REBUILDING THE LORD’S TEMPLE

“On the first day of the sixth month of King Darius’ second year, the Lord’s message came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak:

This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has said: “These people have said, ‘The time for rebuilding the Lord’s temple has not yet come.’” The Lord’s message came through the prophet Haggai as follows: “Is it right for you to live in richly paneled houses while my temple is in ruins? Here then, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has said: ‘Think carefully about what you are doing. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but are never filled. You drink, but are still thirsty. You put on clothes, but are not warm. Those who earn wages end up with holes in their money bags.” (Haggai 1: 6-7)

I have read this many times from Haggai as it applied to the Old Covenant model of building a physical building (This was rebuilding the Jerusalem Temple) where people of course had traditional Jewish worship.

For the first time the thought came to me: What if we applied Haggai’s prophetic word to the New Covenant temple? We are the temple (1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:21; Romans 8:9, etc.) the Lord wants to build. “The Lord does not dwell in houses made by human hands…” (Acts 7:48; Acts 17:24-28) Now we can easily make application of Haggai’s word to our human, spiritual Temple.

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it! Look, your house is left to you desolate!” Jesus