a new spiritual Temple composed of people from all nations (1 Corinthians V. 3 9, 16, 17)
Prayer
We have two excellent church buildings, as well as SGCC the Dell Centre. Pray that they may truly be places “where the glory of the Lord dwells” and that when people enter our churches that glory is truly felt and experienced.
You might like to focus on some of the activities that take place – during the week as well as on a Sunday – and pray that God would indeed be glorified in all that we seek to do in his name.
You might then like to have a time of quiet reflection as we focus on 1 Corinthians 6.19-20, ending with the ancient prayer: Come, Holy Spirit.
Malcolm Raby
Extra Notes on: FEAST OF TABERNACLES (BOOTHS/INGATHERING)
Below are some further notes on this very significant Feast. Use – or not – as appropriate.
The biblical verses quoted are only a selection of what might be used.
The Feast of Tabernacles (“Sukkoth”) was the last of the great annual Jewish Feasts. It took place in mid-October and was a time of tremendous rejoicing and merry-making – a wonderful climax to the agricultural year.
LOOKING BACK the Feast celebrated:
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God’s provision for Israel during the 40 years wandering in the wilderness after the Exodus from Egypt, prior to entering the Promised Land (Leviticus 23:42-43).
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The final harvest and vintage of the agricultural year (Deut 16:13-14).
Two extra traditions – in the spirit of the original Festival – were added in later years:
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The drawing of water from the Pool of Siloam to pour out on the altar in the Temple as a commemoration of the provision of water from the rock at Horeb (Ex 17:1-7).
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The lighting of lamps at night in commemoration of the Pillar of Cloud and Fire which manifested God’s presence, guiding Israel through the wilderness to the Promised Land ((Ex 13:21-22)
At the Feast a bundle of branches (lulavs) – traditionally of citron, myrtle, palm and willow (Lev 23:40) were carried by the people as part of their joyful celebrations.
Because of its association with Tabernacles and exuberant joy, Solomon waited for this Festival to hold the dedication of the Temple he had built (1 Kings 8:2, 65-66).
LOOKING FORWARD the Feast prefigured the spiritual harvest and establishment of the kingdom of God at the end of time. Jesus associated himself with the Rock (1 Cor 10:4) and the provision of the “living water” of the Holy Spirit (Jn 7:2, 37-39). He also proclaimed himself as the true “Light of the World” (Jan 8:1-2, 12).
Some scholars believe that Jesus was born at the time of this Feast as the King of the Jews – rather a complex argument which we need not follow at this stage).
It is important to note that THIS IS THE ONLY OLD TESTAMENT FEAST WITHOUT A PARALLEL NEW TESTAMENT FULFILMENT. This can only occur when Jesus manifests his global Messianic kingship in the future Millennial Kingdom (Rev 20:1-6) and when he initiates the final spiritual harvest at the end of the Age.
In his parables, Jesus often looked forward to this fulfilment of the Feast through his imagery to do with harvesting and ultimately establishing his kingly power (e.g. Matt 13:30, 39-43; 24:29-31; Lk 19:11-27).
Acts 2 is only part of this fulfilment of Jesus’ words concerning the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (John 7:2, 37-38).
The Feast is the Feast of the “Restoration of all things” (Acts 3:21) as “all Israel” unites with the Gentile flock (cf Romans 11:25-26) through the outpouring of the Spirit. As a result there is one body, one people, one flock and one Bride under the one Lord Jesus Christ) Psalm 102:13-22).
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Since our Lord has faithfully fulfilled all the typology of the other Feasts, we can with confidence rely on him to fulfil this Feast. Indeed, the Feasts of Passover and Pentecost point forward to this Feast as the completion of God’s purpose in human history.
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The Feast should be a source of great assurance and strength for us to persevere. The Lord who sustained and guided Israel through the wilderness and brought them victoriously into the Promised Land will surely sustain and guide us on our earthly pilgrimage to his eternal Kingdom.
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There is a danger that we focus our preaching and teaching too much on the doctrines of the Atonement (Passover) and the anointing with the Holy Spirit (Pentecost). By so doing we miss the centrality of Christ’s kingship in God’s purposes. Jesus began his ministry with a pointer to the Kingdom (Matt 1:17) and continued to teach about it even in the days before his Ascension (Acts 1:3). Jesus is King and one day this will be manifested to the whole world, hence the command to repent (Acts 17:30-31) for one day … Phil 2:9-11. We can easily forget that a key purpose of the Gospel writers was to show that GOD IS KING.
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Earlier generations of Christians passionately discussed what Scripture teaches about the Millennium and the Second Coming of Christ. Have we in our generation lost this eschatological factor? When we lose sight of Christ both as present and future King then our faith can too easily become self-centered (MY salvation; MY comfort), self-indulgent (seeking to make Scripture comply to MY liking) and self-directing (seeking God’s blessing on MY activity). Devotion to Christ the King will deliver us from an obsession with self and cultural relativism.
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The eschatological hope typified in this Feast makes it clear that current secular scenarios for the end of human civilization are wrong. Humanity will not become extinct through mismanagement of Planet Earth, nor be destroyed by a cosmic collision or catastrophe. Nor will we ever create an idyllic world order of peace and prosperity for all. God himself will fulfil his purposes in creation; he will, in his time, establish his righteous rule.
This is NOT to say that we should not be concerned about the way we are abusing our planet – caring for God’s creation is part of our calling.
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Malcolm Raby, 28/10/2019
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