Malachi 1:1-3:18
Having reviewed the situation and deteriorated relationship between God and His people we will now look at God's `Grandchildren' today. Such were the circumstances in the generation or two that followed the restoration of Israel. Today, many of us are a generation or two removed from a similar restoration by our ancestors. Might we be guilty of similar sins...?
Do we doubt God's Love…? It is not uncommon for some to question God's existence, let alone His love! Especially, if their faith is not a biblical faith. One that requires a firm conviction in the existence of God - He 11:1 "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.", 6 "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." One that comes from the Word of God - Ro 10:17 "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."; Jn 20:30-31 "Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." Without such faith, they do not experience God's love. For faith leads to obedience - Ro 1:5 "through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,"; 6:17 "But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,". And it is in the keeping of God's commandments that we experience His love - Jn 14:21-23 "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?" Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him."
-- Without the same saving faith of their parents, the physical offspring of God's children will never experience the love of God, thereby possibly doubt God's love.
Do we dishonor God's name by attending services and offering spiritual sacrifices, but with little effort? Today we are to offer the sacrifice of praise to God - He 13:15 "Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name." Yet the praise of God often pails in comparison to the praise of our favorite sports team, movie star, political leader, etc. We too can be guilty of sinning by offering halfhearted worship. For we are to sing "with grace in our hearts to the Lord" - Co 3:16. Will God be pleased with `blemished sacrifices' today?
-- Can one truly expect to receive God's blessings in their lives if they dishonor His Name by offering anything less than our best?
Do we desecrate His covenant by taking marriage and divorce lightly, though divorce and remarriage are strongly condemned by Jesus - Mt 5:31-32 `"It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery." With one exception provided by the Lord - Mt 19:9 "And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery."' Yet divorce and remarriage for unscriptural reasons has become rampant today. Despite the damage it does to the spouse and children. Despite the damage it does to our relationship with the Lord - 1 Pe 3:7 "Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered."
-- When children of God's children don't have the same faith as their parents or grandparents, we should not be surprised to see a rise in divorce and remarriage.
Do we disparage God's patience by questioning His eventual justice by saying "Where is the promise of His coming?" - 2 Pe 3:3,4 "knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation."' We may not say it in so many words, but do our lives reflect as much? We can try God's patience and longsuffering if we continue in sin; if we think lightly of sin - 2 Pe 3:9 "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." God's response will be "the day of the Lord" in which Jesus comes again - 2 Pe 3:10 "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed." God's response will be to judge the world! - 2 Th 1:7-10 "and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed."
-- Living like there will always be a `tomorrow', many of God's `grandchildren' give little thought to God's longsuffering and the need to repent.
Do we desert God's ordinances? Are we guilty of deserting or forsaking God's ordinances in His church such as baptism for the remission of sins? - Mt 28:19-20; Ac 2:38. Such as the Lord's Supper in memory of His death? - Ac 20:7; 1 Co 11:23-26. Are we guilty of deserting other commands of our Lord such as the command not to forsake assembling? - He 10:24-25. Such as the command to lay by in store, giving as we prosper? - 1 Co 16:1-2.
-- If we take such ordinances and commands lightly, is that not an indication that we may be God's `grandchildren' instead of His children?
Do we despise God's service? Jesus would have us seek the kingdom of God - Mt 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Do we despise God's service to make His rule and righteousness the first priority in our lives? With the assurance that He will provide for our necessities do we question the veracity of His words? Suggesting that it would be vain to serve God first in our lives? Implicating that those who put jobs or family first will be the blessed ones?
-- Those who are God's `grandchildren' will more likely trust in their own strength than in the value of serving God first.
We can see many similarities in the book of Malachi between those of his day who were a generation or two from the faith of their parents and many today who are `second or third generation Christians' -- Which is why the OT was written and preserved for our admonition - 1 Co 10:11. But notice toward the end of Malachi's message there is hope.... Those who feared the Lord spoke to one another - Mal 3:16a "Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another." The Lord took note, and a `book of remembrance' was written - Mal 3:16b "The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name." The Lord promised to make them His `jewels' and spare them - Mal 3:17 `"They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him."
-- It would become easy to discern between the righteous and the wicked, by their service to God - Mal 3:18 "Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him."
May we likewise encourage one another to serve God from the heart, out of personal conviction, that we may truly be God's children, not guilty of the "Sins Of God's Grandchildren"...!
