Do You Question God's Goodness?

God's Persistent, Patient Love for His People!

A study of the book of Malachi

by Pastor Frank Rice

Malachi 3:13-18

“God is good… all the time.” We say it, but do we really mean it? Are we really convinced that “God is good all the time” or are we trying to convince ourselves of what we say we believe? That’s a fair question! After all, there are times when “bad things” happen to us and we wonder “Why?!” There are times when “good things” happen to others who don’t “deserve” them and we wonder “Why?” We are not alone in our struggle. How we resolve the issue is critical! The people to whom Malachi spoke were reacting to their less than perfect situation and were saying some pretty nasty things about God! And God was determined to graciously expose their faulty thinking!

 

v      The LORD, through the prophet, accuses His people of mumbling strong negative words about Him (v. 13a)! (Can you believe it?)

1.      Evidently, the LORD has been listening in on their day-to-day conversations and is well-aware of their grumbling, grousing, and complaining!

2.      Their words are described as harsh, stout, and the tenor is antagonistic and aggressive! Their offensive language is directed against the LORD!

3.      His covenant name “the LORD” appears six times in six verses, emphasizing the fact of His faithfulness to His word.

 

v      The people become defensive, reacting in disbelief to the LORD’s unsettling accusation (v. 13b)!

1.      Their first response is to challenge God’s accusation! (Are they really that impudent? Do they really know their God!?)

2.      Their response to God’s indictment is stunning! It is either feigned innocence or outright defiance! (We assume the latter.)

 

v      The LORD explains exactly what He means so that there can be no misunderstanding (vv. 14-15)! Here’s the evidence.

1.      They had concluded that it was worthless to serve God. It had no value, no benefits, and no personal fulfillment. There was no return or pay-off on their investment.

2.      This seems to be the epitome of consumerism, “What’s in it for me?” and “How will this benefit me?” Those who approach their walk and service for God for any motivation less than love and gratitude will eventually develop this repulsive mindset.

3.      They had concluded it was unprofitable to do what God told them to do. (We used to say “obey.”) There was no “cut” in it for them. These racketeers wanted a part of the action.

4.      They had concluded that it was not beneficial to repent since God didn’t seem to notice. They went thru the motions, trying to manipulate God and impress men.

5.      “All too frequently contemporary churchgoers act as if God owes them something once they have participated in, or merely attended services, in the house of God – no matter how cold or bankrupt the real affections of their hearts were in that service.” (Kaiser)

6.      It’s all futile because the righteous are not rewarded and the wicked are not punished! (The key missing term is “yet!”) “His criticism was specifically directed at the heathen notion that there is a mechanical and magical connection between religion and prosperity.” (Verhoef)

7.      They asserted that, since God had been “good to the bad” and “bad to the good,” a recategorization was necessary!

(a)   The arrogant are blessed and the proud are prosperous!

(b)   The wicked are established, unshaken by disasters.

(c)   The defiant escape unscathed, flaunting their sin and violating His holiness; and they get away with it! “The evildoers not only prosper, but they put God to the test and get away with it.” (Verhoef)

 

(Be careful when you complain; our complaints often reveal our own motivations for worshipping and serving God!)

 

v      The LORD mentions other discussions that He’s “overheard” that were much different than the previous ones (v. 16).

1.      There were some in Israel whose lives were characterized by a healthy informed fear, reverence, and respect for the LORD.

2.      These folks took the time to consider Him, meditate on His name, and focus their attention on the character of God.

3.      These folks seemed to have a different tone of voice as they spoke words of encouragement to one another.

4.      “It became evident that a remnant of true believers was prepared to testify against the malicious gossip of the people at large… The testimony of the faithful group is a direct reaction to and contradiction of the presumptuous statements of the evildoers.” (Verhoef)

5.      The LORD listened with pleasure to their conversations, He paid attention to what they were saying, and “took notes” so that He could remember their deeds at a later time (Esther 6).  

 

v      The LORD treats those who fear Him in a special way (v. 17)!

1.      They have a special position of intimacy with the LORD.

2.      They are a treasured possession to Him (Aaron’s breastplate?).

3.      They have a special protection afforded to them by Him. The term “spares” connotes the concept of “compassion.” The LORD will have a special compassion on those who fear, worship, and serve Him.

 

v      The LORD exposes the faulty thinking of those who devalue and despise worshipping and serving Him (v. 18).

1.      When the day arrives, all men everywhere will be able to discern for themselves who the righteous are who serve the LORD! They have concluded that He is worthy!

2.      They’ll also be able to clearly see who the wicked are that refuse to serve and worship Him because they get nothing out of it! They conclude that He is not worthy! It’s not worth it!

3.      “The day of the LORD will expose the existence of two groups only: those who fear and serve the LORD and those who do not.” (Verhoef)

 

Don’t be deceived and don’t be discouraged!

(Galatians 6:7-9)