STUDY GUIDE

1

Copyright © 2017 by Christ Fellowship, McKinney, Texas. All rights reserved worldwide.

CFhome.org

The primary Scripture for each day is taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2010 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.

NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica US, Inc.

New English Translation, NET Bible®, copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. www.bible.org. All rights reserved. Notes taken from the NET Bible® footnotes, copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press L.L.C. All rights reserved. Used by permission from Bible.org.

Our Study Guide TeamLisa K. Scheffler – Author

Don Closson – General Editor

Questions? Comments?If your use of this Study Guide leads to questions about the Bible or theology, e-mail us at:

studyguide@CFhome.org

Comments are welcome. We’d love to hear from you!

2

The Last Word: A study of the Book of MalachiLisa Scheffler, author

Imagine a huge, cosmic press conference with God at the center podium. In his opening remarks, what would he say about the state of humanity? If God were to take questions, what would be shouted from the crowd?

The book of Malachi allows us to witness such a dialogue between God and the nation of Israel. The book records six disputes where God makes a statement or asks a question to his covenant people. Each time the people reply with a question or disagreement. God responds and gives his final word.

Although Malachi records a conversation that took place over 2400 years ago, it addresses issues we struggle with today. The questions shouted at God are from a different era, but their tone and substance are familiar. How has God shown his love? Where is the God of justice? Why does God seem distant? Here at the very end of the Old Testament, God’s people are doubting his love, questioning his goodness and making excuses for their disloyalty, but God gets the last word.

In our study of Malachi, each of us will be challenged to evaluate our own faithfulness to God. How deep does our loyalty to him go? How do we demonstrate our allegiance? Is it reflected in our worship? The way we spend our money? In our relationships with others?

When we shout questions at God, we’d better be prepared for the answers.

Although Malachi is sure to step on our toes, it’s not a message without hope and assurance. Because while God’s word challenges and indicts, it comforts and reassures. God’s faithful love and mercy endure — then, now and forever.

Not what they expectedTo get the most out of our study of Malachi, we need to know something of its historical context. Malachi is the final book in the Old Testament and was written after the Israelites had returned from their Babylonian exile. After repeated warnings through the prophets that their disobedience and lack of faithful worship would bring ruin, God allowed foreign invaders to overtake Israel and carry its inhabitants into exile. Yet, just as he had pledged, God brought the people back to their promised land. Jerusalem was repopulated, the temple rebuilt and worship re-established. All should have been well — but wasn’t.

After their return from Babylon, the Israelites had high hopes for their future. They anticipated the fulfillment of ancient prophecies foretelling peace and prosperity under a promised Messiah. At the time Malachi was written, decades had passed since the return to Jerusalem and the early enthusiasm stoked by a rediscovery of God and his word had waned. Israel’s relationship with God reflected this lack of passionate commitment. But it was God that they blamed for their circumstances. Israel was still ruled over by a foreign government, and none of the prosperity, power or prestige of “the golden era” had returned to the nation. Although the rituals and sacrifices prescribed by the Torah were being carried out, there had been no indication that God’s presence had returned to the Temple. Things had not turned out the way the people expected.

3

What the Israelites would discover through the prophet Malachi is that God was, is and would be true to his promises. It was the people who had allowed corruption and sin to taint their relationship with him. By the end of the book, God is pointing his people to their ultimate restoration. We now know that all of God’s promises would be fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

4

Love and honorWeek 1 | Malachi 1:1–2:9Lisa Scheffler, author

There have been many times when I’d look across the landscape of my life and not like what I saw because the view before me wasn’t as picturesque as I anticipated. Too many obstacles — often in the form of difficult circumstances and relationships — blocked the vista I longed for. So, who did I blame for this unappealing landscape? It varied. But I can tell you that the last person I wanted to hold responsible was me.

The ancient Israelites living at the time of Malachi experienced a similar disconnect between their expectations and their reality. It caused them to doubt Yahweh, the personal name for God they’d been given hundreds of years before. The book of Malachi begins with the people pointing their finger at God and questioning his love. As we will see, he points the finger back at them and insists they take a hard look at themselves.

Day 1 | Read and reactAs mentioned in the introduction, Malachi is organized as a series of disputes. God makes a claim or asks a question, the people give a response, and then God has the last word. This week we’ll begin with the first two disputes. The first begins in verse 2 and the second in verse 6. We’ll be paying close attention to the questions God asks and the ones the people ask in reply. You may want to highlight all the question marks as you read our central passage for the week below. See if you can determine why God is frustrated and disappointed in the Israelites.

As you read, keep a list of questions that you have. Malachi was written in a time and place so different from ours that it will take some work to understand it. Hopefully your questions will be answered through our study this week.

Malachi 1:1–2:91 A prophecy: The word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi. 2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord.

“But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’

“Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob, 3 but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his hill country into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.” 4 Edom may say, “Though we have been crushed, we will rebuild the ruins.”

But this is what the Lord Almighty says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the Lord. 5 You will see it with your own eyes and say, ‘Great is the Lord—even beyond the borders of Israel!’

5

6 “A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty.

“It is you priests who show contempt for my name.

“But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’ 7 “By offering defiled food on my altar.

“But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’

“By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible. 8 When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty. 9 “Now plead with God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?”—says the Lord Almighty. 10 “Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands. 11 My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord Almighty. 12 “But you profane it by saying, ‘The Lord’s table is defiled,’ and, ‘Its food is contemptible.’ 13 And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and you sniff at it contemptuously,” says the Lord Almighty.

“When you bring injured, lame or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?” says the Lord. 14 “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.

2 1 “And now, you priests, this warning is for you. 2 If you do not listen, and if you do not resolve to honor my name,” says the Lord Almighty, “I will send a curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not resolved to honor me. 3 “Because of you I will rebuke your descendants; I will smear on your faces the dung from your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it. 4 And you will know that I have sent you this warning so that my covenant with Levi may continue,” says the Lord Almighty. 5 “My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. 6 True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin. 7 “For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth. 8 But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the Lord Almighty. 9 “So I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law.”

Look at chapter 1, verse 2. What does God ask the people? How do they answer him in return?

6

Look at verses chapter 1, verses 6–8. What is this dispute over?

Who is given a special warning at the beginning of chapter 2?

Look back through the passage for the words honor, respect, and contempt. What does it mean to show someone honor or respect? What about contempt?

If you had to summarize it in a single sentence, what reason would you give for God’s anger at the people?

What questions do you have about the passage?

7

Day 2 | Show me loveHow do you know someone loves you? What could make you doubt their love?

We all have expectations when it comes to what signifies love in a relationship. For example, kids may equate love with Mom and Dad saying “yes” to every request, but we know that indulging all of your child’s desires is not loving. Marriage counselors see disconnects all the time between how one spouse demonstrates love and how the other spouse receives it. One spouse may see a new mower as a loving gift, but the other may perceive it as a passive/aggressive indictment on the state of the lawn. Our expectations can often dictate whether or not we feel loved even when we are loved. So, what about our expectations when it comes to God? What do we expect of a God who says he loves us?

As mentioned in the introduction, Malachi is organized around a series of disputes in which God makes a statement or asks a question, the people respond and then God gets the final word. Today we’re going to consider the first dispute between God and his covenant people. In their eyes, God has not shown them love. His defense may surprise you.

