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Malachi 1-4
Lord of the Leftovers
or Lord of Your Life?
Psalm 117:1-2 Worldwide Praise
1.“Praise Yahweh, all you nations! Extol Him, all you peoples!2.For His hesed/loyal covenantal love is great toward us. Yahweh’s faithfulness-truth endures forever. Praise Yah!"Observation
117:1-2.The entire psalm is two verses, the shortest chapter in the Bible. It is God's plan for all nations and peoples to praise Him, through His blessing of the Israelites. This is in accord with the covenant God made to Abe in Genesis:
Genesis 12:1 Now Yahweh had said to Abram: " Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
Note the reason to praise God is because of His hesed, or loyal covenantal love, which would result in all nations being blessed as He faithfully fulfilled His covenanted promises to Israel. The Hebrew word for truth or faithfulness is the same, stressing the firm, solid trustworthy reliability of something, hence truth or faithfulness. It comes from a root that is used to describe a solid door jam/support or a faithful nurse maid. The blessings reach their fullest extent in the work of the Messiah and the establishment of His kingdom. Paul quotes it to demonstrate that the Gentiles will praise God for His mercy when He confirms the promises made to the patriarchs.
Romans 15:11 Again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise him."
Application
God will do all He has promised, faithfully and forever; count on it.
Prayer
Trustworthy God, I trust You to faithfully fulfill all Your promises as I faithfully follow and praise You. Amen.
Proverbs 26:10-12 What's Worse than a Fool?
10.“Many pains to him who hires a fool or he who hires those who pass by.11.As a dog that returns to his vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.12.Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.“Observations
26:10.The text is difficult to translate as a glance at the translations reveals. The above rendering is in keeping with the context of avoiding interacting with fools because they cause harm to those around them.
26:11.
A fool repeats his folly like a dog that eats what he just threw up. Yuck. They don't learn from mistakes and make them again, and again, and again and...
26:12.
As bad as a fool is, there is someone worse, a moronic idiot who doesn't seek counsel because they have convinced themselves that their wicked way is right. The hallmark of such an individual is that they don't listen to and consider counsel, because what they want doesn't stand up to Biblical scrutiny. There is hope that a fool can reap enough pain to repent, not so with the idiot who is wise in their own eyes, but not God's.
Application
If you think you're doing the wise thing, it will bear the scrutiny and counsel of others. If you can't defend it, maybe it's not so wise.
Prayer
God, may I never be such a complete idiot that I live independently of the wise counsel of others. Amen.Malachi 1-4 Lord of the Leftovers or Lord of Your Life?
In this final book of the OT, God calls the nation to live in covenant faithfulness so He can bless them. Malachi's message is organized around a group of “disputes” or debates in question and answer format addressing: offering/giving, faithfulness, and just blessing/cursing. God's purpose for wanting Israel to live faithfully is buried in the middle of chapter 2 in an obscure verse. The book ends with a promises of the Messiah and his forerunner. After Malachi, there are 400 years of silence until John the Baptist quotes Isaiah 40, and heralds the continuation of God's plan to bless His people.
1:2-5 A Covenant choice of Israel
1:6-14 B Unrighteous offering rejected
2:1-9 C Covenant unfaithfulness described
2:10-17 c’ Covenant faithfulness desired
3:1-12 b’ Refining and righteous offering
3:13-4:6 a’ Covenant consequences of blessing/cursing
Malachi 1 Lord of the Leftovers
1.An oracle: the word of Yahweh to Israel by Malachi.2."I have loved you," says Yahweh. Yet you say, "How have you loved us?" "Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother?" says Yahweh, "Yet I loved Jacob;3.but Esau I hated, and made his mountains a desolation, and gave his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness."4.Whereas Edom says, "We are beaten down, but we will return and build the waste places"; thus says Yahweh of Hosts, "They shall build, but I will throw down; and men will call them ‘The Wicked Land,’ even the people against whom Yahweh shows wrath forever."5.Your eyes will see, and you will say, "Yahweh is great —even beyond the border of Israel!"6."A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, then where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is the respect due me? Says Yahweh of Hosts to you, priests, who despise my name. You say, ‘How have we despised your name?’7.You offer polluted bread on my altar. You say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ In that you say, ‘Yahweh’s table contemptible.’8.When you offer the blind for sacrifice, isn’t that evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, isn’t that evil? Present it now to your governor! Will he be pleased with you? Or will he accept your person?" says Yahweh of Hosts.9."Now, please entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With this, will he accept any of you?" says Yahweh of Hosts.10."Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you," says Yahweh of Hosts, "neither will I accept an offering at your hand.11.For from the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same, my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name is great among the nations," says Yahweh of Hosts.12."But you profane it, in that you say, ‘Yahweh’s table is polluted, and its fruit, even its food, is contemptible.’13.You say also, ‘Behold, what a weariness it is!’ and you have sniffed at it," says Yahweh of Hosts; "and you have brought that which was taken by violence, the lame, and the sick; thus you bring the offering. Should I accept this at your hand?" says Yahweh.14."But the deceiver is cursed, who has in his flock a male, and vows, and sacrifices to the Lord a blemished thing; for I am a great King," says Yahweh of Hosts, "and my name is awesome among the nations."
