Broken Service

If Then Promises

The book of Revelation brings us to an awareness of the conditions churches may be found in. Through their examination we come to understand the many promises found in the church that overcomes:

The church in Ephesus

Abandoned their first love

IF you do not repent Then I will remove your lampstand

The church in Pergamum

Balaam - idol worship Nicolaitans - conforming to cultural standards and idol worship

IF you do not repent Then I will war against them

The church in Thyatira

Practicing sexual immorality

deals with the doctrinal immorality

deep things of satan

given time repent but refused...

I pondered for a moment what kind of spiritual offspring are being produced by the church when the pulpit is for sale the congregation has been sold and the spiritual things of God have been betrayed.

Each of these churches had an issue and at the helm were shepherds who are responsible for the proper care, feeding, and tending to of the flock.

It is their responsibility to teach and exemplify for the church what proper worship looks like.

Malachi 2:1–2 ESV

“And now, O priests, this command is for you. 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’s issue with the people is centered on the broken service being offered by the priest. They are responsible for teaching the congregation.

The priest not listen and incur a curse on themselves their offering and their future generations.

speaks of spiritual offspring

The way they offered is the same way he repaid

The Levitical Priesthood

Malachi 2:5–6 ESV

My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.

The covenant was conditioned on them obeying the laws (If-then)

Levi not the ideal candidate

colluded with the rest of his brothers to sell Joseph

violent past (Gen 49:5-7)

True instruction in his mouth and covenant of life and peace

feared the Lord and stood in awe

turned from iniquity

A Nation of Priests

1 Peter 2:9–10 ESV

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

The promise in the Lord is we are priests

The more perfect covenant Heb 7-8

Standing in awe of the Lord

Three Indictment Against the Priest

Corrupting the Covenant

Malachi 2:8–9 ESV

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, and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.”

The turning away from the way

Partiality to instruction (pick and choose scripture)

Teaching others to despise the Lord (Mal 1:12)

Marriage to Foreign gods

Malachi 2:11 ESV

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.

Back to Revelation churches had sold the congregation; the pulpit

The churches fallen to false doctrines Jezebel and deep things of satan

In this situation the priests are selling the congregation into false doctrines

Empty Worship

Malachi 2:13 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.

In 2 Chronicles Solomon builds a temple and declares that if the people earnestly seek God, He would turn and hear them … if they don’t then a curse comes upon them

Priests lift up offerings and they are not received

They do not honor the covenant from their youth

Exhortations for the Priest

Malachi 2:7 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.

Guard Knowledge

Speak with truth (v.6)

Walk with Him (v.6)

Guard the people

Teach the people

You are the messenger of the Lord

Produce Godly offspring (2:15)

Spirit and truth worship John 4:24

This section closes out with a command to the priest… Guard yourselves in your spirit and do not be faithless…

Priests can not go on abusing the priesthood and selling of the congregation… return to your first love… avoid false doctrines… run away from the deep things of satan