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Scripture Text (NRSV)

 

Haggai 1:15b-2:9

 

1:15 on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month.

2:1 In the second year of King Darius, in the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai, saying:

2:2 Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, and say,

2:3 Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Is it not in your sight as nothing?

2:4 Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the LORD; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the LORD; work, for I am with you, says the LORD of hosts,

2:5 according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear.

2:6 For thus says the LORD of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land;

2:7 and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the LORD of hosts.

2:8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of hosts.

2:9 The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the LORD of hosts.

 

Comments:

 

The "previous discussion" on this text is very good - a lot of posts, for an OT passage. It's hard, though, to preach anything without 9/11 in mind. Splendor and riches, and shaken nations ... what are we gonna do with this passage? kbc in sc


As a lay leader entrusted with the Service on November 11/01, I am having difficulty with the scripture passages for this week. Is anyone using different scripture for this week and if so, what? There seems to be so much more to this Remembrance Day because of the events on September 11. I want to give a message of hope but also give homage to the many people that have died in all of the wars. Any help is greatly appreciated. Patricia in Canada


Haggai text is perfect in dealing with remembrance, but yet hope that God will indeed shake all the earth. People were starting to complain about the temple not being built, the old days were better, but Haggai reminds all the people that God provides the hope and will build everything greater than it was before. In our doubt and despair, Haggai offers us hope and the promise that things will get better. JW in PA


I'm preaching on this text and emphasizing the glorious future... the prosperity of God on God's people. (Not in the sense of the Prosperity Gospel preachers, but in the sense of an abundance of spiritual blessings on those who seek to serve the Lord.)


You are right Eric... Why is that first verse included? Is this a typo that has been passed down for hundreds of years or something? We are thinking about not printing that...


I figured it out! The RCL was based on the Revised Standard Version of the Bible. Here's v. 15 from that translation:

"15 on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month. In the second year of Darius the king,"

Note that 15b is "In the second year of Darius the king," This text has been moved to v. 2:1 in the NRSV. So that strange squib from v. 15 ("on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month") is NOT supposed to be there! Leave it off!

Blessings, Eric in KS


AS a matter of fact, both my NRSV bibles have the first verse of Chapter 2 start with "in the seventh month. The problem lies in how the paragraphs are laid out. The big 2 comes before "In the second year of King Darius" but the verse number comes after that. Gord in ON


Gord: You're right!

In any event, that truncated bit shown in the text above shouldn't be part of the lesson.

Blessings, Eric in KS


I am (may be) tying this to the gospel text in this way- The people who looked at the mess Jerusalem was in after 70 years of depreciation following fire and destruction were aghast. The former glory was gone. No way could it be restored. Not so, says the prophet. The latter will be greater than the former, for God is in control.

The Sadducees of Jesus' day could not buy the idea of eternal life. Look what a mess we make of it in the few years we have. Who could stand to go longer, dragging all the complicated relationships we've built up here into a limitless future where we could never be free of them. I think to the Saducees death seemed a welcome end to a difficult life.

So too, many today, faced with a past of multiple spouses and other complicated relationships, or pains and diseases, griefs and losses, are ready to give up. Let it be over. Not so, says God, but the latter shall be greater than the former. We shall be free to live in love and peace. Fear mongers, be silent! Sept. 11 is not the end. Cancer is not the end. Divorce is not the end. Death is not the end. God the Alpha is also Omega, and everything that comes after! tom in TN(USA)


I am a little surprised that there is so little discussion this wonderful passage. To me it has so much application to the current state of the Church, particularly in Australia where so many oler people remeber the way the church used to be and mourn for that. I am also taking a little liberty with the lectionary and using Romans 8 with it to talk about a theme of 'the Survival of the vulnerable good' (I am using an order of service from a book by Dorothy McCrae Mcmahon, one our local Saints) and the power of God in all of that.


We need to remember that chapter and verses were not part of the original scriptures. Sometimes chapters and verses are in awquar places. My New testament profesor said that a man divided up the verses while riding on a horse and the horse must have stumbled a few times. When I was growing up my father would at times say “They don’t make things like they use to.” One day he was talking about how much better something was than it use to be. I think it was tires, for I understand that back in the Model T Ford days if you went on any kind of trip you thought you were extremely lucky if you didn’t have at least one flat tire before you got back. home but by the time my father was talking about them tires had become much more reliable. I could not resist the temptation to say to my father, “They don’t make things like they use to.” A part of what was being said in our reading from the Book of Haggai is “They don’t make things like they use to.”. The Jewish people had returned to Jerusalem after their exile in Babylon and they were not at work rebuilding the temple that had been destroyed about 70 year earlier. The temple built by Solomon had been a magnificent structure constructed of cedar imported for Lebanon and over laid with gold. No expense had been denied. But these were leaner times and the new temple was not as large or as elaborate as the other, and apparently there were a few people still living who remembered the magnificence of the former. Haggai is echoing their words and thoughts, “Is it not in your sight as nothing?” Ben in FL.