Observations
1:1-5.The nation doubts God's love and that He's good, an error as old as Genesis 3 (which makes this a fitting conclusion to the OT for fans of inclusio). Loving Jacob and hating hating Esau has engendered a number of errors as well. The love-hate relationship is national, not individual. God never said this about the individuals, nor during the ~1,500 years that separated them from the audience of Malachi. Love and hate are covenantal terms (see comments on Gen 26:27). God chose Isaac's son, Jacob and his descendents rather than his brother Esau for special covenantal blessing. By choosing to bless Jacob's descendents with hesed (loyal covenantal love), he did not chose to have a covenantal relationship with Esau's descendents, a sign of “hate” for them, and “love” for the children of Jacob/Israel. God's wrath against Edom for both pride and ill-treatment of Israel (see Obadiah) which would result in their nation not being rebuilt, while Israel would be rebuilt was proof of God's love or hesed for Israel.
1:6-14.
The correct response of a lesser power to a greater power in a Suzerain-Vassal (father-son relationship – see Ps 2:7 comments) was honor, but they didn't give God honor, instead they gave Him grief, making Him Lord of the Leftovers. They wouldn't even give their foreign governor, who wouldn't accept it, the things they offered to God in a vain attempt to find favor. God has no pleasure in them but is pained by their behavior because they are defaming His name in the sight of others, showing He is not worthy of their best. When we pain Him, we will feel His pain. The wise will demonstrate that God is worthy of wholehearted devotion and service, so others will be drawn to worship Him as well. If you're ashamed of Your God, not only will He be ashamed of you (Mk 8:38), but both you and He will be shamed in the sight of others. How much would others say your God is worth to you?
Application
When you give God the leftovers of your time, energy and talents, and obedience and worship are wearisome, you have made the Great God, Lord of your leftovers, and will receive grief rather than grace.
Prayer
Lord God of heaven and earth and my life, I will wholeheartedly honor you by giving You my prime time, greatest energy, and what is most precious to me; may You find my devotion and service pleasing in Your sight. Amen.Malachi 2 Cursing For Covenant-breaking
1."Now, you priests, this commandment is for you.2.If you will not listen, and if you will not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name," says Yahweh of Hosts, "then will I send the curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have cursed them already, because you do not lay it to heart.3.Behold, I will rebuke your seed, and will spread dung on your faces, even the dung of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it.4.You will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant may be with Levi," says Yahweh of Hosts.5."My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him that he might fear me; and he feared me, and stood in awe of my name.6.The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity.7.For the priest’s lips should preserve knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Yahweh of Hosts.8.But you have turned aside out of the way. You have caused many to stumble in the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi," says Yahweh of Hosts.9.Therefore I have also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according to the way you have not kept my ways, but have had respect for persons in the law.10.Don’t we all have one father? Hasn’t one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, profaning the covenant of our fathers?11.Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the holiness of Yahweh which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.12.Yahweh will cut off, to the man who does this, the master and the scholar, out of the tents of Jacob, and him who offers an offering to Yahweh of Hosts.13.This also you do: you cover the altar of Yahweh with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, because he doesn’t regard the offering any more, neither receives it with good will at your hand.14.Yet you say, ‘Why?’ Because Yahweh has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion, and the wife of your covenant.15.Did he not make you one, although he had the residue of the Spirit? Why one? He sought a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.16.For I hate divorce," says Yahweh, the God of Israel, "and him who does violence to the one he should protect" (NIV) says Yahweh of Hosts. "Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you don’t deal treacherously.17.You have wearied Yahweh with your words. Yet you say, ‘How have we wearied him?’ In that you say, ‘Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of Yahweh, and he delights in them’; or ‘Where is the God of justice?’Observations
2:1-9.God reproves the priests, covenant breakers, and the doubters in this chapter. The priests bear the brunt of the rebuke for failing to glorify God as Lord of All, but instead were accomplices in making Him Lord of the Leftovers, forsaking the law's requirements. As a result, instead of the blessings He promised to those who feared His name, they would receive the cursing for those who treated Him contemptuously. Instead of walking with God and turning people to righteousness, they skipped out on Him, and caused many to stumble. (See “Daniel the Disciplemaker” sermon) As a kingdom of priests, all should know truth and transmit it through their lives. There are many “believers” who are bad advertisements for God. If you're not walking the talk, please keep your mouth shut. God (and those who seek to walk with Him) would appreciate it (cf. 1:10).
