“Behold, I am sending My messenger, and he will clear a way before Me. And the Lord, whom you are seeking, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of armies. Malachi 3:1 (NET)
The Israelites who returned from the Babylonian captivity started with such promise but ended up dishonoring God (Mal. 1:6-7). What happened?
God began their return from captivity by stirring up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to rebuild God’s temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:2). So, Cyrus commissioned all Israelites to return to the Promised Land to rebuild (Ezra 1:3). As they departed captivity, God moved the hearts of their neighbors to bankroll the project (Ezra 1:6). Cyrus also sent with them all the treasure stolen from the original temple by Nebuchadnezzar (Ezra 1:7-11). When the building project stalled, God sent encouragers to His people (Haggai 2:4).
Then God stirred the heart of Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls (Neh. 1:4-11). Despite discouragement and death threats, the walls were miraculously finished in just 52 days (Neh. 6:15).
At each of God’s miraculous interventions, the people of Israel renewed their covenant with Him (Ezra 10:3; Neh. 9:38). So, what happened? How was it that 100 years later, they were as corrupt as their fathers who God had sent into exile in the first place?
The sin nature that we inherited from Adam makes it impossible to please God (Rom. 7:19-25). Those Israelites could not keep the law . . . and neither can we. God knew that. That is why He promised a messenger who would come and make a way (Mal. 3:1). That Messenger is Jesus Christ. He is the One who purifies us (1Jn. 1:7&9). Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life that we all need if we hope to escape corruption and poverty in our own person (Jn 14:6).
In Malachi God exposed and confronted Israel’s sin. In particular, He addressed the sins of the priests who were meant to instruct the people how to worship and serve God. Because God calls us Christians His “royal priesthood” (1 Pet. 2:9), I have reversed the list of their sins. In effect, I have created a “to do” list for those of us who want to show ourselves faithful to God.
Here is my list:
1. Honor God as Father and King (1:6).
2. Offer your best to God (1:7-14).
3. All day long and in every place offer prayer (incense 1:11).
4. All day long and in every place offer pure worship and praise (grain offering 1:11) so that nations will see God’s greatness.
5. Revere God’s covenant of life and peace that He has made with me/us (2:4-5).
6. Be faithful as a messenger of the LORD of hosts (2:5).
7. Instruct the truth without partiality (2:6-9).
8. Speak righteousness always (2:6).
9. Walk with God in peace and uprightness so that many will be turned back from iniquity (2:6).