I am excited by how the lectionary texts of the past few weeks have tied in so well with the events of September 11th. I attended church services at several different churches in the weeks following, and heard several preachers comment on how well the Habakkuk texts fit within our current events. I am preaching this Sunday, and I am startled by how well the Haggai text works, and I don't think I'm just eisegeting it. The text talks about rebuilding in a time of chaos and attending to our spiritual needs not only to the physical rebuilding. The RCL is a human concoction, but the texts the past few weeks truly seem to be the work of the Spirit. I would imagine that not very many of us would have considered preaching out of the book of Haggai (who?!) prior to our current state of chaos. That said, does anybody have any good illustrations for this text? I am planning to tie it into September 11th (thanks for reminding me that this Sunday will be 11/11), but I am having trouble thinking of a good story.

D in St. Louis, Missouri


To D. in St Louis Missouri, Re; an illustration tying Haggai with 9/11: I was watching CNN and was struck by the fact that the areal view of the WTC site looked so barren, empty and devoid of life... just a quiet, smoldering hole of destruction in the middle of the city. Then I noticed something moving in the center of the picture. It appeared to be a tiny (matchbox size) crane working in the midst of the rubble. It made me realize that the people of NY have not just given up and walked away in discouragement. They are determined to clear the debris and probably rebuild some kind of monument of remembrance dedicated to the people who lost their lives. Of course a new building will probably never be as tall and impressive as the twin towers complex that was there, but it will be built with love and provide a message of hope for the future. I hope this helps you and doesn't just confuse the picture for you. God's Blessings on your message. J. in Maine


Thanks to all of you you for clarification on 1:15. I, too, couldn't make any sense of it, and had already decided to go with 2:1. I found your comments interesting in relation to the experience of September 11th. However, as Patricia pointed out, it is Remembrance Day in Canada when we observe a time of silence as we honour our war dead and those who came home and contributed to society. As one veteran pointed out to me, "We are getting fewer and fewer every year." Another veteran has declined to be the layreader this year and thinks that younger folk should take over. In a sense I agree with him, "Lest we forget." Therefore, I have one woman who is of his generation as her husband had been a war vet, another a daughter of a war vet and one a granddaughter of a war vet, both of WWII, and my own son, a great-grandson of a WWI war vet through his mother's side. Doesn't Haggai speak to future generations building on the foundations of previous generations? And maybe that is the profound message for us today, that we cannot forget the sacrifice to youth, time, energy and even life that we might live in a society that knows freedom, hope and peace. We need to remember for the world has down a very poor job of learning the lessons of the evil of war and the sacrifices made. For we are still at war aren't we? And war has been ever present since the war to end all wars that marks our observances here in Canada, based on the armistice that was signed at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. World War I saw the hooros of trench warfare encroaching on mind and soul. Then there was post-war despair and confusion battling with idealism and hope "as people tried to sort out what has happened and what could be rebuilt." (Whole People of God curriculum material) And yet, maybe it is "in the face of the mystery of suffering, persecution and evil (including war" - and I might had terorism), that Haggai, and I would include the writer of the 145th Psalm as well, "affirm that life is indeed a gift from God; that God works to overcome evil and the results of evil; that despair can be eclipsed by hope; and that even death is not ultimate. The future is alive in God." (WPOG) Indeed let us remember the pasat as we build for the future. Rev. Tim. South Central Ontario, Canada.


I am deeply moved by this passage, and the question; "who remembers this house and its former glory?" We can relate this to the World Trade Center, The pentagon, or our own local churches! My guess is that more than a few can remember the former glory and in some cases an exergerated vision. The answer to the question is not: "I can!' but rather, "What shall the present become with the glory of God?" It is good to remember what has past, but we abide in the present and build toward the future. Rebuiling the past is futile! The past can only serve as a reference point. God IS WITH US and will guide us into what we are to become.

A W-G rocky coast Me.


