11 December 2009
Psalm 31; Haggai 1:1-15; Rev. 2:18-29; Matt. 23:27-39

Haggai’s prophetic words were addressed to the returned exile community who had re-settled in the land. They have seen to their own needs and gone about their business seemingly unconcerned with rebuilding the house of the Lord. They are confronted with this neglect and then the prophet shows them that their lives and labor have failed to live up to their expectations and says that this is God’s judgment on their failure to attend to the temple. The prophetic word stirs the people to action.

The righteousness of the Pharisees is condemned in the strongest possible way, calling them “whitewashed tombs.” When festivals were held in Jerusalem, one of the public works projects was to whitewash the tombs in order to make everything as beautiful as possible and at the same time this whitewashing obscured the fact that they were the abode of the dead. Jesus uses this powerful image to describe the religious leaders. Further, he links them with their ancestors who killed the prophets while these contemporary leaders disavowed the connection. At this very festival they will do far worse than killing God’s messengers, they will kill His only begotten Son.

The church at Thyatira is criticized for listening to a false prophetess who is leading them astray from their spiritual loyalty to Christ. The specific teaching here is not available to us and yet we can surmise certain things based on what we do know of teachings that were current among those who would lead the church astray. It seems likely that this prophetess claimed special revelation from God and that this revelation was leading the people into truths that were not found in Scripture, the deeper truths as it were. This same spirit exists today in some churches and we should always be careful of those who claim to have this knowledge that is unattainable to others. We have the Word written and the Spirit of God to guide us into all truth, we should be skeptical of those who claim new revelation.

Blessed be the LORD,
for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
when I was in a besieged city.
I had said in my alarm,
"I am cut off from your sight."
But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy
when I cried to you for help.