Malachi

1
(No Transcript)
2
Malachi

• Will a Man Rob God?
• Malachi 31-15

3
Review

• Malachi reviews the spiritual state of Israel
• God explains why many blessings promised for
  returning Israel had not been fulfilled
• They did not honor God
• They did not worship God with their whole heart
• They did not fear God
• They did not repent
• They broke their covenant with the Lord
• They broke their covenant with their spouses
• Mal 217 ended with God saying He was tired of
  listening to Israel, Israel asked why?
• Before answering, God looks forward to a time
  when thingsll be different

4
The coming messengers

• Mal 31
• First messenger
• A messenger to prepare the way
• Harmonizes with an earlier prophecy
• Isa 403-5
• Fulfilled by John (Lk 176)
• Second messenger
• The one for whom the way was prepared - Me
• The Lord (ruler) they were looking for - Messiah
• Will come to the temple
• Will be the messenger of the covenant (Isa 421-9)

5
Refining the people

• Mal 32-3
• His coming is a day of the Lord (judgment), and
  who can stand? (Joel 211)
• Christs purpose
• First, to bring the covenant
• Second, to purify the people so they could be
  part of the covenant
• Like a refiner or launderer
• Both are trying to get their product clean
• Both take time and hard work
• The dirt will be discarded
• So they can offer an offering of righteousness
• John said the same of Jesus purpose
• Matt 37-12

6
Offering and judgment

• Mal 34-5
• The reason for the purifying is to make their
  offering acceptable
• God does not accept worship from those who live
  in sin
• By its nature, refining is also a judgment
• Some parts will be judged unacceptable and cast
  out
• Zech 138-9 (2/3 would perish in the refining
  fire)
• All sin is unacceptable, no difference

7
Repentance

• Mal 36-7
• Considering their spiritual condition, it is
  surprising they still exist
• This is likely the answer to Mal 217
• Only because the Lord changes not
• He wants to be merciful
• He wants to give time for repentance
• But man must come to God, for He changes not
• Returning to the argument format
• Israel asks, In what way shall we return?
• Could be a question of the process of returning
• More likely a questioning of the need to return
• They didnt understand how they were being told
  they had left God

8
Will a man rob God?

• Mal 38-12
• God charges Israel with robbing God
• Israel asks how they had robbed God
• God says in tithes and offerings
• The tithes and offerings were specified in the
  law
• They hadnt been bringing ALL required
• Their harvests have been poor (Hag 19-11)
• So probably didnt give the full amount
• The result was more poor harvests
• God says to trust Him, and give the full amount
• If they do, He will bless them to such an extent
  their barns couldnt hold it all and nations
  would call them blessed

9
Harsh words

• Mal 313-15
• God charges Israel with having spoken harsh words
  against Him
• Israel asks what words He found harsh
• God says it is in their attitude
• They did not think it paid to serve God
• They thought it was more profitable to be proud
  and refuse to give to God
• Such people had more, and God hadnt stopped them
• The words are charging God with injustice, those
  are harsh words to speak to a just God

10
Conclusion

• God will explain why they misunderstand His
  justice, by looking at judgment
• But that will be our next lesson
• In this lesson, God wanted them to see how tiring
  their attitude was to God
• They never understood why God was displeased with
  them
• No matter how many times God explained it
• They never understood that Gods requirements
  were non-negotiable, give ALL required
• They never understood that God judges even their
  attitude when they served God
• Does God find us to be tiring?

11
(No Transcript)