Haggai is a book in the bible that many people may have never cracked open, but I would urge you to make a point of reading and knowing all the prophets (of which Haggai is one). After all, they are called ‘prophets’ for a reason – they prophecy about things yet to come... As if that’s not a good enough reason, the book of Haggai is only 2 chapters long, so it’s quick and easy and you just might learn something!
In the verses above, God is speaking through the prophet directly to the children of Israel, but it also speaks indirectly through the years to us ‘Gentiles’ in our current generation. After all, what is the “temple” in the New Testament, but our own bodies that Christ offers to send His very Spirit in to dwell when we accept His free gift of grace?
So are you laying around your own house, while your inner temple lies in ruins? For anyone who has not accepted Jesus into their life and their heart, the temple is indeed in ruins! I can speak from personal experience that mine was completely in ruins before He saved me, and unfortunately I often seem to be trying to return it to that sad state.
But thank God, I have accepted the Holy Spirit into my heart, and He keeps returning order to the chaos I tend to invent.
Let’s be clear: The body is a temple – and the only difference between one person’s temple and another’s is who (or Who) resides there… The thing to remember is, you cannot get your temple ready for the indwelling Spirit of God, you just have to be willing to open the door and let Him in – then try and get out of the way, and let Him make your temple into something beautiful!