Malachi
is the last book of the Old Testament. It was followed by 400 silent
years that were only broken by the birth of Christ. Final words can
ring in the ears of the hearer for a lifetime. Chapter 1 reminds me
of expressing gratitude. You know you have given a great gift when
the recipient uses it! Today’s chapter describes the opposite of
gratitude; ungrateful entitlement. The Lord speaks through the
prophet in a blunt, Q&A style. It begins, “‘I
have loved you’, says the Lord“.
The people respond like an adolescent teen that never learned to
express thanks, “How have you
loved us?” Parents, take note
that God elevates the conversation rather than listing examples. His
reply requires thought to find meaning, “Was
not Esau Jacob’s brother? … Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I
have hated“. Isaac had two
sons. Remember, younger brother Jacob was a schemer, but older
brother Esau thought so little of his position as first-born that he
sold his birthright for a bowl of stew. It was not until time to
cash-in on his inheritance that Esau cared about what he had
carelessly thrown away. Edom, the descendants of Esau, continued to
rebel and continued to be a painful adversary to the nation of Israel
until the Roman conquest. Have you acknowledged the gifts of God in
your life?
Next
God points out the arrogance of the Jewish leaders. “If
I am a father, where is the honor due Me? It is you priests who show
contempt for My Name“. Rather
than accept their failure, they question God. “How
have we shown contempt…
How have we defiled you?”
It is important to point out that the Temple sacrifice offered was
symbolic of the serious consequences of sin. A lamb without blemish
was valuable, it was innocent and it was a substitute. Instead they
made a mockery of the symbol by offering “blind…
lame or diseased animals“.
By treating the sacrifice as lame, they were saying it was of little
value. Simply put, they acted as if they did not need God’s offer
of forgiveness. How do you honor God?
God tells them, without the atonement for
sin, the Temple is unnecessary. “Oh,
that one of you would shut the temple doors… I am not pleased with
you“. God cares more about
why you give, than how much you give. All giving should be an act of
worship. 2 Corinthians 9:12 says, “This
service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the
Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks
to God“. I think it is clear
that God will reject any offering made with wrong motives, “I
will accept no offering from your hands“.
There is also a promise that God’s restoration will be extended to
the Gentiles, “My name will be
great among the nations“.
God’s chosen people acted like they just wanted the inheritance
without the relationship. Finally, we are given the image of the
Lord’s Table. To those starving, it is life, to the rejected, it
is hope. To the entitled, it is nothing special. God’s gift is
dismissed, “‘What a burden!’
and you sniff
at it contemptuously“. I
believe this is a reference to the Passover table. After 1800 years,
at the last supper, Jesus gave new meaning to this meal. He took the
middle Matzah, which had been wrapped in linen and hidden according
to tradition. “And He took
bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This
is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me’”
(Luke 22:19). He offers Himself to you as a free gift. You can
honor Him with gratitude, or turn away in contempt. Friend, will you
open the gift?