There’s something profoundly significant in the statement
“From this day on I will bless you”
As you read it or hear it, I wonder how you are responding? I wonder if you are asking whether this statement could apply to you and your church right now? If from now on God will bless you, then you might also be wondering, against the backdrop of past experience how this might be possible.
A look at the text
It’s 5 years since COVID-19 started to spread, eventually becoming a full pandemic in 2020. You’ll remember “Hands, Face, space”. We became aware of the danger of contact with infection. Haggai engages in conversation with the priests about a similar matter but it isn’t about the passing on of a contagious disease. Rather, the question is whether or not spiritual holiness and spiritual contamination or uncleanness can be passed on through contact. [1]
The Torah made two distinctions. The first was between the holy and profane where holy things were set apart specifically for God’s glory and worship whereas profane things were for ordinary use. The second was between clean things and unclean things. This reflected ceremonially the idea that we become contaminated by the mess and dirt of life around us. So, Haggai asks two questions. First, he asks whether holy things can sanctify/consecrate unholy, ordinary things ? The answer comes back “no.”[2] Secondly, he asks whether something unclean or contaminated will make the clean thing unclean if they come into contact with each other? The answer to this is “yes” (v10-14).[3]
Once again, the people are invited to consider something carefully or “give thought to” . The situation for God’s people was that whatever they have touched has gone wrong -a reverse Midas touch. This was evidence that they were unclean/contaminated when they were meant to be clean and holy (v15-17).
Now what is the situation? Th question about whether or not there is any seed left to sow is asked rhetorically. There would not be at this time. As Hill observes, tey must now wait in faith to see what God will do. Now they are establishing the temple again will things change? The question is whether or not things will change (v18-19a).[4] Well, if they think it will change by contact with the priests and the temple then the answer is that it won’t. A clean and holy temple cannot make their unclean, unholy lives clean and holy. However, God will bless them. This means a renewal of the Covenant blessings promised to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 (v19b)).[5] Evidence of that change from curse to blessing will be that God will shake the nations and he will specifically use Zerubbabel and exalt him as His representative (v20-23).+
Digging Deeper
Why then has there been a change. What will be different from now on? I think that the rebuilding of the temple is significant but not in a mechanistic way. Following the rituals, coming into contact with the temple, offering sacrifices, even the outward act of obedience if done purely to turn God’s hand will not change things from curse to blessing. However, the rebuilt Temple represented a return to following the given means of grace at the time, through the sacrificial system, it represented atonement and forgiveness being available provided that outward actions reflected inner heart change.
The crucial thing though is that God is speaking and acting. It has been his decision and his purpose to bless his people, just as it has always been.
God speaking and acting is seen in his announcement that Zerubbabel will be Yahweh’s “signet ring. This ring represented the king’s authority. It is a seal. In other words, kingly authority is being re-established, specifically God’s kingly authority. Zerubbabel may have been appointed as Cyrus’ and then Darius’ governor or representative, however, in truth he ws there to govern on behalf of the Lord. The restoration of kingly authority pointed to the re-establishing of David’s line as promised by previous prophets. As Petterson ppints out:”clearly Haggai is not saying that Zerubbabel is the Messiah” but he “will re-establish the Davidic line in Jerusalem.”[6]
It might help us also to consider two New Testament truths as we see how this passage is applied in and through Christ.
- Jesus teaches that it’s what is within that comes out which contaminates/makes unclean. The heart is where the problem is.
- Christ reverses things. He touches lepers, he eats with tax collectors and publicans, he allows prostitutes to anoint him and instead of him being contaminated, made unholy and unclean, his contact, his touch makes them clean so that they are forgiven, healed, restored. He reverses the clean/unclean flow
A look at ourselves
It’s crucial first to ask what it means to be blessed today. The focus in Haggai is on material blessing but that is because those blessings reflected the covenant with Abraham of a land and God’s provision and protection. It might help them to look at Bible passages like Ephesians 1 to see the rich blessings that are outpoured on us in Christ.
What changes things, what makes it possible for us to be blessed, to have forgiveness, to be adopted into God’s family and to have sure and certain hope of resurrection and the new creation is that Christ, the true and better temple has come.
[1] Timing wise, it is at this point, a couple of weeks earlier that Zechariah begins his prophetic ministry. Hill, 85.
[2]For background c.f. Numbers 6:20; Lev 6:26-27; 7:15,
[3] C.f. Levitcus 11:28; 22:4-7.
[4] Hill, 91.
[5] Hill, 85.
[6] Petterson, 86. Petterson suggests that we need to read this in conjunction with Zechariah, especially Zechariah 3:8 and 6:12. See also Jacobs, 123-125.
Faithroots 