My dear readers,

"On building God’s House" - A John Sung Sermon (I)
(Dr SH Tow, Reformation Banner November-December 79)
Text: Haggai 1
Verse 1. First, let us explore the historical background of this prophecy. Seventy years had passed since the children of Israel were taken into captivity to Babylon. Now they were returned to their homeland. But their Temple was lying in ruins. The City Gates were also destroyed. The first step taken by the people upon their Return was to rebuild their Temple!

The enemy proposed to join them in this work. This proposal was rejected because they were deemed unclean. This sparked up their anger. The enemy was determined to stop them. They sent a petition to the Persian king, "The people of Judah are repairing the city wall in an evil plot …" This induced the king to order the Jews to stop building their City and Temple.

On the 1st day of the 6th month of King Darius’ rule, God told Haggai to speak to the people, "Hasten to build the Temple. Don’t let it lie waste." Now, when God speaks He means business! Like the Manchu Emperor’s decree, every word must be heeded! Shall we not listen and obey what the King of kings decrees? Let us obey! We believe God speaks to us today as He spoke to them of old.

God’s Temple — our bodies
Verse 2. God says, "You say it is not time yet to build the Temple." What is the Temple? Even our body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Though we are of little worth, God wants us to become holy. To become holy is to become a holy temple. Let us seek holiness early that God may dwell in our hearts. But this the Jews did not want to do.

Verses 3 & 4. God said to the prophet, "Though God’s House is in ruins, you are living in houses with decorative ceilings. You care only for your own houses, your bungalows and gardens, but not God’s House. You let it lie in ruins." There are many today busily engaged in business, making money and seeking promotions. But they have no time to repair their own temple, still in ruins. Will God bless them? God says, "I will not bless you because you care only for yourself. You care not for my Temple."

Verses 5 & 6. God says, "Because you do not consider your own temple at all, I want you to examine your own doings. You plant and reap abundantly, but I will not let you enjoy it. I’ll make a hole in your bag and all will leak out."

True Riches
Some think the most important thing is money. God says, "I won’t bless. I’ll blow upon it, and it is gone with the wind." Once I put some dollars in my pocket. In a little while they had disappeared. I looked into my pocket. There was a hole! God says, "Since you dis-regard the Temple, I’ll make a hole in your bag."

Today there are some who disregard holiness. God then brings sickness on their children. They spend their fortune. Their pocket is emptied. Why? Because they disregarded the Temple. God cannot bless. There are preachers who are engaged in mundane things. They disregard their quiet time. Someone said to me, "Mr. Sung, I never succeed in any work I do." I replied, "Maybe your Temple is in ruins." When we disregard the temple, God says, "I’ll make a hole in your bag." There was a tycoon in Shanghai. He made $1,000 a month. When exhorted to close shop on Sunday, he replied, "My business suffers greatly if I stop trading for a day." He had eight children but these got sick by turns. He spent $1,000 a month on doctor’s bills. He said to me, "Mr. Sung, God has not blessed me. My children have all taken ill. All that I have earned has gone into the doctor’s purse." I said, "Maybe you lacked holiness, so your bag had a hole. You are not holy, so God makes things turn against you. The more you disregard God, the more holes God puts in your bag."

Your Daily Quiet Time
Verses 7 & 8. The prophet says, "Thus saith the Lord, consider your ways, Go up to the mountain and bring wood and build the house: and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord." If we seek God’s delight in us, we must cleanse ourselves. How? The Bible says we should go up daily to the mountain to study His Word. That is to find wood. One piece at a time.

The temple is built! Beloved, have you gone up the mountain to bring wood? Every day before it dawns, I get up. For what? To find wood to build the temple. How important it is to have devotions!

Beloved, do you read your Bible every day? If not, your temple is in ruins. Do you want to have devotions every day? If you do, God will be pleased and glorified.

Verse 9. God says, "You expect much, but I won’t give." Do you want to get rich? God says, "If you don’t build the temple, I will blow away all that you store up together. You care only for yourselves, but I won’t bless, thus saith the LORD of hosts.

Verses 10 & 11. God says, "For your sakes it will not rain. The earth will not produce. You have no way out!" God says, "I send the drought. There is no reaping." Why won’t God bless? Because you have not gone to find wood every day. The temple is in ruins. (To be continued)

Yours faithfully in the Saviour’s Service,
Dr SH Tow, Sr Pastor