Unaware

Malachi 1

Israel is unaware that God loves her, and unaware that she has despised and dishonored God. How can the beloved be unaware that he or she is loved? Could it be a case of forgetfulness? God says, “I have loved you,” to which Israel replies, “How have You loved us?” Though He is the God of the universe, God, for some reason and in His sovereignty, chose Israel of all peoples.

It is not because you were more numerous than all the other peoples that the Lord favored and chose you—for in fact you were the least numerous of all peoples.  Rather it is because of his love for you and his faithfulness to the promise he solemnly vowed to your ancestors that the Lord brought you out with great power, redeeming you from the place of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. (Deu 7)

 He chose (Jacob) over Esau even though Esau was the first born. After generations passed, did the people of Israel forget God’s covenant love? Do we as believers forget that God loves us? Are we so engrossed in our earthly lives and pursuits that we forget His love for us and His grace that’s bestowed daily?

Do we as believers stop and ponder anew God’s love for us; His daily grace bestowed on us? This is a worthy habit; to step away from the business of the world and retreat for a moment into the shadow of the Almighty. The natural course of life will take us away from God; it’s the prevailing wind of this world. It is a fight and we must be intentional to swim against the currents of life to habitually dwell in His shadow. God calls us to this very thing.

When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “I shall seek Your face, Lord.” (Ps 27)

Not only are the people of Israel not cognizant of God’s love for them, but they dishonored and disrespected God through their worship and sacrifices. The people knew well enough to honor and respect their earthly leaders, but not the Lord of hosts. Through their lame and sickly sacrifices, they offended the awesome and great King of heaven. To earthly kings, they would bow, but the great King, they disdained. Eight times in chapter 1 of Malachi, God refers to Himself as the Lord of armies of heaven, a reference to His powerful rule over the universe. He spoke into existence the universe. Despite His stature, His sovereignty, His transcendence, His magnificence, the priests dishonored and offended Him by bringing lame and sick animals for sacrifice, the very animals they would not have offered to an earthly ruler or governor.

As the priests did, do we also offer to God lame and sickly sacrifices? Of course today we don’t offer animal sacrifices, but we still worship Him. Is our worship worthy of the Lord of heaven’s armies? Do we honor, respect, and fear earthly authorities and personalities more than God? Does our use of our time and resources say to the world that we honor God? In other words, how’s our obedience to Him, which is our spiritual service of worship? Paul describes New Testament worship in Romans 12.

Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

Worship today is not offering animals, it’s offering ourselves. Are we offering our lives to Him, i.e. living for Him and His kingdom? Is our obedience worthy of the Lord of Hosts? Paul writes,

I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live worthily of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, putting up with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ep 4:1)

For this reason we also, from the day we heard about you, have not ceased praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may live worthily of the Lord and please him in all respects—bearing fruit in every good deed, growing in the knowledge of God. (Col 1:9-10)

Today, as believers under the new covenant, a pure and unblemished sacrifice is a life lived in a manner worthy of the Lord of hosts. Our way of life should be commensurate with God’s glory and majesty. As described in the two passages above, we are to please Him in all respects, living joyously, with patience and perseverance, in humility and gentleness, bearing with one another in love, all the while growing in the knowledge of God. With such a sacrifice, God is pleased and glorified; it’s a sacrifice befitting the King of heaven. Make no mistake, such a life will require sacrifice and dying to self. Bearing with one another in love and putting others first will not be easy, and any success is because of His grace through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The central point of Malachi 1 is verses 10 and 11 below. Throughout the world God’s name is to be great. He will be worshiped everywhere! What the priests did then stands in stark contrast to this central theme. “But, you are profaning [God’s name].” The very Name that is exalted among the nations is profaned by Israel – the very nation He chose to bestowed His covenant love.

“I wish that one of you would close the temple doors, so that you no longer would light useless fires on my altar. I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “and I will no longer accept an offering from you. For from the east to the west My name will be great among the nations. Incense and pure offerings will be offered in My name everywhere, for my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “But you are profaning it by saying that the table of the Lord is common and its offerings despicable. (Mal 1:10-12)

Do we profane God’s name in our worship by living for self?  Do we obey occasionally, when it’s convenient, casting token acts of worship His way? If you are ruled by self, then you are offering to the King of heaven lame and sickly sacrifices. He is offended by your token acts of obedience, which He considers useless. We profane His name because our meager offering declares that He is not worthy. Frankly it’s better not to play games with God, i.e. continuing our token acts or worship. If we don’t worship Him as He commanded, if we don’t walk in a manner worthy of our calling, then it’s better we do nothing at all. Otherwise, the watching world is confused and His name is profaned. Yes, God is gracious and compassionate, but God decides what true worship is and His standard cannot be amended.