Read Malachi Chapter 1
This passage summarizes the basic spiritual problem facing Israel: apathy. God has shown His love for them, but they don’t recognize it anymore. To show how He has loved them, Malachi points to the destruction of Edom. Israel has suffered, but God has kept them through those struggles. Edom, on the other hand, has been obliterated. (Like us) God's chosen people have sinned, but they haven't been destroyed, which is an act of God's love and mercy towards them.
Today we are pretty much the same. Just as He did in Moses' time, He leads us out of destruction to creation, both figuratively and literally. Think back and remember all those times we were on the brink but got pulled back. Above all God gave His only son for our sake, a gift of His love, we are about to celebrate. He was born as a sacrifice, to be sacrificed for us.
But, inspite of all this, does He take priority? Do we walk with Him and talk with Him, just as it was intended?
Do we bring the best as a sacrifice to God? Or do we hold back. Do we offer chicken roast to a hungry stranger or offer stale vegetables. Do we offer our tithe prior to expenses or offer it post expenses, giving it the second place. Who lives in the altar of our hearts? Jesus or we ourselves?
As we celebrate Christmas with Christmas dinners and celebrations, lets be sure to invite the birthday child to the party, and not relegate him to second place. He stands at the door and knocks. Let Him in this Christmas.
After all, it's His birthday.
The name "Malachi" literally means "My Messenger," so this might not be the name of a specific person. The choice of this name is interesting, for several reasons. First, the priests were meant to be the messengers of God to the people. As this chapter explains, they are failing in that regard. So, for the message to come from God's self-titled "messenger" highlights the difference between those who do and do not follow God's will.
Second, this will be the last prophetic lesson given to Israel for four centuries. After that will come John the Baptist, the "messenger" predicted in Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3. This long period of quiet is bracketed on both ends by people specifically referred to as God's messengers.
This verse also begins with an interesting word, mas'sa, translated as an "oracle" or "burden." The Hebrew word implies the idea of "raising" something, as one would raise an alarm. Or, of "carrying" something. This is a word often used in Old Testament prophecies (Habakkuk 1:1; Nahum 1:1; Isaiah 13:1). Typically, this word is used to set up a message that is threatening or dangerous (Zechariah 9:1; Isaiah 14:28).
Chapter Summary
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