Do You Question God's Sincerity?

God's Persistent, Patient Love for His People!

A study of the book of Malachi

by Pastor Frank Rice

Malachi 2:1-9

Some folks are known for their kidding around or teasing! We enjoy saying something silly and then smiling, not really meaning what we say. (“I could be wrong, although I hardly ever am.”) Sometimes it’s difficult to tell if we’re serious. At times people may be deadly serious, but they’re taken lightly. Others may think they aren’t going to do anything. Either they do not or cannot follow up on what they’ve said they would do in response to a certain behavior. The prophet Malachi confronts God’s people, in particular the spiritual leaders, for their neglect of their covenant obligations. They really don’ttake Him seriously. Questions: “Do we?” and “How do we show it?”

I.     We Take Him Seriously As We Set Our Hearts Right (Vv. 1-3)!

• The prophet tells his listeners to “set their hearts right” (vv. 1-2a). The phrase calls for some serious thought and consequent action!

1. He addresses the God-assigned spiritual leaders of the community with straightforward and pointed words! “The very essence of ‘this command’ is the duty and the privilege of the priests to honor the name of the LORD.” (Verhoef)

2. “God’s name is serious business, and nothing pollutes it more than the misconduct of those whose business is to honor it.” (Kaiser)

3. The choice to honor or dishonor originates in the heart. To honor is to treat seriously, to dishonor is to treat lightly.

4. Choices always have consequences. They can choose to honor God OR they can choose to dishonor Him! But…

 

• Those who represent God have responsibilities (vv. 2b-3)! Neglect of those responsibilities results in certain consequences.

1. You’d better prepare for hardships and heartache. Don’t be surprised! (The prophet may refer to a number of troubles.)

   1. The promised curse of Deut 28:15-48 will land in your lap! When agrarian cultures suffer, their spiritual leaders suffer.

   2. “They were largely responsible for blocking out the blessings of God!” (Kaiser)

   3. “When the nation as a whole suffered from drought or any other calamity, the perquisites of the priests dropped off proportionately.” (Alden)

   4. The blessings pronouncedby youon others will turn out to be curses because of hypocrisy (Numb 6:22-27). (Remember Balak and Balaam!)

   5. The blessings you now enjoy will be turned upside-down. (This may be a case of “intentional ambiguity” which should force thoughtfulness.)

2. You can expect humiliation and disappointment (v. 3)!

   1. Your seed will not prosper. When seeds don’t germinate, grow, and bear fruit, the offerings dwindle! Or descendants will be cut off from spiritual leadership.

   2. Your honor will turn to shame. God will smear “dirt” on your faces and dispose of you! Their internal defilement becomes obvious! They dishonored God in their duties so now they are disqualified from doing so!

3. God may orchestrate hardships and humiliation to bring about repentance so that He can send blessings!

 

II.   We Take Him Seriously As We Fulfill Our Mission (Vv. 4-7)!

• Recognize the importance of your mission/ assignment (vv. 4-5).

1. The purpose of the confrontation is to bring priests to their senses so they’d get things right and continue their ministry.

2. The benefits of the covenant were meaningful life and peace which eventuated in a healthy fear and awe of the LORD.

3. “Unless the priests learned to be worthy representatives of the covenant with Levi, they would be openly disgraced and thoroughly discredited.” (Unger)

• Recognize the implications of your mission/ assignment (v. 6)! (Follow the example of the ideal spiritual leaders – the Levites.)

1. Be a truth communicator! God’s Word should always be on “the tip of your tongue.” Look for openings; prepare to share!

2. Be an advocate of justice! Know what is right. Do not support or approve of what is unjust, evil, or wrong!

3. Learn to live “in experiential fellowship with God.” Walk in the light, truth, love, and in the Spirit! Practice His presence.

4. Learn to turn others from sin to right-living by the power of your words and your example (Deut 33:8-11).

 

• Recognize the responsibility of your mission/ assignment (v. 7)!

1. We are responsible for preserving knowledge (God’s revealed will as reflected in His Word), for guarding it from error or perversion.

2. We are responsible for presenting instruction, for guiding others with precepts and doctrine.

3. “The ideal priests have not rejected the knowledge of God’s revealed will, but have preserved it, were keeping it intact, and therefore their instruction, the dispensing of that knowledge, has been reliable.” (Verhoef)

 

III.   We Take Him Seriously As We Impact Lives Positively (Vv. 8-9)!

• Failure to fulfill our mission/ assignment wreaks corruption in a community (v. 8)! (Spiritual leaders in Malachi’s day were guilty.)

1. They had knowingly and deliberately departed from the path prescribed by the LORD for the Levitical priests.

2. As a result, they had sown distrust for the law and led many to go down the path of distrust and disrespect for the LORD.

3. They had violated and tarnished their office by refusing to follow the godly example of their predecessors.

4. Instead of turning people from sin they turned them to sin. Instead of patterning and promoting righteousness they patterned and promoted unrighteousness. Instead of clearing the way so people could find and follow God, they confused and cluttered the way so they stumbled and lost their way!

5. “In contrast to the exemplary behavior of the earlier priesthood, the priests in the time of Malachi failed miserably.” (Verhoef)

 

• Failure to fulfill our mission/ assignment insures dishonor (v. 9).

1. Deviating from the way for personal gain will always have a detrimental effect on our life and peace (v. 9b).

2. Disrespect (contempt) for God and His ways will always lead to disrespect from those who are watching (v. 9a). Disrespect breeds disrespect.

 

God is sincere about who He is and what He expects of His people!

Those who do not respond to His voice, trivialize the sincerity and seriousness of God.