In this episode, we move into the next section of Haggai’s message, where God speaks again through the prophet to challenge the people about the purity of their worship and work.
Through a series of questions to the priests, the Lord reveals an important principle: holiness is not automatically transferred, but impurity is. In other words, even though the people were rebuilding the temple, their outward work could not make them holy if their hearts were still defiled.
It’s a sobering reminder that God cares not only about what we do for Him, but how we do it — with clean hands and pure hearts devoted to His glory.
“In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,
If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No.
Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.
Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the Lord; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.”
— Haggai 2:10–14 (KJV)
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