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Haggai
1:14—2:9
The prophet Haggai focuses on the rebuilding of the temple after the exile in Babylon, and the book begins with God commanding the governor of Judah and the high priest to begin work on the structure. The project was a top priority since the temple was Israel’s primary place of worship and sacrifice, and was the spot where God was believed to be present. Haggai says that “the LORD stirred up the spirit” of the governor, the high priest, and the remnant of the people of Israel, and “they came and worked on the house of the LORD” (Hag 1:14). God asked them, “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?” (Hag 2:3). At this point, the rebuilt temple was nothing more than a foundation.
In spite of this unimpressive sight, God tells the people and their leaders to “take courage … for I am with you … according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear” (Hag 2:4-5). God promises to “fill this house with splendor” (Hag 2:7) — making it more glorious than the temple of Solomon — and “in this place I will give prosperity, says the LORD” (Hag 2:9). The word translated “prosperity” is shalom, which means peace, harmony, wholeness, and completeness. Shalom “includes restoration of health, cessation of hostilities, and enrichment of individual and community life, prosperity in the richest sense of the term,” writes Old Testament professor W. Eugene March. God “not only assured the people that the Temple would be made splendid, but also that the ill health of the community, its economic weakness, its vulnerability, would be replaced by God’s ‘peace.’”
So, what are the characteristics of a true house for God? According to Haggai, such a temple is a community project, one that involves both the people and their leaders. It is a place of peace, harmony, wholeness and completeness, one that continuously reminds us that God is with us. Such a structure is currently being built in Barcelona, Spain: The Sagrada Familia Church. From a distance, the four main towers of the church look like giant drip sandcastles on the beach, but as you get closer you discover that these intricate towers are spindle-shaped, mind-bending masterpieces. The architect was Antoni Gaudi, and the church is still under construction after more than 135 years. The architecture is showy and ornamental, full of geometric shapes and images plucked from nature. Gaudi labored over his church for 43 years, and during his last 12 years he focused on nothing else. He gave his all to God, or at least to the Sacred Family — which is what “Sagrada Familia” means in Spanish. The next step in the construction of Gaudi’s church will be the completion of a 550-foot high “Tower of Jesus.” This tower is scheduled to be finished by 2026 — the 100th anniversary of Gaudi’s death.
The Sagrada Familia Church seems to fulfill the promise made by God to Haggai, “I will fill this house with splendor” (Hag 2:7), and it joins the rebuilding of the temple in offering us guidance for our own places of worship. Such structures should be:
Community projects, involving both the people and their leaders. Haggai tells us that God stirred up the spirit of two leaders and “the spirit of all the remnant of the people” (Hag 1:14). In Barcelona, Sagrada Familia was started by Gaudi, but it will be completed by members of the community. In similar manner, our houses of worship should involve the spirit, courage and efforts of a large number of people. Without the faith and commitment of a robust community, a church is just a building.
Places of peace, harmony, wholeness and completeness. “In this place I will give prosperity,” says God, using the Hebrew word that also means peace, harmony, wholeness and completeness (Heb 2:9). Sagrada Familia is full of shapes and images that reveal the glory of God in creation, and in similar manner our churches should be designed to offer us peace and harmony. Our time in worship should comfort us and challenge us, leaving us with feelings of wholeness and completeness.
Reminders that God is with us. In Jerusalem, the temple was “the house of the LORD of hosts” (Hag 1:14). In Barcelona, Sagrada Familia is a community of faith that is building the “Tower of Jesus.” Jesus is a sign that God is with us, the one who fulfills the prophecy of “Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us” (Matt 1:23). All churches should offer the sure sense that God is present and working for good in our lives.
Our places of worship are most valuable when they are built by the entire community of faith, offered in the service of something much bigger and more lasting than individual lives. Like the people of Jerusalem and Barcelona, we are to hold nothing back, but give ourselves fully to God. This passage from Haggai is one of the Bible’s greatest hits because it reminds us that our churches are community projects, places of peace, and reminders that God is with us. When we build in this way, the words of God come true for us: “My spirit abides among you; do not fear” (Hag 2:5).
Questions:
1. What does the Hebrew word shalom mean to you?
2. Where do you find splendor in your house of worship?
3. How do you give yourself to God in your community of faith?
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