How Do You Treat God? Malachi 1: 6-2: 9
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Malachi 1:6-2:9 Several years ago when I worked at the fire department in Clovis I was sitting talking with one of the guys I worked with…it was just a few days after Christmas…and in the conversation I asked him what he got for Christmas.
He said, “My wife went out…and she bought our dog a new doghouse. She bought our dog some new toys…and she bought our dog a sweater.”
AS He told me this I could tell he was hurt…disappointed…frustrated…and heart broke. Kind of sad isn’t it…and we might be thinking…how could she do that? We would never do that to anyone. Well, I tell you that story because that is much the same thing that was happening here in Malachi…and what we need to understand is, not only can we do that to God…we may be doing that to God. Lets look at this passage and as we do, lets evaluate “How we treat our God.” Look at verse 6. Now, here is the background.
So God, through Malachi speaks to the people…and starting in verse 6 He speaks specifically to the priests…and notice what He says. 6 "'A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?' says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name.” But you say, “How have we despised Thy name?” How have we not honored you? Well, look at verse 7: 7 "You are presenting defiled food upon My altar. But you say, 'How have we defiled Thee?' In that you say, 'The table of the LORD is to be despised.' 8 "But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?" says the LORD of hosts. God says, “You are dishonoring me with your second rate offerings.”
And notice in verse 6 there where God says, “Where is my honor?”
And notice something…several times in this passage God refers to Himself as “the Lord of Hosts.”
In fact, God says in verse 8, “You give it to your governor…give it to Nehemiah…and see how he likes it?
God didn’t want their second rate offerings…but understand this.
Look at this: Here is my Quarterly income tax bill…I have to pay this every 3 months.
But let me tell you what I am going to do…I have my check book here…and I am going to only right them a check for $1100…just a little less than half.
First of all, I don’t think the IRS will even notice…they won’t even notice that I am only giving them half of what they want.
How many of you sitting here are thinking…”YOu poor misguided soul!”
YOu see, we have that much respect for and fear of the IRS.
Do we have the same respect and fear for God? When you teach a Bible class to our children…are you giving the very best you can give them…or is it something you throw together at the last minute?…after all, they are just kids and you can fake them through anything.
Do we see how little and how second rate we can get by with when we give to the Lord?
Look at the second thing that God says here that was disappointing and frustrating and heart breaking to Him. Look at verse 13. 13 "You also say, 'My, how tiresome it is!' These priests were acting like service in the temple was a tiresome duty rather than an awesome privilege.
They were going through the motions of worship but it was with a “have to” attitude rather than a “want to attitude.” No wonder he says in verse 10, “ I wish someone would just shut the doors.” Do you ever act like it is a burden to worship and serve God?
If that is the way you feel…if that is what you are doing…then you don’t need to lead singing and you don’t need to make the announcements…because God isn’t pleased with it anyway.
Now, look at chapter 2 and verse 8. Look what these priests were doing? 8 "But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by the instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi," says the LORD of hosts. 9 "So I also have made you despised and abased before all the people, just as you are not keeping My ways, but are showing partiality in the instruction. NASGod was dishonored by their watered down teaching.
Why were people bringing blemished offerings to the temple in the first place?
The priests had watered down the holy standards of God in order to be more popular with the people. What a temptation that is.
Do you know how God feels about all of this? Look at verse 1-3 of chapter 2. Mal 2:2-4 If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name," says the LORD of hosts, "then I will send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart. 3 "Behold, I am going to rebuke your offspring, and I will spread refuse on your faces, the refuse of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it. NAS Obviously, God is not pleased when we do not give him the honor He deserves…when we are not sincere in what we do…when we act like it is a burden to serve and worship Him. God was pretty disgusted with these people so notice what He says in verse 11 of chapter 1. 11 "For from the rising of the sun, even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be great among the nations," says the LORD of hosts. NAS Now, verse 12: Mal 1:12-13 12 "But you are profaning it…” God says, there is coming a day when His name will be great among the nations…and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name.”
But it is not going to be these people who do it. Guess who it is? Turn to 1 Peter 2: 4: 4 And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. NAS 1 Peter 2:9-10 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. NAS This is just exactly what God said he would do. What kind of priest are you? Directory: files files -> The United States and Post-Castro Cuba files -> Fighting Fit: Exploring Military Medicine (1850-1950) files -> Original: English files -> Socials 11: Provincial Exam Review Preparation Essay Component files -> 9. 5 Political Powers and Achievements Tom Burns- beacon High School files -> Indiana Academic Standards Resource Guide World History and Civilization Standards Approved March 2014 files -> On the Vanity of Earthly Greatness” “Ozymandious” Arthur Guiterman (1871-1943;1936) Author files -> Understanding Diversity What is Diversity? files -> Sscg: 16 Unit 7: Judicial Branch Download 38.89 Kb. Share with your friends:
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