Malachi 1:1-2:9

3.It serves as the key bridge between the Old Testament and the New Testament. John the Baptists birth and the associated events directly reference prophecies in this book.

2.History

1.100 years after Cyrus decreed the return, and after Ezra and Nehemiah.

2.“Malachi encountered the same sins of Israel that had been earlier met by Ezra in 458 BC and by Nehemiah in 444 BC.” John Walvoord

3.His Method: “Malachi would ask questions of priests or other people, and there would be a dispute concerning the answer. Malachi in the process would offer proof that his charges and corrections were justified.” Walvoord

4.Themes -

1.Calling the People to task for their unfaithfulness,

2.God’s purposes beyond Israel.

3.looking to the future coming of Messiah,

4.all rooted in God’s love for and commitment for His people,

5.Application

1.The key idea as we seek to apply this message to us is this - the standard against Israel is measured is the Mosaic covenant, the Law esp. in the first five books of Moses. We are not under the law, and through the Spirit we have far more resources than they did to live a God honoring life.

2.But, we too may need to be taken to task for our unfaithfulness. As we work through this, I will seek to point out the NT obligations we are under that are similar. Sometimes, it might be different (such as giving or the question of those married to unbelievers). Sometimes, it might be the same (such as the question of divorce). But remember--we are under the rule of grace, not law, and that rule brings more divine enablement but in reality even greater responsibilities and duties.

2.God’s Intro - He Loves Israel (vv2-5)

1.Now, there is right from the get go a key Cross Reference about a challenging Bible Doctrine. I don’t want to sidetrack from the point here in Malachi, but we do need to consider it briefly. Rom 9:9-13 “For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”

2.The focus of the passage seems to be on the special love God has for Israel as contrasted with the hatred that God has for Edom in light of his wickedness. One book about the issue of God’s sovereignty and man’s free will comments on Malachi 1:2 saying that this “is not speaking of them before they were born but long after they lived.” It is true that other verses used in Romans make a point that God chose Israel over Esau before they were born, but that isn’t the point in context here.

3.God judges Esau’s land – Edom (vv3b-4)

1.They persist in trying to keep going and building back up but God promises to win in the end

2.Some call v2 this a hatred of degree, meaning that God doesn’t literally hate Esau but simply loved Israel all the more.

3.But perhaps more important and explanatory is that in v4b that Esau was known for wickedness. This pares out with the general line of Edom’s history back to when he refused to let Israel pass through their land. See Num 20:14ff. there is some hint that Esau will never be inhabited again (HYPERLINK "https://ref.ly/logosref/BibleNASB95.Je49"Jer 49).

4.KEY: God did choose Jacob over Esau before either had done any works. (As Rom 9:11 says) God rightly hates Esau due to his sins. The point of bringing up Esau is merely to contrast the present state of God’s hatred for Easu with his continuing love for . However, he also cannot rightly ignore His promise of love for Israel even as He sees sin in Israel.

4.Benediction of God being exalted outside even Israel (v5)

1.KEY: Note alternate translation of “beyond Israel” as opposed to KJV “from Israel.

2.God triumphs over men. Our God is glorious.

3.NOTE: While this book is essentially a message for the Jews, clearly God wants them to take away things concerning the Gentiles as this will be repeated.

5.Conclusion: Jacob did not deserve the favor shown to him, but God loves Him. This is the foundation for all that God is about to say to Israel in this weighty book. God’s love for His people moves Him to deal with the sin He is seeing here.

2.Rebuke of Priests (1:6 through 2:9)

2.Faulty sacrifices (1:6-14)

1.General Indictment (1:6-7)

1.Attitude - At least one translation uses the word despised to refer to their attitude to both God’s name and His table

2.Action - offer bad sacrifices (1:8-9)

1.CROSS REF: “Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the LORD.” Lev 22:22, and “And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God” Deut 15:21

2.The Lord’s Pleading - The wish of the Lord - Stop (1:9-11)

1.Prayer is not the answer.

