Malachi: Pt. 4 Spiritual Malpractice, Divine Warnings and a Promise to the Gentiles.

Good morning to all of you. My heart is always filled with deep gratitude for each person who visits our Bible study each day and my prayer is that the Spirit of God, our Teacher in the Word, will show the glory of Jesus Christ to us as we study together.

Unacceptable Sacrifices & A Precious Promise to Gentiles.

Malachi 1:9-11    And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts. 10) Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. 11) For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts. 

Malachi continues speaking for Jehovah against the deplorable spiritual apathy at the callousness of the people's hearts toward God. He made it clear that Jehovah would not regard them any longer. God took no delight in such a foolish and disrespectful nation. He refused to accept such pathetic offerings from a people that He had blessed so many times over several centuries. 

The idea of shutting the door for no reason or kindling a fire for no reason means Jehovah told them they might as well let the altar fire go out and close the doors to the temple because He would not accept what they were doing.

Verse 11 is a transition where the LORD speaking through Malachi to share the wonderful news that the Gentiles or heathen will be included in God's redemptive work. Gentile nations will have a hunger for the gospel and salvation that the Jewish people no longer had. 

Jehovah placed the faith response of Gentiles in stark contrast to the faithlessness of Israel. Twice He declared that His name will be great and highly esteemed by those nations, whereas Israel despised the name of Jehovah.

This portion of the prophecy is looking forward to Jesus Christ the Messiah when Gentiles will see the light and become worshipers of the One, true God. (See also Isaiah 45:22-25; 49:5-7 & 59:19).

A Stern Warning from Jehovah.

Malachi 1:12-14 But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. 
13) Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD. 14) But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

Malachi returns to the complaint of the LORD against His people, Israel. They were guilty of profaning and polluting His sacrifices. The word "Profane" means to defile the ceremonial objects of worship while the word "polluted" means to make yourself unclean, impure or desecrated such that you cannot appear before the LORD. 

God provided for the priests by having them eat a portion of the meat offered in sacrifice. However, they did not care for it and viewed such provision with disdain. The whole process of making offerings for sin was considered a waste of time by the priests and it was a weary duty rather than a joyful blessing. The phrase "snuffed at it" means looking around with an attitude of self conceit and despising the things of God.  

Malachi reminded them again that the people offered animals that were torn, lame and sick instead of animals without spot or blemish. Their corrupt practices were resoundingly rejected by God and He reminded them that He is the great King who will judge them for their unrighteousness. 

Vows were not required by God but if any man made a vow to the LORD he was under an obligation to do that which he vowed. (Deuteronomy 23:21-23; Leviticus 22:17-25). Some people made a vow to give an acceptable animal to Jehovah and then offered a defective one instead. No one should attempt to cheat the Great King and think that they will get away with it. Be sure your sin will find you out.

Priests punished for leading people astray.

Malachi 2:1-3 And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. 2) If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. 3) Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.

God moved His prophet to turn his attention to the deficiencies of the priesthood. The true worship of God and teaching the law to the people and showing them how to live were primary responsibilities of the priests. They were ordained to perpetuate and preserve all that God had given to them through Moses. 

Malachi gave them a strong command that they were to immediately give glory to Jehovah Sabaoth because His name represents who He is. They had desecrated His holy name by their sinful actions. 

The name Jehovah Sabaoth combines all the meanings of the name Jehovah with a word that refers to the mighty armies of heaven. He is captain of the heavenly host and will lead them into battle against all enemies of God. When Malachi used this name of God it should have caused the priests to tremble. 

Jehovah spoke very bluntly. If they refuse to hear and heed this warning and it they did not take it seriously, Jehovah would curse them and in fact, had already cursed them for gross dereliction of their duties. 

The good things they enjoyed would be cursed, their offspring would be corrupt and their shame will be like that of a man who had dung spread upon his face. The priests would be made unclean like garbage and they would have no seed to assume priestly duties. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

First, I think we saw a bad case of spiritual malfeasance where the people utterly failed in doing what God instructed them to do. It is never okay with God to be apathetic, bored or complaining about serving Him. It is never a good idea to give God less than our very best like these people did. 

Second, Jehovah issued a strong warning that they must stop, repent and return to the LORD. If they kept cheating the LORD by offering substandard animals and if they continued making vows and not following through, all blessing would be forfeited. They turned their noses up at the sacrifices they offered to God. They viewed religious duties as a burden instead of a privilege and blessing. God's people need to hear and heed what He said to this people because we do not want to fall into the same sinful patterns.

Third, Jehovah was going to hold the priests accountable for their wrongdoing. He was not going to let them slide by. Their bad attitudes and sinful actions prompted the people to follow their bad example. 

May the LORD help us to seek His will, to please Him in all our ways and to be jealous for His glorious name. 

Bob