10th January 2025

From the peace and beauty of the Garden of Eden, through the Tabernacle in the wilderness, to the various iterations of the Temple, God has always sought and created a place where he dwells with his creation – a creation he described as ‘good’. This desire bookends the entirety of scripture with the final dwelling place being something we can anticipate, but also experience now. John begins his gospel by identifying Christ’s place in this history of God dwelling with his people when he says, ^‘And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.’ (John 1:14).

Haggai prophesied to the Jewish remnant who had returned from the Babylonian exile and was tasked with rebuilding the destroyed temple. Older members of this relatively small group would have remembered the glory and beauty of Solomon’s temple – Haggai amongst them – and he says of this rebuilt temple, ‘…is this not in your eyes as nothing?’ (Haggai 2:3). It would have been a desperately emotional time for them. One commentator summarised: “Gone was the glory of the former kingdom and temple. Gone was the great population. All that was left was the rubble of Jerusalem, the remnant of the people, and the task of restoration.” ¹  

Sixteen years into the return from exile, the temple rebuilding had been abandoned as the people spent time building their own homes. God, through Haggai, challenged them: ‘ “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?” Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways!…” ’ (Haggai 1:4-5). The people did ‘consider their ways’, and the temple was built. The Apostle Paul returns to temple-building language as he encourages the Corinthian church: ‘…I have laid the foundation and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.’ (1 Corinthians 3:10-11). We, along with those early Christians, are encouraged to be part of a remnant that builds a temple that will not be destroyed. Writing to the Ephesians, this apostle surely had Haggai in mind when he explained that they were, ‘…built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord…a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.’ (Ephesians 2:20-22). 

Paul describes the church as the temple, the place where God’s Holy Spirit resides. We are building that temple. When Jesus prophesied the destruction of the temple to his disciples, he knew that, following his sacrifice and the coming of the Holy Spirit, a physical building would no longer have a purpose (Luke 21:5-6).  As we play our part in temple-building, Haggai’s warnings and encouragement are as relevant for us today, as they were back in Judah’s history – ‘…be strong…work…do not fear’ (Haggai 2:4-5).

¹ https://enduringword.com › Bible Commentary – Haggai 1 – Getting Priorities Straight

Local congregation:
GCI Market Harborough
9 The Point
Rockingham Road
Market Harborough 
LE16 7QU

Meeting time:
Sunday 4.00 pm

Local congregational contact:
Sinead Henderson 
Email: sinead.henderson@gracecom.church

Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church