"hooros" was supposed to be "horrors." I know you would have figured it out but I was appalled that I would let a spelling error that bad get by me. My spologies. Rev. Tim


To J in Maine: Thanks for the great illustration. I think it will fit perfectly into my sermon. I don't have a television, so I haven't seen many of the images that have been emblazoned into the minds and hearts of most in our country, but I can picture the scene you described, and it fits so well with what I think the destruction of the Temple must have looked like so many thousands of years ago. Thanks again. Peace, D in Missouri


Greetings, Friends:

Thanks to all of you, especially Rev. Karen (who posted on the Luke site) and Rev. Tim (who posted on the Haggai site) (both from Ontario, CA) ... when my guest preacher called Saturday night to say "can't be there", I scurried to DPS and "borrowed" liberally from y'all. The resulting homily is at http://www.stfrancis-ks.org/subpages/csermons/ordtime-pr27c-y2k+1.htm

Eric

 

Previous:

 

The more I read Haggai the more I find that is exciting for preaching. There's a lot that goes with our needs. Where are we leaving the things of God in ruins while we take care of ourselves? Where is God acting while we blindly go along our own way and miss God? Any help is welcome! GF in SC


I won't be using Haggai this week. But in another couple of years, when our congregation may embark on a major capital funds campaign to pay for the seismic retrofit of our historic building in earthquake-prone southern California, this text may have some relevance! Doug in Riverside


I like the idea of all that work at satisfying self, but with no lasting results. Our culture has a GREAT DEAL to hear in this scripture. Unless we attend to the things of God (House of God, in the scripture), we will seek and seek and NEVER be satisfied. I may well go this way this week. --Matt in Pomeroy, WA


I have not finished (or even really started good) yet, but two things seem to jump out at me in this passage. First, the people were trying to compare the rebuilt Temple with Solomon's Temple, and they were getting depressed. I know a whole lot of people (including myself) who go around comparing themselves with others. Even churches compare themselves with the "Crystal Cathedrals" of the world. That always seems to lead to depression and problems. Second, the cure to this problem seems to be in God's answer to the people--the glory of the Temple is not determined by the wood and gold and silver, but by the presence of God. That's true in our lives and in the life of our churches as well. I'm not there yet, but that seems to be a problem-solution format for a sermon that may resonate with people today. Art in KY


I "discovered" this site one evening when I was frantically searching for interpretation of scripture for my Sunday School class. Thank you for your inspirations!!

Since you all have given me so much - I would like to give something back. Following is the address for a sermon by Ray C. Stedman, "Haggai: Some Words to Discouraged Carpenters".

http://www.pbc.org/dp/stedman/adventure/0237.html

This sermon explores ** "this message to the people of God everywhere concerning their responsibility in building the great house of God, the temple that the Holy Spirit has been building out of human hearts" ** placing God's work secondary to our personal interests **patience in doing God's work (not expecting instant results).

PMartin


I am using Haggai this week. I have been doing a five sermon series on Rebuilding and Leadership. The series is called, "Getting Suited Up." The title for this fourth sermon, taken from Haggai is "It is time to wake-up and shake-up"

While my congregation is not in a physical building process, it has allowed the temple to be in ruins while they turned to personal needs. As a new pastor to this congregation, I believe that the personnal needs is the result of many disappointing experiences in the the church. They have a thirty year history of transitions and set-back. Examples: Split of a large congregation. This church are those "left behind" to continue the church. They have had several name changes and experienced some clergy abuse.

The aspect I am coming from is that it is time for them to awaken from the thing-done world that has diverted their attention and put them into a sleeping state as it relates their their spiritual and church life. God wants to do some shaking up on their behalf, but they must be willing to start the rebuilding the foundations of the Temple before God will work with them and for them.


To the pastor who posted on Nov. 4 at 8 AM ( just a few minutes ago): I know what you're saying . My wife and I are co-pastors of two churches, the larger of which also experienced a split 25 years ago in addition to some more leaving with one of our predecessors in a controversy over his ministry. The Haggai passage is a gem. What you have said about the building not being important (the temple) is right on mark. This congregation has also been sleeping spiritually for the last 25 years. It's primarily an older congregation that is afraid of change, yet is not happy with things as they are. Haggai's exhortation not to look back tothe past is a prescription for a church that needs to and wants to grow. To live in the past is to condemn oneself to death. Our congregation wants things to be as they were in the 1950's when "everybody" went to church, and the sunday school was full, and they had a pastor who was a social butterfly. I'll watch this forum closely this week. The temptation here is to preach on this passage without being angry because right now they're blaming us for low worship attendance, low sunday school attendance and financial concerns. The challenge is to help them see (without hitting them over the heads) that they need to participate too. I'll be interested in all your thoughts. NEOW in Maine


I too am planning on preaching on this text, but I guess I am hearing it a little bit differently. It seems to me that this text has to be viewed in light of the primary question of the exile -- How can we sing the Lord's song in a strange land. The return of the exiles was a sign that God was still at work. God's promise of shaking the nations indicates a God active in human history. The work of rebuilding the temple seems not so much to be a pre-condition for God's blessing as it is a response to catch up with what God is already doing. The promise "My spirit abides among you, do not fear" invites the people to risk."