A covenant relationshipTo understand Malachi, it is helpful to remember that Yahweh’s relationship with Israel is founded upon the covenant to which he bound himself. Centuries before the time of this prophet, Yahweh made an everlasting covenant with their ancestor, Abraham. He promised that Abraham’s descendants would be given a land of their own, that they would be as numerous as the stars in the sky, and through them the nations would be blessed. He would be their God, and they would be his people.

Later, through Moses, God gave his law to guide Israel’s behavior as a nation. The law taught them how to approach God and what he required of them as his chosen people. The commandment of first importance to God was that the people must be loyal to Yahweh, alone: “You shall have no other Gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Yahweh made himself clear: if Israel followed his law, they would be blessed. If they didn’t, they would suffer the consequences. God remained faithful to his word, but the Israelites did not.

During one encounter with Moses, God describes himself: “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished” (Exodus 34:6–7a). This description is helpful to our understanding of all the writings of the prophets, including Malachi. God is infinitely faithful and loving. He is also just. Throughout our study we will see those qualities.

Let’s consider how God’s covenant faithfulness relates to the dispute that opens Malachi.

Malachi 1:1–51 A prophecy: The word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi. 2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord.

“But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’

“Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob, 3 but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his hill country into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.” 4 Edom may say, “Though we have been crushed, we will rebuild the ruins.”

8

But this is what the Lord Almighty says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the Lord. 5 You will see it with your own eyes and say, ‘Great is the Lord—even beyond the borders of Israel!’”

What surprises you about how God answers the question “How have you loved us”?

I have loved you“I have loved you,” says the Lord. “But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’” In the first dispute in Malachi, God insists that he loves his people but they reply, “How have you loved us?” Think about all the ways God could have answered that question. He’d led his people out of slavery in Egypt and led them into the promised land. He gave them unparalleled prosperity under King David. He forgave them over and over in spite of their idolatry and disobedience. But that’s not what God chose to mention. Instead he holds up as evidence of his love the simple, but profound truth that he chose them. His covenant is with the descendants of a specific line.

God’s initial covenant was with Abraham. Though Abraham and his wife were old and had never been able to conceive a child, God gave them a son, Isaac. Isaac had two sons, Esau and Jacob. Although Esau was the oldest, it was Jacob (later renamed Israel) who received the inheritance of the firstborn son. If you know the story, you know that Jacob received this blessings by tricking his father. And though he suffered for his treachery in multiple ways, God was faithful to his covenant to Abraham and created the nation from Jacob’s line. The people who were now complaining about God’s lack of love were failing to appreciate their special status as God’s people — chosen not because they were worthy, but because God was faithful to his covenant promises.

“I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated.” God made his choice giving special privilege to Israel, but Esau’s descendants were responsible for their own destruction. The nation that came from Esau’s line was Edom, a people known for their pride, treachery, violence and greed.1 Edom had cooperated with the Babylonians in the conquest of Israel. At the time of Malachi, they had been decimated by other tribes and their cities lay in ruins. God promises they will not rebuild. “Here God’s hatred involved his determined response of opposition to Edom’s wickedness, resulting in their destruction.”2 God is compassionate. God is also just.

1 Richard A. Taylor and E. Ray Clendenen, Haggai, Malachi, vol. 21A, The New American Commentary (Nashville:

Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2004) 250.

2 Ibid.

9

“You will see it with your own eyes and say, ‘Great is the Lord — even beyond the borders of Israel!’” God gives his final word in this dispute by insisting that if they look beyond their own internal conflicts and problems, they would recognize how much grace he has shown them.

The Lord’s domain is not restricted to Israel, says Malachi with irony. If Israel were more outward-looking she would come closer to a knowledge of God’s love, and see, by contrast with the experiences of other nations, how wonderfully God had dealt with her. When the recipient of God’s love failed to see that God loved her, there was little hope of her having any testimony to the nations (Gen. 28:14).3

We can be guilty of the same kind of myopia by focusing solely on ourselves and the difficulties we face. When we do so, we not only ignore evidence for God’s love for us, but we can fail to demonstrate God’s love to others.

Are there times you question God’s love for you? If so, what triggers those thoughts and feelings?

At times and seasons when we wonder “how have you loved us,” we must look to the cross and remember the sacrifice Jesus made for us. Like the Israelites, we can also remind ourselves that God chose us. Although at the intersection of God’s sovereignty and human agency lies a profound mystery that we will not unravel here, the Bible teaches us that everyone who places their faith in Christ is chosen by God. In Ephesians Paul exclaims: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight” (Ephesians 1:3–4). We will trust God to be faithful to his promises when we keep our eyes on him.

3 Joyce G. Baldwin, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 28, Tyndale Old

Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1972) 241–242.

10

Day 3 | Show some respectImagine being invited to a birthday party thrown by your friend’s husband. As you enter the house you can’t help but notice that even though it’s a birthday party in June, there are just a few Christmas decorations scattered around. Instead of cooking or having the event catered, the husband is serving cold Chinese food leftovers that smell like they’re from last week’s order. Instead of making or buying a birthday cake he has obviously grabbed a candle off the dining room table and stuck it in a loaf of bread from the pantry. After the “cake” has been set out, you watch as her husband produces a plastic grocery bag with a “present” in it. It’s a sweater that came from her closet; you’ve seen her wear it many times.

As the most uncomfortable birthday party you’ve ever attended winds down, you overhear the husband asking his wife if she enjoyed it. She doesn’t say anything, but you can clearly see the hurt, anger and embarrassment in her eyes. The husband acts shocked and offended. Didn’t he just throw her a party? “Sure” she replies, “but you didn’t put much effort into it. Why did you even bother?”

“Because I knew you’d be mad if I didn’t,” he replies with a shrug. “I felt obligated.”

After witnessing all this, what would you say about the state of this marriage? Does this husband love, honor or respect his wife?

In today’s passage from the book of Malachi, we’ll see that the Israelites weren’t showing love, honor or respect to God through their offerings. In this exchange, God charges the people in general and the priests in particular with showing him contempt. We’ll focus on the first half of this dispute today.

Malachi 1:6–146 “A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty.

“It is you priests who show contempt for my name.

“But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’

7 “By offering defiled food on my altar.

“But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’

“By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible. 8 When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty.

9 “Now plead with God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?”—says the Lord Almighty.

10 “Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands. 11 My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every

11

place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord Almighty.

12 “But you profane it by saying, ‘The Lord’s table is defiled,’ and, ‘Its food is contemptible.’ 13 And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and you sniff at it contemptuously,” says the Lord Almighty.

“When you bring injured, lame or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?” says the Lord. 14 “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.

What question does God ask? How do the people reply?

What evidence does God give for his charge that they are showing him contempt?

Where is the respect due me?“A son honors his father, and a slave his master.” A major theme in the book of Malachi is honor. In this dispute, God charges his people with showing him contempt by the offerings they were bringing to the temple. In Leviticus, Yahweh set forth the parameters for what kinds of offerings should be brought and on what occasions. The Israelites were bringing the equivalent of rotten leftovers instead of their finest and best. A human ruler would not accept such, so why would they think such offerings would be acceptable to God? (verse 8)

Ultimately God is owed honor because he is the divine creator. As master over all, God deserves respect. But notice how God also describes himself in verse 6. He is their father. God is not a harsh and distant lord who insists on honor merely because his strength and status mean it’s owed. Yahweh has entered into a covenant relationship with Israel. He has been faithful to love, guide, protect, and provide for them as a father does. He desires their love and respect in return.

