Hag 2:14 | KingComments | STEP | In this verse Haggai gives the meaning of his questions in the previous two verses. Because of their lax attitude with regard to the work at the house of the LORD, their offering is not pleasant to the LORD. He does not accept their offerings, a fact clearly evidenced by the withholding of dew and rain and the blessing of the fruit of the land. The holy meat of the offering cannot transfer its holiness to the offeror if he is only pursuing his own interests. On the contrary, by his unholy attitude he transmits his uncleanness to everything he does, including his offerings. There has to be personal cleanness before someone can act or offer properly. Also in this verse there is mention of “this people” (cf. ). In their place before the LORD, the people look on the one hand like a man who carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and on the other hand like a man who has become unclean by the touch of death. Israel has a sanctuary in the land. Because of this also the land becomes holy. But the people who live in the land do not automatically become holy because of this, nor does everything they build or cultivate there become holy. Israel has become unclean through the failure to rebuild God’s house. As a result, everything the people touch, anything they plant or build or sacrifice on the altar, also becomes unclean. Haggai is closely involved with a people who have let themselves to be touched only externally, but who do not give the LORD, that is the Lord Jesus, the first place. It is a people who do not seek the kingdom of God first ( ), rebuild the temple first and only then rebuild their own house.

‏ Haggai 2:14

Everything Is Unclean

In this verse Haggai gives the meaning of his questions in the previous two verses. Because of their lax attitude with regard to the work at the house of the LORD, their offering is not pleasant to the LORD. He does not accept their offerings, a fact clearly evidenced by the withholding of dew and rain and the blessing of the fruit of the land. The holy meat of the offering cannot transfer its holiness to the offeror if he is only pursuing his own interests. On the contrary, by his unholy attitude he transmits his uncleanness to everything he does, including his offerings. There has to be personal cleanness before someone can act or offer properly.

Also in this verse there is mention of “this people” (cf. Hag 1:2). In their place before the LORD, the people look on the one hand like a man who carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and on the other hand like a man who has become unclean by the touch of death. Israel has a sanctuary in the land. Because of this also the land becomes holy. But the people who live in the land do not automatically become holy because of this, nor does everything they build or cultivate there become holy. Israel has become unclean through the failure to rebuild God’s house. As a result, everything the people touch, anything they plant or build or sacrifice on the altar, also becomes unclean.

Haggai is closely involved with a people who have let themselves to be touched only externally, but who do not give the LORD, that is the Lord Jesus, the first place. It is a people who do not seek the kingdom of God first (Mt 6:33), rebuild the temple first and only then rebuild their own house.