Blind Goats, Crooked Priests, and God Robbers

Goats Are Coming

There’s a pretty major disconnect between our modern “worship” experience and that of the Judges and Kings and Prophets and Priests. Any guesses?

Not nearly enough blood and sacrifice. Not nearly enough goats.

So.... KK has put together a Goat encounter at Northglenn. And then afterwards, we can take the leftover goats, set up the altar and “worship.”

Goats are weird.

Sound good?

On to Malachi.

Malachi

The prophet Malachi writes about 100 years after the return from exile. Remember the high expectations of the people on returning and rebuilding the temple. Haggai calling them to rebuild the temple, Zechariah inspiring a return to right worship and right living… the expectation that the Messiah would be fulfilled any day now. Is it Yeshua the High Priest? Is it Zerubabbel?

And then decades pass… and still people are unrighteous. As if the Exile taught them nothing.

There is a form of “religion”, but it is empty of substance and meaning. More play-acting than sincere.

Malachi writes in a series of six debates with God. God says something, and the people argue back, and then God explains.

If you find yourself arguing with God, you’re probably confused… and you’re definitely wrong.

Six arguments, 4 main subjects. Worship. Marriage, Social Justice... and the Day of the Lord.

As we said before, it’s a mistake to take any of these lists and say these are the “most important things to God.” These are the things that had their heart, and whatever is getting between you and true, deep, honest, intimate relationship with God… that’s the worst sin of all.

Goats

Malachi 1:6–14 (ESV)

6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’

7 By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the Lord’s table may be despised.

8 When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts.

Is it?

I mean, this was obvious to them, but not so much to us. Or not to me. To me a goat is pretty much a goat.

But God was very clear about what was to offered to Him. The best. The unblemished, without mark, without defect. This is symbolic of giving God first and best.

You don’t sift through the animals to see which ones you didn’t want to eat anyway and then give that. What does that communicate about God’s place in our lives? What does that say about priority?

God demands the first and the best… and it stands for all of it… because the fundamental truth is it’s all his anyway.

But that’s exactly what the people are doing here. Giving God the leftovers. And through the prophet Malachi, he calls them on it.

9 And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord 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 the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand.

Hear that? He’d rather not have worship, then the pathetic leftover second-hand version of it they are offering. Shut the doors. I take no pleasure in it.

Get away from me, you’re offering garbage. It’s insulting.

And compared to the glory God deserves… and the glory He will get:

11 For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.

12 But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised.

13 But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord.

14 Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.

God would rather have “no worship” than pathetic leftovers.

How do we they get away with this? Don’t the priests notice that the offerings are terrible?

The priests are in on this too:

Priests

Malachi 2:1–9 (ESV)

1 “And now, O priests, this command is for you.

2 If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart.

3 Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it.

4 So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts.

5 My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name.

6 True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.

This is what is supposed to be, the model of a priesthood as it was meant.

Throw pastor, throw elder, throw leader in there too. Someone who fears God, speaks truth always, close to God, and leading others away from wickedness and stupidness.

7 For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.

That’s a beautiful picture. Is that the picture people have of priests today? Or pastors?

No, because wicked folks have abused the name of God, the church, the name of Jesus, for their own

8 But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts,

9 and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.”

That’s the punishment… and those who lead others astray in the name of the Lord… you know he has a special place set aside for them. I feel the weight of that, the fear of it… God holds any who speak in His name to account for all those who hear. It’s humbling and terrifying.

Tithes

The goats are only part of the offerings. There are also the tithes, 10% of various harvests throughout the year.

Shocker! They aren’t following through on that either.

Malachi 3:7–12 (ESV)

7 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’

8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions.

9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.

10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

11 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts.

12 Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.

What’s the implication there?

Prosperity Gospel

God longs to bring blessing down on His nation… He challenges them to “put him to the test.” Open the windows of heaven and pour down the blessing.

Now this is good stuff. Made for tv.

I’m going to look right into the camera… and if you send $100 today, God is going to open the windows of heaven for you right now...

Test him and see. All the nations will call you blessed if you give now, today. Make that check out to Dustin Mackintosh… for the glory of God.

I shouldn’t make fun… but I do… because the passage we read earlier said people who lead others astray in the name of the lord “shall be despised and abased before all the people.”

Sure, I can twist the words of the Lord for my benefit. Is that what God is saying?

No. He’s saying to put Him to the test, that their all blessings He longs to give, but He can’t, because money has their heart. Goats have their heart. Grain has their heart.

Their heart and mind is on what they have… and they aren’t giving God their first and best, so if God gave them more while they were on that place what would they do?

Lose more of their selves to that idolatry. That’s what it is, ultimately. An idol in their life.

And God sees their heart. So it would be harmful, evil even, to give them more of what is pulling their devotion away from God.

So instead, give God their first and best. Not me. Not some preacher online. Giving sacrificially of the first and best, giving exactly what and where God has already commanded them, in token that all of belongs to God.

And then, when their heart is free… and the very act of sacrifice is an act of freedom from the hold of money, goats, wheat or otherwise…

When their heart is free… God will pour down the blessing.

Does the blessing say “cash?” More goats?

“The windows of heaven open… blessing… until there is no more need.”

What do we need? Yes, food, and there is mention of fruits and vine, too. You need wine or grape juice? But every kind of need, far more the needs of our soul than the needs of our body. Not excess, not private jets… but the satisfaction of body, mind, soul, heart, spirit… all of it.

Fulfillment. Life and life abundant.

That is prosperity. Freedom from every addiction, from every grip the world or any other thing might or could have on us.

And then the blessings of God… because we have God Himself, given for us, dwelling within us.

That’s good. That is prosperity.

So… what’s got a hold on you? Or… what are you holding back from God?

This isn’t hitting you up for money, you could pour your lifesavings into the offering right now and I wouldn’t get an extra dime. This is between you and God.

Maybe it’s money. Maybe it’s your time. Maybe it’s your kids. Maybe it’s alcohol, or video games.

Are you giving God your first and best? First things first?

I understand you don’t have goats. You can go with me next week to Northglenn and we’ll get some.

What the best hour of your day, when you’re most awake and alert, ready to listen, ready to read, ready to understand? Does God get five minutes of that time?

Or is it at the end of the day… if you’re not too tired.

Or in the morning… if you wake up at your first alarm.

Or squeezed into in-between moments… if there are in-between moments.

Is God getting the first and best of your time?

Prosperity.

I believe God has blessings He longs to give you… I know He does. But you’re not ready for every blessing He has for you. If He gave them to you today… it’d ruin you. It would corrupt your sou, it would distract you from the greatest blessing: relationship with God Himself.

Step into life and blessing. Give Him your first and best.