KBM The LORD Heard Them

I hope everyone is having a fantastic day today and enjoying the day the Lord has blessed you with. As you all know we have been going through the series “Impact 3:16,” meaning we are looking at and studying those chapter 3 and verse 16 passages. That means today we are in the last book of the Old Testament which is the great book of Malachi. The prophet Malachi lived and served during the days of Ezra and Nehemiah based on the subject matter he is discussing and trying to get the Israelites to repent of which would put it somewhere around 450 to 425 BC. Outside of this nothing is known of this prophet. In fact his name is only found “one time” in the bible Malachi 1:1. This book is unique in that it is written in a “debate” style meaning you have the stated “affirmation,” then “question,” then “refutation.” The thrust of Malachi’s and thus God’s complaint is that Israel was robbing God of his honor in their worship by not giving him the reverence he deserves (Malachi 1:6-14; Malachi 3:8-10). After Malachi rebukes and reproves the Israelites we then read our text for today.

Malachi 3:16–18 NKJV

16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, And the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the Lord And who meditate on His name. 17 “They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him.” 18 Then you shall again discern Between the righteous and the wicked, Between one who serves God And one who does not serve Him.

The greatest blessing God offers us is his mercy. It is God’s mercy that allows us, sinners, to have an opportunity of eternity with the Father, the Son, and the Spirit because he doesn’t punish us as we deserve but waits for us, gives us time and opportunity to repent and come back to him. Is 30.18

Isaiah 30:18 NKJV

18 Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.

When we sin and it feels like we might not ever overcome that temptation remember that God is mercifully waiting on you to make the decision to focus on him and righteousness. And when you make that dedication and determination “the LORD hears you” and “will write your name in the book of remembrance.”

2 Peter 3:9 NKJV

9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.