Readings for the day: Malachi 1-4, Psalm 50
I am the parent of four teenagers. They are all strong-willed. All independent thinkers. They are all straining at the leash, longing to be on their own. I love it. It’s exactly how it should be. But they aren’t ready yet and my job in this phase of life is to coach them. To encourage them. To guide them. How do I know they aren’t ready? Because their attitude and effort is still subpar. They don’t complete their work all the way. They leave far too many things undone. They struggle to submit. They struggle to take responsibliity. They are afraid of - in their words - “adulting.” I get it. I remember feeling the same way when I was their age.
When I read Malachi, it feels to me like God is dealing with a bunch of adolescents. Believers whose attitude and effort is subpar. Yes, they bring their sacrifices to the Lord but they are blemished. Yes, they meet their obligations in worship but it’s not their firstfruits. They say and do all the right things but their hearts are not pure. They are just going through the motions. And God knows all this! He sees the sacrifices they have to offer. “When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil?” (Malachi 1:8) He sees right through all the BS. “Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it.” (Malachi 2:3) He knows their tears are simply for show. “You cover the Lord 's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. But you say, "Why does he not?" Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless...” (Malachi 2:13-14) He can count. He knows they aren’t giving in accordance with His commands. “Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In your tithes and contributions.” (Malachi 3:8) And yet, when confronted with their sin, what do the people do? They protest. Throw up their hands. Stomp their feet. Raise their voices. Shift the blame. It’s typical adolescent behavior.
What is God’s desire? He wants His people to grow. He wants them to be strong. He wants them to be wholly devoted to His great name. “For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts...For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.” (Malachi 1:11, 14) He wants His people to be pure of heart and true in faith. “My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi 2:5-7) His desire is to bless and not curse. To give and not withhold. To pour out abundance upon them so that they nations will see all God has done. “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi 3:10-12)
But God also knows our hearts. He knows what He expects is impossible for us to achieve. He knows the corruption that exists at the core of our being. The sin that so easily entangles. We brought this on ourselves and God has been trying to teach us how helpless and hopeless we are without Him. So He will send His messenger to accomplish all that we could not. He will be the Faithful One. He will be the True Israelite. He will be the Messiah and Savior of all who believe. “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.” (Malachi 3:1-3) He will purify our offerings. He will sanctify our hearts. He will make us righteous before the Lord.