Hi Sisters,
What purposes are there for a house? Probably the main purpose for a house is a place to dwell/reside. So it is with God. When God brought His people out of Egypt, He gave instructions for building the tabernacle, His dwelling:
“There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory. . . I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God” (Exodus 29:43, 45-46).
Later, in the Promise Land, Solomon built the temple, which replaced the tabernacle. Like God had “filled” the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34), so God “filled” the temple (II Chronicles 7:1). This displayed God’s relationship with His people. Solomon knew that God filled all space (“Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built! ~ II Chronicles 6:18), yet God desired and choose a place to dwell with His people, to make His name reside.
As the story continues, God’s people commit to rebellion against Him and are taken into exile. During the conquest, the temple is destroyed. After 70 years, God stirs in the heart of a Persian king to command some exiles to return to Jerusalem to re-build God’s house.
This finally brings me to my quiet times in Ezra and Haggai. In Ezra, the returned exiles started working on the temple, but were quickly met with opposition from people in the land who discouraged and frustrated the work. Eventually, the adversaries appealed to the new king of Persia and were able, by royal decree, to completely stop the work on God’s house.
Enter Haggai:
“Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? . . . Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD . . . my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house” (Haggai 1:4-5, 7-8, 9b).
God is saying, “Whoa. A king’s decree does not trump my command. Opposition, even from a king does not excuse disobedience. And what have you been doing instead? Being busy building your own houses, establishing your businesses while disregarding my plan and purpose for your return.”
What do the people of Judah do when Haggai delivers this message? Ezra and Haggai both record Judah’s quick obedience to God’s word! They get started immediately!
Shortly after, the people of the surrounding land question Judah’s authority in rebuilding the temple. The returned exiles don’t stop this time! God again speaks to Haggai: “Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts. . . My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not” (Haggai 2:4b, 5b). Ezra chapter 6 records that the people prospered and finished the temple!
So what does all this mean for us? SO much!!! The parallels for us are numerous. I will try to stick with what challenges me the most.
Under the new covenant, God’s house is His people. “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (I Corinthians 3:16). The “you” in this verse is plural and would be better understood as “you all” or “y’all.” Meaning, we as a collective group are God’s temple. We are one piece of the house. Yes, God resides in us individually, but He also resides in us collectively.
Just like the returned exiles were commanded to build God’s house, so we are commanded to build God’s house, which is made of people! “So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church” (II Corinthians 14:12). Just a reminder, the church is also people. Paul is not saying to bring more people to your church building and build bigger church buildings.
We need to filter Paul’s words through Jesus. Hebrews opens with the assertion that in times past God spoke to His people through the prophets (like Haggai), but now He has spoken through His Son, the cornerstone. Therefore, what does Jesus command us that we may build His house?
“All authority on heaven and earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).
This is the exact spiritual parallel to the physical parallel I read in Ezra and Haggai!
Judah’s task: re-build the physical temple of God
Judah’s method: Go to the hills, get wood, build one piece at a time
Our task: build the spiritual temple of God
Our method: Wherever you go, make disciples, one woman at a time
There are other similarities:
1. God will be with us as we participate in His mission
2. God’s authority has given us all the permission we need
3. Opposition does not excuse us from the mission
4. Building our own homes (i.e. investing into our families, our businesses) does not excuse us from the mission
So I will end with this, applying Haggai’s words to today:
Sisters, let us consider our ways. Are we busy with our physical families, our careers, our houses but have little concern for God’s spiritual house and making disciples? Let us go into our communities, church buildings, work places, schools, etc. and find a spiritually hungry woman, starting with one. Let us help women follow Jesus, the cornerstone, that they may be living stones along side us in God’s house (I Peter 2:4-5). For God takes pleasure in His house and is glorified.
By the River Together 