(Malachi 1:1-141The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. 2I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob, 3And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. 4Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the Lord of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever. 5And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The Lord will be magnified from the border of Israel. 6A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honor? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? 7Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible. 8And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts. 9And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the Lord of hosts. 10Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. 11For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts. 12But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. 13Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the Lord. 14But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen. (Malachi 1:1‑14)) The prophet Malachi has the solemn duty of delivering God's last message to His earthly people before the coming of Christ. The message having been delivered, God speaks no more for a period of four hundred years. Then at length the silence is broken by the voice of one crying in the wilderness, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight."
Last words possess a special power by which they often reach the conscience, touch the heart, and linger in the memory. If this be so with men's poor words, how much more when towards the end of a dispensation God speaks a last word! And as we read the prophet Malachi we do well to let it speak to us with all the power of a last word from God.
(Vs.1) Let us first consider the circumstances under which the book was written, for, however truly it may have an application to God's people in these last days, we must not forget to whom in the first instance it was addressed. The prophecy opens with the words: "The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel." It is a message, therefore, to God's chosen earthly people. Yet while all Israel may thus be included in the scope of the prophecy, it is actually addressed only to the small part (often called "the remnant") delivered from the captivity of Babylon. As we learn from other parts of Scripture, while the great mass of the people were still in captivity, some sixty thousand, in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, had been allowed to return to the land of their fathers, rebuild the temple, revive the sacrifices, build the walls and set up the gates of Jerusalem.
God's people, therefore, at that time, were divided into two main classes, and it will be helpful to notice the broad distinctions between them.
There was (1) the mass of the nation in Babylonia, in captivity. They were not in Palestine where God had placed them, but in Babylonia, whither their sin had brought them. They were not freemen as God by His power and goodness had made them, but slaves to a foreign overlord. Clearly therefore the mass of the nation may be rightly described as in a wrong position, because not in the place or state purposed for them by God.
Then there was (2) the band of returned Israelites dwelling in their own land and engaged in the religious rites and exercises originally ordained for them by God. Of these, unlike their captive brethren, it may be said they were in a right position, as being in the place and carrying on the religious system purposed for them by God. But, as of those in Babylonia, so of these in Jerusalem, it must be said they were in a wrong condition, for the book of Malachi throughout is an exposure of their moral and spiritual failure while outwardly characterized by formal orthodoxy.
Again, in both of these great classes were to be found a third class of individuals in happy contrast with their surroundings; men marked by practical nearness, faithfulness and devotedness to God. Daniel and his friends may be cited as examples amongst those of the captivity, while Ezra, Nehemiah and the pious few referred to in Mal. 3:1616Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. (Malachi 3:16) will serve to indicate those of a similar stamp among the returned "remnant."
Such, in a few words, were the circumstances and characteristics of the nation in the Malachi period. Now, although the prophecy opens with the words, "The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel," it was clearly only to the remnant in the land of Palestine that this, God's last message, was actually addressed. We find allusions to the temple, to the sacrifices, to the priests, to tithes, etc., all features perfectly natural to Jerusalem and Canaan, but which could not have been descriptive of those in exile.
What was the burden of the word of the Lord to this returned remnant? It was no longer a denunciation of idolatry, as in the days of the kings; it was not an appeal to return to the land, as in the days of Ezra; nor was it an appeal to rebuild the temple, as in the days of Haggai, or even to rebuild the walls, as in the days of Nehemiah. Idolatry had been given up; the remnant were back in the land; the temple was rebuilt, and the round of religious observances was being conducted with the semblance of outward order. Though outwardly, however, in a right position, with a correct ritual, nevertheless their moral state was entirely wrong. And thus the burden of the Lord, in this last message, mainly consists in a solemn appeal to the conscience of the remnant as to their low state morally and spiritually.
Here let us pause. Bearing in mind what we have seen to be the setting of the book and its characteristic message, let us consider the position and condition of the Church of God today, with a view to applying thereto the spiritual lessons which the prophecy of Malachi would suggest. In doing so we shall be compelled to own that there are conditions found among the people of God at the present time, that correspond in a striking way to these different conditions found at the close of the past dispensation.
As we survey Christendom are we not compelled in the first place to own that the mass of Christians are held captive in unscriptural, not to say apostate religious systems, just as Israel was held nationally in the captivity of idolatrous Babylon? And hence of the great mass of Christendom it has to be said that they are in a wrong position, as tested by the purpose of God for them revealed in His Word. Further, a truthful observer would be compelled to state that not only is Christendom generally in a wrong position, it is also in a wrong moral condition. Of this the address to Laodicea in Rev. 3:14-1714And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: (Revelation 3:14‑17) is a sad proof and testimony. Christendom as a whole, therefore, corresponds strikingly with Israel in Babylon during the Malachi period.
If now we carry our survey of Christendom back to the beginning of the nineteenth century, we are bound to recognize a very distinct work of God, whereby a remnant of His heavenly people (like that of His earthly nation in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah) were delivered from these unscriptural religious systems of men in which they had been held captive. Set free from sectarianism they were by His grace enabled to recover the true ground upon which it is God's purpose that all His people should stand, and thus, like their Jewish prototypes, were once more in a right position. As time went on, however, while still professedly in the true path of the Church's calling, failure and declension has more and more marked their course, so that today God has a solemn controversy with these delivered saints as to their wrong moral condition. Their ecclesiastical position may still be right, but their moral and spiritual condition is not in accord with the position they have taken. This class, then, closely corresponds with the restored remnant in the land.
