Clifford Denton turns to Haggai to understand the crises currently filling our news broadcasts and feeds.
'I admit it – Iraq was a mistake. But that shouldn't stop us intervening in Syria'
This was the heading of a Times' article on Tuesday 24 November in which William Hague, a former Foreign Secretary, argued the case for the UK bombing chosen targets to defeat ISIS in Syria.
Day by day the global crisis escalates. Last week the world responded to horrendous terror attacks in Paris. France went immediately to war in Syria. This week a missile from Turkey brought down a Russian plane on combat duty in Syria. Russia promises retribution. Brussels is on high alert for terrorism. What next - and where do we stand?
Britain is bracing up for potential terrorist attacks in coming days. What should we do? Should we unleash our airborne weapons of war in Syria? That is this week's question. Experienced politicians can argue convincingly for or against involvement in armed aggression. Iraq was horrendous, Syria is devastating. But is there a word of prophecy? Does the Bible have a relevant word for today?
Haggai Foresaw the Circumstances of Our Day
Haggai was told to stir up the returning exiles so that they would rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem at the time of Zerubbabel. He and Zechariah prophesied together at that time. Haggai's ministry seemed more practical, while Zechariah saw mystical visions and was caused to reach out into the heavenly domain. Together they understood that the God of Israel was restoring favour to Judah.
At that time there was a re-building programme, but they both also saw into the distant future, beyond the immediate, to God's far-reaching purposes for his people. The future that they foresaw includes our present day. Perhaps their words are what the nation's leaders should be reading as they consider how to respond to our shaking world.
In 1986 at the prophetic gathering on Mt Carmel, God revealed that he is now shaking the nations, in line with Haggai's prophecy. Where does the present crisis fit into this context?
The Mount Carmel Gathering
Haggai spoke prophetically in words that are easy to understand. At the 1986 gathering on Mount Carmel, it was Haggai's prophecy that was brought into focus.
The writer to the Hebrews, writing several centuries later, understood that Haggai spoke of the future: "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens" (Heb 12:26; Hag 2:6). The Lord showed this to the prophetic gathering of 1986 and since then the world has indeed been subject to shaking – a shaking that goes on and on. These things have been highlighted in Prophecy Today since then.
Where, therefore, does the present world crisis - with its scattered outbursts of terrorism and a major conflict in the Middle East - fit into this prophetic context? Let us revisit the prophecy.
Haggai in Focus
Haggai re-stated his prophecy towards the end of chapter 2. Consider how clearly this describes today's escalating conflict among the nations:
I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.
I will overturn royal thrones
and shatter the power of the foreign [Gentile] kingdoms.
I will overthrow chariots and their drivers;
horses and their riders will fall,
each by the sword of his brother. (2:20-22)
The weapons and armoury of Haggai's day were chariots, horses and swords. These are symbolic of the more powerful weaponry of our day - the day of fulfilment. Haggai's prophecy is being fulfilled today: God has set this time for dealing with the Gentile nations, overthrowing their power, and humbling them.
Plans for Harvest
Elsewhere in the Bible we read of God's redemptive purposes for Israel, his plans for strengthening all his covenant family across the whole world, and the great ingathering for the Kingdom that will result from the shaking – all with the return of Jesus in focus.
God has set this time for dealing with the Gentile nations – this is a day of fulfilment.
Plans for Judgment
In this particular passage from Haggai we read of the way God will deal with unrighteousness among the nations – this is what God is doing in the world conflict that is escalating today. These are not just chance happenings, it is God saying: I am bringing this about.
Plans for Humbling
The final phrase of this prophecy is especially relevant when we consider current debates on whether to wage war in Syria. This is the day where God's judgement will be outworked by Gentile nations being brought low – each by the sword of his brother.
It is no wonder that, humanly speaking, there is no clear way forward to defeat terrorism. The nations will bring one another down in the escalating conflicts of our day - one way or another. This is what is happening before our eyes - and Almighty God has given us plenty of time to consider this, as he spoke through his prophet Haggai roughly 2,500 years ago.
Humanly speaking, there is no clear way forward. But our understanding should be that God is allowing this escalating crisis – in fact, it has long been foretold.
This is Not Pacifism
This is the understanding that should motivate decisions in the UK's parliament. We are on a dangerous path to destruction unless we understand what God is doing in judgment and seek a way forward in prayer together – prayer across the nation.
This may seem to be a call to pacifism, to be anti-war, against involvement in armed conflict. It is not that. We can be pacifist and still not be right before God. We must set ourselves to discover what God is doing today and why – it is a call to the prayer room and separation from a self-destructive world, until we understand the path he desires us to walk.
There are pacifist voices in the current parliament, but not with prophetic understanding. The position of a righteous nation, one that escapes the infighting and mutual destruction of the coming days, is to seek God in all respects. God is outworking the final steps of his covenant purposes and we must walk with him through these days of prophetic fulfilment. We must be doing what he is doing.
God is outworking his covenant purposes and we must walk with him through these days of prophetic fulfilment - we must be doing what he is doing.
What Must We Do Next?
It is likely that however we engage with the current military conflict - even if we withdraw completely - we will not have the right overall objectives. Withdrawal from the conflict is just the first step, recognising that we will not escape God's judgment simply through holding back our military power.
We must pursue understanding of what pleases God so that our nation will be once more protected, once more used for his Gospel and covenant purposes. Central to this is the call for the Church to be the watchman to the nation and to be engaged in intercessory prayer.
Haggai has spoken clearly, not just to the returning exiles of his day but to all countries of the world in the day in which we live. We do have the word of God for our times, spoken around 2,500 years ago to explain to us what God is doing this week and in the coming weeks, months and years.
This week a key question is whether to escalate armed conflict in Syria. Soon there will be other challenges and momentous decisions. Every decision must be guided by the word of God. Nothing else ultimately will succeed in bringing peace and protection.