Malachi
Malachi is a great read and so much of this prophecy and admonition is applicable for today. Malachi, which means “my messenger”, was a prophecy to the children of Israel after they came back from the Babylonian captivity and had to rebuild Jerusalem. They were doing the right things in the temple, but their heart and faith were far from God. They had lost their love of God and therefore were just worshipping and serving in the temple out of tradition but not having faith or passion. So, I need to ask myself at different times in my life: “am I just going to church and serving out of tradition and heritage or am I going to church and serving because of my passion for Jesus”.
God knew the people’s hearts and the funny thing is that the people didn’t think they were doing anything wrong. They were going through the right motions, but they had cheapened and watered down the covenant with God. The key element with this prophecy and admonition is a covenant and how the people of Israel had broken that covenant. God had not broken his part of the covenant, he was still abiding by his terms of the covenant, but the people of Israel had broken it. They were bringing unclean animals in for sacrifice instead of the best animals. They were not bringing in the whole tithe to the temple, chapter 3, they had broken their marriage covenant with their wives, chapter 2 verses 13-16 and they had turned away from the teaching and instruction of the Lord in chapter 2: 7-10.
God’s covenant with his people is well described in chapter 2:5-6 which says, “My covenant was with him (Levi), a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace an uprightness and turned many from sin.” This covenant started with the Levites who were charged with teaching and instruction along with all the duties in the temple. But it was with the priests that brought in false teaching and instruction. Unfortunately, the people of Israel followed suit. Chapter 2:7-9 says “For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction, because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty. But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble, you have violated the covenant with Levi, says the LORD Almighty. So, I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law.”
Oh oh, this isn’t good. The priests, the messengers of God, are teaching falsehoods and leading people astray is not a good thing. And I’m afraid I am seeing the same thing happening today in the Christian church. Not all leaders, pastors and priests but I am seeing churches that have become stagnant and in some cases are promoting false teaching. There are three things Jesus did in his ministry here in earth and wrapped it all in one attribute. Jesus preached the kingdom of God, taught the people how to live their lives and brought healing. And all of this was done out of compassion for his people. So, the question is very simple, are we as leaders, pastors, teachers, and priests preaching the Gospel? Are we teaching our people how to live their lives according to God’s word, the Bible? And finally, are we bringing physical, emotional, financial, and spiritual healing?
Malachi was given the prophecy and admonition for the people of Israel to wake up and recognize that what they were doing was not what God had intended for them to do. They had broken covenant with God, watering down the teaching and instruction of the LORD. Is this prophecy and admonition of Malachi’s appropriate for our church today? I am afraid it is, and we too need to repent as those who feared the LORD did in chapter 3 verse 16. “Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.” The LORD in his compassion gives us his promise in verse 17 and 18, “They will be mine, says the LORD Almighty, in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.