While I admit it is tempting to use this text as a way of meeting the building fund obligations -- Lord knows we need to do that, I think it misses the theological point. God is at work in the world, whether our roof leaks or not, whether our classrooms are full of children or not. The question is whether we will participate in the "shaking times" or be left behind.

I'd welcome any of your thoughts about this.

Levfish in Kansas


Looking at this passage in the context of Exile and returning from Jerusalem to find the land and temple in ruins, I see that the Jewish people in this passage were living with disappointment upon disappointment. It seems to me that, when they rebuilt the temple (finally), their disappointment with it was sort of the straw that broke the camel's back. They were at that point ready to give up. I don't hear this passage about being so much an admonition to do something active as it is a promise that God is with us even in the times that we are disappointed and discouraged. Listen again to what God says to the disappointed Jews:

2:4 Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the LORD; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the LORD; work, for I am with you, says the LORD of hosts, 2:5 according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear.

In this passage there is the promise of what God is going to do for us, but there is also the promise that God is present in our difficult times.

Any thoughts?

Bryan in New Jersey


Looking at this passage in the context of Exile and returning from Jerusalem to find the land and temple in ruins, I see that the Jewish people in this passage were living with disappointment upon disappointment. It seems to me that, when they rebuilt the temple (finally), their disappointment with it was sort of the straw that broke the camel's back. They were at that point ready to give up. I don't hear this passage about being so much an admonition to do something active as it is a promise that God is with us even in the times that we are disappointed and discouraged. Listen again to what God says to the disappointed Jews:

2:4 Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the LORD; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the LORD; work, for I am with you, says the LORD of hosts, 2:5 according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear.

In this passage there is the promise of what God is going to do for us, but there is also the promise that God is present in our difficult times.

Any thoughts?

Bryan in New Jersey


I pastor a small country church in Ohio. Many of the people look back to the good old days when the chruch was full (200 can comfortably be seated)and the Sunday School was also full. That is the Solomon temple for them. We can waste a lot of time longing for the old temple and becoming depressed because the current one will not be anyting like the last. In 1996 we had a church fight and about 30 people left the church. That would be the most current wave of destruction. Second observation is that in order to rebuild the temple the people had to pick up bricks etc. and do something. A partnership with God perhaps because I don't think God intended to build it temple in a different way. What are the bricks, and lumber, etc that we can use to rebuild the today?


This is a great forum. I was in a lectionary group on Tuesday mornings for 3 years. I miss the group for both sermon ideas and support. So this will be my new lectionary group until I find one in this area. KB OHIO


KB in Ohio,

Welcome to DPS! This place is a place where individual and communal growth takes place. I believe I'm a living example of that. God is using this place to further His kingdom, we welcome you as you join us here in His work.

I believe you asked "What are the bricks, and lumber, etc that we can use to rebuild the [church]today?" The Thessalonians text gives us a hint.

"So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you."

We must instill, teach, affirm and/or emphasize love for God's Word. We must honor it. I'm not sure that's happening in the main-line denominations as often as it ought to.

My wife an I are leading an Alpha course in our home. A group of 12 of us meet weekly. I'm somewhat discouraged by how little time God's people spend in His Word. We're too busy or worse, we've decided to believe the lies that diminish it's authority (or more likely, elevate the authority of extra-biblical writings and teachings of others to the authority of Scripture, which seemed to be the consensus in the Alpha group).

Short musings...

Rick in Va


I remember Fred Craddock saying that you don't really have a sermon until you can summarize it in one sentence. Maybe I'm getting closer. The summary seems to be in verse 4 "Work for I am with you," says the Lord of Hosts. Both comfort and action. . . What is the relationship? Just wondering as Sunday gets closer.

