Good Morning Yamon Ki Yesepar and Nevim Arith Hayomim:
Haggai 1:6: “You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but you have not enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe yourself but there is none warm; and he that earns wages earns wages to put it into a bag with holes.”
Throughout my life I have heard the book of Haggai quoted during church building programs where the building of a church is likened to the rebuilding of the temple and if one does not tithe the result is seen in verse 1:6. However, let us just take a look at Haggai from an historical context and see if an application can be made today.
Haggai and Zechariah were among the first to return to the land of Israel after the captivity. The Jews usually date the captivity from the destruction of the temple in 586 BC to the rebuilding of the temple in 515 BC. Actually, the first deportation of the Jews started in 605 almost 19 years before the temple was destroyed and the first returned of the Jews under the Persian King Cyrus led by Shesbazzar and later Zerubbabel was in 538. Here is a very interesting footnote, Christian scholars date the captivity from the first captive to the return but Jewish scholars date the captivity from the date of the destruction of the temple to the rebuilding of the temple. You see, to the Jews, captivity meant being separated from the presence of God which dwelled in the temple.
The temple was the central place of worship. Without the temple and the altar true Levitical worship could not take place. The real captivity was when the Jews could not properly worship God or stand in His presence. In captivity the Jews established synagogues to discuss the law and would pray every day toward Jerusalem, as a substitute for worship, but not true worship. The presence of God in the temple was far away. To compare our local church building to the temple would not be accurate because the Apostle Paul made a statement in I Corinthians 3:16 that shows the distinction between the temple in Jerusalem and our local church buildings. “Know ye not that you are the temple of God and the Spirit dwells in you.” Hence if there is any building program to compare to the temple it is in us. We no longer build a building for God to dwell in as that building exist in us. As long as you are alive, the temple is there, but that does not mean it is well maintained.
So since this verse speaks of the Jewish people neglecting to rebuild the temple, can this verse apply to us today since the temple of God dwells within us and we can not be separated from our temple like the Jews taken into captivity.
I was visiting my ailing 87 year old mother and I could not help but wonder what kind of temple this is for a woman who spent her life loving Jesus. Then I thought of her favorite story and the numerous times I heard her tell this story in church and Sunday School. It is called “My Heart Christ’s Home” by Robert Munger. In this story Mr. Munger likens his heart to a home that he has invited Jesus to live. He walks through each room and finds things that would not be pleasing to Jesus. He sees magazines books and pictures from his imagination that are embarrassing to him in front of his new Guest. He serves Jesus his best meal in the dinning room. A meal of money, stocks, academic degrees, and service to mankind, but Jesus does not seem hungry, He only says that He has food to eat that people have never heard of. It is food that is not filled with desires, pleasures or satisfactions.
Mr.Munger walks through each room of his “house” finding things that he knows are not pleasing to his Guest and invites his Guest Jesus to do some house cleaning. Perhaps that is our present day application to Haggai 1:6. We do not need to build a temple as that exist in our bodies, but that doesn’t mean that this temple does not require a lot of maintenance work and house cleaning. Perhaps our modern day application is to invite Jesus to do some house cleaning in His temple.
I decided to take Jesus around my/His temple or “house.” I found it pretty filthy and in need of a lot of cleaning and maintenance. When we came to the living room the stench was so powerful it is a wonder Jesus walked in. The room was a clutter of objects of pride, desire, selfishness, self pity. Off in one corner was Ralphie, my ventriloquist dummy. Many years ago we spent a lot of time together doing programs for children and adults. I played to some pretty big audiences, but as time went on Ralphie saw little action. I used to try to arrange for a program at least once a year at Christmas time when Ralphie and I would tell the Christmas story. However, as I was not taking very good care of this temple physically, I eventually lost his voice. Now I looked at Ralphie and knew it was the Christmas season. I boldly asked Jesus for a Christmas present. Once he cleaned up of the living room I asked if He could give me back Ralphie’s voice for just one more opportunity to tell the Christmas story. He didn’t say anything but I could see He was smiling.
The next morning I came into the living room and it was beautiful. Jesus did a great job of house cleaning and He even put up a Christmas tree with lights. I saw Ralphie sitting on the sofa and Jesus said to pick him up. I did and for the first time in years I heard Ralphie’s voice just as it sounded 25 years ago.
Now don’t get me started on a discussion of the theology of healing, miracles and all that. I am sure many will say it was just psychological, or something like that. I know many will argue that getting Ralphie’s voice back had nothing to do with Haggai 1:6. But you know what, after many years of silence, next Saturday I am going to open my Christmas present from Jesus and Ralphie and I are going to tell the Christmas story to small group of Children.
I for one plan to show Jesus a few more rooms in His temple that He can start cleaning up.
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