Having finished the book of Colossians, let's move to the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi. After Malachi, we will move on to Isaiah. We will hear wonderful prophecies of the coming Christ in Malachi and in Isaiah as we head on into Christmas. That should be fitting, right? And in the meantime, we will also hear about Josiah, considered by some to be the "hero" of the Old Testament. We'll see why beginning tomorrow. And as we read about him, remember, that meaning of his name is very much like the meaning of "Jesus." (Ah...another "type" of Christ, pointing forward to Him!) But I'm getting ahead of myself!
So, on with TODAY'S reading!
Read 2 Kings 21
Read Malachi 1
I believe it is impossible for a Christian, while honestly and seriously reading Malachi, not to feel guilty. Right off the bat we see that God speaks a strong rebuke through Malachi. Malachi, whether that was an actual name or a title of a prophet (Malachi means "my angel" or "my messenger") no doubt did not have a "fun" job. No one likes to cry out with God's judgment and condemnation. But, as God once warned Ezekiel, "If the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand" (33:6).
So, though no one has joy in saying it, and no one has joy in hearing it, the warnings must be spoken, and the warnings must be heeded.
Through Malachi today God condemns heartless worship, empty sacrifices, the worst of offerings. The people of the day made a very poor attempt at obedience and proper worship in the temple. Worst of all, this was tolerated, accepted, and promoted by the priests!
Let that be a warming to me! And let it be a warming to you! How often do we honor God with our lips, but our hearts are far from him. How often do we do things to impress others, to save face, and just get by with the least amount of effort as possible?
We know from Scripture (and Jesus' own mouth!) that we should love the Lord our God with all your heart and with all our soul and with all our mind. That leaves no part of us behind. All of us is God's. All of us is required. There is no doubt we have fallen short.
But in the midst of the rebuke in chapter one is a marvelous prophecy: "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." If you are not impressed by that prophecy, you must read it again!
This is echoed by Jesus when he declares that the Good News, the Gospel concerning Himself, would be proclaimed to every nation before the end would come. God has done a mighty thing in spreading this Good News of salvation through Jesus. God continues to do a mighty thing to spread it in our lifetime.
I wonder in how many countries this blog can be read; and others like it! Not that I am anyone, but the Word of God is everywhere these days. In every place people are offering the sacrifice of praise to the One True God, offering up the pleasing incense of faith in Jesus Christ! Ok, maybe not "everywhere" just yet, but with technology, and (better yet) missionaries heading all over the globe, the potential for it to be "everywhere" is there. It seems that we are just around the corner.
A marvelous prophecy indeed! We have a gracious God who rebukes, yes, but also forgives the poverty of our worship. Covered in the blood of Jesus we can worship him in Spirit and in truth, just as Jesus himself prophesied in John 4. And not only us, but also those whom we reach!
Oh, I could keep going. But, if it were too long, who would use this Bible study tool? Take some time to ponder (and be excited by) this amazing promise in Malachi 1. Thanks be to God!
Ask Yourself:
Where is my heart when I go to church? What can I do to better prepare myself for worship?
Why go to worship? Is it to give something to God? Or to receive something from Him?
What joyful thing will I do today to be a part of God's Mission to seek and save the lost?
Pray:
"Dear Father in heaven, open my heart to appreciate the abundance of Your grace so that I may serve you with the first and best of all You have given me. Amen." (TLSB p. 1546)
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
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