Yet again, to continue the parallel, in both of these classes there has always been found many a devoted servant of God whose moral and spiritual condition has been of a very high order, and whose course has been well pleasing to the Lord.
Now just as the prophecy of Malachi has chiefly in view the restored remnant in the land, outwardly orthodox but inwardly offensive to God, together with an exquisite word of encouragement for the faithful individuals found amongst them, so, we believe, it makes a special appeal today to the feeble and failing remnant of saints gathered out of the ecclesiastical captivity of Christendom, together with the faithful individuals found in the midst of this company. And just as in Malachi's day the last message to the people before the coming of the Lord was given to arouse the conscience as to their condition, so today, on the eve of the coming of the Lord, we believe that God's last message to His people is a solemn appeal to awaken conscience as to our moral and spiritual condition; so that there may be found on the earth those who are suited to the One who is coming, and who, with quickened affections, can say, "Come, Lord Jesus."
Having seen that the prophecy is addressed to the returned remnant, and that its burden concerns their condition, we shall do well to carefully inquire, What is this condition, and how far does it depict the condition of God's people today?
(Vs. 6) First. They were marked by high profession but low practice (chapter 1:6). They professed that Jehovah was their Father and their Master, but in practice they did not render to Jehovah the honor due to a father, nor the fear that was due to a master. And must we not own today that our practice has fallen far below our profession? In our daily life and walk do we honor the Lord? Do we think and speak and act in the fear of the Lord? But showing neither honor nor fear exposed the remnant to the further charge of despising the name of the Lord. To this charge they immediately reply, "Wherein have we despised Thy name?" A solemn response to a solemn charge, and one which brings to light another sad feature of their condition-
Second. They were marked by spiritual blindness to their own low state. Spiritual blindness is the inevitable result of a high profession and a low walk. The people of God are prone, almost unconsciously, to excuse low walk because of their high profession. We may say, "With all our failure we have the light, and we are in the right position"; and thus our very profession may become the means of blinding our eyes to the seriousness of our low practice. So that when faced with our failure we either make light of it, refuse to face it, or, like the remnant, profess we cannot see it.
(Vss. 7-10) Third. The outward service of the Lord was continued, but the true inward motive for the service was lacking (chapter 1:7-10). They brought their offerings to the altar, or table of the Lord; they kindled the fire on the altar, and they opened and shut the doors of the temple. But no one would shut the doors for naught. Love of self, and not love to the Lord, was the motive for their service. The result was that, in the service of the Lord, anything would do.
The lame and the sick would do for the Lord. Not so would they dare to treat their earthly ruler. Men had a greater place in their eyes than the Lord, and to give them such a place was treating the Lord with contempt. If they treated their ruler thus, would he be pleased with them?
And now, says the Lord, "I have no pleasure in you" (verse 10). Viewing them in the light of His purpose the Lord can say, "I have loved you" (verse 2); viewing them in the light of their practice He has to say, "I have no pleasure in you" (verse 10). How solemn when the Lord has to say of those He loves, "I have no pleasure in you."
Has all this no voice for us? May not we, too, continue the outward service of the Lord-preaching, teaching, pastoring, etc.-and yet the true motive be lacking? The service outwardly correct, the motives inwardly corrupt? If we compare the church at Ephesus (Rev. 2:22I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: (Revelation 2:2)) with the church at Thessalonica do we not see this exemplified? The church at Ephesus was busy in the service of the Lord, but the true hidden motive was lacking. The church at Thessalonica was marked by "work of faith," "labor of love," and "patience of hope." The church at Ephesus was also marked by "works," and "labor," and "patience," but "faith," and "love," and "hope" are lacking, and therefore the Lord has to say to this church, "Thou art fallen." We may well ask, are "faith," and "love," and "hope" the springs of our service? These are qualities which only the Lord can discern, and which are very precious in His sight. Or is the motive for service self in some form-self-exaltation, self-advancement, or the hope of gain?
(Vs. 13) Fourth. The service of the Lord became a weariness to the remnant (verse 13). Profession without practice, and service without devotedness, will lead to weariness in the things of the Lord, and what people are weary of they will end by despising. Thus the remnant not only said of the Lord's service, "Behold, what a weariness is it!" but they "puffed" at it (verse 13, JND Translation). Alas! can we not see in our day this same weariness in the things of the Lord? Are there not many who were once active in the service of the Lord, but who have now grown weary? Possibly their practice fell below their preaching, then the preaching was continued when the devotedness was gone, and now at last they have grown weary. The hands hang down and the knees are feeble; the hands never lifted up in supplication, the knees never bent in prayer. They have grown weary-weary of prayer, weary of reading the Bible, weary of remembering the Lord, weary of preaching the gospel, and weary of hearing it, weary of the Lord's things, and weary of the Lord's people. And what we weary of we despise; little wonder, then, that they end by "puffing" at the Lord's things and the Lord's people. How deeply important to have Christ ever before us, the true motive for all service-to "consider Him," the Leader and Completer of faith, "that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds" (Heb. 12:2-32Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. (Hebrews 12:2‑3))
This, then, is the solemn picture portrayed by the prophet of the general condition into which the mass of the returned remnant had fallen. (1) High profession and low practice; (2) moral insensibility and spiritual blindness; (3) outwardly serving the Lord without devotedness to the Lord; and (4) weariness and contempt for the service of the Lord.
Does it not behoove us to seriously challenge ourselves as to how far this is a true picture of our own condition?