The main theme of Haggai is to encourage the people to return to rebuild the temple. Even though the people had returned, the work stopped for 16 years. God therefore encouraged them through 2 prophets, one of whom was Haggai, the other Zechariah. The word of the Lord came to Haggai 4 times. The previous sermons covered the first 2 messages. This sermon will cover the 3rd and 4th.

Recap of the 1st and 2nd messages

The first message told the people to reflect on the lives they were living. Haggai told them even though they worked hard, it was as if their pockets had holes and they were left with little. This was because God was punishing them and not blessing them. Haggai wanted the people to reflect upon their lives, to repent and return.

The second message was: Even though the second temple did not seem that great as they were building it, the work they were involved in would amount to a greater glory in the future. After exhortation, they re-established the temple in the next 5 years. However, the temple really wasn’t that glorious after they had finished building it. The temple was only really fulfilled when Jesus came. Nonetheless God wanted to tell them their building was not in vain for it would ultimately result in greater glory.

The third and fourth messages are similar to the first and second. Message 1 and 3 belong together, message 2 and 4 belong together.

3rd message

Hag 2:10-19
Haggai asked the priest about matters concerning the law.

“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.”

Why did the Lord tell Haggai to ask the people these questions? That which is holy is unable to pass on holiness. But what is unclean is able to pass on the uncleanness. This was brought up because the people were still offering. Because they were unclean, whatever they offered up was also unclean. The Lord wanted to tell the people whatever deeds they were doing was unclean. They needed to repent immediately. This is why message 3 is related to message 1. They were to carefully consider what their situation was like. At that time, when one came to a heap of twenty ephahs, there were but ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty baths from the press, there were but twenty. It was for them to realise God did not give them what they needed and even struck them with blight and mildew. Yet they did not turn to Him. He wanted them to consider the evil deeds they had done. God had used all these methods to wake them up but they didn’t realise. Their offerings remained unclean. Through Haggai, God wanted the people to realise this.

Was it because they had not begun to rebuild the temple? It’s like they had already returned to building the temple again. Between message 2 and 3 was a period of 2 months. In the 8th month, God had already asked Zechariah to exhort them.

Ezra 5:1-2
Then the prophet Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. So Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak rose up and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them, helping them.

After the 2 prophets encouraged the people, the people started to rebuild it. This shows the people had already started the rebuilding work and had already put in some effort to do the rebuilding. So why did God say this? He wanted them to turn their hearts back to Him and the work.

Hag 2:18-19
‘Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid—consider it: Is the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded fruit. But from this day I will bless you.’

On the 9th month 24th day, God said He would bless them. God wanted to turn back the curses He imputed on them. Why? Because they had returned to rebuild the temple. This was an encouragement to the people, because they had gone through much suffering and were now receiving blessing. They would receive blessing because they obeyed the commandment of the Lord.

As Christians of the True Jesus Church, we ought to return to rebuild this temple. Perhaps we have the sentiment not many people have the yearning to rebuild the temple. It’s only the minority who wish to return to build the house of the Lord. This minority works so hard to the extent some want to give up. Based on sight, it seems impossible to rebuild. Just like when the temple lay in ruins for 16 years and seemed impossible to rebuild it. But God encouraged them to return to rebuild it. They heeded the Lord’s commandment and returned. How about us today? Will we join the minority to rebuild the church in the last days? If we are willing, God says He will bless us. Perhaps we meet with many troubles at work, perhaps our family is not blissful, perhaps our body have a lot of ailments. We may wonder why our life is as such. Some may encourage us to endure because the Lord has His will. But if we reflect upon ourselves: Is it because we have not joined the minority to rebuild the house of the Lord? Instead, focusing on building up our own houses? If this is the case for us, we ought to reflect on ourselves. Join in to rebuild the house of the Lord instead of our own.

The blessings of God aren’t for indulgence. The people just started rebuilding. Isn’t blessing them now too early? They took 5 years. Why not bless them at the end? But God knew there was a need to bless them at that time. This was so they could focus o their work better. Otherwise they would keep thinking about getting more wine from the wine vat and how they can get more money. But now God blessed them so they could focus on the rebuilding work. If we’re willing to return to rebuild the church in the last days, God will bless us so we don’t need to worry on our lives and can focus on the rebuilding work. But how many of us are willing to return to the rebuilding work?

