Author: Gary Witcher

Questions from Malachi - 1

There are certain sections of the Bible that, for one reason or another, we sometimes neglect.  One section of Scripture that is sometimes overlooked is the part of the Old Testament known as the Minor Prophets.
For the next few weeks, let's look at the short book of Malachi.   To many, this book may be known only as the last book in the Old Testament. If you find yourself in this group, hopefully you will feel much more informed in a few weeks.
Remember that these writers are called "minor" prophets not because they are inferior to the "major" prophets.  This designation is simply the result of the fact that their books are shorter.  The title is a statement of quantity, not quality.
Malachi's book consists of a series of questions and answers.  For the sake of our study, we will group these into seven topics.
"How hast Thou loved us?" the prophet asks in Malachi 1:2.  The answer to this question deals with our attitude toward God.
"How have we despised Thy name?" Malachi queries in verse 6 of the same chapter.  "How have we defiled Thee?" he asks in verse seven.  "How tiresome it is!" the prophet expresses in verse 13.  These three deal with the same subject: our attitude toward worship.
"For what reason?" Malachi asks in verse 14 of chapter two as he looks at false religion.
"How have we wearied Him?" Malachi discusses in chapter two verse 17. The subject here is evil lifestyles.
Malachi takes a look at repentance with "How shall we return” in chapter three verse seven.
He examines our attitudes about giving in verse eight with "How have we robbed Thee?"
And the prophet points out our arrogance with the question "What have we spoken against Thee?" in verse 13 of chapter three.
"I have loved you," the Lord says through the prophet in Malachi 1:2. "How hast Thou loved us?" is the retort from those who should be the followers of God.
To answer the question, Malachi points out that God chose the Jews to be His people, although they had done nothing to deserve this distinction and God could have just as easily chosen another group of people.
Looking at this passage, we are quick to notice the improper attitude expressed by this question.  But are we often guilty of the same attitude?
Do we sometimes say to God, "What have You done for me?"
In all probability, all of you who are listening are Gentiles.   If you are not a Jew, then you are a Gentile.  So one way that God has loved us is by allowing Gentiles to become His people.
Paul discusses this in Romans 9:14-24.
"And He did so in order that He might make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy," Paul concludes in verses 23-24,  "which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles."
"To be specific," Ephesians 3:4 says in reference to what Paul calls the mystery of Christ, "that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel."
God has loved us by including Gentiles among His people.
Not only has God allowed us the chance to be His people, but He also did this when we did not deserve it.  He did not wait for us to earn this position.  This is a good thing, since we would never arrive at this point.
"For God so loved the world," John 3:16 points out, "that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."
"In this is love," 1 John 4:10 explains, "not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
"For while we were still helpless," Paul notes in Romans 5:6-8,  "at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
God has loved us by sending Jesus while we were yet sinners.

God has loved us by including Gentiles among His people and by sending Jesus while we were yet sinners.  He has also loved us through hardship and trials.
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us," Hebrews 12 begins, "let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
"For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart."
The passage goes on to discuss the discipline we experience at the hands of God.  The point is that God is with us through everything and that He causes even unpleasant things to work to our benefit.
"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials;" James 1:2-4 encourages, "knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."
"In this you greatly rejoice," 1 Peter 1:6-9 states, "even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of  your  faith  the salvation of  your souls."
God loves us through hardship and trials.
God also loves us with great patience.
"Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked...” God asks through His prophet in Ezekiel 18:23, "rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?"
In 1 Timothy chapter two Paul explains the proper attitude toward those who are in authority.
"This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,” Paul notes in verses 3-4, "who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."
"But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved,” 2 Peter 3:8,9 points out, "that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
"The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."
God loves us with great patience.
Paul sums up God's love for us in Romans 8:31-39.
"What then shall we say to these things?" the Apostle asks.  "If God is for us, who is against us?  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?  Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  Just as it is written, 'For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.'  But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us."
"For I am convinced," Paul concludes in the final two verses of this passage, "that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
In other words, God loves us always.
But God's love for us is just one side of the picture.   What about our love for Him?
"If you love Me," Jesus teaches in John 14:15,  "you will keep My commandments."
"If anyone loves Me," the Master instructs in verse 23, "he will keep My word."
Do we find ourselves in this group, or are we closer to those described by Jesus in John 3:19,20?
"And this is the judgment," Jesus says in this passage, "that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil.
"For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed."
God loves us.  We can either hate Him and remain in darkness, or love His truth and be set free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission."