Malachi 1:1-3:18
The title of our study is actually a misnomer.... For God does not have `grandchildren' per se. He has only `children', who become such through faith in Christ - Ga 3:26-27 "for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." -- Yet I seek to stimulate your thinking with this title. True children of God do have children, physical offspring who often appear to follow in the footsteps of their parents' faith. Yet it is not uncommon for them to lack the same conviction. -- It is these `grandchildren' to which I have reference in this study. In the book of Malachi, we find a similar situation.... The restoration under Ezra and Nehemiah occurred several generations earlier. The descendants of those restored Jews did not have the same zeal and focus in their faith. -- Malachi was sent to rebuke the sins of this later generation.
There are parallels today, when children are blessed to have Christian parents or grandparents. The sins of the `grandchildren' of Malachi's day often appear in the `grandchildren' of today. To see how, let's first review the sins of God's "grandchildren" in Malachi's day.
1.) They doubted God's love! They evidently questioned His love for them . God reasserted His love for Israel - Mal 1:2 `"I have loved you," says the LORD. But you say, "How have you loved us?" "Is not Esau Jacob's brother?" declares the LORD. "Yet I have loved Jacob,"
2.) They dishonored God's name by offering blemished sacrifices. They offered to God what they would be embarrassed to offer men. The Lord even wished someone would shut the doors so they could not sacrifice - Mal 1:6-11 `"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, 'How have we despised your name?' By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, 'How have we polluted you?' By saying that the LORD's table may be despised. When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts. And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the LORD of hosts. Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts."
By offering halfhearted worship. Profaning God's name by saying His service was contemptible and a weariness. Those who continued to bring blemished sacrifices would fall under God's curse - Mal 1:12-14 "But you profane it when you say that the Lord's table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. But you say, 'What a weariness this is,' and you snort at it, says the LORD of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD. Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations."
3.) They desecrated God's covenant by marrying heathen women. They dealt treacherously and profaned the covenant made with their fathers by marrying pagan women ("the daughter of a foreign God") - Mal 2:10-12 "Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the LORD, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. May the LORD cut off from the tents of Jacob, any descendant of the man who does this, who brings an offering to the LORD of hosts!" This problem is described more fully in Ezra 9-10; Neh 13:23-24. Malachi prayed that the Lord would cut off from Jacob those who did this – see Mal 2:12; Ezr 10:7-8; Neh 13:23-28. They desecrated God's covenant by divorcing their Jewish wives - Mal 2:13-16 "And this second thing you do. You cover the LORD's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. But you say, "Why does he not?" Because the LORD was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. "For the man who hates and divorces, says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless."' Despite their weeping, God was no longer regarding their sacrifices. For they had dealt treacherously with the wives of the their youth (i.e., Jewish wives) by divorcing them:
1) Even though they had entered into a covenant (e.g., "Till death do us part")
2) Even though God had made them one (cf. Gen 2:24)
Therefore God hated divorce for it covered one's garment with violence (e.g., against the wife and children). It was treacherous to so deal with one's spouse in that way! - Mal 2:16 "For the man who hates and divorces, says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless."'
4.) They tried and disparaged God's patience, wearying Him with their words, especially by questioning His justice. They said that those who do evil is good in God's sight, that He even delights in them. They asked, "Where is the God of justice?" - Mal 2:17 "You have wearied the LORD with your words. But you say, "How have we wearied him?" By saying, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them." Or by asking, "Where is the God of justice?"' God's response was to send His Messenger(s). First, the `messenger' (John the Baptist) who would prepare the way. Then, the `Messenger of the covenant' (Jesus) who would purge His people - Mal 3:1-5 "Behold, I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years. "Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts."
5.) They deserted God's ordinances God charged them with deserting His ordinances - Mal 3:7 "From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. But you say, 'How shall we return?'" Their tithes (the lack thereof) as a case in point - Mal 3:8-12 "Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the LORD of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the LORD of hosts." They had robbed God by their failure to offer their tithes - Mal 3:8. For this reason the whole nation had been accursed - Mal 3:9. They were challenged to bring the tithes, and to see the blessings that would follow - Mal 3:10-12.
6.) They dispised God's service. They said it was vain to serve God - Mal 3:13-15. Their words were harsh against God - Mal 3:13 `"Your words have been hard against me, says the LORD. But you say, 'How have we spoken against you?'" They questioned what profit there was in keeping His ordinances - Mal 3:14 "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?" Calling the proud blessed, saying the wicked are raised up, and those who tempt God go free - Mal 3:15 "And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.'"
Such were the circumstances in the generation or two that followed the restoration of Israel. Having reviewed the situation and deteriorated relationship between God and His people we will next look at God's `Grandchildren' today.
