Today’s lesson comes from the book of Malachi, the last book in the Old Testament. Remember a remnant had returned from captivity. Under the leadership of Haggai and Zechariah they had rebuilt the Temple. Sixty years later, Ezra came to reestablish the nation. Thirteen years later, Nehemiah came and rebuilt the wall. In Malachi’s time, the Jews had been home about one hundred years, cured from idolatry, but prone to neglect the house of God. Sacrifices had become inferior, not offering the best animals. Priests had become lax. Tithes were neglected. The Jews had become spiritually lethargic. Malachi tells them that Messiah will come again, but when He comes it would also mean Judgment.
The first section is “I Have Loved You.” Malachi tells the people that the LORD loves them. Their response is “wherein,” have you loved us? The people wanted proof. God refreshes their memory like a courtroom lawyer calling their attention to Jacob and Esau. God created a covenant relationship with the descendants of Jacob. He preserved them and proved His love for them over and over. Yes, there was discipline for the sins of the people, but God never ceased to love them. Some people, even today, are quick to blame God for every misfortune in their lives, but never acknowledge His goodness to them for the good things in their life. The section ends with an assurance that the people will see and say, “The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.” This is a good place to stop and thank the LORD for the good things in your life and to express thankfulness to Him.
The second section is “Where is Mine Honor?” The first “wherein” professed ignorance of God’s love. This “wherein” professes ignorance of transgression. The priests were blind to God’s love, and blind to their own guilt. God then gives them a refresher course in what are acceptable offerings. The people were not offering God their best, but instead sick and diseased animals. The people developed a careless attitude regarding the things of God. Although we need not offer sacrifices today because of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, we can become careless about our Christian walk. Do you read and study your Bible every day? How is your prayer life? Do we offer God second best or do we give Him our best? Will you give God the dregs of our time, strength, means or will you give Him our very best? The priests had compromised their thinking and regrettably today, many of our ministers and evangelists have done the same. We need men and women of God to proclaim Biblical truth, to call sin, sin, and quit making sinners feel comfortable in our gatherings. True love is telling them their house is on fire and they need to be saved and sanctified.
The third section is “My Name Shall Be Great.” It May be difficult to accept, but many times we are responsible for God’s displeasure. Our offerings today are not animals, but instead ourselves. People today in every place may freely worship because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The lesson closes on a bright note. While the priests and people of Malachi’s day were disrespectful and disobedient, there would come a time when God’s name would be honored throughout the world. This prophetic view of the future revealed the birth of the Christian faith and the spread of the gospel. We are living proof that the words of Malachi were truth.
The Golden Text is Malachi 2:17: “Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him?” Let us this day give God our best in everything we do it. Let it not be said of us, that we wearied the LORD.
Next week the last lesson in this series on the Minor Prophets: “The Lord, Whom Ye Seek.”
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