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The Book of Malachi is a small book with a big message. The Prophet Malachi is a
minor prophet with a major message. The theme of the Book is "Getting Ready
For The Coming Of The Lord." The
key verses of the book is found in chapter 3:1-2, "Behold,
I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord,
whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the
covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.
[2] But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he
appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap."
The Book can be divided into 2 divisions:
(Chapter
1-2) The Condition of the People.
(Chapter 3-4) The Coming of the Lord.
By way of introduction let me say five things about the Book of Malachi. First let
me say it is a closing book. It is the last book of the Old Testament. It
is the 39th book of the Bible, but the last of the Old Testament. It is the last
prophetic message we hear and the last prophetic messenger we meet.
It is also a connecting book. The Book not only concludes the Old
Testament but also connects the Old to the New. The book tells us of the
messenger that would prepare the way of the Lord and in the New Testament we see
that messenger, John the Baptist. It is more than a conclusion to the Old. It is
a connection to the New. In Malachi we may hear the knell of the departing but
we also hear the chimes of a coming age.
It is a co-existent book. The prophecy of Malachi is co-existent with the
history of Nehemiah. Whereas, Nehemiah never mentions Malachi, and Malachi never
mentions Nehemiah, the two books cover the same time and convey the same truth.
The Burden of Malachi and the Building of Nehemiah should be considered side by
side. Nehemiah sought to rebuild a city and Malachi sought to recall a people.
Nehemiah focuses upon the condition of a place, whereas, Malachi focuses upon
the condition of a people.
It is a contemporary book. The Book may have been written hundreds of
years ago, but it is as relevant today as when it was written. The message may
have been first delivered by an OT Prophet, but it still needs delivering by a
NT preacher. It is not an outdated
message historically, but one
that needs
updating personally. It is a
contemporary as the day it was given.
G. Campbell Morgan said: "Scripture does exhaust itself in that particular
age to which it is addressed."
The message of Malachi is not exclusive to that age, but inclusive of all ages.
Finally we see that it is a challenging book. It
calls for God people to examine the realness of their Spiritual life and to
examine the sinfulness of the Personal life. It is the message of a sensitive
God and a stultified people. It is a challenge to get ready for the coming of
the Lord. As read in Matthew 24:44 "Therefore
be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son Of Man
cometh." We are to be ready for the coming of the Lord.
Malachi predicts a Returning Lord and preaches a ready
people. Now understanding this, let's lay a foundation for the Book. First,
notice:
1.
THE COMMISSION OF THE PROPHET!
In the beginning, lets acquaint ourselves with Malachi and learn a couple of
things about the man and his
message. First, notice:
A.
Malachi The Man.
About all we know about Malachi is his name. His name means
"My Messenger" or the "Messenger of God." We know nothing about his background.
We know nothing about his family. We know nothing about his personality. All we
know is that he was a man characterized by two features.
He was a man submitted to God. God had called and he
had yielded.
He was also a man sent by God. He was the "messenger of God." He was a
man that had been sent by God.
Malachi reminds us that God is not looking for people with impressive resumes',
or a long list of credentials or recommendations, but one who is yielded to His
will.
James A. Stewart in his book "Heaven's Throne Gift" has a chapter
entitled "Four Fundamental Facts."
In the chapter he gives 4 great principles that we all need to listen to
very carefully. He says:
What God claims, I yield.
What I yield, God accepts.
What God accepts, He fills.
What God fills, He uses.
There is a not one believer that cannot be used of God if
these four laws are observed and obeyed. As it has often been said, "God is not
looking for ability, but availability.
Secondly, notice:
B.
Malachi The Messenger.
We read in verse 1, "The burden of the word of the Lord to
Israel by Malachi." There was a word that God wanted sent to Israel and Malachi
was the chosen messenger. Malachi was sent by God as a spokesman for God.
Malachi had a message from God.
As we look at the message we see that it was a heavy message.
