King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Monday, September 30, 2024
Chapters: Malachi Chapters 1-4
Message: Robbing God
Hello My Friend,
As I was reading through these chapters I kept thinking that God is speaking these very words to His Church today. We have surely made a mess of things, and this goes beyond robbing God financially of tithes and offerings to keep the churches operating, we have robbed Him of the very thing that He truly longs for, that we love and fear Him, and these are things that money cannot buy. I am reminded of this passage, [Isaiah 55:1-3 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.]
That everlasting covenant is none other than eternal life with Christ, simply by the grace of God, through our faith and trust in the Gospel of Christ. As we come to the end of the reading of the Old Testament, let us be reminded that salvation has never been about ones works, [Psalms 32:1-2,5-6 A Psalm of David, Maschil. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. 5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. 6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.]
The Book of Malachi contains four chapters, the author is Malachi, and it was written to Israel. The timeline for these events took place approximately between 440BC and 410BC. The purpose of the book was to call Israel to repentance and return to righteousness in order to restore the nation, with great emphasis on the Levites. What we are to learn from the book is that God only accepts the sacrifices (offerings) of those who love Him wholeheartedly, [Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.]
When the Jews returned to Jerusalem from Babylon they did not expect it to be in ruin, and even though the temple had been rebuilt, the walls restored, and city was being restored nothing was changing. The labor was hard, but the wages were meager, the sewing of the fields was much, but the reaping was little. They began questioning God, in which God responds by sending Malachi, the last prophet to speak out about God for four hundred years. He first reminds them that He loves them.
[Malachi 1:1-4 The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. 2 I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, 3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. 4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.]
[The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.] Why did God hate Esau? Esau, despised his birthright, [Genesis 25:27,30-32,34 And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. 31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. 32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.]
In addition to selling his birthright, while Esau was very strong and worked hard, he clearly shown God that he had no concern for his soul or what would come of it, that was until it was time to receive his earthly inheritance, but by then it was too late, it had been given to his brother. Those who have no concern for where their soul is going are in a sense telling God that they despise Him. God, goes on to address their complaint to Him in regards to their being His father and those who despise His name.
[Malachi 1:6-8 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? 7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible. 8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.]
[offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee,] We have all been guilty of not offering God our very best and somehow talked ourselves into believing that God is okay with the left overs as long as we gave Him something. Well, the world would not accept our just giving them our left overs so why would we expect God to? God, said this to Cain when he got angry that He did not accept his offering, [Genesis 4:6-7 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.]
Two things were going on here, not only were the priests offering halfhearted offerings, they were not consecrating themselves or keeping themselves out of sin all the while accepting the sacrifices. God, goes on to not only rebuke the priests, but hints at what was opening the door for the Gentiles to come in.
[Malachi 1:11,13-14 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts. 13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD. 14 But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.]
[But cursed be the deceiver…and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing:] This is the same as a person who goes to church, pays tithes, volunteers, even serves in a church, but never receives Christ as their Saviour. Until one receives Christ, their tithes and offerings are in fact corrupt, polluted with sin because God will only accept one sacrifice to remove the curse of death to our soul and that is Christ’s sacrifice, [John 6:27-29 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.]
Do you know how many people are serving in His Church, including preachers and teachers, who are not saved? Well, God does. And who do they blame for their churches being a mess? God. Even the priests were complaining to God, and He called them out on it too.
[Malachi 2:1-5 And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. 2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. 3 Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it. 4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. 5 My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.]
[I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.] One can conclude that God is also speaking to the preachers and teachers of today who make themselves look good on the outside, but have more sin in their lives than their unfaithful brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus, said it this way, [Matthew 15:8-9 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.]
[I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me,] Fearing God means to love, honor, and respect Him, His Word, to receive it for what it is, and follow it. Does He expect us to never sin again? No. He knows that we will sin, but that is where His grace and confession of sin come into play, [1 John 1:8-10 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.]
The church congregation looks to the preachers and teachers of Christ’s Church to guide them in the right direction, naturally, if they are living in sin, then the congregation will follow as well. It does not matter if we commit sin out of ignorance, and now, God goes on to address Judah for their stumbling at the Law.
