MALACHI: They That Feared The LORD

Spiritual Condition 
The last four books of the Old Testament present different visions of God’s dealings in the last days, culminating in the return of the Son of Righteousness to the earth when everything is finally put right and judgment and justice prevail. The last book, Malachi, contrasts the shortcomings of the people and the priests in his day with the time of promise when the Lord returns. The prophet describes how the Lord will work with His people: “He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness” (Mal. 3:3 KJV).

After taking up the age-old controversy between Jacob and Esau and giving some comfort to His people, the LORD turned to the priests and said, “If then I be a Father, where is my honour? And if I be a Master where is My fear? (1:6). God followed His statement about being dishonored by the priests and the people with a long list of their sins, mostly related to temple service. The priests “offer polluted bread” (v.7), despising the offerings of the LORD. They sacrificed the blind and diseased – animals that were unacceptable! God asks what their governor would think if they gave such animals to him. Certainly, he would not find them acceptable. Then He pointed out that they would not even open the doors nor kindle a fire on the altar unless they were paid. Worse, they had robbed God of the tithes and offerings due Him. After presenting these sins, the prophet, by the Word of the LORD, reminded everyone of the duties of the priests and the people to God and their neighbors.

Personal Application
At this point we must stop and look at our actions and hearts. There are many kind and generous Christian people. However, all too often one finds mean, money-centered attitudes among believers. Why count pennies when God has given us a task? Will He not provide a table in the wilderness? Or are we like the people of old who had their doubts about God’s willingness or ability to provide for them on their wilderness journey (Ps. 78:19)? But we have a clear, New Testament assurance: “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).

Do we offer the second best? To what do we give our time? Is it to evangelistic work, prayer and Bible study? Or do we use it for watching television or other frivolous activities, robbing God of what is rightfully His (Mal. 3:8-10)? Yes, a little rest and relaxation is good – but not to the detriment of the things of God.

The Levitical covenant was created so that God’s name would be great among the nations. “My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared Me, and was afraid before My name. The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with Me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts” (2:5-7). Noticing a steady and righteous walk in others, many people do turn from sin. And related to this, a personal and friendly conversation is most valuable. Consider the proverb: “Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out” (Prov. 20:5).

We need to remind ourselves that we, too, are priests; we are God’s messengers. Peter wrote that we are a holy and a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:5,9). Believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit by whom we offer to God spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to Him by Christ Jesus. Therefore our “lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at [our mouths].”

Moral Condition
Along with this religious decline there was also moral and social decay. Malachi told them that they had “dealt treacherously” with their brothers and even against their own wives in the sin of unfaithfulness (Mal. 2:10-11,14). Marriages ended in divorce, which God says He hates (2:16). We often forget that our relationship within marriage is sacred. The world has certainly forgotten it. Just as marriage is sacred and exclusive, so is our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, on which Christian marriage is based (read Ephesians 5:22-29).

Finally, through the prophet God spoke about the accusations against Him by the people, implying that He was the cause of all their troubles. This is never the case. But like them, we do not desire to accept blame for our own sins and failures. “Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say ‘Wherein have we wearied Him?’ When ye say, ‘Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and He delighteth in them’” (Mal. 2:17). This is a true picture of society today. What is evil is called “good,” and what is vile becomes attractive to the perverted tastes of the people of the world. How hard it is for us who profess to know the Lord not to be tainted with that same depravity.

God’s Remedy And The Faithful
God instructed the people to repent and start doing the opposite of all the things they have done in denying God and despising the offerings. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes ... And all nations shall call you blessed: for you shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts” (3:10-12).

Despite all the darkness, there are always the faithful few. In every nation and at every time we may recognize a small number who are true to God. The prophet, in one of the most delightful passages of the whole Bible, depicted the people in whom God takes pleasure. “Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name” (3:16). Just as the Father delights in the Son (Mt. 17:5), so He also delights in His people. The passage in Malachi goes on: “And they shall be Mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels” (v.17).

The day of His “jewels” is contrasted with the Day of the Lord. The latter is a day “that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up” (4:1). Immediately the scene changes and we are shown another aspect of the Lord Jesus Christ in His return to this sad and evil earth. It will be a time of utmost horror to the ungodly but of the greatest joy to those who love God and fear His name. “But unto you that fear My name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings ... And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I do this, saith the LORD of hosts” (4:2-3). The pledge that the Lord Jesus Christ will return is given to us in the last colorful scene.

Elijah
All through Malachi there are scenes of darkness and depravity contrasted most effectively with scenes of light, life and happiness. Now at the end of the book God brings before us one of the most mysterious characters in the entire Bible: Elijah. He was “a man subject to like passions as we are” (Jas. 5:17), yet who was a towering spiritual giant that suddenly appeared during the corrupt reign of king Ahab (1 Ki. 17:1).

John the Baptist was a man sent from God (Jn. 1:6). The Lord Jesus said of him, “And if ye will receive it, this is [Elijah], which was for to come” (Mt. 11:14). Of course they did not receive the message nor him.

In raising the ideal of the family, Elijah’s ministry is shown in its deeper reality. “Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse” (Mal. 4:5-6). This Elijah is yet to appear and will announce the imminent coming of the kingdom of God to earth.

Encouragement
Finally, we may encourage ourselves that there have always been men and women who have served their generation in a similar role. Elijah had a ministry at the center of things. But our small corner is no less important. For though we seem to achieve little, we give God pleasure.

Jeremiah was one such servant. He was hated by the men of authority and put in prison. He was rescued by a slave of the king only to be treated first as a traitor and then as a fugitive. Only a handful of friends helped and stood by him. Yet God, through Jeremiah, challenges us: “For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard His word? Who has marked His word ... and heard it?” (Jer. 23:18). These are the men and women God chooses and in whom He finds pleasure. These are those who may “[turn] them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings” (Jer. 23:22).

May this be so for all of us in these increasingly dark days.

By Roger Penney

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