malachi “major” thoughts from a “minor” prophet M

Series Recap We learned that it is important that we hold firm to the understanding that God loves us and has chosen us by sending His Son and His Spirit to urge us toward salvation We learned that it is important that we hold firm to the understanding that God loves us and has chosen us by sending His Son and His Spirit to urge us toward salvation The thought that God withheld nothing from us in seeking to see us saved from our sin is humbling and worthy of thanks. The thought that God withheld nothing from us in seeking to see us saved from our sin is humbling and worthy of thanks. For the ancient Jew, obedience to the Law was a response to the love shown to them by God; in fact, obedience to the law was an expression of love and thankfulness to God. For the ancient Jew, obedience to the Law was a response to the love shown to them by God; in fact, obedience to the law was an expression of love and thankfulness to God. Today, we come face to face with the issue of unacceptable thanksgiving. Today, we come face to face with the issue of unacceptable thanksgiving.

“A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the L ORD Almighty. “It is you priests who show contempt for my name. “But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’ “By offering defiled food on my altar. “But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ “By saying that the L ORD ’s table is contemptible. When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the L ORD Almighty. “Now plead with God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?”—says the L ORD Almighty. “Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the L ORD Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands. “Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the L ORD Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.

My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the L ORD Almighty. “But you profane it by saying, ‘The Lord’s table is defiled,’ and, ‘Its food is contemptible.’ And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and you sniff at it contemptuously,” says the L ORD Almighty. “When you bring injured, lame or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?” says the L ORD. “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 L ORD Almighty, ”and my name is to be feared among the nations.” – Malachi 1:6-14

God begins by confronting a specific attitude within the people of Israel. God begins by confronting a specific attitude within the people of Israel. The attitude God confronts has to do with honour and respect – literally, denying God His ‘weight’. The attitude God confronts has to do with honour and respect – literally, denying God His ‘weight’. In verse 6, God indicates that they ‘show contempt’ for His name. In verse 6, God indicates that they ‘show contempt’ for His name. Notice how the people respond to this charge – they answer with a complete obliviousness to the contempt they show God. Notice how the people respond to this charge – they answer with a complete obliviousness to the contempt they show God. So, what exactly have the people of Israel done that has so riled God against them? So, what exactly have the people of Israel done that has so riled God against them? The offense is in the poor offerings given Him by His people. The offense is in the poor offerings given Him by His people.

The Law of Moses is very clear about what constitutes a fitting sacrifice and what doesn’t - even the treatment of the sacrifices by the priests had an impact on whether the offering would be considered fitting or not. The Law of Moses is very clear about what constitutes a fitting sacrifice and what doesn’t - even the treatment of the sacrifices by the priests had an impact on whether the offering would be considered fitting or not. Malachi tells us that the people “sniff at the sacrifices contemptuously” and view the sacrificial system as a “burden”. Malachi tells us that the people “sniff at the sacrifices contemptuously” and view the sacrificial system as a “burden”. Because the people of Israel had begun to doubt God’s love for them and had rejected the notion that God had chosen them, they had come to a place where they failed to see the importance of expressing offerings of thanksgiving and honour to God. Because the people of Israel had begun to doubt God’s love for them and had rejected the notion that God had chosen them, they had come to a place where they failed to see the importance of expressing offerings of thanksgiving and honour to God.

Even with that said another perhaps more sinister behaviour begins. Even with that said another perhaps more sinister behaviour begins. “When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the L ORD Almighty”. (Malachi 1:8) “When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the L ORD Almighty”. (Malachi 1:8) Not only did the people of Israel grudgingly offer sacrifices to God, but they began to offer less than fitting sacrifices to God also. Not only did the people of Israel grudgingly offer sacrifices to God, but they began to offer less than fitting sacrifices to God also. So, the people of Israel are now presenting to the Lord, the sick, diseased and injured of their flocks as offerings. So, the people of Israel are now presenting to the Lord, the sick, diseased and injured of their flocks as offerings. But you see, God did not, nor does He, desire His people’s leftovers. But you see, God did not, nor does He, desire His people’s leftovers.