God will not accept worshippers who are at best apathetic towards him and just trying to “check a box.” Nor does he accept those who are showing contempt by offering what clearly offends. The act of worship reflects the heart of the worshipper.

“My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets.” Yahweh chose Israel to be his chosen people and they were granted a unique and special relationship with God, yet they were treating him with contempt. Through Malachi God insists that one day all the nations would know him and honor his name. Yahweh is not some tribal deity, but the one-and-only, true God of all creation.

12

“Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord.” Later in chapter 3 we will see God emphasize the charge that the people are robbing him, and he introduces the concept here. As the creator, everything belongs to God. He blesses his people with everything they have. When they have the means to make an acceptable sacrifice and then bring a blemished one, they are cheating God.

Obviously, our context is very different in the 21st century American church, yet we are called to honor God as our Lord and Father. How can we do that?

God’s anger with the Israelites is over their action and what those actions convey. Commentator Joyce Baldwin puts it this way: “Like his prophetic predecessors Malachi realized that the heart of the trouble he was probing was a broken relationship with God. Instead of affection and trust there was antipathy to God’s nature and will.”4

In our birthday party story, the husband’s actions indicate a serious lack of love and respect for his wife and their marriage covenant. Likewise, the blemished offerings the Israelites were bringing the Lord show a rift in their relationship with him. He has remained faithful, loving and steadfast, but they have wandered from him.

Because of the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for us on the cross, we no longer have to bring animals to the altar to atone for our sins. Nevertheless, as Paul says in Romans 12:1, we should present ourselves as “living sacrifices” as our act of worship. This means we joyfully offer our time, resources, money, effort and talents to God out of love and gratitude for his faithfulness, grace and mercy.

4 Baldwin, Malachi, 224.

13

Day 4 | You’ve been warnedThere are many types of leadership and many ways to lead, but one thing that defines a leader is their ability to influence their followers. This means leaders have an important responsibility to not only be wise in what they tell others to do, but should set a good example to be followed. The priests during the time of Malachi weren’t doing either.

In the covenant he made with them, God appointed one of the twelve tribes of Israel to serve him in a special role. The tribe of Levi was given the responsibility to serve in the tabernacle and later the temple. Those in the line of Aaron (Moses’ older brother) were to be the priests — mediators between God and the people. The Levitical priests were to receive the offerings and make the sacrifices required by the law on behalf of the people. The priests had a special responsibility to lead the people in worshipping God, and they were failing miserably at their role.

As we saw in Day 3, God was not pleased with the people of Israel. The blemished offerings they were bringing to the temple reflected hearts that had grown cold toward God. In today’s passage God turns his attention to the priests who were receiving those offerings and teaching the people and issues a stern warning.

Malachi 2:1–92 1 “And now, you priests, this warning is for you. 2 If you do not listen, and if you do not resolve to honor my name,” says the Lord Almighty, “I will send a curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not resolved to honor me. 3 “Because of you I will rebuke your descendants; I will smear on your faces the dung from your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it. 4 And you will know that I have sent you this warning so that my covenant with Levi may continue,” says the Lord Almighty. 5 “My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. 6 True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin. 7 “For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth. 8 But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the Lord Almighty. 9 “So I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law.”

What will happen to the priests if they do not honor God?

What is God accusing the priests of doing in verses 8 and 9?

14

Resolve to honor meIn today’s world, we talk about change “starting at the top.” When any group, company or organization needs to alter their climate or direction, the leadership must be held accountable for the way things are and make necessary changes before anyone else will follow. Leaders must lead!

We see God attending to that leadership principle in this passage. He issues the priests a strong warning: they must lead by example and instruct the people in what is right or face the consequences.

“…if you do not resolve to honor my name,” says the Lord Almighty, “I will send a curse on you…” God is offering the priests of Israel a chance to change. The Hebrew word that the NIV renders “resolve” is literally “place upon the heart,” an expression that is found a dozen times in the Old Testament. According to commentators Taylor and Clendenen, “It means ‘to determine a course of action in response to one’s knowledge or awareness of something.’”5 The priests should have had a greater awareness of God and his ways than the people. They had been specially chosen to represent God to the people and the people to God. Their failure to honor God will result in severe consequences for not just them, but their descendants as well.

“True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin.” God then reminds the priests of their heritage. Aaron was Moses older brother, and the first priest to serve the Lord in the tabernacle. The office of priest was both sacred and essential to the flourishing of Israel. They could not fulfill their role as Yahweh’s covenant people, holy and set apart, if they did not know what he required of them.6 Part of the priest’s responsibility was instructing the people in the Torah (the law) and all of God’s truth.

Being faithful guides to truth and righteousness requires more than talk however. The priests also needed to follow Aaron’s example and walk in “peace and uprightness” with God. In other words, they needed to lead by example. But the priests during Malachi’s day were corrupt (verse 9) and leading the people astray (verse 8).

In your mind what is worse — committing a sin or leading another person to commit a sin? Why?

Because we are blessed to live after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we no longer need a priest to act as mediator because Jesus is our great high priest. His sacrifice on the cross allows us to “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). But we still need leaders and teachers to help guide us into a greater understanding of God’s truth. We benefit greatly from wise and godly women and men who love Jesus, know his Word, and desire to help others find and follow him.

You don’t have to be a “ministry professional” to be a leader. We are all together walking on a path toward Christlikeness. There are those in front of us encouraging us along and those behind us that we help and guide. This is the beauty of Christian community. Also, all of us who are parents, grandparents, aunts and

5 Taylor and Clendenen, Malachi, 288.

6 Ibid.

15

uncles have a responsibility to teach children the ways of God. That means this passage is instructive for all of us.

Think about some of the people who have helped you find and follow Christ. How have they taught and encouraged you in your spiritual journey?

Are there people that you are helping find and follow Christ? If so, how?

If you are lacking connections to fellow Christians, how can you connect with other believers so that you can grow together? (One way is through getting involved in one of Christ Fellowships many groups. See CFhome.com/groups)

If you are a Christian and other people know it, you are influencing those around you whether you’re intentional about it or not. We don’t want to be responsible for causing someone else to stumble. Jesus gives a similar warning to the one recorded in Malachi 2:8. After calling a little child to him he says, “If anyone causes one of these little ones — those who believe in me — to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea” (Matthew 18:6).

Let’s all consider the influence our words and actions might have on those around us. Let’s be mindful of how we are walking with God — not just for our own sakes, but for the sake of those who need us to help them along their way.

16

Day 5 | Reflect, connect, and respondThis week we considered the first two disputes from the book of Malachi and saw how God gave the “last word.” As you reflect on what you studied, consider how it should shape your view of God, your worship of him and your responsibility to help others find and follow him.

Reflect

Dispute #1: How did God respond to the question “How have you loved us?”

Dispute #2: God charges the people with showing him contempt. How were they doing this? What special condemnation does God have for the priests?

ConnectMuch has changed since the time of Malachi. As people who are able to flip the pages of the Bible from Malachi to Matthew, we’re able to experience the fulfillment of God’s redemption through the person of Jesus Christ. We know the lengths to which God went to rescue us from sin and death. Yet like the ancient Israelites, we sometimes question God’s love and fail to worship and honor God as he demands.

