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Malachi 2:17-
Questionable Justice
Questionable Justice
“Not guilty by reason of insanity.”
This was the unbelievable sentence recited by Judge Barrington Parker following each of the thirteen charges leveled against John Warnock Hinckley, Jr., for the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan.
The trial is said to have cost $2.5 million.
As would be expected, reactions to the verdict varied from clever maneuvering of language to a travesty of justice.
Arthur Eads, district attorney of Bell County, Texas, declared: “Only in the U. S. can a man try to assassinate the leader of the country in front of 125 million people and be found not guilty.”
Many echoed the sentiments of Eads that the verdict was symptomatic of a runaway leniency in the justice system.
(TAKEN FROM G. Curtis Jones, 1000 Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1986), 19.)
G. Curtis Jones, 1000 Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1986), 19.
We live in a world and a society that wants justice.
Some might say that justice however, is in the eye of the beholder.
We live in a world and a society where swift reaction comes when justice is not served.
Right or wrong.
Our passage today finds the Lord bringing another accusation to the Israel regarding their attitude toward Him and their wrong actions that have come as a result.
In this case, it is the fact that they have doubted God’s justice and have defamed Him as a result.
PROPOSITION: God’s patience is long but His judgment is sure.
We must trust Him to bring about justice in His time.
Notice some important truths from our passage this morning:
1. THE NATURE OF ISRAEL’S DEFAMATION (2:17)
A. They supported those that do evil
B. They believed that God supported those that did evil
C.
They doubted God’s judgement
There are times when we want to doubt as well.
There are times when we might say the fight just isn’t worth it because the wicked always win.
What does the Scripture teach regarding the judgment and justice of God?
1. God’s justice is Impartial
2. God’s justice is inescapable
3. God’s justice is infallible
4. God’s justice is a vindication of the righteous
Is 50:
2. GOD’S RESPONSE TO ISRAEL’S DEFAMATION (3:1-6)
A. God’s messenger will prepare the way (1)
“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me.”
“My messenger,” who “will prepare the way,” is distinguished in 3:1a from the divine Lord of hosts, who is the speaker and to whom the pronouns “I,” “my,” and “me” refer.
So the messenger in v. 1a is someone different from the Lord of hosts.
And despite the fact that “my messenger” and “Malachi” are the same in Hebrew, the future-oriented context of vv.
1–5 and the parallel between 3:1 and 4:5 make clear that “my messenger” is not Malachi.
Nevertheless, the play on Malachi’s name suggests that his own ministry of preparation was intended to foreshadow the work of this promised messenger in 3:1a.
But in v. 1b, another idea is in view, for v. 1b speaks in poetic parallelism, in which two lines express the same idea in different words.
“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me.”
“My messenger,” who “will prepare the way,” is distinguished in 3:1a from the divine Lord of hosts, who is the speaker and to whom the pronouns “I,” “my,” and “me” refer.
So the messenger in v. 1a is someone different from the Lord of hosts.
And despite the fact that “my messenger” and “Malachi” are the same in Hebrew, the future-oriented context of vv.
1–5 and the parallel between 3:1 and 4:5 make clear that “my messenger” is not Malachi.
Nevertheless, the play on Malachi’s name suggests that his own ministry of preparation was intended to foreshadow the work of this promised messenger in 3:1a.
But in v. 1b, another idea is in view, for v. 1b speaks in poetic parallelism, in which two lines express the same idea in different words.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1778.
B. God will make good on His promises (1) (will suddenly come to His temple…)
C. The Messiah will come (1) (…behold, He is coming...”)
D. The Messiah will be a refiner and a judge (2)
E. The Messiah will be a lasting and permanent priest (3)
F. Messiah will make all acceptable to God once again (4)
G. Messiah’s focus will be judgment (5)
H.
This is a reminder that God always wins (5)
I.
This is a reminder of the great grace of God (6)
CONCLUSION:
1. Do you find yourself discouraged and doubting God as a result?
2. Have you defamed God by thinking that maybe sin isn’t so bad?
3. Have you defamed God by not calling sin as it truly is?
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