His message was called a "burden."
The word that is used was used to speak of an animal carrying a heavy
load for its master. The word
indicates that the message he delivered was heavy upon his heart.
It was a heavenly message. His message was called "the Word of the
Lord." His message was God's Word. It was not Malachi's message. Malachi
was but the delivery boy. It was God's message.
It was a hard message. The message was "to Israel." As we learn
more about the message we will learn that the message
was not sent to comfort, but to convict. It was not a message of commendation,
but one of condemnation. It was not a message that delighted the people, but
discomforted the people. Malachi's message was aimed at the people's personal
sinfulness and spiritual blindness. Malachi's message was a direct word to a
defiled walk.
We live in a day when preachers are fearful of hard preaching
and people are resentful of hard preaching. I remind you that God is not only a
Saviour but He is also a Surgeon. Before He can arise with healing in his wings
He must cut out the sin in our hearts. The scalpel that He uses is His Word. The
Hospital in which He performs the surgery is the Church. The staff is His
preachers.
I wouldn't give you a dime for a preacher that want tell it like it is. I
wouldn't attend a Church where everything is right and nothing is wrong. We not
only want to be blessed by the Word, but also broken by the Word.
President Grover Cleveland came home from Church one Sunday
and his wife asked him what the message was about. He simply answered, "Sin."
His wife asked, "Well, what did he say about it?" He answered, "I don't
remember, but he was against it."
Preachers may not always like to preach a hard message and
people especially may not like to hear a hard message, but sometimes the message
of the Lord is meant to break rather than bless.
Secondly, we see:
2.
THE CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE!
The condition of the people necessitated the content of the message. The message
had to be hard because the people were hardened. The condition of the people is
indicated by two particular features of the
book of Malachi.
First, we see:
A.
The Announcements Of God.
A specific feature of the book is that we find 7 times God
made an announcement to the people. Briefly notice these 7 announcements.
The first is found in Malachi 1:2, "I
have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not
Esau Jacob's brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob."
The second is found in Malachi 1:6, "A
son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where
is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts
unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised
thy name?"
The third is found in Malachi 1:7, "Ye
offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee?
In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible."
The fourth is found in Malachi 2:17, "Ye
have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him?
When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he
delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?"
The fifth is found in Malachi 3:7, "Even
from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have
not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of
hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?"
The sixth is found in Malachi 3:8, "
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed
thee? In tithes and offerings."
The seventh and final announcement is found in Malachi 3:13, "Your
words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we
spoken so much against thee?"
These announcements of God were for the purpose of showing
their real condition in the eyes of God. These announcements revealed that the
people were:
Denying His Love (1:2)
Despising His Name (1:6)
Defiling His Altar (1:7)
Defying His Patience (2:17)
Deserting His Fellowship (3:7)
Debating His Command (3:8)
Despairing His Service (3:13)
We also see:
B.
The Answers Of The People.
Another feature of the book is that to each of these
announcements, the response of the people is marked by the word "Wherein."
Notice again these seven announcements and the response of the people.
In 1:2 God said they were denying His love and they said, "Wherein
hast Thou loved us?"
In 1:6 God said they were despising His name and they said, "Wherein
have we despised Thy name?"
In 1:7 God said they were defiling His altar and they said "Wherein
have we polluted Thee?"
In 2:17 God said they were defying His patience and they said, "Wherein
have we wearied Him?"
In 3:7 God said they were deserting His fellowship and they said, "Wherein
shall we return?"
In 3:8 God said they were debating His command and they said, "Wherein
have we robbed Thee?"
In 3:13 God said they were despairing His service and they said, "What
have we spoken so much against Thee?"
The words "What have we spoken" are the same as
"Wherein."
Their answers reveal that they felt they were doing what was
right and doing nothing wrong. Their answers said in effect, "What do you mean?
We are not guilty of these things."