Modern people question God’s insistence that we worship, respect and honor him above everything else in a way that ancient people didn’t. The worship of some god or gods through offerings and sacrifices was expected in the ancient world. Today, those with a secularized mindset sometimes accuse the God of the Bible of being petty or insecure for demanding worship — as if this requirement somehow means that God needs human praise and respect to feed his ego. Those people are completely mistaken. It isn’t God who needs our worship, it is humanity who needs to worship him.

When we worship God, and bring our offerings to him, it reminds us of all the reasons why he is worthy of our devotion. He is good, loving, righteous and powerful — able to set all the wrongs of the world to right. It is in him and him alone that we will have the deepest longings of our hearts met. Peace and fulfillment are found in Christ. God’s demand for earnest, reverent worship and sacrifice does not disprove his love for us, but demonstrates it. Human beings will not flourish outside of a relationship with their creator and redeemer. With heartfelt love and worship comes the blessings of a greater knowledge of and intimacy with our God.

If it is to our benefit to hold God in holy reverence, worship him above all else and joyfully offer ourselves to his service, then let’s reflect on how committed we are to this way of life. Are we like the Israelites of Malachi’s day who were merely going through the motions in our worship of God? Are we offering God the best of us, or whatever is leftover? Are we cheating God and thinking it doesn’t really matter? Are we

17

encouraging those who are influenced by us to pursue God wholeheartedly?

Jesus died so we might approach God with reverent awe, but without fear of condemnation. We are welcomed into the presence of the almighty God and invited to offer ourselves to his service doing work with eternal significance. Let’s not be reluctant to answer his call.

Respond

What is your next step? Spend some time in prayer asking the Spirit to guide you in your response to his Word.

How can you demonstrate your commitment to and love for God? How can you worship him with your time, talents, money, and resources?

Who are you helping find and follow Christ? How?

What other responses do you have to your study this week? How will you think and live differently because of what the Spirit has shown you?

18

Week 2 | FaithfulnessMalachi 2:10–16Lisa Scheffler, author

How important is it to you that people keep their word? If a friend flakes out and cancels dinner plans, you may be disappointed, but you’d probably get over it. If a business partner breaks a contract, the consequences are much more severe. If a spouse breaks their marriage vow and has an affair, that is perhaps the most destructive of all. The deeper and more serious the commitment, the more harmful it is to break it.

We can be grateful that God is faithful to keep his promises — always. He can’t be anything but true to his word. If he promises his presence, guidance and blessing, then he will give it. Human beings on the other hand? We are prone to break faith with both God and each other.

Last week in our study of Malachi we heard God speak to Israel’s failure to honor him and the covenant he made with them. This week God indicts them for their failure to honor their commitments to each other — particularly their marriage vows. As we will see, the two issues are connected. Greater faithfulness to God produces greater faithfulness to one another.

Day 1 | Read and ReactAs we learned last week, Malachi is organized as a series of disputes. God makes a claim or asks a question, the people give a response, and then God has the last word. The first disputes involved Israel questioning God’s love for them. The Israelites had been back from exile for decades. Jerusalem had been repopulated and the temple rebuilt, but they did not feel they were experiencing the blessings they were promised. God points the finger back at them and charges the people with showing him contempt. While God’s enduring love and faithfulness is with them, they have not been faithful to worship and honor him.

In the dispute that we will look at this week, God shifts his attention to the lack of faithfulness the Israelites are displaying in their relationships with each other. Men are breaking their covenants with their wives and divorcing them.

For a couple of reasons this week’s passage has the potential to be difficult. The first reason is that we will need to learn some of cultural context behind this passage to ensure we don’t draw faulty conclusions. Secondly (and more importantly), divorce can be a sensitive subject. I imagine that most of us have been affected by divorce in some way. Some of us have experienced it first hand and bear the scars. While our aim in studying this passage would never be to open old wounds or shame divorced people, we do want to understand what Malachi teaches us about marriage and divorce.

As you read through the passage, make note of the questions both God and the people ask and underline the words “covenant” and “unfaithful” when you see them. Also keep in mind that because the northern tribes of Israel had been taken into captivity hundreds of years before, Judah is the name sometimes used to refer to all of the nation.

19

Malachi 2:10–1610 Do we not all have one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our ancestors by being unfaithful to one another? 11 Judah has been unfaithful. A detestable thing has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem: Judah has desecrated the sanctuary the Lord loves by marrying women who worship a foreign god. 12 As for the man who does this, whoever he may be, may the Lord remove him from the tents of Jacob — even though he brings an offering to the Lord Almighty. 13 Another thing you do: You flood the Lord’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favor on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. 14 You ask, “Why?” It is because the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. 15 Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth. 16 “The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty.

So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.

What is God’s charge against the Israelites in this dispute?

What consequences have they been suffering according to verse 13?

What questions do you have about this passage?

20

Day 2 | A detestable thingThink of the typical Hollywood romance. Romantic love is portrayed as a feeling — an elusive spark that zaps the couple when their eyes meet or their hands touch. It’s an attraction that leads to an inexplicable sense of connection. In the movies that’s all it takes to prompt a declaration of love and a marriage proposal. The couple kiss, the screen fades to black and we presume that the couple gets married and lives happily ever after. But what happens if that spark fades? What if a few years after “I do” life gets difficult and the couple decides that they don’t. Is there anything wrong with getting a divorce and moving on?

Many in our culture see no problem in a couple divorcing because one spouse feels unsatisfied or unfulfilled. In our passage for this week, we see God’s insistence that marriage is a covenant that cannot be casually broken. Malachi directly ties honoring a marriage covenant with honoring the covenant the people have with Yahweh. Today we’ll explore that connection.

Malachi 2:10–1210 Do we not all have one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our ancestors by being unfaithful to one another? 11 Judah has been unfaithful. A detestable thing has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem: Judah has desecrated the sanctuary the Lord loves by marrying women who worship a foreign god. 12 As for the man who does this, whoever he may be, may the Lord remove him from the tents of Jacob — even though he brings an offering to the Lord Almighty.

According to verse 10, how are all the Israelites connected? What do they share in common?

What does God call “detestable”?

Covenant loyaltyDo we not all have one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our ancestors by being unfaithful to one another? God reminds the Israelites that he is their creator and father. His design and his will are unassailable. The Israelites also have a shared bond with one another. “Realizing that God brought them into existence as a united whole in a covenant relationship to himself should have produced faithfulness not only to him, but also to one another. Their unity should have motivated mutual understanding, caring, and support.”7

7 Taylor and Clendenen, Malachi, 325.

21

Malachi then moves from a general rebuke for unfaithfulness to a specific one focused on divorce. Women were not permitted to seek a divorce, so the indictment here is against the men of Judah who were divorcing their wives and marrying women outside the faith community.

A detestable thing has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem: Judah has desecrated the sanctuary the Lord loves by marrying women who worship a foreign god. What the men of Judah are doing is a “detestable thing” or an “abomination”— a strong term also used for idols and for the practices connected with their worship.8

The issue is not that these men were marrying women of a different race or ethnicity.9 We find positive examples of racial and ethnic intermarriage in the Old Testament and the law makes provision for people from other nations to come into Israel, join the community and become worshippers of Yahweh. The issue was that these women were worshipping foreign gods, thus they were idolaters. To marry one of these women was a sin grievous enough that these men risked being cut off from the community (verse 12).

Idolatry had cost the Israelites their land and their freedom. It was one of the primary sins that brought God’s condemnation and sent them into exile. Marriage is the most intimate of relationships. You can’t help but be influenced by your spouse. By admitting worshippers of false gods into their community as their wives, these men were introducing the possibility Israel would travel down the road to apostasy once again.

