Haggai 2:3a Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory?

Here we see in Haggai a reference to the “second,” temple, the one that would be rebuilt. The first temple had been destroyed and Israel was taken captive to Babylon. Now, several decades later, a “remnant,” had returned. When given the opportunity, about a third left the comfort and the relative luxury of Babylon to return to Jerusalem. They of course found the temple broken down and it was in their hearts to rebuild it. Most of them knew nothing of the glory of the temple in its original splendor. They had heard tales of course, but the reality of what they found and the hostile nature of the territory meant that for almost twenty years, little to no progress was made in the rebuilding of the temple. The people were too busy living their own lives and attending to their own house-holds to attend to the temple.

In our day, brothers and sisters, we too have a remnant. We too live in a hostile environment. We are often too busy to be invested in the Body of Christ, the true and living temple. Who among us can remember a day when you walked into a gathering and the presence of the Lord was so evident that you dare not speak, not even whisper? There was an “awareness,” of His glory. There was no need for dimmed lights and smoke machines. His presence compelled you to your knees. Nobody had to tell you to raise your hands, they simply took their rightful place, aloft and surrendered to the glory. There was a “holy heaviness,” where one could barely lift their heads. Tentatively a song would rise from a lowly saint and then the whole congregation would join in as waves of glory would wash over them until a word would come forward, a testimony, a scripture and the waves would continue to come.

The Lord says to the people of Haggai “so my Spirit remains among you, do not fear…..once more I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and the dry land, and I will shake all the nations………and I will fill this temple with glory….the silver is Mine and the gold is Mine…..the glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former….. and in this place I shall give peace.” (Haggai 6-9) God is raising up a temple here in these last days, a temple built without human hands and He shall fill this temple with such glory that it shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Out of this temple shall flow the knowledge of the glory of God. His peace shall rest upon His people even as they are surrounded by hostility. The greater glory of the Lord as manifested to men still remains to be seen. We, brothers and sisters, are living stones in that very temple. Rejoice and be glad today for the Bridegroom cometh for the Bride and the temple is being made ready.