[Malachi 2:7-11 For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. 8 But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. 9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law. 10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.]
[hath married the daughter of a strange god.] Numerous members of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin had entered into the marriage relationship with women addicted to idolatry, an act which was distinctly prohibited in the Law of God, they may have been ignorant to the Law. Here they were crying out to God and He was not listening and goes on to remind them of why.
[Malachi 2:13-15,17 And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand. 14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. 15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. 17 Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?]
[Ye have wearied the LORD with your words.] Wow! In other words, talk is cheap. They were not only condoning those who were living in sin, they were telling them that God approved of what they were doing. Jesus, Himself said to those whom He redeemed that were caught in sin to sin no more, [John 8:10-11 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.]
The Jews enjoyed all the same privileges and advantages, there were many of very different characters, some very good and others very bad, some plainly appeared to be the children of God and others discovered to be the children of the devil himself. Those who are God’s are written in His book, not from any righteousness of their own, but of their faith. Through Malachi, God reveals the messenger He will send before He sends His Son.
[Malachi 3:1-4 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. 2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: 3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. 4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.]
[Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant] The tithes and offerings, the services and duties of the whole Christian church will be pleasant and well pleasing to Him when they are solely given to Christ. Unless they know Christ as their Saviour, He does not know them and therefore, they will not be accepted, [Luke 13:26-27 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. 27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.]
The messenger of course, is none other than John, the Baptist, he would be the first prophet to speak to them about the coming of Christ in those four hundred years of silence. God, had specifically chosen the Levites for the work of His ministry, of whom John was born of, but only sanctified high priest’s were permitted to present the sacrifices of the people to God. This opened the door for Jesus, who descended here in the flesh through Judah to be able to not only present the offering as the high priest, but be the offering. God, never changes and goes on to remind the Jews and all of us of that fact.
[Malachi 3:6-10 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. 7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? 8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.]
[for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.] We have surely made a mess of things, and this goes beyond robbing God financially of tithes and offerings, we have robbed Him of the very thing that He truly longs for, and is not money, it is our fear of Him. It is like Jesus said, [Matthew 15:7-9 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.]
We really do need preachers and teachers who are knowledgeable of God’s Word to help us as we are reading and studying it ourselves. God’s children, those who believe in and receive Christ, are the only ones able to discern His Word as He reveals it to them through the Holy Spirit. God’s children are not just any children by the way, all mankind is a creation of God, but only those whom have His Spirit upon them are His children and their actually have their names written in a book, which God refers to as the book of remembrance.
[Malachi 3:13-17 Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? 14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? 15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. 16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. 17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.]
[in that day when I make up my jewels;] More precious to God than any jewels on the earth are the souls of man, which is why He made one way for all who truly want Him in their lives to be saved. Through Malachi, God, reminds them of the day that all the earth will be gone and why the only ones to survive will be His jewels.
[Malachi 4:1-3,5-6 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts. 5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.]
[the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings;] What does the Sun of righteousness heal us from? Christ, who is our righteousness, heals our dead souls with life upon it through our faith in Him. He also heals our body, even if we are in pain right now, one day, we will be in pain no more, [Luke 4:18-19 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.]
[I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day] This is also speaking of John the Baptist, he had a particular message, the coming of Christ. Many of the Jews questioned if Jesus was in fact Elijah, even Jesus asked His disciples who they thought He was, but those who truly believe will know who Christ is, and will accept Him without a doubt, [Matthew 16:14-17 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.]
Jesus Christ Revealed/Magnified: [Malachi 1:14 But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen. Malachi 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. Malachi 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for giving us the one perfect sacrifice that will redeem our souls forever. We can live in such a way that our limitations define us and guide us in all that we think, do, and say to the point that we do not give You our very best. Lord, we recognize the true freedom that comes when You accomplish Your will in our lives as when we humbly serve You with the very best of our abilities. The constraints we place on ourselves can be lifted by the power of Your Holy Spirit as we wholeheartedly devote ourselves to You and Your service. When we give You our very best, that is when You give us Yours. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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