Another precise dating of the next message, the date is actually 18th December, 520 BC.
Haggai gives this message in terms of a riddle or a parable. First he asks what happens in consecrated meat touches normal food. Now the garment the meat was wrapped in would become holy (Lev 6:27), but the everyday food would not.
Then Haggai asks what happens if a person who has been defiled by touching a dead body touches the food, does the food become defiled? The answer this time is yes, for anything that touched by an unclean person becomes defiled (Num 19:11-13, 22).
Then the Lord declares that the people are like the defiled man, anything they do becomes defiled. So even though they were back in Israel, in Jerusalem, that did not make them clean. They needed a change of heart. Without Christ we are defiled and no matter what we do, we will defile it.
Now that they had started to rebuild the temple things would change. Up until that point nothing had worked properly, nothing had borne proper fruit. Now it would, now things would change, for "From this day on I will bless you".
So let me reiterate a point I made a post or two ago. The success of what we do is dependent upon God. Now some prosperity teaching is wrong and dangerous, and I have made comments on this on various occasions, but it is true that our turning to God, and a nation's attitude towards God, are the crucial factors in determining well being and true prosperity. If we adopt a simplistic approach to this we will be frustrated (see the book of Job!), but nevertheless, this nation will prosper if it turns to God. If it persists in its rebellion then the nation will suffer. The way we are carrying on just now means that we as a nation are ripe for judgement.
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