Tag: Malachi 1:6-14
The Refiner’s Fire
Scripture reading for October 3: Malachi 1-4
Malachi was the last voice of a prophet in the era of the Old Covenant. After him, God was silent for 400 years until John the Baptist came on the scene. Malachi was like a street preacher of his day. He would go out where the people were and ask questions of them. He loved to pose questions and then answer them. With this style he sought to provoke God’s people to repent and do what God had commanded.
There were several issues that Malachi hit hard in his preaching. One concerned the priests who were sacrificing blind, crippled and diseased animals. God is holy and demands pure sacrifices but His priests were dishonoring Him. (Malachi 1:6-14) God is a great King Who is worthy of our best!
The priests were breaking their covenant vows with their wives and also with God. They were sacrificing to God on the Sabbath, but then going up to idol temples, sacrificing to idol gods and having sex with the temple prostitutes. God was watching and angry! He warned them through Malachi that this practice would defile them and sow violence and divorce into their homes. (Malachi 2: 11-16) This dishonored God and broke their vows, hindering the development of godly offspring through covenant marriage.
The law of God strictly forbids stealing but His people were stealing from God. They were not giving God their tithes, bringing them under a curse. The devourer was eating their crops and taking away their sustenance. (Malachi 3:8-12) The remedy was simple–return to God by bringing Him His tithe! God told them that they could test Him in this, the only place in Scripture where testing God was allowed! God promised to open the windows of heaven for those who honor Him with the tithe!
God warned that He would send His messenger of the covenant to His temple like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap, purifying the Levites. This process would bring about righteous obedience in the offerings and personal behavior. God was going to be quick to testify against those involved in sins of adultery, perjury, sorcery, and oppression of orphans and widows! (Malachi 3:1-8) This fire would reduce those who opposed the Lord to ashes but the righteous would go free! (Malachi 4:1-3)
Malachi had a message that still rings true today for us. Jesus is coming with fire this next time. Those who believe in Him will have their works tested by fire at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Those who oppose Him will be defeated by fire and eternally judged by fire! Let us return to the Lord before time runs out!