The lure of idolsAlthough they take a very different form, we are still susceptible to the lure of idols. We can easily justify infidelity to God and others when we put someone or something else in the place of God and seek our ultimate fulfillment, satisfaction and hope there. A great temptation in our day is to turn romantic love itself into an idol.

Having moved into a more secular age, our culture is desperately seeking meaning and transcendence. Many people elevate romance, sex and marriage to the place that was meant to be occupied by God. They turn to romantic love to meet needs that only God can satisfy and unintentionally turn their spouses into idols.

Even an atheist philosopher can see the problem with the deification of romantic partners. In his book, The Denial of Death, Ernest Becker wonders why we have chosen to put our love partners in the place of religious gods:

What is it that we want when we elevate the love partner to the position of God? We want redemption—nothing less. We want to be rid of our faults, of our feeling of nothingness. We want to be justified, to know that our creation has not been in vain. We turn to the love partner for the experience of the heroic, for perfect validation; we expect them to “make us good” through love. Needless to say, human partners can’t do this.10

His conclusion? “No human relationship can possibly bear the burden of godhood.”11

As wonderful as marriage can be, our spouse cannot meet our deepest needs and desires because they weren’t

8 Baldwin, Malachi, 259.

9 Ibid.

10 Ernest Becker, The Denial of Death (New York: The Free Press, 1973) 167.

11 Becker, Denial, 166.

22

meant to. They will fail us. If we have put them in the place of God, then when our spouse doesn’t live up to our expectations, we may falsely believe that our only option is to seek a different partner. Not only will we be unfaithful to God by putting another in his place, but we will betray our marriage covenant and our spouse. In worshipping and honoring God, putting him first, and allowing him to meet our fundamental need for meaning, purpose and worth, we will help protect our marriages from divorce.

What evidence do you see in our current culture that romantic love and sexual experience has become an idol for many?

In this section of Malachi, we see the importance God places on faithfulness, not only to him, but to each other.

23

Day 3 | Contracts and covenantsAt their root, contracts are transactions. A contract is based on quid pro quo: “if you do X, then I will do Y.” Thus, contracts can be nullified if one party fails to live up to the terms of agreement. Covenants are rooted in relationship, and, though they may have provisions to which all parties agree, the purpose of those conditions is to safeguard and strengthen the relationship. They are not intended to create “loopholes” that provide a means of escaping it. A covenant is meant to endure.

We have discovered that during the time of Malachi, men were divorcing their wives and marrying women who worshipped foreign gods. God designed marriage to be a covenant relationship which involved three parties: the husband, the wife and God. Therefore, the Israelites’ failure to keep their covenants with one another was affecting their relationship with God.

Malachi 2:13–1413 Another thing you do: You flood the Lord’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favor on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. 14 You ask, “Why?” It is because the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.

Why are the pleas of the Israelites having no effect on God according to verse 13?

You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favor on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. Recall that in chapter 1 and the first part of chapter 2, God condemned the people for bringing him blemished offerings and thereby showing him contempt. Picking up that theme here in verse 13, God gives another reason why their offerings are not pleasing to him. This time it involves the contempt they are showing their covenants with each other. As we saw yesterday, inclusion in the family of God should result in a strong kinship bond with others in the covenant. You don’t willfully betray family.

You ask, “Why?” It is because the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. Here in verse 14, we finally get Israel’s reply to God’s original challenge that started in verse 10. God is not granting them favor because he is affected directly by their broken marriage vows.

In 1 Peter 3:7, the apostle urges husbands to be considerate and treat their wives with respect “so that nothing hinders your prayers.” What parallels do you see with Malachi 2:14?

Marriage was viewed differently by Israel than in other parts of the ancient world. We know from the Law of Hammurabi that for other nations in the ancient world, marriage was a legal contract. Baldwin notes that

24

“the Israelite saw [marriage] as a covenant to which the Lord was witness (Gen. 31:50; Prov. 2:17) and for that reason the more binding…The loyalty of each partner to the covenant was a uniting bond which created a lasting companionship between the partners.”12

You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. Though it may seem like a given today, the ancient world had little understanding of a spouse being considered a friend. Baldwin explains that in the Old Testament the word the NIV translates as “partner” is often used “of a close friend, with whom interests, good or bad are shared” but it is only in this passage that is used for a wife.13 Malachi is promoting a view of marriage that was not common for his time.

In a Christian marriage, not only is one’s spouse to be viewed as a life partner, but as a brother or sister in Christ. We are to show them sacrificial love and honor through our marriage covenant because in doing so we are honoring God. Divorce is to be seen as the last possible option when infidelity, abandonment, or abuse has left no alternative.

In traditional marriage vows, husband and wife make a lifelong commitment to love, honor and cherish one another through times of health and plenty or through times of sickness and want. No loopholes. No quid pro quo. In that way, we are to mirror the love God has for his covenant people. A never-ending, never-give-up, unconditional love.

12 Baldwin, Malachi, 260-261.

13 Ibid.

25

Day 4 | Stay watchful and faithfulI’ve known many strong, capable and godly single mothers who are doing a wonderful job raising their children. But not one of them would say that their situation is ideal. It is difficult to work to provide financially for your family while parenting alone.

If this is true for women in 21st century America, imagine what the life of a divorced woman would have been like in the ancient world. If your husband divorced you, your options were few and you and your children would likely suffer.

Consistently throughout the Bible, God shows himself a champion for the oppressed, forgotten, marginalized and neglected. It is no wonder he indicts the men of Judah for divorcing their wives.

Malachi 2:15–1615 Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth. 16 “The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty.

So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.

What command is repeated in this passage?

Malachi 2:15–16 presents a challenge to translators. The NIV is printed above, but let’s look at how a few of the other major translations make sense of the difficult and obscure Hebrew in these verses.

15 Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. 16 “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.” (English Standard Version)15 No one who has even a small portion of the Spirit in him does this. What did our ancestor do when seeking a child from God? Be attentive, then, to your own spirit, for one should not be disloyal to the wife he took in his youth. 16 “I hate divorce,” says the Lord God of Israel, “and the one who is guilty of violence,” says the Lord who rules over all. “Pay attention to your conscience, and do not be unfaithful.” (New English Translation)15 Didn’t the one God make us with a remnant of His life-breath? And what does the One seek? A godly offspring. So watch yourselves carefully, and do not act treacherously against the wife of your youth. 16 “If he hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord God of Israel, “he covers his garment with injustice,” says the Lord of Hosts. Therefore, watch yourselves carefully, and do not act treacherously. (Holman Christian Standard Bible)15 Didn’t the Lord make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he

26

want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth. 16 “For I hate divorce!” says the Lord, the God of Israel. “To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “So guard your heart; do not be unfaithful to your wife.” (New Living Translation)

What are some of the major differences you see between these translations?

Although verse 15 is more contested, let’s begin with verse 16. The beginning of this verse is difficult because the original Hebrew is missing the subject, so translators have to determine if it is God who hates divorce, or men who hate and divorce their wives. The traditional reading is the former, but because the law allows for divorce under certain circumstances (Deuteronomy 24:1–4) and Jesus concurs (Matthew 19:9), some scholars favor the latter.14 Regardless, in this passage God is clearly condemning the Israelite men who are violating their marriage vows, abandoning their wives and marrying other women. These men are cavalier in their attitude toward their covenant partner and offending God with their selfish and destructive actions.

