Rebuilding Church still relevant today
JOE MILLER JR.
Haggai 2:1-9

Joe Miller Jr. is pastor at First United Methodist Church in Newton.

It seems like this seldom quoted prophet has a hang up with buildings. His prophecy is all about rebuilding the Jerusalem temple that was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. When the remnant of Israel was allowed to return home from Babylon in 539, they began to rebuild their lives, homes, city, and temple.

For some reason they had quit working on the temple, and Haggai called them to task in 520 for abandoning this important project. Why did they abandon the project? Perhaps they were too busy taking their children to other activities. Maybe they ran out of money; it was a tough socioeconomic time in the life of Israel, and the offering plate may have been empty.

They might have thought that the temple (church) was irrelevant in a more modern society. Some of the older folks may have kept reminding the builders how much grander the old temple was. Sometimes a memory of the past can interfere with living in the present and looking to the future. Whatever the reason(s), they stopped.

The prophet reminded the people that the reason things were not going very well might be because they had not adequately taken care of God's house. If they would turn their attention to God, many of the problems they had been experiencing would go away. God would take care of his people.

However, the most powerful and dramatic picture that the prophet painted of the new temple was a completely new way of understanding the role of the temple. By calling upon the political and religious leaders by name, he linked the two together and tied them to the temple. By referring to the people of the land, he united the remnant returning with the people already settled in Israel.

Prior to the collapse of the Jewish monarchy, the temple had been a royal chapel and place for priests to offer sacrifices. It was to become a place for all kinds of activities: social, political, religious, and economic. It was to become a place to congregate at all times and all days; a place to meet and socialize, a place to resolve the problems of the day.

It was to become a combination court house and house of worship. This was to become a model for the next 500 years, serving to keep the people of Israel united. When Jesus entered Jerusalem he immediately went to the temple to teach (after cleaning out the corruption) because that is where people congregated to discuss and learn.

In America the local church has been the place to congregate for all sorts of religious and social events. I think that is disappearing. The role of the local church has been supplanted by many of the same forces that interfered with the temple building 2,500 years ago. Of course, I am a preacher, and you would expect me to call you back to church. Do not believe me! Believe the Word of God: "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." (verse 9) Email me with your comments at newtonumc@ valornet.com.