Levfish


Dear Levfish in Kansas: It is tempting to use this passage as a means to build up the building fund or encourage greater giving, isn't it? The question that another contributor offered is at the heart of the matter here--what are the materials that we bring to the building of the spiritual temple that is the Church? Whether or not we are talking about a physical structure is not significant-what matters is that we are talking about the Church. Many times it is tempting for a congregation to look back to the 1950's when "everybody" came to church. In rural Maine where I live there really wasn't much else for people to do except go to Grange or Church, and go tot he dances in the old schoolhouse on Sat. nights. So, I wonder if what people see as the "glory days" really were that after all? In other words, couldn't we say that the same level of interest as today was present back then, and activity in the church was a means of engaging in social activity rather than building each other up as Christians? With all the distractions there are today including TV, school activities and the availability of the automobile God and the Church become a low priority unless people choose differently. When I listen to my olde rpeople talk about the "good old days" I question in my mind whether they were really that good. This passage in a sense asks the same question--were the good old days really that good when something even better is coming? NEOW in Maine


The central message of the passage is: DO THE WORK. What keeps us from doing the work? #1. Discouragement...from past failures, those who said "No", those who can do something and do not, from comparisons with a glorious past that seems unattainable, etc. #2. Fear...of the future, of what will others think, of failure. Both of these can paralyze us into doing nothing. God says: "I am with you...I am still with you. So, do not be discouraged, do not be afraid." In other words, God removes the two main reasons that can keep us from doing what needs to be done. Then God promises a new future, that God will bring about into existence, if only we will simply DO THE WORK!

It is a timely message for our congregation that boomed in the 50's and 60's, and started declining in the 70's and 80's, but has been fairly stable for the past decade or so. Yet, comparisons to the halcyon days or yore are inevitable. Other congregations in our denomination have been closing down or reducing staff, staff hours, etc. There is plenty of reason to be discouraged and to be afraid...including a roof that needs to be replaced at tremendous cost. Our community is experiencing an increase in crime and gambling. People are discovering the lack of loyalty on the part of the employers. It is very tempting to simply compare with the past and visualize a bleak future ahead...the net result being lack of action. One can come up with other scenarios as well.

My sermon title: THREE D'S TO LIVE BY. --Do not be discouraged; Do not be afraid; Do the work.

Strike a chord with anybody else out there?

Jeeva in Canada.


I am a college student and I am supposed to write a 7-8 page paper on a few verses. I thought of Haggai because nobody ever talks about Haggai, I've barely ever heard of the book. I am supposed to look at history, literary genre, different things that are behind the text. Maybe not what it means to someone in a spiritual sense, but in a historical sense. Can anyone help me out? My email address is: olsonaj@hotmail.com I would really appreciate some input. Thank you. AOlson Student of Concordia College in Moorhead MN.


I note a few things: 1) The rebuilding of the temple called in a great host of folk. Zerubbabel (civil govt), Joshua (priest), people of the land (everyone else? or peasants outside the city?) 2) It is tempting to compare 20th century america with mainline churches in decline to Jerusalem. But let's face it, we're a lot better off. 3) A matter of vision is raised. 'Who is left that saw'. A question is whether people can see the vision of 2:9. 4) You can have all the courage you want, all the necessary attitude, but in the end you have to work. 5) Work is couched in a restatement of the covenant promise/gospel: "I am with you." (If God can deliver from Egypt, certainly a building can be redone.) 6) Never allow the rhetoric of scarcity to limit vision : "The silver & gold are MINE." 7) It's hard not to preach this triumphalistically. How to dream dreams humbly? How to portray this to a congregation? Thanks for your insights! Paul from NJ.


Haggai presents us with an opportunity to tell our stories of faith. It was 20 years before the temple was rebuilt - a long time before the people would feel that there lives were back on track. Living in that in between time we needs the words of Haggai. Take courage was repeated three times. Do not fear the most repeated phrase in the scriptures appears. It is a time in our churches to build hope and courage. And we do that by telling our stories of faith. Its what the Israelites did. "Remember the promises I made you when you came out of the land of Egypt. And the Jewish people tell their story today every year at passover. How they eat bitter herbs to remind them of their tears and unleavened bread to remind them of their haste and the mana that God provided for their daily needs. How God delivered them. Its a perfect opportunity on Vets day to remember our stories of how God has been with us and delivered us in the past and will do so again. Our story is of course the Christ story and if you are using the lectionary Luke reading you can combine the theme of resurrection as our story, the Christ story that we tell our children and each other. Its the story of the living God who is with us today. Resurrection is not just about that future place we call heaven but happens in our daily lives and we need those stories to bolster our faith in these times. Nina in the North


Ok, so how does one pronounce this minor, nay, miniture prophet, anyway? - Kelly in Alberta, Canada.


Kelly in Alberta- The Harper Collins Bible Pronunciation Guide (1989)gives the correct pronunciation: hag' i

Rev Rhoda in Maryland


Kelly in Alberta,

I've just read your sermon post on the sermon review site. Beautifully done.

Gently motivational yet still powerfully inspiring. I pray that there were ears that were listening and hearts that were touched.

Rick in Va


This is a great book to preach from. Thanks to a pastor in North Carolina (Tri-Ad) area, I have got some real "gems" to preach. GB in NC