Majoring in the Minors Part 12 - Malachi
Notes
Transcript
We all ask questions.
Why God?
Can’t you do…?
Here are some
questions/requests
written by children.
Dear God, I went to this wedding and they kissed in church. Is that OK?
Dear God, I think about you sometimes even when I’m not praying.
God, thank you for the baby brother but what I prayed for was a puppy.
If you watch in church on Sunday I will show you my new shoes.
Dear God, if you give me a genie lamp like Aladdin I will give you anything you want except my money or my chess set.
Dear God, please send Dennis Clark to a different camp next year.
Dear God, maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each other so much if they had their own rooms. It works with my brother.
Dear God, please put another holiday between Christmas and Easter. There is nothing good in there now.
(Brian Bill "Taking Life Seriously" 1/18/2009)
Background
Background
Name
Name
Malachi
מַלְאָכִי My Messenger
Probably shortened version
of Malakya -
“Messenger of Yahweh.
Time Period and Historical Context
Time Period and Historical Context
Lived during same
time as Nehemiah.
Last major prophet in OT.
silence for 400 years.
Time of
corrupt priests, wicked practices
false sense of security
belief in special privilege
not living righteously
Exact date… unclear
after temple built.
sacrifices being offered.
after 516 BC
during Persial reign
pecah - governor
During Nehemiah’s life
Came in 444
built walls
Returned Persia 432.
Back to Jerusalem 425
Possibly prophecy
during Nehemiah’s absence
432-425 BC.
Outline
Outline
Blessing
Rebuke
Blessing
Privilege of Israel
Pollution of Israel
Promise to Israel
Start with
“I blessed you.”
Middle
Rebuke
“You misused those blessings.”
End
Promises
“I continue to bless you.”
Privilege of Israel
Privilege of Israel
“I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob
The Lord loves you!
Respond with…:
“How?”
“Don’t see blessings...”
“If He loved me,
“life would be better.”
Not just ancient logic.
hear this frequently...
Voice of skeptic
“If God is all-loving...
“If God really cares...
“Why so much bad in world?”
Accurate thinking?
As parents
we want good for kids
but do they always
get good from us?
No!
Sometimes we allow bad
to help them
change their thinking.
Sometimes we want
to offer good
but we can’t
given the context.
Parents love is not
proven by current blessings.
Same with God.
Blessings are not
measurement of
God’s love.
Ask question:
Is evil happening because
world is evil?
or I am evil?
Is God allowing this
because I have done wrong?
Or because world is broken?
If it is our evil
seek God
repent
turn around
blessings will come.
If the world is evil.
Trust God
Hold on to Him
through ugly world.
He will soon
fix this mess.
Someone Once Said:
It may be true that there are two sides to every question, but it is also true that there are two sides to a sheet of flypaper, and it makes a big difference to the fly which side he chooses.
Pollution of Israel
Pollution of Israel
The great prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah are not yet fulfilled, and the people of Israel become disillusioned and doubtful. They begin to question God’s providence as their faith imperceptibly degenerates into cynicism.
--
Internally, they wonder whether it is worth serving God after all. Externally, these attitudes surface in mechanical observances, empty ritual, cheating on tithes and offerings, and crass indifference to God’s moral and ceremonial law.
--
Their priests are corrupt and their practices wicked, but they are so spiritually insensitive that they wonder why they are not being blessed by God.
Format of Malachi
Series of questions
probing questions.
In each case
the divine accusations
are denied:
“God loves you but you don’t appreciate privilege given you:
“God loves you but you don’t appreciate privilege given you:
“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?’
Priests have despised God
Priests have despised God
How have we despised God’s name?
They deny/reject
the rebuke from God.
God answers how:
Malachi 1:7 (ESV)
By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ ...
Still rejecting rebuke..
God continues...
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.
They bring
damaged sacrifices
act like it’s okay.
They wouldn’t give
gift like that
to their governor.
(that’s offensive)
God continues:
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 is very serious about
a vow that has been
promised to him.
(your pledges).
Must serve God
with sacrifice
with surrender
with honor
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.
God has removed
His blessing from them
to wake them up.
This is why people ask:
“How does God love us?”
We don’t see it!!!
They are evil
so evil they don’t
see that they caused
this problem!
I fear this...
wickedness prevails
nobody speaks of it.
I would rather be
accused of legalism than
accused of neglect.
Malachi 2:7–8 (ESV)
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.
--
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,
I pray
not be said
about me.
Sometimes I think,
we come to church
for wrong reasons...
