The Glory of the Latter House

What is the glory of the latter house? The book of Hagai prophesies that the glory of the latter house will be greater than the former. 

Hagai 2:9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

This was a word given to the people of Israel that were exiting the Babylonian captivity. ​​For 70 years the land of Israel was desolate and the Jews “served the king of Babylon seventy years” (Jeremiah 25:11; 2 Chronicles 36:17-21). After the 70 years were completed in Babylon, God told them that He would cause them “to return to this place [Jerusalem]” (Jeremiah 29:10). 

The captivity of the Jewish people began prior to the destruction of the temple with the first deportation of Jews to Babylon and ended with a decree from Cyrus allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem. This was also 70 years.

One of Cyrus’ first acts was to issue a decree allowing the Jews to leave Babylon. Ezra records this joyous event for the Jews as follows: “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, thus sayeth Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.”

Although all were free to leave Babylon many stayed there, and only a remnant returned to Judah in order to build God’s house. Jeremiah applies the term remnant not to the survivors who remained in the land of Judah, but to those who were taken captive, who would be the recipients of the new covenant and undergo the new Exodus. Therefore, those who returned from exile constitute the faithful remnant (Jer. 31:7-9), the recipients of the Lord’s new covenant (vss. 31-34), the “carriers of the ancient covenant blessings.”

Nevertheless, as already mentioned, the pre-exilic prophets did not always clearly distinguish between the faithful remnant who would return from captivity and the eschatological remnant. Isaiah’s description of the return of the exiles in Isaiah 11, for example, occurs in the context of eschatological restoration. Therefore we can say that the prophecy in Haggai applies to something that already occurred but also something that will have its final fulfillment at the end of times. 

 This prophecy in Haggai refers to an end-time house of God that will be far more glorious than all the previous ones. In fact, this prophecy speaks of God’s end-time temple which is made out of living stones. It is the living body of Christ, manifest in his ekklesia. 

The church will experience and manifest the greatest glory at the very end, once we have all grown into the unity of the faith and the stature of the perfect man, Christ Jesus. To this end time church, God has promised to release all the treasures and hidden riches of secret places, so we may know that He, the Lord, is the God of Israel. But he will do it as he shakes everything that can be shaken. He will do it during very troubling times. 

Isaiah 45:1-4“‘I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD, who call you by your name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob My servant’s sake, and Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me”.

“I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” (Haggai 2:7-8)

These treasures and hidden riches are fully spiritual and will be manifest through the mighty miracles and signs and wonders that the end-time remnant of the wise will perform. 

Daniel 11:32 “Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.”

Note that before the returning remnant left Babylon, the king gave them silver and gold, and other riches in order to build the temple. And in the same manner, God will pour his latter wine and all his supernatural power over his anointed ones in order to bring revival and provoke Israel to jealousy. And that is how God’s house will be built and finished. And that is when we will see the glory of his latter house. 

Ezra 1:4 “The people still left alive in every place must bring gifts to the people going. They must provide silver and gold to the people going up to Jerusalem. The people must bring goods and livestock. They should also bring any offerings they choose to. All those gifts will be for God’s temple in Jerusalem.’”

However, he can only build this house with those who choose to return to the ancient paths and leave Babylon. The Lord can’t and wont pour his new wine into old wineskin because if he does that the old wineskins can be ruined. In other words, the Lord won’t pour his latter new wine over people that are captive in the Babylonyian religious system. God will only give his treasures and hidden riches of secret places to those who are willing to come out of Babylon and step into the fullness of Christ.

Revelation 18:4 “Then I heard another voice calling from heaven, ‘Come away from her (Babylon) my people. Do not take part in her sins, or you will be punished with her.”

Jeremiah 54:45 “Come out, my people, flee from Babylon. Save yourselves! Run from the LORD’s fierce anger.”

In the Old Testament Babylon was a city; in the New Testament Babylon is a spirit.

In the Old Testament the city of Babylon gave birth to an empire that ruled the known world and imposed a worldview upon all of the peoples that she conquered. She could be brutal; she could be proud and she thought she would reign forever.

The story of Babylon is woven throughout the entirety of the Old Testament narrative. She is introduced to us in Genesis as “Babel”, the city were human beings decided to make a name for themselves in defiance of the word of God. Later she becomes the empire that destroys Jerusalem, burns the temple and takes the people of God into exile. She is the beast that almost swallowed the bride; but in the end, she is judged, despoiled and thrown down.

Babylon represents all the pagan and idolatrous systems that oppose God. It presents captivity. It represents an unholy system that functions without the Lordship of God controlling the religious, financial, political and social spheres of the world. This Spirit has infiltrated the church and that is why the Lord commands his people to come out it in order to not partake of all the plagues and judgements that will come upon her. In fact those who come out of the Babylonian system and return to God, will partake of the glory of the Latter house; and will lead God’s end time army bringing revival, but those who remain in it will suffer God’s judgment.