Verse 15 shows the most divergence in translation because the Hebrew is obscure and challenging. According to commentators Taylor and Clendenen, any interpretation or translation of this verse “must be understood to be tentative.” They then offer their own paraphrase based on the evidence:

Don’t you know that God made you one with your wives? And in spite of your treachery in divorcing your wives, there is still a remnant of that spiritual bond. And what is the purpose of that oneness? It is to produce godly offspring with God’s help.15

The big idea seems to be that God ordained a one-flesh union between husband and wife that creates a spiritual as well as physical bond between the two. With God’s help, that union may produce children. The original creation mandate was that human beings would be “fruitful and multiply,” thus the family was created by God. Divorce rips families apart and leaves mothers and children vulnerable to poverty and abuse. To divorce one’s wife is a violent act because, as verse 16 tells us, it overwhelms her “with cruelty” (NLT) or “does violence to the one he should protect” (NIV).

Even though women are more empowered in modern America than in ancient times, do you see divorce as damaging to them? If so, how?

It should not surprise us that the severing of a covenant tie comes with serious consequences. Divorce can be devastating to individuals, families and communities. Thus, God’s admonition in this passage is given twice: “Be on your guard and do not be unfaithful.”

Marriage is not always easy. In fact, sometimes it can be grueling. The temptation to break our vows, abandon our marriage and pursue happiness elsewhere can be strong. But God calls us to watch ourselves

14 Taylor and Clendenen, Malachi, 349–350.

15 Ibid.

27

and stay faithful to the covenant we made with our spouse before him.

Leaving your spouse for another or simply walking away may be the final act of demolition, but if you trace the fault lines in a marriage, you find that the cracks began forming long before it crumbled. A thousand tiny acts of selfishness and neglect can precede the day when someone calls a lawyer and packs their bags.

If you are married, how are you intentionally working to preserve your marriage? How are you “on your guard”?

Take some time to pray for some of the marriages that surround you — family, friends, neighbors, co-workers. Ask the Spirit to pour out his love into those families so that their marriages are strong.

Strong, healthy marriages require a love that goes beyond superficial attraction or natural affinity. They require a deep, abiding, committed love. If you are struggling in your marriage or know someone who is struggling in theirs, pray that the Spirit will grant that kind of love. Seek help from a trusted Christian counselor to give you and your spouse guidance.

If you’re not in crisis, but would like to shore up the foundations of your marriage, consider taking a marriage study with your spouse. In conjunction with the Family Greenhouse, Christ Fellowship offers a Next Step Academy course, “Growing Deeper in Marriage” that is designed to help people strengthen their marriages. See CFhome.org/marriage for more details. Don’t let cracks become chasms!

28

Day 5 | Reflect, connect, respondThis week we studied the third dispute between God and his people in the book of Malachi. As you reflect on this week, consider what it means to be faithful in your relationships. Consider how your relationships with others both impact and are impacted by your relationship with God.

Reflect

Dispute #3: What reasons did God give for insisting that his people stay faithful in their marriages?

How do you think those reasons translate to today?

ConnectTo some in our world, the traditional, biblical view of marriage is at best hopelessly outdated and at worst oppressive. While they are still having sex and even having children, many young adults are delaying or even avoiding marriage altogether. In their minds, why enter into something that has a 50/50 chance of failing? If romantic love and personal fulfillment are all that marriage is about, is there really a need to make your relationship official?

While they might stand behind a “traditional definition of marriage,” many church-goers don’t act as if they believe much differently. Divorce rates are still high, even among professing Christians. Even those who claim to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ don’t always allow Jesus Christ to be a part of their personal relationships.

Perhaps our view of marriage has atrophied. Perhaps we’ve forgotten that marriage is a covenant designed by the ultimate covenant-maker. This reflection of God’s enduring love and faithfulness can’t be funneled and stuffed into a self-serving, easily voided contract that involves only two people. A marriage shouldn’t be a picture that leaves God outside the frame. We need him at the center of our lives and marriages.

The Bible begins with a marriage. Adam and Eve are joined to each other because they were created for each other. On that day, woman comes from man, but from that day on, humanity will come from women. The beauty of our created dependency was marred through a serpent’s trick. Where there should have been easy trust, there is suspicion and doubt. Where there should have been unity and self-sacrificing love, there is accusation and blame.

The Bible also ends with a marriage. Jesus Christ is called the bride groom and the church is called his bride. Having sacrificed himself for her, Christ will return for us. In him we will be washed clean and made whole. Our union with Christ begins at the moment of our salvation and will be completed at the last days. We will

29

all celebrate at the wedding feast of the lamb.

God is a witness to the covenant we make with one another and so marriage is more than two people exchanging promises that will be extraordinarily hard to keep. Marriage should remind us that God’s design for us is good, that he is faithful and true to his word, that in Christ our sins have been forgiven and that one day we will be restored. In seeing the union our marriages point to, we can find hope for our relationships today.

Respond

What is your next step?

If you are married, how can you strengthen your faithfulness to that covenant? How can God be more at the center of your relationship?

If you believe you are called to marriage, are you seeking a fellow believer as a mate? Is a strong relationship with Christ a requirement for someone you might date? Are you investing in your own relationship with Christ so you’ll be ready to enter into a marriage covenant?

Christ Fellowship partners with The Family Greenhouse, a tremendous resource for married and pre-married couples. The offer workshops, coaching and classes. Visit their site at familygreenhouse.org.

If you are divorced, have you allowed God to heal and restore you? Have you sought forgiveness and offered it?

Christ Fellowship wants to care for those touched by divorce. We offer DivorceCare, DivorceCare for Kids and one-on-one counseling. For more information visit CFhome.org/care.

30

Week 3 | JusticeMalachi 2:17–3:6Lisa Scheffler, Author

Have you ever had a friend come to you after they failed a class, lost a job or ended a relationship? You’re there ready to give support and sympathy, but as they tell you their story, you have an uncomfortable realization. While they are looking for you to join them in railing against the unfairness of it all, you realize that they probably brought a lot of this misery on themselves.

There are times when forces completely out of our control slam into our lives and create suffering and turmoil. Other times we need to admit that we are the architects of our own destruction. We can throw ourselves on God’s mercy, but it’s wrong to accuse him of unfairness or neglect.

In the book of Malachi, we’ve seen God confront his people with some hard truths. While they point the finger at him and question his love, he points the finger right back at them for their lack of faithfulness. Last week we looked at the third dispute in the book and considered how the people’s lack of faithfulness to God was mirrored in a lack of faithfulness to one another. Men were abandoning and divorcing their wives — women they’d pledged to care for and honor. Their relationship with God was suffering because of their actions.

This week we will consider the fourth dispute in which the people have wearied Yahweh by questioning his goodness and fairness. Like our friend above, they didn’t want to consider that their predicament was of their own creation.

Day 1 | Read and reactAs we enter this week, let’s remind ourselves of the situation the nation was in. They had been back from exile in Babylon for nearly 100 years. The city walls had been rebuilt, yet Jerusalem had not returned to her former splendor. In fact, the people were still ruled over by a foreign government and were threatened by hostile nations on all sides. The temple had also been rebuilt and worship practices had resumed, yet there had been no return of God’s glory.