To seeks blessing
instead of be a blessing…
Reminds me of little girl:
Grace Davidson took her four-year-old granddaughter to “big church” for the first time. She sat quietly taking in every aspect of the service and her attentive curiosity stayed in check until the pastoral prayer. The pastor said, “We thank You, Lord, for Your presence.” The little girl’s eyes flew open and she whispered to her grandmother, “Granny, we’re gonna get presents!”
People profaned covenant with God.
People profaned covenant with God.
Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers?
They reject and deny
“How did we profane covenant?”
God explains:
Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.
What is the issue?
Broke covenant
Profaned sanctuary
How?
Marrying unbelievers.
God was upset
held issue with
entire nation.
When we allow our members
to marry unbelievers
we say/do nothing.
We sin with them.
Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?
Ellen White makes
issue more clear
in book
Patriarchs and Prophets
Patriarchs and Prophets (Chapter 15—The Marriage of Isaac)
No one who fears God can without danger connect himself with one who fears Him not...
--
The happiness and prosperity of the marriage relation depends upon the unity of the parties; but between the believer and the unbeliever there is a radical difference of tastes, inclinations, and purposes.
--
They are serving two masters, between whom there can be no concord. However pure and correct one’s principles may be, the influence of an unbelieving companion will have a tendency to lead away from God.
The Spirit of Prophecy
consistently counsels against
marriage between
“believer and unbeliever”
Further cautions against
uniting with
fellow Christians who have
“not accepted the truth for this time.”—5T 364.
They may be
Christian but
not SDA.
Also unwise.
This could also
apply to SDA’s who
accept truth intellectually
but don’t live it.
Don’t marry someone
just because they are SDA
and expect that
all will be well.
Both parties need
to be converted
to the truth!
Not just
aware of truth
“accept intellectually.”
“Marriages are more likely to endure, and family life to fulfill the divine plan, if husband and wife are united and are bound together by common spiritual values and lifestyles.
--
For these reasons the Church strongly discourages marriage between a Seventh-day Adventist and a member of another religion and strongly urges its pastors not to perform such marriages.”
- SDA Church Manual
Surprising
how few SDA’s
pastors
congregants
actually do this...
On similar topic
Malachi continues:
Malachi 2:13–14 (ESV)
And this second thing you do. You cover the Lord’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand.
--
But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.
God rejecting
offerings of
entire nation!!!!
Why???
This is not just
talking about cheat...
specifically about
divorce.
“For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”
Divorce bring reproach
Family
God
Church
Jesus words clear:
And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”
There is only one
reason for (spiritual) divorce
recognized by God
Divorce / Remarriage.
Adultery
Unfortunately,
this is not
popular message.
Our denomination
uphold Bible teaches.
Frequently bashed
for doing so.
SDA Church Manual Says:
3. In the event that reconciliation is not effected, the spouse who has remained faithful to the spouse who violated the marriage vow has the biblical right to secure a divorce and also to remarry. - SDA Church Manual p. 165
4. A spouse who has violated the marriage vow shall be subject to discipline by the local church.
If genuinely repentant, the spouse may be placed under censure for a stated period of time rather than removed from church membership.
A spouse who gives no evidence of full and sincere repentance shall be removed from membership.
In case the violation has brought public reproach on the cause of God, the church, in order to maintain its high standards and good name, may remove the individual from membership.
- SDA Church Manual p. 165
The offending spouse
is to be disciplined.
Innocent spouse
free to move on.
Complexities:
What counts for breaking marriage vow?
What about abuse?
Can the offending person ever remarry?
5. A spouse who has violated the marriage vow and who is divorced does not have the moral right to marry another while the spouse who has been faithful to the marriage vow still lives and remains unmarried and chaste.
--
The person who does so shall be removed from membership. The person whom he/she marries, if a member, also shall be removed from membership.
Our society
does not like
truth of Bible
on this topic.
What we have learned
from Malachi
Unbiblical Divorce/Remarriage
Bring Reproach
God
Sanctuary
Church
Public Sin
When Congregant does
we all share in sin...
Some may feel
too legalistic
Remember,
we do it
to honor God.
An elderly lady was amazed at how nice the young man was next door. Everyday he would help her gather things from her car or help her in her yard. One day the old lady finally asked the young man, “Son, how did you become such a fine young man?"
The young man replied, “Well, when I was a boy, I had a drug problem.”
The old lady was shocked, “I can’t believe that.”
The young man replied, “It’s true, my parents drug me to church on Sunday morning, drug me to church on Sunday night, and drug me to church on Wednesday night.”
People have wearied God with their false pretense.
People have wearied God with their false pretense.
Malachi 2:17 (NKJV)
You have wearied the Lord with your words; “Yet you say,
“In what way have we wearied Him?”