God’s true desire for His people is that they would be a people who acknowledge Him as holy. This would serve as a witness to the rest of the world. God’s true desire for His people is that they would be a people who acknowledge Him as holy. This would serve as a witness to the rest of the world. But we know that time after time, Israel failed to acknowledge God as holy. But we know that time after time, Israel failed to acknowledge God as holy. God says in vs. 11 that even if the doors to the temple were closed, “my name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations”. God says in vs. 11 that even if the doors to the temple were closed, “my name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations”. Whether God’s name is honoured as great among His people or not, it will be honoured as great among the nations. Whether God’s name is honoured as great among His people or not, it will be honoured as great among the nations. This is a prophetic statement that a time is coming when God’s name will be great among all people and His worship will occur universally. This is a prophetic statement that a time is coming when God’s name will be great among all people and His worship will occur universally. Any guesses toward what (or whom) God is pointing? Any guesses toward what (or whom) God is pointing?

We are a long way in both time and space from Jerusalem in 433 B.C., so how do we apply any of this? We are a long way in both time and space from Jerusalem in 433 B.C., so how do we apply any of this? God still desires our best offering; His no leftovers policy still remains. There still remains an offering that God finds acceptable and that which He does not. God still desires our best offering; His no leftovers policy still remains. There still remains an offering that God finds acceptable and that which He does not. “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ … “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ … you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light”. (1 Peter 2:4-9)

Notice the progression in this passage: when we come to faith in Jesus Christ, we are built together into a holy priesthood capable of offering the spiritual sacrifices that God finds acceptable. As a chosen and treasured people, we are enabled to declare God’s praise, making, in all places, God’s name great among all the nations. This is what it means to worship God. Notice the progression in this passage: when we come to faith in Jesus Christ, we are built together into a holy priesthood capable of offering the spiritual sacrifices that God finds acceptable. As a chosen and treasured people, we are enabled to declare God’s praise, making, in all places, God’s name great among all the nations. This is what it means to worship God. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:1-2) “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:1-2) Because of God’s mercy in choosing us, in loving us though we certainly did not deserve it, we ought to respond by offering our bodies and our minds as spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ. Because of God’s mercy in choosing us, in loving us though we certainly did not deserve it, we ought to respond by offering our bodies and our minds as spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ.

If we do not offer all that we are, every corner of our existence, as an offering to God, our worship falls short. If we do not offer all that we are, every corner of our existence, as an offering to God, our worship falls short. So, let’s offer our best to God in all circumstances. Let’s give our best to God as an act of thankfulness for what He’s done. So, let’s offer our best to God in all circumstances. Let’s give our best to God as an act of thankfulness for what He’s done. “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” (Colossians 2:6-7) “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” (Colossians 2:6-7) The more we find ourselves turned over to God, the more we can actually find our lives lived in Him, the more we will overflow with thankfulness. When we come to recognize that we have received unbelievable mercy, thankfulness will become a way of life for us. The more we find ourselves turned over to God, the more we can actually find our lives lived in Him, the more we will overflow with thankfulness. When we come to recognize that we have received unbelievable mercy, thankfulness will become a way of life for us.

Today, as we sit in this place, let us be clear; none of us deserve the grace shown to us through Jesus Christ, none of us deserve His love, none of us deserve to be chosen. The beauty is that if we’ve placed our faith in Jesus Christ we are now together “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession”. Through the precious blood of Jesus Christ, you have been chosen, loved, and shown incredible grace and mercy and God desires to fulfill His will through you. Today, as we sit in this place, let us be clear; none of us deserve the grace shown to us through Jesus Christ, none of us deserve His love, none of us deserve to be chosen. The beauty is that if we’ve placed our faith in Jesus Christ we are now together “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession”. Through the precious blood of Jesus Christ, you have been chosen, loved, and shown incredible grace and mercy and God desires to fulfill His will through you. How can we do anything but overflow with thanksgiving to God? How can we do anything but overflow with thanksgiving to God?