2:10-16. God next addresses their covenant loyalty (hesed). Even though they are all children of Jacob/Israel and owe loyalty to each other, they have failed to be faithful to their covenantal obligations to the nation (look up “treacherously”). By marrying foreign wives, they have not only violated the law but brought the idolatrous pagan influences into the nation, which had lead to their judgment and exile. Even Solomon the wise was not immune (1Kgs 10-11).
Deuteronomy 7:3 “neither shall you make marriages with them; your daughter you shall not give to his son, nor shall you take his daughter for your son. 4 For they will turn away your son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so the anger of Yahweh would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.”God's plan was that godly parents would raise up godly children (Dt 6) who would walk with God so He could bless them. But pagan parents prevent that from happening. God had a “residue” of the Spirit, which some think means that He could have created (Gen 2:7) more individuals directly, but chose to use the marriage and parenting process instead. Others translate verse 15 as indicating that anyone who had even a residue of the “spirit” wouldn't divorce, but this view is alien to the context, especially the “one seed” objective.
God says “I hate divorce” because it disrupts the plan, and violates the covenant made with their original wives. Divorce is a form of violence to the other party. Our God is a fiercely covenant-keeping God (a reflection of His holiness and justice). Yet, He also told them to put away/divorce their foreign wives (Ezra 10:11 see 9-10 the same period, after the exile). One has to ask the question: What constitutes marriage in God's sight? Does God join two unbelievers together to accomplish His purposes of a “godly seed” (2:15)? We'll revisit the subject when we discuss Matthew 19:6. In the meantime, divorce is prevented by being loyal to God, and guarding one's spirit. Divorce results from putting our own selfish interests ahead of God's and the other person's benefit. Therefore, guarding one's spirit, and making sure it is in sync with God's keeps us in sync (oneness) with another person.
2:17-17.
The last rebuke is to those who doubt God's justice and loyalty to His promises, which is answered in the next chapter.
Application
From Adam's day to Malachi's day, God requires covenant faithfulness for blessing.
Prayer
God, thanks for being loyal to Your promises and me; help me be loyal to you and my promises to others, so I reflect your hesed. Amen.
Malachi 3 Refining, Robbing, and Revering
1."Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me; and the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, behold, he comes!" says Yahweh of Hosts.2."But who can endure the day of his coming? And who will stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like launderer’s soap;3.and he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver; and they shall offer to Yahweh offerings in righteousness.4.Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to Yahweh, as in the days of old, and as in ancient years.5.I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the perjurers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and who deprive the foreigner of justice, and don’t fear me," says Yahweh of Hosts.6."For I, Yahweh, don’t change; therefore you, sons of Jacob, are not consumed.7.From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my ordinances, and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says Yahweh of Hosts." But you say, ‘How shall we return?’8.Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In tithes and offerings.9.You are cursed with the curse; for you rob me, even this whole nation.10.Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this," says Yahweh of Hosts, "if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough for.11.I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before its time in the field," says Yahweh of Hosts.12."All nations shall call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land," says Yahweh of Hosts.13."Your words have been strong against me," says Yahweh. "Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against you?’14.You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God ’; and ‘What profit is it that we have followed his instructions, and that we have walked mournfully before Yahweh of Hosts?15.Now we call the proud happy; yes, those who work wickedness are built up; yes, they tempt God, and escape.’16.Then those who feared Yahweh spoke one with another; and Yahweh listened, and heard, and a book of memory was written before him, for those who feared Yahweh, and who honored his name.17.They shall be mine," says Yahweh of Hosts, "my own possession in the day that I make, and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him.18.Then you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who doesn’t serve him.Observations
3:1-6.God will send his messenger (identified in the NT as John the Baptist - Mt 11:10, cf Isa 40), who will prepare the way for the Messenger of the Covenant (Messiah), the Desire of Nations. However, when He comes, it won't be a time that is pleasant, but it will be a time of purification and refining, so that the priests will offer proper sacrifices (rather than treating God as Lord of the Leftovers). The Messiah will judge the unrighteous adulterers, perjurers, and unjust oppressors, all of whom don't fear Him (but they will). God and His requirements don't change, which is why the sons of Jacob aren't consumed (He is loyal {hesed} to His covenant to bless Jacob's descendents, which also means that the covenantal obligations are still in force).
