Doubting God's Faithful Love

BLANK SLIDE TO BEGIN RECORDING

SERIES TITLE (set to auto-advance after 10 sec.)

SERMON TITLE

Introduction

We’re starting the year off with a series in the book of Malachi, which will take us through the middle to end of March (Easter is the first Sunday in April this year). Now Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament, so most of the incredible highs and lows and everything in between has happened in Israel’s history.

Background

National confusion

When God spoke through Malachi, Israel was confused because of their circumstances and as a result they questioned God’s love for them. And it makes sense. I can’t say that I’d be unwavering in my faith and confidence if I’d have gone through what they had.

A hundred years or so before Malachi was written the nation of Israel was liven in captivity for about several generations. 2 Kings, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Lamentations describe these years.

The Judahite capital, including the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed and most of the residents were deported and dispersed to Babylonia where they were indentured servants.

Some of the poorest and vulnerable were left in Judah to perform other tough and degrading duties.

Psalm 137 tells us that the captive’s experience was unpleasant to say the least. They mourned their loss of freedom; they mourned their loss of being able to worship freely as they once had; they were mocked by political leaders and society in general; they were despairing and losing hope. Listen to their anguish as the Psalms records it in Ps 137:

SLIDES

Psalm 137 (ESV)

1 By the waters of Babylon,

there we sat down and wept,

when we remembered Zion.

2 On the willows there

we hung up our lyres.

3 For there our captors

required of us songs,

and our tormentors, mirth, saying,

“Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

4 How shall we sing the Lord’s song

in a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

let my right hand forget its skill!

6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,

if I do not remember you,

if I do not set Jerusalem

above my highest joy!

7 Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites

the day of Jerusalem,

how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare,

down to its foundations!”

8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed,

blessed shall he be who repays you

with what you have done to us!

9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones

and dashes them against the rock!

Do you hear their pain, grief and agony?

They were in a terrible time, but it would not be forever. And God used their exile to begin to teach them about his sovereignty to shape events and control entire empires. And it’s in this context that many of the prophetic books were written.

End of the exile

Biblical historians tell us:

The Lexham Bible Dictionary History of the Exile

The Persian conquest of Babylon brought an end to the exile, as Cyrus decreed the return of all captives to their homelands. Although the inscription on the Cyrus Cylinder does not mention the Judahites specifically, it can be inferred from the Ezra-Nehemiah narrative that they were included in his decree (Ezra 1:1–4).

Post-exillic period to Malachi’s day

After the exile, Ezra-Nehemiah shows us the rebuilding of the temple and worship of Yahweh in their homeland began again. By this generation many of the Israelites had a bad taste in their mouth for true devotion to God.

(It would be too much of a guess to say exactly why. But we people have short memories for remembering God’s faithfulness and we tend to be quite fickle when situations don’t go our way.)

Suffice it to say, though, that Malachi’s audience was seriously doubting God’s love. Of this, we’re certain, and we’ll see it today.

Before we dive in, though, it’s worth a comment on how to read the Old Testament.

Reading Old Testament

Some take a perspective that the OT is out-of-date and has been completely replaced by the NT. If that were so, the OT would simply be a history book. But it’s not—it’s the inspired Word of God.

The NT fulfills and completes God’s revelation to us about himself and his work throughout the history of redemption.

So when we read the OT our goal is to see if what we’re reading has been put to a stop, or modified and expanded upon in the NT.

When we read the OT, we see several genres (types of writings) and we need to interpret accordingly. We know how to do this already in life:

If we say the cyclones enveloped the ducks, after yesterdays Fiesta Bowl game, we’re not looking for feathers where a meteorological system swept through. No, we know that the Iowa State Cyclones played an incredible game against the Oregon Ducks and won decisively.

The context of our state, national college football, and weather and more all key in to direct our understanding of the headline.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Luke 24:27 ESV

27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Starting the car this morning. Sock feet. Dirt from wheel.

As I drive, water picks up debris from the road and as that dries in my garage the dirt the water picked up ends up in a pile underneath my tire.

As we drive through all of Scripture, the water (Spirit of God, our memory) picks up truths of God that, over time, get deposited into our minds and hearts. The more your navigate your Bible, the bigger the sediment pile of truth will be for you to draw upon.

Enduring Truths

We read the historical situation, understand the enduring truths presented, and apply it vigorously to our lives. An enduring truth is one that applies to all people, cultures and generations.

As we read Malachi, it’s written about a specific people, in a specific situation and time. But the truths God teaches Judah/Israel are very applicable to you and me today.

SCRIPTURE SLIDES

Scripture

Malachi 1:1–5 ESV

1 The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. 2 “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 3 but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” 4 If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the Lord of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.’ ” 5 Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!”

SLIDE

Main Point: When tempted to doubt God's love, our confidence must come from how God has demonstrated his love which we see in how he what God tells us about himself in the Bible rather than what we feel.

STAY ON BLANK SLIDE UNTIL I REFERENCE PARTICULAR SCRIPTURES

SLIDE

1 The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.

SLIDE

2 “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 3 but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” 4 If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the Lord of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.’ ”

SLIDE

5 Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!”

BLANK SLIDES

Communion Transition and Prayer