The prophets of old had recorded God’s promises for peace, prosperity and a king even greater than David, but none of that had been realized. What had gone wrong? “Well, it must be God’s fault,” the Israelites seem to think. God’s response to that accusation is as sobering as you might expect. God will challenge the people’s corruption.

As you read the passage for this week, keep in mind the overarching theme of the first half of the book: God’s covenant faithfulness and the people’s lack of it. Notice how the people accuse God and how he answers back.

31

Malachi 2:17–3:617 You have wearied the Lord with your words.

“How have we wearied him?” you ask.

By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?” 3:1 “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years. 5 “So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the Lord Almighty. 6 I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.

Why is God wearied?

Who is God sending? What will he do?

32

Day 2 | Sending the messengerIf you are a mom or dad of a teenager, you know parenting kids on the brink of adulthood can be challenging. Even though you have loved and cared for your children since the day they were born, teens sometimes seem to question not just your decisions, but the motives behind them. Their sullen looks and rolling eyes when you tell them “no” hint at a suspicion that perhaps Mom and Dad are actively conspiring to make their lives miserable. Maybe they suspect you of staying up late swapping schemes with other fun-hating, joy-killing parents in secret Facebook groups.

I can joke about my kids’ reactions to my authority because deep-down they know that I genuinely want what’s best for them, and the vast majority of the time they demonstrate their respect for and trust in me by obeying. But imagine if they were truly rebellious, broke every rule their father and I made and then accused us of being unloving and unfair when they experienced the consequences of their actions. How do you imagine I’d feel then? I’d still love them, but their attitude would be wearying.

In the portion of Malachi, we’re studying this week, God proclaims that he is weary. He is wearied by the people’s ridiculous accusations and attacks on his character. They waded chest-deep into the muck and are blaming God for the stench.

Malachi 2:17–3:117 You have wearied the Lord with your words.

“How have we wearied him?” you ask.

By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?” 3:1 “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

Why do you think God is wearied by what the people are saying?

This dialogue follows the pattern we saw in the first two disputes where God asks a question or makes a statement, the people respond with a question, and God gives his final word.

“All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?” The people are basically attacking two of Yahweh’s fundamental character traits: his goodness and his fairness. Because they are not experiencing the blessings they believe they’re due, the people are accusing God of neglecting his covenant responsibilities to them. The people are so focused on their immediate circumstances that they’ve apparently forgotten their long history with God. Yahweh rescued the people from slavery in Egypt, brought them to the promised land and enabled them to defeat all their enemies. Through the sacrificial system, God had given his covenant people access to him. If they obeyed his law they would have peace and prosperity in their homeland. In Deuteronomy 4:7–8 Moses marvels at these blessings:

33

What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?

Yet, the people were actually accusing Yahweh of being pleased with evil and being unjust. That he is wearied by their words indicates that his patience is being tested.

God announces his response to their hypocritical plea for justice and charge of neglect. In the next six verses God announces his plan to enact the justice the people say they want. If we were paraphrasing his sentiments in modern language we might have God saying “You want justice? I’ll show you justice.”

I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me… the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come… The challenge we have in interpreting 3:1 is to identify who is doing what. We have Yahweh speaking in first person, and announcing a messenger who “will prepare the way.” He also announces, “the messenger of the covenant” will come. Are these different messengers?

“Messenger of the covenant” is not a common designation and is only used here in the whole Old Testament. In Isaiah, however, we do have three other mentions of the way being prepared before Yahweh. For example, Isaiah 40:3 says, “A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’” Clendenen and Taylor believe Malachi is associating the “voice” in Isaiah to the first messenger mentioned here: “The New Testament identifies this messenger as John the Baptist. If this verse may be understood in light of Isa. 40:3, the task of ‘my messenger’ would be to summon the people to prepare for the Lord’s coming by clearing away the obstacles of unbelief.”16

In light of the New Testament, many scholars therefore identify the “messenger of the covenant” as the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. Although he comes as the Savior, he will also one day act as judge. Taylor and Clendenen site John 8:16 as evidence for this interpretation. Jesus says, “But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.”17

Because our God is just and Jesus Christ will return as the ultimate judge, how should believers respond to injustice in the world today?

Where is the God of justice? He has come and will return. Jesus Christ sacrificed himself so that all those who repent and believe can avoid the final judgment and receive forgiveness for their sins. Those who refuse his grace will answer for their own sins. The oppressed and victimized will see justice done.

Until that time, Christians should stand for justice here on earth. Because we believe in the inherent dignity all human beings because they bear the image of God, we should care deeply about those who are denied equity and fair treatment and be motivated to act on their behalf. We should certainly search our own attitudes and behaviors for any way we might be complicit in the mistreatment and oppression of others. Our Father insists on it.

16 Taylor and Clendenen, Malachi, 385.

17 Ibid.

34

Day 3 | A refiner’s fireSome things take time, effort and attention before their worth is revealed. Miners of precious stones and metals know this. If you know what you’re looking for and how to refine it, a chunk of rock can yield a treasure.

Wearied by the people’s accusations of injustice, God is promising to bring justice. In the verses we read yesterday, we learned that God would send the “messenger of the covenant.” Today we’ll see that this messenger will be a refiner and a purifier of the people.

Malachi 3:2–42 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.

What will the messenger be like?

Who will he purify? What will be the result?

The people cry out for justice and God promises them a messenger who will deliver it. While this messenger will come with fire, not all will be consumed. Some will be refined and purified.

“But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears?” The “day of his coming” in verse 2 is explicitly called “the day of the Lord” in Malachi 4:5. Elsewhere in the Old Testament, the “day of the Lord” refers to a period of judgment. The implication is that no one will pass the Lord’s test, but according to Taylor and Clendenen, the final answer to these questions will not come until the last verse in this dialogue, Malachi 3:6. (Spoiler alert: some will endure, not because of their own righteousness, but because God is faithful.)

He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. The messenger will be like refining fire and launderers’ soap — technically alkali because soap as we know it was not in use yet.18 The imagery here occurs elsewhere in the Old Testament. In the crucible of judgment God removes sin and corruption leaving what is valuable and pure. Only what is precious remains after the process is complete.

18 Baldwin, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, 265.

35

God begins with the priests. In Malachi 2 we saw God’s anger at the priests for leading the people astray. He will purify the Levites so they can fulfill their priestly role.

…and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord. Because it mentions Judah and Jerusalem, this verse “suggests that the cleansing will extend beyond the priesthood.”19 Righteous priests will insist the people bring acceptable offerings that please the Lord. After his purifying work is complete, the people will no longer exasperate Yahweh but honor and worship him as they should. The people accused God of delighting in evil, but he emphasizes that he delights in that which is righteous.

Through the fireAs New Testament believers, we know that the messenger of the covenant is Jesus Christ whose atoning work on the cross saves us completely from sin. At the moment we place our trust in Christ, our sins are paid for in full and the Spirit begins his work of transforming us into the image of Christ. Thus, the purifying work Malachi describes for Judah resembles the activity of the Holy Spirit in the life of each individual believer.

As we experience the Lord’s refining, we can feel like we’re in the crucible. If you talk to mature believers who have been through a great trial, they will admit to the pain, but also acknowledge the work God did in purifying their hearts. The fire can feel unbearably hot, but the dross is being removed.

Can you see how God has purified you through difficult times? Explain.

