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Malachi's Burden
July 18, 2015

Last week we completed our study of Daniel as he understood that his visions were meant to reflect events during the end time. Today we will start a study of the Book of Malachi and see the burden given to Malachi.

Malachi 1:1-6
The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. I 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, And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. Whereas 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. And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.

Malachi understood the burden that would come with the message he was to deliver to Israel. The messenger is often convicted when delivering the message of another party; in this case God. God wanted Israel to understood that it had a special place in the heart of God and that other nations were of less importance. That is why other nations struggled while Israel flourished when obedient to God. It is like God intended the nation of Israel to be his ambassador on earth so that when other nations saw the prosperity of Israel the people of those nations would understand that it was the blessing of God.

Malachi 1:7-8
A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? 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? Ye 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. And 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.

God pointed out that children are to honor their parents and was wondering where might be the honor that was due Him. Placing blame with the leadership of Israel, God indicted the priests who offered polluted bread on the altar, when pure bread was to be offered. When animals were sacrificed, sometimes animals with disabilities were offered when only animals that were the mot robust were to be offered. At the time priests would sacrifice animals with illnesses or disabilities to God, yet when meeting with the political establishment would offer only the most robust animals as gifts. In today's world where we rightly look at disability as a natural part of the human condition and even the animal condition, this requirement might seem discriminatory. Today, we should expect that people with disabilities should have the same rights, responsibilities, and freedoms as all people have. The priests were not attempting to establish equal rights for animals with disabilities. What was happening back then is today called bait and switch. An animal with a disability was of lower value on the open market and the most robust animals would fetch the highest sale prices. Instead of honoring God, the priests had devised a system to earn extra money. God was not pleased as he needed the sacrifice of the most robust animals to foreshadow the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Malachi 1:9-14
And 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. Who 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. For 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. But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. Ye 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. But 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.

God understood the sacrifices given by the priests meant nothing giving God no pleasure in their sacrifices. Instead of making God's name a great name that would be recognized even among non-believers, God's name was reduced to nothing. Doing the work of God was not a pleasure to these priests; it was a burden. God was displeased as his name was a joke among non-believers. Perhaps things haven't changed that much as the name of God seems to have less and less honor. God seems to have less and less honor. Perhaps like in Malachi's time, the priests are to blame.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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