Responding to the Message

Introduction

The conclusion of Malachi spans 3:13 - 4:6 (in the Hebrew Bible, there is no “chapter 4”).

The Masoretic Text sees 3:13-18 as one paragraph, and 4:1-6 as two connected paragraphs. We will take the first section today, the Final Dispute and Another Response. We will hear the final declaration of Malachi’s audience of their hard-hearted, self-centred approach to God. Then we will meet another group of people, those who respond to God’s call to return to him.

But to put the conclusion in propoer perspective, we need to review the whole message. So, today - and next week - we will begin by reading through Malachi.

READ MALACHI (ABOUT 9 MINUTES)

A. The Final Dispute (3:13-15)

Malachi 3:13–15 ESV

“Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’ ”

The final dispute section is really a summary of all that the people to whom Malachi was speaking have been saying. There’s nothing new here.

Chapter One was completely taken up with the empty worship that the people were bringing.

There are three claims in verse 14, and one declaration in 15.

“It is vain to serve God.”

Vain = empty, futile, to no purpose (“do not use the name of the YHWH your God in vain” Exod 20:7; Deut 5:11).

Serve = to serve, be a servant, to worship

often this word is used of the role of the priesthood in relation to the work of the tabernacle/temple - a central concern of Malachi

Main Idea: There’s nothing worthwhile in serving or worshiping God - it’s just empty.

“What is the profit of keeping his charge...”

Hebrew word - 39 x in OT = profit, gain, advantage - “personal advantage from some activity”

Basic Idea - “What’s in it for me?”

“keeping his charge” = one root word, to guard, keep, observe. Lit: “in observing his observances”

the verb communicates doing something carefully, diligently, especially covenant obligations.

Genesis 2:15 - humanity is given the task to “keep/guard” the garden.

Main Idea/Question - “Is it really worth it, what do I gain, investing myself in God’s ways?”

“What is the profit…of walking as in mourning before the LORD of hosts?”

two part question - second part: repentance.

Returning to God (3:7) is going to mean facing the fact that you’re NOT with God. Admitting your distance from Him.

Since the people did not see their need to “return” or “repent”, or that their worship was unacceptable to God - they lived in doubt of His love and justice, etc… what would be the point of repentance?

Again - the question is self-centred - “What do I get out of it?”

Main Idea: grieving over our distance from God isn’t really worth it, doesn’t do anything for me.

The Final Declaration (v15)

This is outright blasphamey - it’s character assasination against God, defamation of His character.

This is an emphatic declaration - וְעַתָּ֕ה אֲנַ֖חְנוּ - AND NOW WE, OURSELVES… THIS IS OUR CONCLUSION IN THIS DISPUTE...

“we declare the arrogant blessed” - ashre - (ex .Psa 1:1)

There is no use of this verb on God’s lips in direct discourse. God “Blesses” but not in the sense this word conveys.

barak originates in God’s grace and action; ashar originates in man’s actions and achievements.

In this context, and the context of Malachi’s disputes, the declaration of blessing may communicate that rather than “going about in mourning” the people choose to declare their lives as “blessed - happy”. They are congradulating themselves on living for themselves and they don’t really want or feel the need for God’s favour.

“evildoers prosper” - build themselves up (contrast 1:4 - God’s declaration of tearing down what the arrogant try to rebuild)

and they test God and get away with it.

God invites people to test him in regards to his provision, but the idea here is questioning and attacking the character of God.

They “escape” - Lit. escape death/threat. Typically the word is used of God’s acts to rescue and deliver His people in crisis.

Main idea - Since serving God is empty, we don’t get anything out of it, self-centred living is the best way to go. God doesn’t act or judge, we can get away with anything.

FUNCTIONAL ATHEISM: God doesn’t care, God is not just. It doesn’t matter how you live, as long as you get ahead.

B. Another Response (3:16-18)

Malachi 3:16–18 ESV

Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

We shift gears quite unexpectedly at this point. We move from disputation speeches to narrative. From God and the people speaking to one another, to Malachi telling us what is happening - there isn’t a conversation, it’s a report.

THEN - “at that time” - the Hebrew word is a narrative transition marker - something new is being said, but it is logically connected to what has just been covered.

“THE FEAR OF THE LORD” has been part of the overarching theme of Malachi - we hear and feel that as we read through the whole message. This is in stark contrast to the participants in the dispute passages - everything from 1:2 - 3:15. Lack of fear, reverence, awe of God is revealed in the doubt, skepticism, the questioning of God’s love and justice.

There is always a remnant of the faithful. There’s always a Noah, and Abraham, a Moses, a Joshua and Caleb, etc…

Malachi’s message has, for the most part, fallen on deaf ears - doubting and hardened hearts. But there were some who were open to the message and willing to make the changes. The response of this group is the polar opposite to what we heard in 3:13-15.

These are the people who, despite the circumstances, know that God still loves them; that, despite their poverty are willing to give their best animals and bring their tithes and offerings; who remain faithful to their neighbour, guard their spirits in relation to their marriage and remain faithful. These are the people who long for God to return and are not afraid to undergo his refining and cleansing so that they can know Him better and worship Him authentically and deeply from a place of purity. These are people who aren’t looking for what they can get out of living for God, but who live for God because of who He is and celebrate the redemptive work He has accomplished for them.

To fear God is to stand in reverential awe of His abiding love, His enduring justice, and His unchanging nature.

While the Lord has closed his ears to the cries of the arrogant and self-absorbed, He is open and attentive to the humble and contrite.

Notice that there is only ONE characteristic of the people God treasures: they fear Him. Everything else in the paragraph is an expression of God’s pleasure in them.

“They shall be mine!” - Do you long for acceptance and affirmation?

“When I make up my treasured possession” (Exodus 19:5) - Do you live in the daily knowledge of your value to God?

“I will spare them...” - When God’s justice rolls, what hope do we have but His mercy and forgiveness offered through Christ?

“Once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked...” (repeated through Exodus as God acts to free Israel from slavery and bondage)

“…between the one who serves/worships God and one who does not.” It all comes down to who and what we worship.

This passage leads us to see that there two responses to God = we either reject who He is, or we stand in awe. We see Him as worthless, or we bow in worship.

Conclusion: The Choice We Face

There are two responses to the Good News of God’s unchanging love and justice: rejection or repentance.

As Malachi wraps up the message God gave him, these are the two choices we face in our hearts and lives.

Remember, Malachi is not addressing people outside the family of God - but those in Israel, the chosen people, who had become hardened and skeptical; those who beleived God no longer loved them, was no longer exercising His justice, and who was not the same God that lead them out of Egypt.

In what ways am I doubting God’s eternal love for me this week?

Do I really believe that the God of Justice is alive and well in a world that seems so unjust and broken?

Have I given up hope that the God of the Bible is the God of Today?

There are only two responses: entrenched resistence or enriched repentance.

How are you responding to God in your life - not just on Sunday, but in the everyday realities you’re facing?

Where do you need to spend some time in reflecting on the character and nature of God in humble repentance?

How does God’s evaluation of your words and your worship challenge you or encourage you?

How does your heart respond to the reality that, having turned to Him, embracing His refining work in your life, that God claims you as a TREASURED POSSESSION?

May the message of Malachi lead us all to embracing a life of enriched repentance in the presence of God.

Closing Prayer

Benediction

Romans 16:25–27 ESV

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.