Today, I am reading and commenting on  Malachi 1-4.

The prophet (Malachi means “My messenger”, so, it may be the name of the prophet who wrote this book, or it may just be a title for him) calls out God’s people for failing to show God proper respect.  They offered defiled offerings by giving that which they would have otherwise thrown away, while expecting to be seen as righteous for making the offering.  Those who were (and are) supposed to teach others how to do God’s will instead taught (and teach) others to do wrong.  Those who were supposed to judge fairly instead showed favoritism.  Rather than marrying a woman who would help them serve God men married women who encouraged them to follow their baser appetites, often times after divorcing women they had married in their youth.  The prophet goes on to call out those who praise those who do evil, lifting them up as examples of good.  All of these things are practiced today by those who claim to serve God.  Yet, some listened to the prophet and turned from such sins, they chose to fear and honor God.  God spared them on His day judgement and will do so today as well.  Will we turn from our sins?  Will we give God the respect He deserves?  Or, will we continue to arrogantly pursue our selfish interests?

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Malachi 1-4.

I struggled with seeing how today’s passage fit together until I read the NIV headings.  I usually avoid reading the headings because they are mostly editorial commentary by the translators.  Which is what they are here, but they provided me with the clue that tied this together for me.  The prophet Malachi wrote about the ways in which God’s people treated God as an afterthought.  They failed to acknowledge His love for them.  They made a mockery of their religious practices.  They practiced the appearance of faithfulness without the substance.  The religious leaders turned people away from God by their teachings.  The people were unfaithful in their marriages.  They spoke highly of those who did evil and rejected God’s justice.  Nevertheless, Malachi also declared that there remained those feared and honored God.  The day would come when God would destroy the arrogant evildoers, while bringing blessings on those who revered His name.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Malachi 1-4.

Malachi (or perhaps just The Messenger) condemns hypocrites in several different ways throughout this short book.  First, he condemns those who promise good offerings to the Lord, then substitute defective goods in their place.  Before I get into the other things he condemns I want to take a little time to parse the details about what he says about offering blemished animals.  In particular, I think we learn a lot about God when Malachi tells us that the one who has an acceptable animal and vows to offer it, but offers a blemished animal in its place is cursed.  This suggests to me that God will accept blemished goods as an offering if that is all that you have.

Having condemned those who substitute inferior goods for what they promised to God, Malachi goes on to condemn other actions which show that one does not truly believe what one claims to believe.  He condemns religious leaders who fail to preserve knowledge of God and instead lead people astray.  This condemnation may extend to religious leaders who attempt to use deception and lies to gain followers (certainly, such leaders should be condemned).  Malachi condemns those who demonstrate their lack of faith through the way they honor their marriage vows.  First, he condemns those who claim to worship God, yet marry someone who does not.  Then he condemns those who are unfaithful to the one they first married, even if they obtain a divorce first.  He condemns those who support injustice by claiming that those who do evil are good in God’s eyes.  Finally, Malachi condemns those who steal from God by failing to return a portion of what He gives them to Him.  However, Malachi also praised some as being willing to turn from God and honor His name.  Those he promises will be blessed and protected on the day when the Lord’s anger burns up the arrogant and the evildoer.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Malachi 1-4.

I see two ways we may dismiss today’s passage.  First, we may say that the particular offenses which Malachi lists do not apply to us. For example, we do not offer sacrifices of animals, so we do not need to worry about offering defective animals.  But this is about the attitude, not the specific behavior.  Second, we may think that we aren’t so bad because we are only guilty of one of these, not all of them.  But I read this as responding to those who smugly think that it does not apply to them by listing another thing of which they are guilty.

Malachi (I use this as a proper name here, but it may be intended to be read as “My messenger”)  lists these various sins all the same.  Offering substandard animals is no worse, and no better, than breaking your marriage vows by getting a divorce.  Dismissing evil behavior as acceptable to God is no worse, and no better, than failing to give back to God some of the material goods with which He has blessed you.  The failure of religious leaders to faithfully teach God’s word is no worse, and no better, than those “in the pews” who say, “What’s the point of doing God’s will? The rich and powerful get away with their misbehavior.”

There is more to the above than I have been able to put into words.  Hopefully, you have read the passage and see that part as well.  However, there is one last piece to this passage.  Malachi refers to a number who heard his prophecy and feared the Lord.  They spoke to each other about how they had fallen short and how they could do better (I know, I am reading a lot between the lines here).  They committed themselves to being held accountable by each other to do according to God’s will.  And Malachi prophesied that God noticed their desire to be faithful and would bless them for it.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Malachi 1-4

Malachi speaks condemnation of those who claim to be God’s servants but worship idols and fail to fulfill the vows they have made to God.  He condemns us when we offer less than our best to God.  Further he condemns religious leaders who have left the path of God’s righteousness and have instructed others to do likewise.  I see our society today as being just like that which Malachi condemns.  There are many who say that those who do evil are good in God’s sight.  God’s day of judgement is coming and it will burn like a furnace and many who think they are righteous will be burned up in the fire.  However, God will come with healing for those who fear His name.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Malachi 1-4

This is the last Old Testament passage for the year, today on October 2.  Until the first time I did this blog using this system I never realized how much of the Bible is the Old Testament.  Before I get to my thoughts on the passage I want to point out that Malachi means “messenger”.  So, it may be that the writer of this passage was someone named Malachi.  Or, it may be that the writer of this book had a different name and styled themselves as God’s messenger, which they were.

Malachi challenges us on two fronts.  When we make sacrifices to God, are we truly sacrificing? Or are we just giving what we can spare or don’t really want anyway? And are we faithful in the commitments we make?  In particular our commitments to our wives or husbands.  When we make offerings to the Lord we should take them out of our earnings up front, not after we have paid all of our bills (especially not after the bills for things which were wants and not needs).  When we marry we need to make a lifetime commitment and keep it, even if our wants and desires change.  Of course, if we keep to our commitments, our wants and desires will change in accordance with the changes in those to whom we are committed.