“For this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land. I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!” (Haggai 2:6-9*) Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. (Revelations 3:10-12*)
Life Application
The books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and the prophets Zechariah and Haggai should be studied together, because they present the complete explanation of why the exiled Jews wanted to return to Jerusalem, and rebuild the temple, in order to reestablish their worship and feasts to God. (Ezra, Nehemiah, Zechariah, Haggai)
But King Solomon made a very good point, when he said, “But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built! (II Chronicles 6:18) All the splendor and beauty of the temple Solomon built did not stop it from being destroyed, because the children of Isreal continued to be disobedient: But because our fathers provoked the God of heaven to wrath, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and carried the people away to Babylon. (Ezra 5:12) The children of Isreal were disobedient because they continued to sin, by behaving as the pagan nations around them: “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Now, ask the priests concerning the law, saying, “If one carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread or stew, wine or oil, or any food, will it become holy?”’” Then the priests answered and said, “No.” And Haggai said, “If one who is unclean because of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?” So the priests answered and said, “It shall be unclean.” Then Haggai answered and said, “‘So is this people, and so is this nation before Me,’ says the Lord, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean. (Haggai 2:11-14) The meaning being, they weren't sinning because they were around these pagan nations, but they were sinning because they were doing the same things these pagan nations were doing. As Christ taught, If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. (John 15:18)
The children of Isreal continued to repeat their mistakes, by being disobedient to God, and eventually even turning the temple of God into a house of disobedience: Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up. [Psalm 69:9]" (John 2:13-17) But then Jesus "turned the tables" by making the following comment: So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body. Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said. (John 2:18-22)
Temples are more than just buildings. If God was limited to dwelling in buildings, how awful it would be for us who believe in God when a building (church) is destroyed. We who believe the Word of God, and in His Son, Jesus the Christ are the "temples" of God: Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. (I Corinthians 6:19-20, 14) If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. (I Corinthians 3:17) Because we who have accepted Jesus as our Savior and Lord now belong to God, we should live in such a way that honors and glorifies Him, in the hope of leading otheres to Christ, and eternal life with Him and God: Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. (I Corinthians 12:27; I Corinthians 12; I Corinthians 15) Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. (John 14:23) Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, spoke the Lord’s message to the people, saying, “I am with you, says the Lord!” (Haggai 1:13) And he [God's angel] carried me [John] away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,... But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. (Revelations 21:10, 22)
*New Living Translation
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