Malachi, the Messenger of the Lord


Malachi 1:7 “By offering defiled food on my altar. “But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?” By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible.
The name Malachi means, “the Messenger of the Lord”.

‘Malachi, a prophet in the days of Nehemiah.
Chapter 1 begins with addressing the priests, who have failed to do their duty.
Also he was addressing against,………..
wicked practices, and
a false sense of security in their privileged relationship with God’
problems like hypocrisy,
worshiping God without reverence and fear,
arrogance, divorce, etc.

In this chapter, from verses 6-14, we can see ………… their careless worship without proper reverence to God who loved them so much.

This was purely not acceptable to the Lord.
In verse 10, He asks them to close the gates of the temple so that no one will offer these abominable sacrifices.

In the second verse He puts it clear to them that ‘I have loved you’ (Mal 1:2).

So… Out of His Fatherly love, God chose to correct them.
What a loving Father in heaven we have!

What relevance does this message from Malachi have for our generation?

In our generation also we see many adopting the same attitudes like that in Malachi.

We do not care about the way we offer our worship.

Simple attendance for worship is not what is expected of us.
We need to offer our best to God- not the lame and the blind.

Our worship should be marked with love and adoration to God our Father.
Otherwise it is only a simple lip service.

So… what should we do?
PREPARE OURSELVES BEFORE WORSHIP.
DO NOT BRING THE WORLD ALONG WITH OUR WORSHIP.
PRAY FOR HIS BLESSINGS.
HAVE COMMUNION WITH A LOVING GOD:

May our Good God help us to check our lives to offer our God the love, reverence, fear, and worship due to Him alone!

Jooley Mathew Z
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Malachi 1:6-8 Giving….*When did we ever despise your name? When you offer polluted sacrifices on my altar…

Malachi brings an accusation against the priests of the land They are showing contempt for God by offering to Him animals that were crippled or diseased contrary to God’s law. Lev 22:22

As believers in Christ we must give to God the best we have Our life should be a living sacrifice to Him Rom 12:1 The time we spend in prayer and Bible study should be at the choice time of the day and not when we are too tired to do anything else.

Give the first and best of your time, energy and money for God

Cynthia Sathiaraj
Chennai

Malachi.3:2
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Who may abide in the day of His coming?
His first coming was without external pomp or show of power.
Herod and all Jerusalem with him were stirred at the news of the wondrous birth.
What will be His second Advent?
“He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth and with the breath of His lips,shall He slay the wicked. “
His death shook the earth and darkened heaven.
Though a Lamb, He is yet the Lion of Judah.
None of His foes shall bear up before the tempest of His wrath, or hide themselves.
But for His Beloved Blood washed people, look for His appearing with joy.
Let us search ourselves and make our calling.
Cast away all hypocrisy and to be found of Him sincere.
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Maby Sundar India group no.7070

270 Days Bible Study Insights Malachi 1-4
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God loves perfectly and completely. And his love is a love of action —giving, guiding and guarding. He is altogether faithful,true to his promises to his chosen people. But consistently they spurn their loving God, breaking the covenant, following other gods, and living for themselves. Sonthe relationship is shattered. But the breach is not irreparable. All hope is not lost. God can heal and mend and reweave the fabric. Forgiveness is available. And that is grace.

This is the message of Malachi, God’s prophet in Jerusalem. His words reminded the Jews, God’s chosen nation, of their wilful disobedience, beginning with the priests (1:1-2:9) and then including every person (2:20-3:15). They had shown contempt for God’s name(1:6), offered false worship(1:7-14), led others into sin (2:7-9), broken God’s laws(2:11-16), called evil “good”(2:27), kept God’s tithes and offerings for themselves(3:8-12), and became arrogant (3:13-15). The relationship was broken, and judgement and punishment would be theirs. In the midst of this wickedness, however, there were a faithful few—the remnant—who loved and honoured God. God would shower his blessings upon these men and women (3:16-18).

Malachi paints a stunning picture of Israel’s unfaithfulness that clearly shows how hem to be worthy of punishment, but woven through this message is hope—the possibility of forgiveness. This is beautifully expressed in4:2 —“But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.”

Malachi concludes with a promise of the coming of “the prophet Elijah.” Who will offer God’s forgiveness to all people through repentance and faith(4:5,6).

The book of Malachi forms a bridge between the Old Testament and the New Testament. As you read Malachi, see yourself as the recipient of this word of God to his people. Evaluate the depth of your commitment, the sincerity of your worship, and the direction of your life. Then allow God to restore your relationship with him through his love and forgiveness.

Malachi gives us practical guidelines about commitment to God. God deserves the best we have to offer(1:7-10). We must be willing to change our wrong ways of living(2:1,2). We should make family a lifelong priority (2:13-16). We should welcome God’s refining process in our lives(3:3). We should tithe our income (3:8-12). There is no room for pride (3:13-15).

Malachi closes his messages by pointing to that great final day of judgement. For those who are committed to God, Judgement day will be a day of joy because it will usher in eternity in God’s presence. Those who have ignored God will be “stubble” to be burned up (4:1). To help the people prepare for that day of judgement, God would send a prophet like Elijah(John the Baptist), who would prepare the way for Jesus, the Messiah. The New Testament begins with this prophet calling the people to turn from their sins and to turn toward Him. Such a commitment to God demands great sacrifice on our part, but we can be sure it will be worth it all in the end.
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Clara Radhakrishna