Are We Helping or Hurting?

 

Malachi 1:10 Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. 11 For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be 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. 

Malachi is the last Word of the Old Testament.  Things were improving in Israel in some ways after they reestablished in the land after the exile, but there was a spiritual complacency that infected the land, beginning with those more responsible - the priests. God told them that if that was the way they were going to conduct worship, they might as well close the doors. They were supposed to be bringing God glory, which would bring all nations to come worship Him. Some day He would, but at that time things were so spiritually pathetic they were violating their trust.  Do we, as a kingdom of priests and followers of Christ bring shame on His name instead of glory?