--
In that you say,
“Everyone who does evil
Is good in the sight of the Lord,
And He delights in them,”
Or, “Where is the God of justice?”
God says:
“you weary me.”
People reply:
“How have we wearied God?”
Answer:
False pretension
Claim to be followers
live like world.
This makes God sad
“If a church changes doctrine and structure to follow its members’ views, it is difficult to see the value of that church and its religion. Religions must claim to be true, and in their essentials, to uphold principles that are universal and eternal.
--
No church that panders to the zeitgeist deserves respect, and very shortly it will not get respect, except from those who find it politically useful, and that is less respect than disguised contempt.”—Slouching Towards Gomorrah, Robert H. Bork
Robbing God
Robbing God
Malachi 3:7–8 (NKJV)
Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances And have not kept them.
--
Return to Me, and I will return to you,” Says the Lord of hosts.
“But you said, ‘In what way shall we return?’
--
“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’
In tithes and offerings.
People are accused
robbing from God.
I like the old story about the guy who came to church with his family. As they were driving home afterwards he was complaining about everything. He said, “The music was too loud. The sermon was too long. The announcements were unclear. The building was hot. The people were unfriendly.” He went on and on, complaining about virtually everything. Finally, his very observant son said, “Dad, you’ve got to admit it wasn’t a bad show for just a dollar.”
Again reply
defensively
deny
dismissively
‘In what way have we robbed You?’
Tithes and Offerings.
Need I say more?
Two men were marooned on an Island. One man paced back and forth worried and scared while the other man sat back and was sunning himself. The first man said to the second man, "aren’t you afraid we are about to die." "No," said the second man, "I make $100,000 a week and tithe faithfully to my church every week. My Pastor will find me."
People have spoken against God.
People have spoken against God.
How have we spoken against God? (3: 13– 15).
Malachi 3:13–15 (NKJV)
“Your words have been harsh against Me,”
Says the Lord,
Yet you say,
‘What have we spoken against You?’
--
You have said,
‘It is useless to serve God;
What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance,
And that we have walked as mourners
Before the Lord of hosts?
--
So now we call the proud blessed,
For those who do wickedness are raised up;
They even tempt God and go free.’ ”
People complain
why do we follow God?
He doesn’t bless us!!!
Want to be like wicked.
Wicked seem blessed.
Why not be like them!!!?
Rejecting Rebuke
Rejecting Rebuke
Each time God
calls them out
deny
dismiss
diminish
In effect,
the people sneer,
“Oh, come on now:
it’s not that bad!”
His appeal in this oracle is for the people and priests to stop and realize that their lack of blessing is not caused by God’s lack of concern, but by their disobedience of the covenant law.
Must ask ourselves
What is reason
Lack of Blessing?
Don’t blame God
If it is our fault.
As their perception of God grows dim, the resulting materialism and externalism become settled characteristics that later grip the religious parties of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
...
In spite of all this, God still loves His people and once again extends His grace to any who will humbly turn to Him.
Promise to Israel
Promise to Israel
Messianic Prophecies
Messianic Prophecies
Coming of John Baptist / Jesus
You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”
“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 in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
Starts with rebuke
them moves to promise.
Messenger = John Baptist.
Matthew 3:3 (ESV)
For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight.’ ”
Promised Messenger came
prepared way
for Jesus.
Elijah To Come
Elijah To Come
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
Jesus said,
John Baptist
fulfillment of prophecy:
Matthew 11:12–14 (ESV)
From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.
Fulfillment of Mal 4:5
Yet, Interesting,
Malachi uses phrase...
Malachi 4:5 (ESV)
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
This is reference to
2nd Coming…!
I suggest
Dual Fulfillment Prophecy
Fulfilled twice...
John Baptist
Person(s) at the end.
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”
For sake of time,
Remnant is
Final Elijah!
Other passage
Christ’s 2nd Coming.
Malachi 3:2–3 (ESV)
But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. --
He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.
Book of Malachi
warning to those who
play church.
End the end,
that won’t cut it.
The story is told of a young girl who accepted Christ as her Saviour and applied for membership in a local church. “Were you a sinner before you received the Lord Jesus into your life?” inquired an old deacon. “Yes, sir,” she replied.
“Well, are you still a sinner?”
“To tell you the truth, I feel I’m a greater sinner than ever.”
“Then what real change have you experienced?”
“I don’t quite know how to explain it,” she said, “except I used to be a sinner running after sin, but now that I am saved. I’m a sinner running from sin!” she was received into the fellowship of the church, and she proved by her consistent life that she was truly converted.
Source: Our Daily Bread
Appeal
Appeal
By God’s grace.
Let’s be sinners that
run from sin.
Not play church.