Malachi 1:1 The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.
The word burden is a common term,
which is used to describe an unfavorable situation. It would be fair to say that both parties were experiencing
grief of some kind.
1. God was feed-up
with Israel's disrespect to his Holy name
2.
Israel was under a curse, and I might add that this curse was God's number one punishment. God withheld
the rain from Israel by shutting up the Windows of heaven. It appears that Israel was unaware of the activation
of this curse. Therefore, Malachi was summoned by either God or Israel. (In order to stop the mouths of
the deceivers, it is clearly stated that God was referring to" Israel").
The facts are established that the Gentiles had a relationship with God at this particular time. "For
from the rising of the sun, even to it's going down, my name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall
be offered to My name, and a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations," says the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 1:11
Some might argue that this passage was a future
event; however incense was accepted before God at this time. The Gentiles may not have had a covenant with Him, but before
the coming of Christ a relationship is evident; and since the resurrection of Christ incense is no longer accepted before
God. for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in
the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law
written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing
them. Romans 2: 14-15
The
deceivers can't deny these true concepts that are coming from the Word of God,
1. This period of the Gentile's commitment to God, was not under the law.
2. They weren't given the law, but were doers of the law by nature.
3. They showed the works of the law that was written in their hearts.
At this time the Gentile's had a relationship with God, and there's no denying it, (and I might
add that this was before the coming of Christ.) For further references check these passages, Chronicles
6:32-33 St. John 4:7-24 and Acts 10: 1-4.
Israel Violations
The first violation of disrespect
to God was by Adam and Eve, the second incident of disrespect to Him was displayed by Cain, these two incidents are equated
to Israel's violation. Reference Genesis 4:17 God didn't respect Cain's offering, apparently he hadn=t given God what was expected of him, so it wasn=t accepted from him. You can see it had nothing to do with a financial offering,
many miss the fact that when we disobey God and we don=t
honor or respect Him, this equates to robbing God. The following is an example of Israel situation at the time of Malachi.
Malachi used an incident that the nation of Israel could relate
to (Mal.1:2-3) I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved
us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the Lord: yet I
loved Jacob, And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the
dragons of the wilderness.
This incident carries the exact violation as the Nation of Israel
; ( disrespect to God, or Robbing Him). Genesis 25: 29-34 And Jacob sod pottage:
and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: 30 And
Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint:
therefore was his name
called Edom. 31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. 32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to
die: and
what profit shall this birthright do to me? 33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware
unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.
34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and
he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.
I ask you reader, what’s the significant of Esau’s
example compared to Israel violation, do you think Malachi had some other reason? One thing is certain it had nothing to do
with any monetary ordinance.
Blessings
Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing,
if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you today; Deuteronomy 11:26-27 AThe Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heaven, to give the rain to
your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.
Deuteronomy 28:12 Curses AAnd
the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you today,
to go after other gods which you have
not known.
Deuteronomy 11: 28 AThe
Lord will change the rain of your land to powder and dust; from the heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed.
Deuteronomy 28:24
Ordinance
Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it shall
not be acceptable on your behalf. Those that are blind
or broken or maimed, or have a ulcer or eczema or scabs, you shall not offer to the Lord, nor
make a offering by fire of them on the altar to the Lord. Leviticus 22: 20, 22
You offer defiles food on my altar,
But say, In what way have we defiled you? By saying, the table of the Lord is contemptible; And when you offer the lame and
sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Will he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorable?
Says the Lord of Hosts. Malachi 1:7-8
Judgement
Alest the Lord=s
anger be aroused against you, and He shut the heavens that there be no rain, and the land yield no produce, and you perish
quickly from the good land which the Lord is giving you. Deuteronomy 11:17 also When I shut up heaven and there is
no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who called by My name
will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive
their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:13-14
Malachi
1:6
"A son honors his father, and
a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is my reverence?
Says the Lord of Hosts to you priest who despise my name. Yet you say," In what way have we despised Your name?"
These concepts that God was
referring to concerning Israel should not be a strange occurrence to us, for when we've disobeyed our parents we've robbed
them of due respect and punishment is certain. Robbing God wasn't an issue of monetary obligation owed to him, but it's a
matter of disrespect, lack of honor, and glory due His name.
Malachi 1: 7
"You offer defiled food on My altar, but say “In what
way have we defiled You?" by saying," The table of the Lord is contemptible.@
These complaints about defiled food are simple enough to understand, where is the monetary issue that is preached on
every Sunday? This verse is self explanatory and how can you deny it.
Malachi
1:8 And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when
you offer the lame
And
sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you
favorably?@ Says the Lord of Hosts.