2.General statement (1:10)

3.Explanation: He doesn’t need them, all will one day offer to God. (1:11, c.f. v14). This statement should’ve warned the self-righteous Jews of Jesus’ time who despised the Gentiles. One wonders how much we are tempted to the same kind of attitudes against others.

3.Specific Indictments - They hate the table (vv12-14)

1.They profane the table with their words

1.They view it as polluted (alt. reading defiled) at its best (v12a)

1.This is from the priest’s perspective. One is tempted to question how a priest could possibly view the table of the very ministry to which they were called as defiled/

2.There was one specific table in the temple service--and it was the table of shewbread upon which the holy bread was put.

3.We see this kind of error today when what is good is seen as polluted.

2.Contemptible (alt. reading despised) (v12b)

1.Here the focus is on the results of this table. It is worthless.

2.The results are thought to be wrong. We see that today when Biblical commands about familial discipline, or sexual morality, or any other things.

3.Tiresome (v13a)

1.This seems a even more in tune with our tendency in modern culture.

2.Do you regard even just coming here to church as sometime tiresome? Aren’t we tempted to do so?

4.Disdain it (v13b)

1.c.f. back to v12 about contempt.

5.Climax: They defile it with stolen goods (v13c) and not the best (v13d)

1.Alt. Read: This is an alt. translation from the KJV which has “torn, lame, and sick”

2.The one who violates this is cursed (v14)

1.The LORD is great, and His fear is among all. (v14a)

1.To be sure, some in Malachi’s time did not fear God in Israel or out of Israel.

2.But remember what the nations said after God redeemed Israel from Egypt

2.For God’s people, Our Sonship changes this. The nations can only but fear this God with whom they have no relationship. There is a difference between reverence and terror - but even in the NT context of our relationship as sons, we see fear: 1 Peter 1:17 “And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear”, referring to the judgment we will face, not of salvation, but for rewards. But w

3.The Appeal to Repent (2:1-9)

1.Introductory Appeal (2:1 back to a previous command)

2.Warning of Judgment (2:2-4)

1.A coming curse that is actually already here(v2)

1.He knows they won’t obey, sadly.

2.Specific curse (v3)

1.Something bad is going to happen concerning offspring (v3a)

2.Horrible experiences (v3b)

3.They will be taken away

3.The intended repentance concerns the covenant (vv4-9)

1.Repentance leads to covenant restoration (v4)

2.The Levitical covenant with the priests (v5-7)

1.The founding of the covenant (vv5-6)

1.This thinks back to events in the time Israel was in the wilderness.

2.The results of the covenant (v5a) - life and peace.

3.The reason for the covenant (v5b-6)

1.He feared God (v5b)

2.He spoke truth (v6a)

3.He was blameless (v6b)

4.He walked with God (v6c)

5.He influenced others to live for God (v6d)

2.The priest’s duties - to speak God’s law that he knows (v7)

1.While the structure of Israel is very different than the church, one thinks of the pastoral duty to teach that the priest’s had.

4.Final indictment and judgment (vv8-9)

1.In contrast to these duties, He didn’t live the truth. (v8a)

2.He caused others to stumble (v8b)

3.He corrupted the covenant.

4.He is judged in accordance with these things. (v9)

4.Application: We must take sin seriously, and

1.In the church age, there are indeed high standards for spiritual office just as there in Malachi’s time. Believers should aim to meet these things, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

2.If we are saved, we have a special relationship with God - We must reverence Him even as we delight in His love.

3.If you do not know Christ, the message here warns that you need a covering for sin. You must put your trust in Christ alone as savior because we are all guilty of sin.

4.Like the priests, when we sin, we must repent too. The path of repentance must be to walk by the Spirit, be led by the Spirit, and grieve not the Spirit.

5.Think of the Revelation 2-3 churches. Jesus laid it on them! “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent” Rev. 2:5 and “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Rev. 3:19-22

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