Who brought you to baptism? Grandparents, parents, yourself? Whoever it was, if we want to remain a True Jesus Church member, we must know the commission entrusted to us.

4th message

Hag 2:20-23
And again the word of the Lord came to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying, “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying: I will shake heaven and earth. I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I will destroy the strength of the Gentile kingdoms. I will overthrow the chariots And those who ride in them; The horses and their riders shall come down, Every one by the sword of his brother. ‘In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says the Lord, and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord of hosts.”

This message came in on the same day is the 3rd message. Its form is similar to the 2nd message; it talks about things that are going to happen in the future. It says the latter temple will be more glorious. The 4th message says the people will be out of bondage. Furthermore, one amongst them would be made like a signet ring, which represents a king. In other words, this meant they would become a kingdom again. More than 70 years ago, they were taken captive to Babylon. After its destruction, the Persians ruled. Still the people didn’t have their own kingdom. They were oppressed and under someone else’s control. But this message told them they would have their own kingdom one day. The person who would be the signet ring would be Zerubbabel. After rebuilding the temple, they would be redeemed/delivered. This gave them a lot of hope which helped them to be more diligent in the rebuilding work.

This group of people weren’t able to establish their own kingdom and nation even up to the time of Jesus. Even though they ruled for over a hundred years during the Maccabees period, they came under the rule of the Romans subsequently.

This hence shows the 4th message, like the 2nd message, wasn’t talking about that time but pointed to the future; it pointed to the time of Jesus.

Jeremiah 22:24-25, 30
“As I live,” says the Lord, “though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, were the signet on My right hand, yet I would pluck you off; and I will give you into the hand of those who seek your life, and into the hand of those whose face you fear—the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the hand of the Chaldeans. Thus says the Lord: ‘Write this man down as childless, A man who shall not prosper in his days; For none of his descendants shall prosper, Sitting on the throne of David, And ruling anymore in Judah.’

This was one of the last few periods of the kingdom of Judah before captivity. Why did the Lord speak these words in His wrath? “I will pluck you off even though you were the signet ring on My right hand. Even your descendants shall sit on the throne.” Why was God so angry? Because king Jehoiakim did great evil. His father Josiah was a good king. But before him, king Manasseh was also evil. During the reign of Josiah, he had the heart to reform the people’s faith. But because the people were so evil, it incurred God’s wrath. Coniah, the son of Jehoiakim, was like the signet ring on God’s hand but God wanted to pluck Him off and not let any of his descendants sit on the throne.

Hag 2:23
We return to the 4th message.

‘In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says the Lord, and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord of hosts.”

Zerubbabel who was to be the signet ring was the son of Shealtiel, who was one of the descendants of David. Didn’t we just read none of the descendants would sit on the throne? This would have been the case if people continued to be evil. But God had a change in heart and wanted to give the signet ring to one of David’s descendants - Zerubbabel. But we know Zerubbabel was just a chief/leader. We also don’t know which son became the next chief/leader. How did he become the signet ring then who’s supposed to sit on the throne of David? The people would’ve remembered Jeremiah’s message so upon hearing Zerubbabel would be the Lord’s signet ring, they would’ve understood God had a change in heart. However since Zerubbabel didn’t lead them to fight against other kingdoms, we understand this prophecy referred to the future - Jesus. Joseph was a descendant of David and Jesus was a descendant of Joseph. This message hence pointed towards Jesus. When He comes, He will take control of the kingdoms. The message was hence both an encouragement and prophecy.

Since we know this message refers to Jesus, as we rebuild the temple today, realise this is Jesus’ temple. The True Jesus Church will hence definitely be complete because this is the church of Jesus and He is in the midst to help. As Christians of the True Jesus Church, we ought to feel honoured to build the church alongside God. God doesn’t need our help but He allows us to share in this honour. Let us follow the Lord Jesus to rebuild this temple for He is in our midst. This temple will be a glorious one.

When Haggai delivered this message to the people, they started rebuilding. Today when we the people of God hear this message, will we return to rebuild this temple? May our hearts be moved to return.