Sins Of God’s Grandchildren

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.

Does the Lord's House Lie in Ruins - Cont.

Haggai 1:1-15

Is it time to dwell in paneled homes, and let the Lord’s house lie in ruin? Evidently some think so, if they say: “I will serve the Lord as soon as I...”

1) “...finish my schooling”

2) “...get on top of the responsibilities of my job”

3) “...raise my children”

In each case, is not the bottom line the same?

1) The Lord’s house lies in ruin

2) While we go about our own way with our own lives

In Haggai’s day, it was not time to put other things before the Lord’s house; nor is it time to do so today!

1) We must put the kingdom of God first - Mt 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

2) We must put the Lord first - Mt 10:37-39 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Might we need to “consider our ways”? Are things not going the way they should? Perhaps there is a divine reason for the “drought” in our lives? Perhaps the Lord in His providence is telling us something! If we will put the Lord and His kingdom (house) first God will provide our necessities - Mt 6:31-33 “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” God will multiply our seed for sowing - 2 Co 9:6-11 “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, "He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for all your generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” If we neglect the Lord’s work we won’t have God’s providence helping us; we may even experience God’s loving discipline - Hag 1:9-11; 1 Co 11:31-32; He 12:5-11

We saw that the Jews took to heart the message of Haggai - Hag 1:12 “Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD.” What we did not stress was the Lord's response: “I am with you, says the LORD.” (Hag 1:13). The phrase “I am with you” is interesting. It is similar to the promise made by Jesus in the Great Commission - Mt 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."’ Thus we have the assurance that if we observe all that Christ commanded He will be with us always even as God was with Israel. Yet this blessed assurance is for those who do not let the Lord’s house lie in ruins while they dwell in paneled homes. Are you doing your part to build the Lord’s house?

Does the Lord's House Lie in Ruins

Haggai 1:1-15

About 600 years before Christ, Judah was taken captive to Babylon. Jerusalem with its temple was plundered and burned. Seventy years later, the Jews were allowed to return. It was the Lord's intention that the Jews rebuild the temple. He stirred up Cyrus of Persia to let them do this - Ezr 1:1-5. But once the people returned to Jerusalem, other things began to take precedence. God then sent Haggai to the Jews with a simple message. The message was “Build the temple!” This same message has an application for the church today.

Turning in our Bibles to Hag 1:1, let's take a closer look at Haggai’s message and the attitude of the Jews. “The time has not come for the Lord's house to be built” - Hag 1:2. Their reasoning can be inferred from Hag 1:3-4 “Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, "Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” They were too busy building their own homes! They put building their own homes before the Lord’s house! Their attitude is made clear in Hag 1:9b “Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house.” While the Lord’s house lay in ruins every one was concerned with their own home!

The message of Haggai is, “Is it time to dwell in paneled homes while the temple lies in ruins?” - Hag 1:4. The Lord’s challenge: “Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways!” - Hag 1:5. Things had not been going well - Hag 1:6 “You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.” They should have been building the temple - Hag 1:7-8 ‘"Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD.” Because they had put building their homes before the Lord’s house they prospered little; what little they had the Lord blew away - Hag 1:9 “You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house.” The Lord even called for a drought in judgment upon them - Hag 1:10-11 “Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors."’ The preaching of Haggai proved successful; in reverence the people obeyed and completed the construction of the temple (Hag 1:12-15).

Since this was written for our admonition (1 Co 10:11 “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.”), let’s now consider Haggai’s message and make a similar application to the church. We face a similar task, although not the building of a physical structure. For God does not dwell in temples made with hands - Ac 17:24 “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,”. The temple of God is now the church - 1 Co 1:2 “To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:”; 3:16-17 “Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.” Though a spiritual structure, God’s temple is still undergoing construction. The foundation is the work of Jesus, apostles and prophets - Ep 2:19-22 “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” It grows as people are converted by the preaching of the gospel - 1 Co 3:5-9 “What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.” It grows internally as those converted do their part - Ep 4:15-16 “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” -- So we have a similar task to “Build the temple!” (a never-ending task).

Haggai’s message is very applicable today. Does the Lord’s house lie in ruins, while we run to our own homes? The Lord’s house (the church) does lie in ruins if we allow other things to keep us from doing our part to evangelize the lost. Or if we neglect to do our part in edifying the body of Christ. Whatever our abilities and opportunities, we have a responsibility in the building of the Lord’s house today. It may involve teaching or serving - Ro 12:3-8 “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”; 1 Pe 4:10-11 “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” It may involve going or sending - Ro 10:14-15 “But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"’ Through exercising our abilities we can build the temple of God today; otherwise the Lord’s house will lie in ruins!

What Does The Lord Require of You? - Cont.

Micah 6:6-8

Having looked at some of the things God required of Israel beyond mere ritual in the first part of this lesson, we will now look at what God requires of us. What God requires of us (you) is:

To do justly. To act toward God according to His divine law - Mt 7:21 ‘"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” To act toward man according to His divine law - Ep 4:25-29 “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

To love mercy. To show a compassionate warm-heartedness toward man, toward widows and the fatherless - Ja 1:27 “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” Even toward our enemies - Lk 6:35-36 “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”

To walk humbly with our God. The only way to enjoy His fellowship and continual cleansing by the blood of Jesus - Ja 4:8 “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”; 1 Jn 1:7-9 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Such close communion and fellowship with God requires daily:

1) Listening to God - studying His Word to learn His will - Ja 1:21 “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”; 1 Pe 2:2 “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation”

2) Talking to God - praying for strength and forgiveness, praising Him for blessings

received - He 4:14-16 “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”; Ph 4:6-7 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

3) Walking with God - by doing His will in humble submission - Ep 5:2 “And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”, 8 “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light”, 15 “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,” -- By walking humbly with God, we are more likely to keep in proper balance the demands to do justly and love mercy

Even though we live under a different covenant, the Lord still requires us:

To do justly

To love mercy

To walk humbly with our God

-- Our “rituals” may be different (with respect to worship), but the basics are still the same!

Are you doing what the Lord requires of you? Consider this, have you done justly (by obeying the gospel of Christ)? Do you love mercy (demonstrated by accepting God's mercy offered in Christ)? Are you walking humbly with your God (by living a dedicated and obedient Christian life)?

-- If not, then all the church services you may attended, all the sermons you may have heard, all the prayers you may have offered, will benefit you nothing!

May we in all earnestness do what the Lord requires of us!