If silver could give us an account of its purification, I’m sure it would describe the process as ghastly. In the hands of a less skilled artisan, the fire could destroy instead of refine. Blessedly, our God loves us and knows exactly what he is doing. As author J. Neil describes:

The beauty of this picture is that the refiner looks into the open furnace, or pot, and knows that the process of purifying is complete, and the dross all burnt away, when he can see his image plainly reflected in the molten metal.20

19 Taylor and Clendenen, Malachi, 390.

20 Baldwin quoting J. Neil, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, 265.

36

Day 4 | Cosmic courtCourtrooms all over America have statues, murals or seals that depict Lady Justice. She is often shown blindfolded while holding a scale in one hand and a sword in the other. This symbol conveys what justice should be: blind to race, gender, status or wealth and therefore equal for all; careful to weigh all evidence impartially; and able to enact punishment when needed.

If you’ve had many dealings with our criminal justice system, you know that this ideal is not always attained. Judges can be biased, lawyers unethical, juries manipulated, evidence tainted, and punishments aren’t always proportionate to the crimes. Yet even when the system works well, it can’t offer complete redemption to the guilty or true solace to the victim. Only our infinitely wise and eternally just God can achieve perfect justice.

Yesterday we saw the refiners fire. Today our scene shifts to a courtroom in which God is witness, prosecutor, judge and jury. In this dispute, the people have accused God of turning a blind eye to injustice. God promises a justice that will be swift, severe and certain.

Malachi 3:5–65 “So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the Lord Almighty. 6 I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.

Do you see any commonalities between the offenders listed in verse 5?

What assurance does God give in verse 6?

The people demand justice, and God will deliver it. He will deal with the sin that exists right there among the people and will bring justice with a swift and unassailable severity. Let’s briefly consider the sins represented in this list.

Taylor and Clendenen define sorcery as the “attempt to control the physical and spiritual world through magical incantations, charms, and rituals.”21 Given the other sins in the list, they believe it may have been specifically the use of sorcery to harm others. Perjurers are those who bear false witness in order to defraud others and adulterers are those who are unfaithful to their marriage covenant.

21 Taylor and Clendenen, Malachi, 392.

37

The next three types of offenders are mistreating those who would have been vulnerable in the ancient world. Common day-laborers were being cheated out of their wages. Without the protection and provision of a husband or father, widows and orphans were often among the poorest of the land, so to take advantage of them was to heap cruelty on those already suffering. The law of Moses provided special provision to the foreigner. Foreigners were to be given “gracious provision” by Israel. God’s people were to remember that they too had been strangers in Egypt before the Lord freed them (Leviticus 19:33–34).22

Is there a common thread we can see through these offenses? Remember that God has called the people to be faithful to the covenant. The provisions of this covenant reflect the character of God. Each of the sins represented here is offensive to his character. They are also sins committed against fellow members of the covenant community. Recall the question posed at the beginning of the dialogue we studied last week on divorce, “Do we not all have one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our ancestors by being unfaithful to one another?” (Malachi 2:10). The people were called to love and unity. They were to care for each other, but instead they were exploiting one another. Once again we see the seriousness with which God takes the abuse of one of his children by another.

Many of the offenders listed here would have been people of wealth and status. Instead of using their position, power and resources to help their fellow covenant members, they were oppressing them for their own gain. The injustice of which the people are accusing God is actually the result of a corrupt society. These offenders are contributing to the social evils the nation is experiencing. God will act as judge on behalf of those exploited and oppressed.

What are some of the ways you see people being oppressed, defrauded or exploited in our society? What can you do to help them?

I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. God’s verdict in this trial is guilty and his testimony has ensured conviction. But verse 6 offers hope. In spite of God’s refining fire and severe judgment, God remains the same. He who made the covenant with these people will not change. Yahweh will keep his promises and Jacob’s descendants will not be destroyed. There are differing schools of thought on how those promises to Israel will be fulfilled, but we can be sure God will be faithful to his Word.

We do know that the line of Jacob brought us the Messiah. The messenger of the covenant will both purify and judge. His sacrifice on the cross allows the guilty to repent and find mercy, but at his final coming he will bring a sword to enact justice.

22 Ibid.

38

Day 5 | Reflect, connect, respondThis week in Malachi we saw God’s covenant people accuse Yahweh of injustice. Spend some time reflecting on his response.

Reflect

Dispute #4: How have the people “wearied” God? Who does he promise to send and what will this messenger do?

How does this passage help us understand God as just and merciful?

ConnectJust this morning I’ve read several news stories that have me crying out for the God of justice. In each a powerful institution was involved in a miscarriage of justice so that the people in charge could prosper. Some days it seems like only the bad guys win. We may ask along with the Psalmist. “How long, oh Lord? How long will the wicked be allowed to gloat?” (Psalm 94:3 NLT)

As believers filled with the Spirit, we should grieve for the violence, hatred, exploitation, oppression and victimization we see. It seems that too often these crimes not only go unpunished, but the offenders thrive. We should be grieved because sin grieves the heart of God and because the love of Christ compels us to love others. But our outrage should not cause us to doubt the character of God. The God of justice is here.

David instructs and reassures us in Psalm 37:

Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither. 

Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires. 

Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. 

Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the LORD will possess the land. (Psalm 37:1–9 NLT)

God sees the suffering of the weak and the oppressed, and he will act. So, we should examine our own attitudes and behaviors to see if we are complicit in their mistreatment. We don’t want to be like the people of Malachi’s day who complained of injustice while being the ones who were perpetrating it. We should do

39

as David exhorts and “do good” and “take delight in the Lord.” His Spirit will purify and transform us into the image of his Son. In Christ we shine like the dawn.

Through Christ we experience both justice and mercy. Let’s not be motivated by anger, but out of love for God and others let’s seek to help those who are victims of injustice. We can trust in God’s ultimate justice while we work to alleviate suffering in the here and now. We can comfort the afflicted with the hope of Christ and call the oppressors to repent all while knowing that it is in God’s goodness and mercy that we place our faith.

Respond

What is your next step?

How has this passage shaped your thinking about God and what he has done and will do through Jesus Christ?

How can you demonstrate God’s commitment to justice in your own life?

The book of Ephesians answers questions that are vital to everyone who has committed their life to Jesus Christ: what does God expect from me, and how can I live this new life in Christ? While giving our allegiance to Jesus is essential, the greater part of our lives is spent learning to follow Jesus ever more closely.

Ephesians 6 reveals how our identity in Christ must reshape our most vital relationships to match our relationship to Christ instead of conforming to a lost culture. To live by design requires a new design principle — new goals to aim for!

Our model and example is Jesus Christ, who teaches us not only how our relationships must change but also about our need for God’s mighty strength and for prayer. The need to use that strength to block spiritual attacks by the evil one adds urgency to these changes.

Live by Design completes the design for following Jesus that God wants us to live by.

Imagine a huge, cosmic press conference with God at the center podium. What would God say about the state of humanity? What questions would people shout out from the crowd?

The book of Malachi allows us to witness such a dialogue between God and the nation of Israel. Although Malachi records a conversation that took place over 2,400 years ago, it addresses issues we still struggle with today. The questions shouted at God are from a different era, but their tone and substance are familiar.

How has God shown his love?Where is the God of justice?Why does God seem distant?

Here at the very end of the Old Testament, God’s people are doubting his love, questioning his goodness and making excuses for their disloyalty, but God gets the last word. And while it is a word that challenges and indicts, it is a word that ultimately reassures.

God’s faithful love for us endures — then, now and forever.