Do You Question God's Greatness?
God's Persistent, Patient Love for His People!
by Pastor Frank Rice
Malachi 1:6-14
We demonstrate the value we place on things and people by the way we relate to them. If I value my truck, bicycle, or books, I make sure that I give them the attention and care they deserve. If I value my health, I don’t do certain things that harm me. If I value relationships, there are measures I take to communicate that to the one I value. Others discover what I value by observing my actions. But if my actions contradict my words then I need to reconsider! The prophet Malachi confronts God’s people regarding their shameful denial of His greatness! He’s a great God! My actions must declare it!
I. We Proclaim His Greatness by Respectful Service (Vv. 6-7)!
v Greatness is affirmed by giving honor & respect to those to whom it is due (v. 6a). (It used to be true in our culture.)
1. In human relationships, respect is expected. It is seen in the way a father/ master is treated by his son/ servant.
2. Malachi’s listeners are suspiciously nodding their agreement, wondering where he is going with this cultural truism.
v Greatness is denied by the withholding of honor & respect (v. 6b)!
1. They used honorific terms in addressing God but didn’t show Him due reverence & respect, thus denying His greatness!
2. They are accused of despising & dishonoring His Name, not taking Him seriously, and treating Him flippantly or carelessly!
v Greatness is denied by offering disrespectful service (v. 7).
1. They are indignant & hurt that God would accuse them of such! They were sacrificing, observing the feasts & Sabbaths! “The behavior of the Levitical priests was unacceptable. God did not approve of them or their work.” (Alden)
2. Contempt & indifference were shown by disregarding God’s standards for sacrifices. It wasn’t a matter of ignorance either! In their minds, God’s standards were not worthy of “serious consideration.”
3. They failed to teach, live out, and demand conformity to God’s standards. (It’s hard to expect what you don’t exemplify!)
4. Actions are visible evidence of attitudes. What we claim with our lips must be confirmed by our lives (Luke 4:46).
II. You Proclaim His Greatness by Quality Sacrifice (Vv. 8-10)!
v Rhetorical questions should help to prod listeners to re-evaluate their attitudes and actions (vv. 8-9).
1. It’s an insult to God to offer Him what we’d never have the nerve to offer to governing officials! (They’d punish severely!)
2. It’s an affront to God to plead for and expect His grace while insulting His greatness!
v It is better to not worship & sacrifice than to offer heartless, superficial, and meaningless worship & sacrifice (v. 10)!
1. God “wished” the temple would go out of business! If it’s not going to serve its intended purpose as a meeting place for God and man, just shut it down.
2. When a church ceases to serve its intended purpose of proclaiming the truth of God’s Word to a lost and confused world…”It is better for them to close down than to continue misleading those who think that what they are doing pleases God.” (Alden)
3. “Please, someone, have the courage to board up the church building!”
III. You Proclaim His Greatness by Exalting His Name (Vv. 11-12)!
v The LORD Almighty, the only true God, longs to be known among all peoples everywhere (v. 11)!
1. His name stands for who He is and all that He’s done. His name encompasses His attributes and His reputation.
2. “An offering was pure when an animal conformed to the stipulations of the law, when the person on whose behalf it was brought was ceremonially clean, and when the circumstances under which an offering was being brought were in agreement with the law.” (Verhoef)
3. He wants His name proclaimed among the nations! He is the creator of and the only hope for all mankind. He wants them to acknowledge Him and run to Him for salvation!
v The LORD scolds His priests (and people) for treating His name as common (v. 12)!
1. They do this by disparaging and misrepresenting His sacrificial system and treating it as if it were no different than the surrounding nations with their false worship!
2. Thereby they (we) neglect their (our) responsibility to be a light to all nations to lead them to the knowledge of the truth. Their gods are not our God! We must differentiate!
IV. You Proclaim His Greatness by Authentic Worship (Vv. 13-14)!
v The LORD scolds His disinterested people for their lack of enthusiasm, honesty, and integrity in worship (vv. 13-14a)!
1. They are bored with God and with worship and it shows by what they bring to worship. It was a drag, a bother, an inconvenience, to go thru all this religious routine! Attitudes are seen in actions! “You get out of it what you put into it!”
2. “When duty replaces devotion human nature is such that it seeks minimum steps, barely enough to meet an obligation.” (Baker)
3. Their self-centeredness is hidden from others but not from the all-seeing eyes of their God. They made commitments, and then secretly reneged! Public image was impressive, integrity not so much!
4. Did they view the sacrificial system as a tool to manipulate God? And since it wasn’t producing the desired results, they treated it with contempt! (Sounds like raw paganism!)
v The LORD is worthy of authentic worship from all peoples (v. 14b).
1. He alone is the great king with a name to back it up. Who He is and what He’s done is deserving of recognition!
2. He alone is worthy of our worship and praise! He alone is worthy of our time and energy in fervent worship and service!
If He is a great God, AND HE IS, then we must live commensurately & convincingly!