Grace IBC
Dwelling: The Restoration
Our final week with the book of Haggai. We see the full beautiful picture of the gospel: man's failing, God's redemption, and the promised eternal dwelling with God.
Locations & Times
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Sunday 10:15 AM
Background:
- The nation of Israel taken captive and enslaved 1.400 km from homeland
- By God’s grace through King Cyrus, they are allowed to return home
- They are to rebuild the city of Jerusalem and temple
- No temple, no presence of God, no sin atonement/removal
- 16 years go by with no progress on the temple
- Haggai is God’s messenger who comes to expose their idolatry and rebellion of God
- God judges and restores His people giving them the will and power to do what pleases Him
Today's passage:
- It is 3 months in total since they began the rebuilding
- Haggai’s message shows that the people were still struggling to have a whole hearted response to do the work
Today through Haggai 2 we will see man’s failure, God restoring His dwelling/relationship with His people, and promise of a greater kingdom where He eternally dwells with His people.
We will see today that even though man is separated from God by our sin, God restores us by His grace, and makes us citizens of an eternal kingdom where we will be living with God forever.
- The nation of Israel taken captive and enslaved 1.400 km from homeland
- By God’s grace through King Cyrus, they are allowed to return home
- They are to rebuild the city of Jerusalem and temple
- No temple, no presence of God, no sin atonement/removal
- 16 years go by with no progress on the temple
- Haggai is God’s messenger who comes to expose their idolatry and rebellion of God
- God judges and restores His people giving them the will and power to do what pleases Him
Today's passage:
- It is 3 months in total since they began the rebuilding
- Haggai’s message shows that the people were still struggling to have a whole hearted response to do the work
Today through Haggai 2 we will see man’s failure, God restoring His dwelling/relationship with His people, and promise of a greater kingdom where He eternally dwells with His people.
We will see today that even though man is separated from God by our sin, God restores us by His grace, and makes us citizens of an eternal kingdom where we will be living with God forever.
Question: Since something holy has been inside the robe, does anything else the robe touch become holy?
The priest answer: what it touches doesn’t become holy
The priest answer: what it touches doesn’t become holy
Question: If someone who touched a dead body touches the things mentioned before, is it defiled (soiled, dirty, corrupt)?
The priests answer: what touches something defiled becomes corrupt
The priests answer: what touches something defiled becomes corrupt
Because of their sin, rebellion, and idolatry they were disconnected from God, unable to please Him
They problem they had was a worship problem
They had elevated their way over God’s instruction
This is exactly the world we live in: who sets the standard? Me
What we hope brings liberty, brings bondage
Good works are not a good luck charm, unable to earn favor with God
God wasn’t after a built temple, but after their hearts, true worship
They problem they had was a worship problem
They had elevated their way over God’s instruction
This is exactly the world we live in: who sets the standard? Me
What we hope brings liberty, brings bondage
Good works are not a good luck charm, unable to earn favor with God
God wasn’t after a built temple, but after their hearts, true worship
In sin, they were powerless, but God was restoring His people
It wasn’t their rebuilding that restored them to God, not their good works, it was God
He was at work restoring them by
- Showing them their rebellion against Him
- Calling them to work and worship with their whole heart
- Then the good works would glorify God
He was at work restoring them by
- Showing them their rebellion against Him
- Calling them to work and worship with their whole heart
- Then the good works would glorify God
As believers today, our foundation day was in the death and resurrection of Jesus
“No longer are we in that hopeless situation where impure worshipers offer unclean sacrifices unacceptable to God. Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice has fully purified those who draw near to worship, so that we may approach the throne of grace with confidence” - Michael Stead
In verses 20-23, God directs a message specifically for Zerubbabel
- He could have been easily the most discouraged person
- God had promised that this family would always have the throne of Israel
- He was only a governor given power by another king
In verses 20-23, God directs a message specifically for Zerubbabel
- He could have been easily the most discouraged person
- God had promised that this family would always have the throne of Israel
- He was only a governor given power by another king
God tells Zerubbabel that He is at work building an eternal kingdom
This kingdom will not fall, it isn’t dependent on man’s obedience, it is God who is building and will sustain this kingdom
God tells Zerubbabel, “Go forward, not because the work is great, but because I am.”
God was establishing a greater kingdom
This kingdom wasn’t dependent on the work of the people, but the glory of God
"God not only forgives, He not only redeems, He not only blesses, but He also restores." - Commentary Exalting Jesus in Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi
God’s greatest gift to us is His dwelling, living with us, Immanuel
This kingdom will not fall, it isn’t dependent on man’s obedience, it is God who is building and will sustain this kingdom
God tells Zerubbabel, “Go forward, not because the work is great, but because I am.”
God was establishing a greater kingdom
This kingdom wasn’t dependent on the work of the people, but the glory of God
"God not only forgives, He not only redeems, He not only blesses, but He also restores." - Commentary Exalting Jesus in Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi
God’s greatest gift to us is His dwelling, living with us, Immanuel
