Haggai Speaks Today
Could lockdown bring reformation for the Church? There’s every possibility.
It is tempting to build yourself up into a position of picking a passage of Scripture and then shoehorning it to your circumstances. Haggai chapter one (read it for yourself) spoke to me so much of our current circumstances in the Church regarding COVID-19 and its implications, but the second chapter, to be honest, was a bit of a mystery to me. That was until I ran out of wisdom while writing Flockdown and then, turning to the second chapter, suddenly seeing it in a new light and finding what I needed. It rang true for me because that which it spoke of would not tally with anything that came to my mortal mind, yet it struck a chord. But then … Father knows best!
So, let us explore this chapter, picking up on the main themes and see where God wants to take us.
“Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?” (Haggai 2:2-3)
There was a lot of work to do on the Temple to knock it into shape, to bring it to how it was when it was first built. Similarly with the Church, a reminder of the work that is still needed.
But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the LORD. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the LORD, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the LORD Almighty. This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’ (Haggai 2:4,5)
It’s not going to be easy, there’s a huge task ahead, but it’s going to be a joint effort with the Lord. Those words Do not fear are, according to the One New Man Bible, given extra stress, the most emphatic declaration in the whole Book. So, we can feel encouraged that we will not be alone in this endeavour. This is key, because of what comes next …
“This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.” (Haggai 2:6)
This has always been interpreted as an “end times” event, yet it seems to follow current patterns. Who was I to give an alternative to the accepted interpretations? Then it dawned on me. Perhaps it was because, we are approaching that mystical longed-for and ever-elusive period of history … that we call the end times! If you know me you know that this is a subject I faithfully avoid, not wanting to add my clumsy stumblings into the maelstrom of eschatological musings. But here it is. Perhaps we are approaching this time, or at least the foothills leading to it?
A shaking?
Flockdown and the other effects of COVID-19 were undoubtedly a shaking of the heavens and earth. The evidence is overwhelming, you don’t have to be an eschatologist to come to that conclusion! But now he states that once again there will be a shaking, this is just a beginning of troubled times! Again, it is not difficult to imagine the repercussions of the virus providing shakings in all areas of society, from economics, to politics, to social unrest, to the flexing of nationalistic muscles. We are currently also reeling from the social unrest caused by the killing of George Floyd and the resurgence of Black Lives Matter. This has certainly become something of a ‘shaking’ too.
I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD Almighty. The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” (Haggai 2:7-9)
This has traditionally been an event deep into the end-time period and it may well pan out this way but, in terms of our narrative, I will forward my thoughts on this. In my lifetime I have never seen such a shaking and there’s every evidence that it is not a flash in the pan, but the beginning of a process that will leave behind the stability we have enjoyed for the last seventy five years and enter into a period of ever-increasing uncertainty.
I won’t analyse this passage word-for-word (like proper expository teachers) but will simply observe the gist of it. Out of a bad thing (the shaking) will come a good thing (the greater Glory of God’s House), which will create a greater thing (peace). It’s worth ensuring that we’re with the programme if we want to share in the blessing.
A holy Church?
It was the next part of the prophecy that filled in some gaps for me, setting some key conditions that we have to adhere to so as not to get in the way of God’s work in building up His House.
“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests what the law says: If someone carries consecrated meat in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated?’” The priests answered, “No.” Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?” “Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.” Then Haggai said, “‘So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares the Lord. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled. (Haggai 2:11-14)
This tells us that it is easier for something holy to get defiled than the other way round. This made me think about Hybrid Church (as described in my article in the previous Sword issue) and specifically the role of those who will be providing services through the virtual medium. In a faith that currently “boasts” of over 40,000 varieties (denominations), how do we know where the truth lies? This thought has certainly engaged me over a lengthy series of books, from How the Church lost the Truth to the Sinner’s Charter and it is an imperative for our conferences that all teachers have a sound pedigree, not just in content but in integrity and trustfulness.
This is a difficult one, as only the Lord can and ought to judge these things. Who am I to judge my fellow Christians to determine how holy they are? But, on the other hand, Hybrid Church will only work if the content providers and ministers involved are totally to be trusted, above reproach, with no hint of agenda, self-promotion or compromise with the world. Of course there will always be variations on interpretations for what we would call secondary doctrinal matters, but it is going to be absolutely key that they are orthodox and in agreement with the primary matters of salvation, the atonement and the character of the Godhead. We cannot expose people to teachers or ministers who have been defiled by the world. We wouldn’t want “big names”, “virtue signallers” or “Christian celebrities” and would prefer a band of nobodies, who have no desire other than instructing the Body of Christ to the best of their ability.
In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. (Titus 2:7-8)
This is a huge task, but Gamaliel’s principle will surely operate within such a bold enterprise; If it is of God, how can it fail? In particular we need to cultivate an army of trusted mentors and disciplers, so that people can move on in their faith to discover their gifts and their destiny and bring out a viral growth of committed Christians that would be the envy of many a YouTube influencer!
A Church in revival?
Finally, a reminder of what could be:
“‘Now give careful thought to this from this day on — consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in the Lord’s temple. When anyone came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty. I struck all the work of your hands with blight, mildew and hail, yet you did not return to me,’ declares the Lord. ‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid. Give careful thought: Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit.” (Haggai 2:15-19a)
If God is with us, who could be against us? We will see fruit like never before. Dare we even use the “R” word … revival?
“‘From this day on I will bless you.’” (Haggai 2:19b)
And who wouldn’t want that?