Sermon Tone Analysis

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! INTRODUCTION

 

! WHO WAS THE WRITER?

 

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*Malachi*

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Name means “messenger” – Angel

 

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*Not sure if this then is the name of the writer or a nameless writer was a MESSENGER*

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The MESSAGE, not the MESSENGER is what is important

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Like that Western Union boy, we want the message

 

! WHEN WAS IT WRITTEN?

 

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*WRITTEN around 397 BC*

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MESSENGER prophesied either during the END of Nehemiah’s governorship OR immediately AFTER it

 

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WHAT WAS THE MESSAGE?

 

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*Malachi was the** last of the Old Testament prophets to minister in Judah *

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Around 460 and 430 b.c.

 

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*His words give us a very sad picture of that small group of exiles that had returned from Babylon some 115 years before.*

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The WALLS had been REBUILT

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The TEMPLE had been COMPLETED

                                          i.

The people WORSHIPED there

                                        ii.

They followed the prescribed RITUALS

                                       iii.

They offered the required SACRIFICES

                                       iv.

They went through the MOTIONS.

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Haggai and Zechariah were gone

                                          i.

Sadly the religious enthusiasm these prophets stimulated in the PEOPLE had now gone too

                                        ii.

Everything became just a LOVELESS event

 

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*Life was NOT easy.

*

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The Jews were under the political DOMINION of Persia  #.

Their harvests were POOR

                                          i.

Malachi 3:11 speaks of LOCUST damage

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Most of the people were INDIFFERENT

                                          i.

Even RESENTFUL toward God.

 

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The people’s hope in God’s covenant promises was all but GONE                                           i.

This was evidenced– as we shall see tonight -  by their

1.

Intermarriages with pagans

2.    Divorces

                                        ii.

They were living for the MOMENT

 

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*Malachi reports God's words (the Lord speaks in 42 of the 55 verses in Malachi) on how the people’s love for God has grown cold.

*

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To the people, God was now DISTANT                                           i.

And so became their LOVE

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How important for us, when God seems distant, to remember the message of Malachi

 

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*The writer referred to OTHER messengers*

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He referred to *priests* as the messenger of the Lord – Malachi 2:7                                           i.

This suggests that every witness of God is an angel of the Lord

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He announced coming of John the Baptist as “*my messenger*” Mal 3:1

                                          i.

John the Baptist was the Malachi of the NT

                                        ii.

He began where Malachi left off

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He also made reference to Christ as the “*messenger of covenant*” 3:1  

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*Malachi’s would FIRST quote a CHARGE that God makes to Israel*

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Then he gives Israel’s ANSWER #.

Finally he gives God’s telling REPLY

 

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*Malachi reveals an age whose CONSCIENCE was deadened to sin*

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Totally CONSUMED in sin - No CONVICTION

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Apparently had lost the VISION

                                          i.

They had lost the JOY of all that God had promised

                                        ii.

Just got TIRED of waiting

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Then THEY acted surprised that God was NOT pleased with them

                                          i.

They PRETENTED to know ALL but knew NOTHING

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GOD’S ANSWER TO JUDAH’S UNFAITHFULNESS

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*Malachi 3:1**  Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.

*

* *

#. *Chapter 3 opens with God’s answer to the question raised by the people of Israel*

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The people were always PUSHING the Lord #.

NEVER satisfied, NEVER content

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Always looking for QUICK answers

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Always looking for SIGNS

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One more time our Lord is going to answer Israel

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In  first verse two MESSENGERS are listed

 

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*The prophecy of the FIRST messenger is quoted in all four of the gospels*

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No guesswork here

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Talking about John the Baptist

 

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*The SECOND messenger – messenger of the Covenant is never quoted anywhere in the Gospels*

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The Gospels deal with the FIRST coming

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This messenger is NOT coming in GRACE,

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This messenger is NOT coming as a REDEEMER

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RATHER, this messenger is coming in JUDGMENT

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Jesus came FIST to SAVE

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BUT, one day He will return as JUDGE

 

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*SIN will be judged*

 

*John 5:22*  For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

 

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In the book of The Revelation of Jesus Christ we read of the Great White Throne

                                          i.

There the LOST will stand before God

                                        ii.

There the LOST, be they rich or poor, great or small are going to judged

                                       iii.

Sin will be JUDGED           

 

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*The messenger of Covenant has NOTHING to do with the New Testament*

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Rather to the COVENANT with God has made with the people of ISRAEL  

*Leviticus 26:9*-13 For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you.