Do You Question God's Justice?
God's Persistent, Patient Love for His People!
A study of the book of Malachi
by Pastor Frank Rice
Malachi 2:17-3:6
“That’s not fair! That’s not right!” Those kinds of comments sound like two little kids arguing to a parent over someone else’s disadvantageous behavior. Whenever we don’t get what we think we ought to get, or when things don’t happen the way we’re sure they should, we cry “foul!” But that’s usually the case only if we are on the “short end of the stick!” We rarely argue if we’re the beneficiary of an “unfair” situation. We are certainly strange; and we’re not alone! The people of Malachi’s day felt that God “owed them” since they were doing what pleased Him. But things were not going their way. Therefore, God was in the wrong! Right? Not exactly!
I. Be Careful When You Question or Accuse God of Injustice (2:17)!
v The prophet accuses his people of “wearing God out!”
1. Their whining, whimpering, warped perspective, and bogus religious ritual had worn thin the patience of God!
2. They were well aware of the fact that God is never tired or weary; He possesses inexhaustible energy (Isa 43:23-24)!
3. The prophet uses a well-understood anthropopathism to help his listeners feel the frustration of the Almighty!
v The prophet rehearses their own words as they sought to defend themselves and avoid guilt. This is what they were caught saying!
1. They denied his accusation of wearying the Almighty! “What do you mean?! We’re doing what He told us to do!”
2. Since evil-doers were experiencing good (prosperity), and those doing right weren’t, it must be that God approves of evil!
3. If this is not true, where is the God who carries out justice? He should be blessing us, not them! They really felt that they had a case against God! He was not treating them fairly!
4. They accused God of condoning or even abetting evil and evil-doers, implying either He was not the God of justice (as advertised) or, if He was, He sure wasn’t acting as such!
II. Be Prepared for an Answer that May Not Be Pleasant (3:1-6)!
v The LORD promises to deal with the injustices that disturb and threaten the security and complacency of His people (vv. 1-4).
1. The LORD, whom you seek and in whom you (supposedly) delight, will come personally to remedy the situation (v. 1).
(a) He will send someone before Him to clear the way for His visit. This is a likely reference to John the Baptizer.
(b) The LORD will personally come to His temple to “clean house.” This is a probable reference to the Lord Jesus!
(c) The Messenger of the covenant, the Lord Jesus, did come and “clean house” at His first coming and will do it again at His second coming.
(d) “The coming Messiah would bring judgment: vindication and exoneration for the righteous but condemnation and punishment for the wicked.” (Alden)
(e) Most folks assume that they belong to the first category!
2. The people’s questions and accusations reveal that they really don’t understand the issues at hand (v. 2a)!
(a) Rhetorical questions reveal that no one will be able, in their own righteousness, to endure the day He comes!
(b) No one will be able to remain upright in His presence.
3. The LORD, whom they accused of injustice, would “take care of business” when He visited them (vv. 2b-3a)!
(a) He, like a refiner’s fire or launderer’s soap, will purge the slag and remove the stains from His people (v. 2b).
(b) He will patiently, peacefully, and carefully purify His own people, especially spiritual leaders (v. 3a).
4. Then, and only then, will they function as designed (v. 3b-4).
(a) They’ll present offerings, expressions of worship, gratitude, and praise, exactly as the LORD had desired (v. 3b).
(b) The offerings presented by the nation and its holy city will be pleasing to the LORD (v. 4a).
(c) These offerings will be reminiscent of former days when things in Israel were done right (v. 4b).
v The prophet revisits their initial accusations and questions (v. 5)!
1. He assures them that He will draw near to them, to execute the justice for which they were longing!
2. He assures them that He will testify against certain miscreants;
(a) those who engage in witchcraft and the occult.
(b) those who have sexual relations with the wife or the fiancé of another man.
(c) those who swear falsely in the name of God, who trivialize His name.
(d) those who take advantage of the defenseless and the vulnerable among them.
(e) and those who do not fear (respect, honor) the LORD, as evidenced by the aforementioned behavior! “The deepest cause of the people’s sinfulness: they do not fear God! All these groups were identified as people who do not fear the LORD.” (Verhoef)
(f) “All who ride roughshod over other people reveal that they do not fear the LORD of hosts, but when He ‘draws near for judgment’ the question ‘Where is the God of justice?’ will be answered.” (Baldwin)
(g) When people abuse, resent, murder, and terrorize other people, it is ample evidence they do not fear the LORD Almighty. When a society removes God from the public domain they inadvertently set themselves up for a culture of brutality and disaster!
v The prophet assures his nation: the only reason for their continued existence as a nation is the unchangeableness (immutability) of their God (v. 6)! (And all God’s people said “amen!”)
We insult God’s integrity when we question His justice!
He will “take care of business,” but not in the way or in the timeframe that we may desire or expect!