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Congratulations! You've reached the final 4 chapters of the Old Testament! That's quite an accomplishment if you started with me from the beginning, where we began with Genesis 1.
As we get into this last book of the Old Testament, our hearts become gripped with such frustration! We've seen throughout the books of 2 Chronicles and 2 Kings how the people of Israel and Judah went down a path of spiritual demise. And, we've just finished reading the major prophets of Isaiah and Jeremiah who forewarned of impending doom in the form of Babylonian captivity and the destruction of Jerusalem. We've also listened to the prophecies of Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, and Joel who spoke during the time of their exile to repent of their sinful living and how that God would one day bring them back to their Promised Land. Throughout those books, we've seen so many verses which have spoken of the future reign of Jesus Christ on Earth.
Now, as we approach the book of Malachi, the people have once again turned away from God and forewarns of the coming of the "silent years." After Malachi's message to the people, God doesn't use any prophets or priests to preach any longer! He's done! He's had it with Israel. And, 400 years will pass before His Son, Jesus Christ, will burst on the scene, born of a virgin, and will be repudiated by the leaders of Israel and sentenced to die on a cross. Imagine...400 years without hearing from God at all!
The 7-Fold Message of Malachi:
This 7-fold message begins because the people had become lethargic and disrespectful in their relationship with God. Here's how they disrespected the Lord...
1. They gave God the left-overs! In other words, instead of bringing the best of their herds to sacrifice before the Lord, they brought the maimed, the blind, the weak, and the ugly. 1:7-14 - "You have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar. “Then you ask, ‘How have we defiled the sacrifices? “You defile them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect. When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies."
We should always bring God our best! Our best shows our respect for God and to God. Are you bringing your the best of your time, talents, and resources to God?
2. The priests left God's path! God begins chapter 2 by telling us how important the priests (Levites) are. Listen to what He says, "The purpose of my covenant with the Levites was to bring life and peace, and that is what I gave them. This required reverence from them, and they greatly revered me and stood in awe of my name. They passed on to the people the truth of the instructions they received from me. They did not lie or cheat; they walked with me, living good and righteous lives, and they turned many from lives of sin. “The words of a priest’s lips should preserve knowledge of God, and people should go to him for instruction, for the priest is the messenger of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies."
3. They ruined the Marriage Covenant! God became "weary" with the people's lack of understanding as to why He wasn't answering their prayers. So, He tells them in 2:13-16 the following:
"You cry out, “Why doesn’t the Lord accept my worship?” I’ll tell you why! Because the Lord witnessed the vows you and your wife made when you were young. But you have been unfaithful to her, though she remained your faithful partner, the wife of your marriage vows. Didn’t the Lord make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth. “For I hate divorce!” says the Lord, the God of Israel. “To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “So guard your heart; do not be unfaithful to your wife.”
4. They wearied the Lord with questions about His justice!
"You have wearied him by saying that all who do evil are good in the Lord’s sight, and he is pleased with them. You have wearied him by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”
5. They robbed God of their tithes and offerings! In 3:8-12, God condemns them for robbing Him. He says,
“Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! “But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies."
6. They saw no real value in following God! Listen to what they said...
“You have said, ‘What’s the use of serving God? What have we gained by obeying his commands or by trying to show the Lord of Heaven’s Armies that we are sorry for our sins? From now on we will call the arrogant blessed. For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them suffer no harm.’”
The world is replete with so-called Christians who have given up on the Lord. They begin with a good heart, but end up giving up. Do you know of anyone like this?
7. God Promises A Future Judgment Day! For all the sin they've committed, God is calling for a day of reckoning that is yet future. What do you suppose that day will be like for YOU?
I've often said, "Life is nothing more than a test for eternity."
The very last message Malachi gives before the 400 years of silence is, "Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives."
This is why the disciples asked Jesus about the coming of Elijah or if He was the "Elijah" referred to in Malachi that was to come. This was the last message they heard from God until Jesus was born of a virgin and gave God's message to the people during His time on Earth.
What is the last message you've heard from the Lord, and when was it? Seek Him today! Get your heart right before Him and seek Him with everything you have!
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