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12/13 Reading Portions: 2 Chronicles 14-15; Revelation 4; Haggai 2; John 3
Haggai 2:13
Then Haggai said, “If someone who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?” The priests answered and said, “It does become unclean.”
UNCLEAN
The second chapter of Haggai is always appropriate reading for this time of year. While the first part of his prophetic word comes at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles (Hag 2:1), this next portion comes in the ninth month (Hag 2:10, 20), the month of Chislev, which corresponds to November or December in our Gregorian calendar. Haggai confronts the priests concerning the law (Hag 2:11). The law was clear concerning the distinction between holy things and unclean things. The priests understood this. When a holy thing comes in contact with an unclean thing, it therefore becomes unclean. Having become unclean, it cannot be offered to the LORD (Hag 2:14). While the context of his questioning comes because Israel was rebuilding the temple, it has tremendous application for us. In Christ, we are a royal priesthood (1 Pet 2:9); and you and I are also the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16). Whenever we encounter something unclean in our hearts or minds, entertaining notions of lust, greed, malice, pride, slander, immorality, violence, impurity, evil desire, or other such worldliness or seeds of ungodliness, it soils our view of Christ; it spoils our love for Christ; and it stains our worship of God in Christ. Moreover, it hinders the building up of our holy faith, just as it slowed the building of the temple (Hag 2:16-17). While YHVH God is surely sovereign, and all power to accomplish the holy work comes from Him, you and I are not passive in the work. We must actively submit to Christ in holiness, and when His work thrives in us, it will…
…shake the heavens and the earth. Haggai 2:21
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Those secret, unclean passions
Will spoil our love for Christ,
And slow our growth as Christians
And soil one’s holy life.
