Text: Malachi 1:6-11
Please listen carefully if you consider yourself someone who believes in God. These verses lay out three indictments against people who claimed to believe in God. The first divine charge against their religion states they’ve treated God with contempt. Evidence? The worthless offerings they bring to God. The second charge states these religious people have honored men more than God. Evidence? They would never treat their employer the way they treat God. The third divine charge said these religious people were selfish without concern for lost souls. Evidence? They limited the light to whoever they were comfortable with.
Corruption of leadership (vs 6)
- Now Malachi goes after the religious leaders. Good leaders in God’s kingdom receive great honor. A crown of glory in 1 Peter 5, joy in the coming judgment in Hebrews 13, double honor in 1 Timothy. But a crooked leader receives greater damnation in James 3.
- The priests called God their father, but treated God with much disrespect. They want to call God their father, but didn’t want to hear anything He had to say. Not interested in any of his instructions.
- You probably want to call God your father. If you don’t now, you will when you die. And your loved ones will want to hear how God was your father at your funeral. But is that true?
- If God is your father, what honor do you show him? How much time do you give him? What instructions has he given you to guide you? You see, saying God is your father, or wanting God to be your father is one thing, but actually having God as your father is another thing.
- The priests said God was their master, but treated God in a way they’d never treat their employer.
- Do you show up when you want to for church or serving God? Do you treat your employer that way? Just show up when you want to? It’s a great question God asks that shows what someone really thinks of the Lord.
- They showed contempt for the things of God (vs 7). They treated God in a way they would never treat a wealthy person, or a person with a title.
Valued men’s opinions more than God’s (vs 8)
- The priest would disobey ten commandments of God before he crossed a rich widow.
- Jude 16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
- The priest would trample all over the things of God trying to get to the rich businessman’s bank account.
- 1 Peter 2:5 – holy priesthood
- Offer body a sacrifice in Romans 12:1-2. Is your offering polluted?
- Offer spiritual sacrifices. Are your spiritual sacrifices polluted? Whatever you’re offering to God shows exactly what you think of God.
No burden for others (vs 11)
- God’s plans always extended beyond Israel. With the first promise to Abraham God said all the nations would be blessed in him. Meaning God’s plan going to the Gentiles was not a secondary act, or a plan B because of failure. It was always in God’s plan.
- All nations had access to God, but God did use the descendants of Jacob (Israel) as a national mediator between God and man.
God wasn’t involved in their religion (vss 9-10)
- These priests ignored God while claiming to be God’s representatives. Malachi says, Beseech God! Which means the priests haven’t been looking for God for a long time.
- Malachi says US, he includes himself. That’s a good attitude.
- Jeremiah 5:30-31 – the people would rather have a clergy where God isn’t involved. They’d rather have rebellious leadership because it matches their spirit. There won’t be any expectations. There won’t be any instructions. Everyone will be told they’re good, and be congratulated for being children of God as they go on living sinful God dishonoring lives.
- God said they practice religion under their own power; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Paul would say get away from this group of people. 2 Timothy 3:2-7.
Please listen carefully if you consider yourself someone who believes in God. These verses lay out three indictments against people who claimed to believe in God. The first divine charge against their religion states they’ve treated God with contempt. Evidence? The worthless offerings they bring to God. The second charge states these religious people have honored men more than God. Evidence? They would never treat their employer the way they treat God. The third divine charge said these religious people were selfish without concern for lost souls. Evidence? They limited the light to whoever they were comfortable with.
If your religion is described this way, the answer is in verse 9. Beg God to be gracious to you because you’ve been an offense to Him. Your religion is offensive to God. You’ve been using his name and denying Him at every turn.
