The Lord’s table is what you’ve made it (vs 12)
- The word pollution is in the Bible, but it’s not talking about the environment, it’s about the hearts of men.
- The people brought lame, sick, diseased, moldy sacrifices. The priests accepted and brought these sacrifices to God. And they all just got tired of the whole thing ultimately blaming it on God.
Serving the Lord is a drag (vs 13)
- Verse 13 it’s as if the lost “Christians” snuff at their religion because they don’t even know what the purpose of this whole ritual and religious gathering is about. They bring sick sacrifices, the priests “OK” the sick sacrifices, and go ahead congratulating everyone for being children of God. And everyone seems to wonder what the point of the religion is in the first place. These lost “Christians” are so tired of not understanding what they’re doing that they say it’s weariness. It gets old. Can’t we just go watch the game? Can’t we just go camping? Can’t we just go hunting? Can’t we just sleep in? Why are we going to church anyway?
Common sense of the heathen (vs 14)
- The heathen knew the Lord as dreadful, but God’s own people Israel disrespected the Lord who loved them and had given them special attention.
- If you talk to people about the Lord in an effort to lead them away from their sin and to the Lord Jesus Christ, lost people have enough sense to say things like, If I got saved or I started going to church I’d have to give up my drinking. Or my girlfriend and I would have to get married. And these lost folks have a better relationship with God than you sitting in a church trying to defend your sin. This lost person knows sin is the problem. But you claim to be a Christian and defend sin every time God shines a light on it. That’s what Malachi is saying.
- People have asked, if I come to your church will I have to stop doing this or doing that? I say no, you don’t have to stop doing this or that to come to church, but my question to you is if you’re going to keep living the life you’re living what do you need God for anyway? What would be the point of coming to church with no intention of being instructed in righteousness or living a holy life?
