Malachi

2. Malachi �My Messenger� Do We Honor God? Malachi 1:1-14

3. Background 537 BC � First return of exiles begun 536 BC � Rebuilding temple begun 521 BC � Haggai and Zechariah encourage people to restart the building 516 BC � Temple completed 458 BC � Ezra leads a new group of returnees Ezra�s work was to teach the people to obey the word of God 444 BC � Nehemiah leads a third group of returnees He leads in the rebuilding of the walls Joins Ezra in trying to revive Israel spiritually

4. Introduction Malachi, �My messenger�, arrives shortly after the time of Ezra and Nehemiah ca. 425 � 400 BC He brings a final message from God before a period of 400 years of silence Haggai and Zechariah had promised great blessings for Israel if they would turn to God Ezra and Nehemiah tried to stir up the people to take their spiritual obligations seriously All had some success, at least during their lives Now Malachi comes to give God�s evaluation of their spiritual condition and the consequence

5. Method of teaching Malachi uses an argumentative format to teach God makes a statement or brings a charge against Israel Israel�s objection(s) to the statement or charge is raised Then the objection(s) is refuted

6. God�s love for Israel Mal 1:1-5 God states His love for Israel Israel doubts that love God explains His love by comparing what will happen to Israel (Jacob) with what will happen to Edom (Esau) Edom was destroyed like Israel had been But God wouldn�t allow Edom to be reestablished Even if rebuilt, it would be destroyed again [Destroyed many times, final time: 100 AD] As they watch, they should realize God�s love is what is keeping them alive

7. Honoring God Mal 1:6-11 Charge against the priests: God isn�t being honored even as much as parents or masters Objection: �How have we despised God�s name?� Response: The sacrifice is defiled Objection: �How is it defiled?� Response: Blind, lame, sick offerings They offered what cost little or nothing An offering they wouldn�t give to their governor [Question: Do we try to offer God second best?]

8. Honoring God But God is willing to forgive if they would repent But repentance requires a change in their actions Repentance requires a desire to please and worship God If you wish you could close the doors so you wouldn�t have to assemble, then God is not pleased and will not forgive Or perhaps God is wishing someone would close the doors to keep out those who worship in vain Because one day, God will be honored Even among the Gentiles (in the church)

9. Worship Mal 1:12-14 Charge: They profaned the worship by treating it as common and boring (tiring / wearying) No objection raised Further explanation God deserves better worship than half-hearted worship, cheap offerings, or unfulfilled vows God deserves better than half-attention and drooping eye-lids God is the Great King [Question: Would you be sleepy if you were in the presence of the president?]

10. Lessons Do we doubt God�s love for us? Perhaps we simply aren�t looking at the alternatives Do we truly honor God? Do we offer Him the best of what we have? Do we try to get by with just enough? Would our offerings to Him be acceptable if made to our governor or president? Do we wish we could be someplace else? Do we find ourselves bored or sleepy? Do we truly honor God and fear Him?

11. Conclusion Too often we act as if God were unimportant Worship as a formality to be performed as quickly and cheaply as possible Worship as a chance to catch-up on sleep God as a pauper who should be thankful for whatever we choose to give God as one who has no ability to punish But God is the Great King and is to be feared He knows what true honor and respect is He knows what we are capable of He can, and will, punish those who do not honor Him as He deserves