Honoring God’s Covenant: The Message of Malachi (Eastside
Baptist/Wed PM/Sept. 4, 2013)
Setting and Context
Ø Malachi,
the prophet
§ “My
Messenger”
§ Ministered
in Jerusalem in post-exilic Judah
§ After
Haggai, Zechariah
Ø Roughly
515 to 457 B.C.
§ Before
reforms of Ezra (in 457)
Ø Spiritual...
Honoring God’s Covenant: The Message of Malachi (Eastside
Baptist/Wed PM/Sept. 4, 2013)
Setting and Context
Ø Malachi,
the prophet
§ “My
Messenger”
§ Ministered
in Jerusalem in post-exilic Judah
§ After
Haggai, Zechariah
Ø Roughly
515 to 457 B.C.
§ Before
reforms of Ezra (in 457)
Ø Spiritual
apathy and disobedience to the covenant from apparent unfulfilled promises.
People thought God had forsaken them.
Ø Message:
God loves his people; he is worthy of honor from his people, expressed in true
worship and obedience to his covenant.
Structure & Message
Ø Malachi
the Prophet (1:1)
Ø Series
of 6 Disputes (1:2-4:3)
§ Six
disputes revolve around the peoples’ assumption that God did not love them and
their resulting unfaithfulness to the covenant.
Ø The
Law and the Prophets (Moses and Elijah, 4:4-6)
God Loves Israel (1:2-5)
Ø Though
the people questioned God’s love, God affirms his abiding love and commitment
to his people.
§ Demonstrated
in his electing love of Jacob over Esau and in his judgment on Edom (Esau) in
fulfillment of Obadiah’s message.
Unacceptable Worship (1:6-2:9)
Ø Ironically,
it was Judah who wasn’t loving and honoring God.
Ø Priests
were dishonoring God by offering blemished animals as sacrifices.
Ø Demonstrating
disloyalty to their covenant with God.
Ø Called
to repent and honor God.
Unfaithful Spouses (2:10-16)
Ø Disloyalty
to God’s covenant expressed in their disloyalty to their marriage covenants.
Ø Guilty
of divorcing Hebrew wives and intermarrying with foreign
women, resulting in idolatry.
Ø Religious
rituals will not cover up for blatant disobedience.
Hypocritical Complaints (2:17-3:5)
Ø Complaining
about the lack of God’s justice against evil.
Ø Meanwhile
they were guilty of polluted worship and injustice.
Ø In
answer to their request, God promises to come in judgment and restore pure
worship and true justice.
A Call to Return to God (3:6-12)
Ø “Return
to me, and I will return to you.”
Ø How
should they repent?
Ø Stop
robbing God and bring their tithes and offerings to the temple, so that the
Levites and the poor may have their needs met.
Illegitimate Complaints (3:13-4:3)
Ø Their
complaints that God did not love them and that God was not justly punishing the
wicked were illegitimate.
Ø God
will come in his time and his way and judge the arrogant wicked and will come
as the “sun of righteousness” for his people.
Last Words (4:4-6)
Ø Malachi
points the people back to the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah).
Ø People
are urged to keep the Torah covenant (Moses), and a second Elijah will come
before the Day of the LORD.
Important Themes
Ø God’s
love for his people is unfailing, even when present circumstances seem like God
is far away.
Ø God
is worthy of honor and deserves love and loyalty from his people.
Ø That
love and loyalty should be expressed in:
§ Faithful
obedience to covenant
§ True,
loyal, fervent worship
§ Faithfulness
to marriage vows
§ Love
and justice to neighbors and poor
§ Not
resting on religious ritual
“Jesus Lens” and Application
Ø The
promised Elijah did come in the person of John the Baptist, who prepared the
way for the coming of the Lord.
Ø God
demonstrated his love by sending Jesus as the “sun of righteousness” with
healing in his wings for those who trust in him.
Ø Jesus’
first coming brought healing and salvation, but it will be his second coming
that will bring final justice and the Day of the LORD.
Ø In
the meantime, we who trust in Christ should honor him with true worship and
love, loyal obedience, and love for our neighbors.