3:7-12.
God calls the nation to return to Him, since they have turned away from following His ordinances. They ask how, He says they've robbed Him, in tithes and offerings. The nation was required to bring the firstborn and ten percent (tithe) of their increase/profit to the temple as a recognition of God's ownership (and for the support of the priests). The NT doesn't teach a tithe, but many consider it a good benchmark (see Faithfulness with our Treasure at the end of the TOYL book on Truthbase.net for more info on NT giving). The NT perspective is that God owns it all, and we need to be good stewards of His “stuff.” We don't give Him a cheap tip (10%) and spend the rest as we please; it's all His. What does God want done with His “stuff”?
2 Corinthians 9:7 let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver
God invites people to test Him and see if He won't bless them beyond their ability to receive it. Any “ministry” that talks more about money than how to live so as to please God, and be blessed by Him through faithful obedience, isn't worth supporting. Perhaps you should suggest that they try applying this passage themselves if it works so well. Is someone mentions “storehouse giving”, run, unless they are also running a major temple complex and carrying out all the sacrifices mandated in the Mosaic law (oh, those could only be offered where God specified, in Jerusalem, which after 70 became non-existent). God doesn't need your money, but you need to give. If your “church” isn't teaching people to obey Biblical truth (Mt 28:20), find one you can support.
3:13-18.
God rebukes the people for doubting His justice. They say it's vain/unprofitable to serve Him. It looked like the wicked were blessed and the righteous, who served God, got nothing. The ones who feared God, encouraged each other to do right, and God eavesdropped and has written them down in a memory book entitled: “People I will bless on Judgment Day.” When God returns He will pay back (recompense) both His unprofitable servants, and those who fear Him and honor His name. “I will spare them” is an understatement to emphasize that He will surely bless them (cf. Rev 3:5). My good friend, Tom Alberti, surmised that time distorts reality, by introducing distance and noise between cause and effect. The reality is that one reaps what one sows, but because we don't immediately see it, we doubt it. Rest assured that our infinitely holy and just God has to reward good with blessing and evil with cursing, because He has said He will do that. It's just a matter of time before it happens, oh ye of little faith.
Application
Fearing, serving, and giving God our all is the wise and faithful way to live; anything less is dishonorable.
Prayer
God, may I never be guilty of robbing You of anything you've entrusted to me, from the minutes of my life to your money in my stewardship, but may I use all for Your purposes, honor, and glory. Amen.
Malachi 4 The Day Comes
1."For, behold, the day comes, it burns as a furnace; and all the proud, and all who work wickedness, will be stubble; and the day that comes will burn them up," says Yahweh of Hosts, "that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.2.But to you who fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. You will go out, and leap like calves of the stall.3.You shall tread down the wicked; for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make," says Yahweh of Hosts.4."Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances.5.Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes.6.He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse."Observations
4:1-3.The OT started in Genesis with blessing for obedience, and ends with a curse for those who don't obey nor do what is pleasing and right in God's sight (a fitting summary of the OT). In the Day of the Lord, the proud and wicked will be burned and the ones who fear God (notice that's the only requirement, because those who fear, obey and do what is right in God's sight) will experience the heat of the sun as healing/beneficial. The sun arising with healing/profit is a figure of blessing. This is not an absolute comment of the eternal destiny of souls, but a figurative description of the Millennial kingdom. How can the righteous tread down (subdue and rule) the wicked if they don't exist?
4:4-6.
Malachi ends with an admonishment to obey the revelation God gave to Moses for all of Israel. He promises to send Elijah (who didn't die) to turn the hearts of fathers and sons toward each other (as the law mandated Dt 5:16; 6:7) so the godly offspring God desired (Mal 2:15) would grow. The NT indicates that John the Baptist would have fulfilled this role had the people accepted it (Mark 9:11-13), so this promise awaits future fulfillment (Rev 11:3 maybe?).
Application
The Sun burns or heals, which we experience will be determined by whether or not we've feared God and done what is right in His sight.
Prayer
Amen.
Digging Deeper
God in a nutshell: God has chosen to establish a covenant with Israel and bless faithfulness, and curse unfaithfulness. His purpose is to have a people that will please Him and raise offspring He can bless in fulfillment of His promise to Abraham. He will discipline and refine the unrighteous and unfaithful in an effort to get them to return to the place of blessing. He will return to execute an irrevocable judgment on those who choose to be recipients of His wrath. He will reward those who are faithful and make Him Lord of their lives rather than their leftovers.Us in a nutshell: As in all the Bible, we have a choice to serve God or ourselves. Choosing the latter will result in discipline and judgment. Choosing the former will result in reward and blessing. Choose wisely.