Getting the House in Order #3

Read: Malachi 1

Background:  Haggai and Zechariah had pleaded with the returnees from the exile to turn away from their selfish pursuits of trying to rebuild their lives and city by focusing on their own prosperity, and instead to rebuild the temple and the walls of the city.  Then they would city God bless them individually and as a people. They also had warned them not to fall back into the same destructive patterns of idol worship, neglect of their relationship with God, and insensitivity to the needs of others.  Malachi, written about ninety years later, gives us a glimpse of how things went.  He begins where the Minor Prophets as a whole begin, with Hosea's theme of the loyal love of the LORD.  He then gives an overview of how things stood: the priests themselves, who represented the people, were offering third-rate sacrifices, totally dishonoring God and His system of worship.  This was just one glaring example of how far they were drifting from God. 

Key Verses: 11 For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be[b] great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. 12 But you profane it when you say that the Lord's table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. 13 But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord. 14 Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.

Thoughts: Though the good news was that the temple had been rebuilt and was fully function, being used in regular worship, the bad news was that the system was being misused and abused.  The grumbling priests complained that God was not being fair to them or the people and showed irreverence toward Him.