Text: Malachi 1:1-5
Speaker: Brent Holterman
Summary:
Malachi is the last prophet through whom God spoke to Israel followed by a 400 year period of silence until John the Baptist came along to announce the arrival of Christ as the Messiah. God brought Israel from the captivity in Babylon. They were able to rebuild the wall and the temple and restore worship in the temple. But Malachi came along at a time when there was injustice in Israel. There was exploitation of the poor. There were inter-racial marriages between Jews and gentiles. Their worship became purely mechanical than meaningful. There is a complete disconnect between the people of Israel and God as to God’s expectation. Basically there was lack of love for God and for each other. All their attitude and actions demonstrated it and they were totally unaware of it. Even their priest did not know how to truly worship God.
Malachi felt the need to call the people to God’s Tribunal for their ungodly behavior. God gives an argument that He should be respected as a father and obeyed as a master. They should acknowledge Him as their creator the very least. But God goes beyond and God loved them. So he expected them to return His love. They were covenanted people. As descendants of Jacob they owe their love and devotion to Him since God loved Jacob and hated Esau. Though they were punished being in captivity God did not utterly destroy them. He remembered His covenant and preserves them and returns them to Jerusalem. Edom reminds us of God’s judgment and Jacob represents God’s grace. God would be glorified both by His judgment of Edom and by the preservation of Israel. God’s justice and mercy are permanent. Isaiah 58: 3-8 reflects the thoughts of God regarding Israel.