Malachi 1-2 (August 19)

Malachi 1-2

Honoring God
(August 19)

Do you have a solid understanding of how God is working in your life?

Are you honoring Him with obedience regardless of your lack of understanding?

Have you allowed your circumstances to discourage you to the point that you are dishonoring God?

Looking back at the Jews of the 5^th and 6^th Centuries B.C., their circumstances had very gradually changed, as the oppression of the Assyrians and Babylonians (as well as the opposition of their neighbors: the Moabites, Edomites, Philistines, Syrians, and Lebanese) had been replaced by some measure of freedom under Persian rule. They were, obviously, not inspired to new heights of discipline and obedience (as we've seen in Joel, Zephaniah, Haggai, and Zechariah), however. Instead, apathy, neglect, abuse, greed, and ungodliness had crept in as they settled to just “mix in with the crowd”. Their goals appeared to have been highly influenced (if not defined) by their desire for respect from their neighbors, rather than the desire to bring honor to God.

There is much dispute as to who EXACTLY is Malachi. The name “Malachi” means “My messenger”, and the person who penned the book may have had a desire to draw every bit of attention to the message he'd been given. Because we don't know much about Malachi, you'll find some speculation about whether he might be a character we already know (Ezra, Nehemiah, or Mordecai are three possibilities). But whether we know a little or a lot about him, the message remains... our duty is to honor God (to bring glory to His name). Anything we do (by commission or omission) that goes against that duty necessitates God's discipline and, eventually, judgment.

Lastly, this book serves as a bridge (along with Matthew, which we'll begin studying in September) between the Old Testament and the New Testament. With very clear references to Jesus and even John the Baptist and solid references back to Malachi in the New Testament, the book's canonicity is unquestioned.

Ref: Malachi 3:1 (NIV)
“"See, I will send My messenger [John the Baptist], who will prepare the way before Me [Jesus].
Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to His temple;
the Messenger of the covenant, Whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty. ”

Ref: Matthew 11:10 (NIV)
“This is the one about whom it is written:

'I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.'”

Ref: Romans 9:13 (NIV)
“Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."”

What is not in dispute is that we are given 2 “oracles” (or “burdens”) here

1. In chs.9-11, we see God's interaction with his people until the coming of Christ

2. In chs.12-14, we see the Last Days (the final conflict and ultimate triumph of God)

So, making the book practical for us today in the 21^st Century, what are some areas where we can ensure we're bringing honor to God (areas He tells us here that He takes seriously).

1. Envying Our Neighbor

Ref: Malachi 1:2-5 (NIV)
“"I have loved you," says the LORD.
"But you ask, 'How have you loved us?'
"Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" the LORD says.
"Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated,
and I have turned his mountains into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals." Edom may say, "Though we have been crushed, we will rebuild the ruins."
But this is what the LORD Almighty says:
"They may build, but I will demolish.
They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the LORD.
You will see it with your own eyes and say, 'Great is the LORD -
even beyond the borders of Israel!'”

All of those who “have it better than you do”,
all of those who “God must love more than you”,
all of those who you constantly compare yourself to...
are they truly blessed like you... or have they been released to their own devices?

Which would you rather have... God's blessing (even if it's not apparent to you today) or
your own blessings (forged by good things like hard work and perseverance, but not of God)?

Ref: Exodus 20:17 (NIV) [The Tenth Commandment]
“You shall not covet your neighbor's house.
You shall not covet your neighbor's wife,
or his manservant or maidservant,
his ox or donkey,
or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

2. Neglecting our Church

Ref: Malachi 1:11-14 (NIV)
“"My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun.
In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to My name,
because My name will be great among the nations," says the LORD Almighty.
"But you profane it by saying of the Lord's table,
'It is defiled,' and of its food, 'It is contemptible.'
And you say, 'What a burden!' and you sniff at it contemptuously," says the LORD Almighty.
"When you bring injured, crippled or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices,
should I accept them from your hands?" says the LORD.
"Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it,
but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord.
For I am a great king," says the LORD Almighty,
"and my name is to be feared among the nations."”

Special warning follows this in the first part of Malachi 2 to priests
(for us, that extends to at least clergy, if not to all of us)
to cherish God's holy altar
(mizbeach [miz-bay'-akh] in Hebrew, where sacrifices are offered to honor God)

We are called to excellence, reverence, and awe as we come together every Sunday...
not apathy, laziness, and a lukewarm nod. Anything less than this is neglect of our duties.

Ref: Exodus 20:8-11 (NIV) [The Fourth Commandment]
“"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God.
On it you shall not do any work,
neither you, nor your son or daughter,
nor your manservant or maidservant,
nor your animals,
nor the alien within your gates.
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
but He rested on the seventh day.
Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

Ref: Psalm 100 (NIV)
“Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before Him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.
It is He who made us, and we are His;
we are His people,
the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise;
give thanks to Him and praise His name.
For the LORD is good and His love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all generations.”

3. Following False Gods

Ref: Malachi 2:10-12 (NIV)
“Have we not all one Father?
Did not one God create us?
Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another?
Judah has broken faith.
A detestable thing has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem:
Judah has desecrated the sanctuary the LORD loves,
by marrying the daughter of a foreign god.
As for the man who does this, whoever he may be,
may the LORD cut him off from the tents of Jacob —
even though he brings offerings to the LORD Almighty.”

Have you “married the daughter of a foreign god”?

Certainly, that could and did mean explicitly marrying ungodly wives,
but the bigger picture on this is “Have we married ourselves to something that is not of God?”.

Do I have something in my life that I sacrifice my time, money, and passion to
that is not of Him?

Ref: Exodus 20:3 (NIV) [The First Commandment]
“You shall have no other gods before Me.”

Ref: Exodus 20:4-6 (NIV) [The Second Commandment]
“You shall not make for yourself an idol
in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
You shall not bow down to them or worship them;
for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God,
punishing the children for the sin of the fathers
to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
but showing love to a thousand {generations}
of those who love me and keep my commandments.”

4. Disrespecting Marriage

Ref: Malachi 2:13-16 (NIV)
“Another thing you do: You flood the LORD's altar with tears.
You weep and wail because He no longer pays attention to your offerings
or accepts them with pleasure from your hands.
You ask, "Why?"
It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner,
the wife of your marriage covenant.
Has not the LORD made them one?
In flesh and spirit they are his.
And why one?
Because He was seeking godly offspring.
So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.
"I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel,
"and I hate a man's covering himself with violence as well as with his garment,"
says the LORD Almighty.
So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.”

I so often overlook passages like this because I haven't “cheated” on my wife.
I gloss over what God is saying to each one of us here.

I must respect my marriage.
With time.
With care.
With affection.
With love.

Ref: Exodus 20:14 (NIV) [The Seventh Commandment]
“You shall not commit adultery.”

Ref: Matthew 5:27-28 (NIV)
“You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.'
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

There's so much more here than blatant infidelity.
There is taking your eye off of the wonderful gift and treasure
that God has placed into your life and entrusted you with

Conclusion

God is calling us to honor Him by showing:

• Gratitude (not foolishly envying our neighbor)

• Reverence (not neglecting His altar and our time spent with Him there)

• Devotion (not following false gods and other distractions)

• Fidelity (not disrespecting our marriages and families in ANY way)

Next week, we'll close out our study of Malachi and of the Old Testament Minor Prophets
by looking at Malachi 3-4 and how God has blessed us and wants to continue to do so.