Their answers reveal:
Their Spiritual Ignorance: (They did not know)
Their Spiritual Indifference: (They did not care)
Their Spiritual Incompliance: (They did not listen)
Their Spiritual Impertinence: (They argued with God)
In their answers we see their dullness of hearing and their hardness of heart.
We see these people in a time when the Temple was rebuilt, the altar is set up,
the sacrifices are offered, and the feasts and fasts are observed. They have all
the outward form and ritual, but their heart was far from God. It is as Isaiah
described in 29:13 "Wherefore the Lord said,
Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth and with their lips do
honor Me, but have removed their heart from Me..."
It is one thing to think we are right, to
declare we are right, and actually be right! There are numerous people who sit
on Church pews week after week who claim to be close to God and in reality are
no where near being close to God and right with God.
It is a tragedy when people think they are right with God and in reality
they are not! The real issue is not what we think but what God says about
us!
Thirdly, we see:
3.
THE CORRUPTION OF THE PRIESTS!
We might ask, "How did these
people get into such a condition?" The answer was in their spiritual
leadership. The priests were corrupt and the end result was the people were
corrupt.
Do you realize that much rests upon those who are in a
position of leadership? As has been correctly said, "Everything rises and falls
on leadership." Good leadership lifts people. Bad leadership lowers people. We
see this illustrated in Malachi.
First, notice:
A.
The Requirements Of Dedicated Leadership.
Notice Malachi 2:1, "And
now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you." Also Malachi
2:7, "For the
priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth:
for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts."
As God speaks to the leaders we see three things about dedicated leadership.
For
one thing, dedicated leadership is a growing leadership. The priests were
to "keep knowledge." It is leadership that has learned and a
leadership that is learning. It is leadership equipped and enabled by the
personal growth and enrichment of their lives.
In this case, it a knowledge God's Word. How sad it is that
people know so little about the Word of God. In one survey conducted by Gallup,
60% of Americans did not know what the Trinity was. 66% couldn't identify the
person who delivered the sermon on the mount. 79% were not able to name a single
OT prophet. The majority of those surveyed claimed to be Christians (81 %). Only
46% were able to name the four gospels.
Bible knowledge test was given to 5 classes of High School
seniors and most failed completely. Among the inaccuracies, they claimed that
the Gospel writers were Matthew, Mark, Luther, and John. Eve was created out of
an apple, and Sodom and Gomorrah were husband and wife.
Spiritual leaders ought to growing in their knowledge of
God's Word. There is a reason why leaders must grow in God' Word.
It is because dedicated leadership is a guiding leadership.
We read of the priests, "They should seek the law of His
mouth." "They" refers to the people. The people were to seek
God's Word and the priests were the ones that the people came to for spiritual
advice.
Leaders are Guiders. A leader must be a leader in spiritual
truth. They must lead when it comes to the explanation of God's truth. Spiritual
leaders should have a knowledge of God's Word and be able to help others to know
what God expects and wants of their life.
They must lead when it comes to the embodiment of God's
truth. This seeking of truth was more than what they heard from their lips. It
was also what they saw in their lives.
Spiritual leaders are to model truth. They are to model faithfulness,
trustfulness, and submissiveness.
Finally dedicated leadership is a godly leadership. The priests were
called "Messengers of the Lord of Hosts." Spiritual leaders are
representatives of God. They should be a reflection of the one they serve.
Secondly, notice:
B.
The Reprimand Of Defiled Leadership.
We read in Malachi 3:7, "Even
from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have
not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of
hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?" Instead of consecrated leadership, there was corrupt leadership.
There was individual corruption. They had departed out of the way.
There was influential corruption. They led others astray. They caused
others to stumble.
Whereas the people were answerable to God for their sins, God laid the ultimate
blame on the priests. Here is a call for spiritual leaders to be spiritual
leaders!
Malachi is saying: "The Lord is coming!" In light of His
coming both the PEOPLE and the PREACHER need to get right.
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