Haggai 2

The book of Haggai is about the rebuilding of God's temple following the return of the Israelites from exile. Chapter 2 spells out the results oonce the new temple is completed.

Verse 6 states "I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land..."

Jerusalem has been destroyed, completely bulldozed by the Babylonians. The Israelites have been taken away from their land for almost a century... their old home is now just a pile of rocks.

I remember how I felt when I saw the towers collapse on 9/11 and how long it has taken to re-build. Imagine what it would be like if the whole country had been flattened?

There would be hopelessness.

But...

God will return to sit on the throne and people will know God is there because the earth will shake. God needs a place to live first, the temple needs to be finished.

The temple will play a key role in the rebuilding of the community because it will be a sign of hope, a sign of God's presence. It will be there for people to see whenever they are feeling hopeless.

What do we have to look at for hope? Where can we turn when life gets hopeless?

We have the cross.

When Jesus died the earth shook (Mt 27:51) because God showed up in a new way... God no longer lives in a building but lives in our hearts.

We don't have to go to a temple to find God because God is on the loose. God was the first one on the scene on 9/11 and God kept showing up for days and years following. God is still there. God is still re-building in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. (Just ask the people of New Orleans)

So you haven't seen God in a while?

Look harder.