God's complaint to the Priest
was appropriate because they had received specific instruction for the sacrifices, the Old Testament Law states, it could
not be; broken or maimed, or have scabs or diseases of the skin. Those that are blind or broken or
maimed, or have an ulcer or eczema or scabs, you shall not offer to the Lord, nor make an offering by fire of them on the
altar to the Lord. Leviticus 22:17-33
But the priest completely ignored their instruction and offered, the blind, lame and sick. This was a direct act of disregard to God's commandments, His statement about offering it to the Governors show how
He felt about their offering. We know that the Governors and other official get the best we have to offer, but they had given
God the worst. If the Governor wouldn't be pleased to accept something corrupt, how do you think God
felt with such defiled offerings? This shows how they were robbing God, which had nothing to do the money.
Malachi 1:9 “But now entreat God=s favor, that he may be gracious to us. While
this is being done by your hands, will He accept you favorably?@
Says the Lord of Hosts.
Will God accept you and be happy, while you offer your defiled sacrifices to Him? Ask earnestly for His favor, desiring
his blessings and goodness after your hands have done this to him. What about you pastors? You are just as guilty, what a
joke you are to God.
Because they had desecrated God's sacred ceremonies He was angry with them.
(Sacred 1.Having to do with religion, set apart for some religious
purpose; 2. given or deserving the highest respect; hallowed.)
(Ceremony 1. An act or set of acts done in a special way, with all the correct details for the
occasion: 2.a very polite behavior that follows strict rules.)
God wasn't
accepting their daily obligation or sacrifice to him. They felt as many feel today, that God accepts whatever they do, in
His name, even if it is against His word. Their disrespect for God's sacred ceremonies reflected on how they view God in their
hearts, but they still desired His blessings and favors.
God had become disgusted with them, their sacrifices, and their disrespect to his name. He no
longer wanted anything that they would offer from their hands to Him.
Can you imagine the pain that God must have felt from His people, although
he had chosen them to make His name known throughout the entire world and yet they disrespected Him and offered Him defiled
sacrifices? They hadn=t reverenced His name; this again
is how they were robbing God.
Malachi 1:14
"But cursed be the deceiver who has
in his flock a male, and takes a vow, But sacrifice to the Lord what is blemished--- For I am a great King," says the
Lord of Hosts "And My name is to be feared among the nations."
We previously established God's reason for
being upset with Israel, and it had nothing to do with money. They disrespected Him and his name by not giving Him
the best. The proclamation that He was a great King, and He would be revered by all nations, was only an introduction
to why Israel and God were in this conflict. If only we would be able to understand that we (the church) are not partakers
in this same violation. (Disrespect) (Or Robbing God)
If you would read the entire second chapter of Malachi you would find 10 complaints
that God had against Israel. Tradition has us focusing in on financial support whenever the book of Malachi
is mentioned, however we would like to establish some of the various complaints that God had against Israel, which were exposed
by Malachi.
Malachi 2:1-2
"And now, O Priest, this commandment is
for you. If you will not hear, and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory to My Name," says
the Lord of hosts, " I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have cursed
them already, because you did not take it to heart.@
Complaint (1)
God said to the priest, this
order is for you, if you do not hear or hold this in your heart: (a) I'll send a cursed upon you, (b)
Curse your blessing, (c) I have cursed them already.
Malachi 2: 3
“Behold, I will
rebuke your descendants and spread refuse on your faces, the refuse of your solemn feasts; and one will
take you away with it.
He
also said because you have not taken My word to your heart I will;
a. reprimand and chasten your children,
b. put dung on your faces and you will be unclean and unfix for my service,
c. just as dung is removed after feasts, you will also be removed.
Complaint (2)
They had put other tribes in the priesthood.
Malachi 2:4
"Then shall you know that I have sent this commandment to you, that My covenant with Levi
may continue," says the Lord of hosts.
Be aware that this complaint was for the Priests and not Israel as a nation. Just
as the priests would know their punishment, Pastors will also know their punishment when God's ministers, (the government
agencies) move against them.
Malachi 2: 5- 6
" My covenant was with him, one of
life and peace, and I gave them to him that he might fear Me; So he feared Me and was reverent before My name. The
law of truth was in his mouth, and injustice was not found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and equity, And turned
many away from iniquity.
God didn't destroyed the priests=office, because
of His covenant He made with Levi, and He would continue the priesthood because of His word, and their commitment to Him.
The Levites had; (a) feared God, (b) respected His name, (c) law of truth was in his mouth,
(d) He walked with God in peace and fairness, (e) he turns many
away from iniquity
God's agreement with Levi was for peace; 'Therefore say, "Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace; And it shall be to him and
his descendants after him, a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement
for the children of Israel.@ Numbers 25:12-13
