Read all of Malachi. What is the condition of the Jewish people as he writes? What are the particular problems he addresses? How is the situation different from that addressed by earlier prophets, e.g., Isaiah and Jeremiah? What keys to Jewish survival do you see here?
Tuesday, April 19, 2022
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The Jewish people are disloyal, something that God brings examples of in various forms - sons to fathers, servants to masters, husbands to wives. In each scenario presented, the person who is supposed to be loyal to the other is not, which God condemns them for.
ReplyDeleteThe priests lie about the covenant, or fail at teaching it properly. People sacrifice blind, lame, or sick animals, clearly unwilling to offer the best to God. This is an insult, especially when they later come to cry about how their lives are not amazing despite their earlier disrespect. He also directly calls to attention the faithlessness in marriage (although he mostly points out that husbands are doing it), and divorce.
To add on top of all of this, they act ignorant and confused, denying their responsibility in this matter. It's a complete insult to God all around.
See, with earlier prophets, they tended to focus on the lack of faith in God, the lack of proper worship, and focused solely on the religious aspects of life. With this, it's pointing out other aspects of life that may be contributing causes to the downfall and degradation of spiritual welfare. Instead of focusing on one issue, it is pulling back and pointing out different issues at different levels of life, including the problems at home (which easily spread into other aspects of life).
Their key to survival is to stop attempting to deceive God, alongside themselves. They need to maintain proper worship, have more strength in their spiritual and moral values. They need to put their selfishness aside and aim for a higher goal (the point in the book was that they needed to refill God's house with food, which I take to be selfishness even in such a critical aspect of their lives).
The Jewish people returned from exile and rebuilt the temple, but they constantly questioned God's judgment. Their return did not bring blessings and glory. The presence of God and the nation felt absent. People went through religious motivation and lacked integrity. The priests were offered sacrifices that desecrated God's holiness. They dishonored God's name and led others into sin. People questioned God's love and Justice. They believed serving God was pointless. Men were divorcing their Jewish wives to marry foreign women. They were robbing God while withholding titles, which resulted in economic hardship. God calls them for a test of being faithful. Malich deals with routine religion, not open rebellion. Their heartless worship and ethical failures are a focal point of the story. God calls for a return. Restoration is possible but requires obedience. He stresses fearing the lord and worshiping his name. The corrupt priest led people astray. They protected the covenant and marriage. He sees the coming of Elijah, and he offers hope.
ReplyDeleteThe key to survival is not to fall into false worship. Worshipping false Gods leads to nothing but trouble. Maintaining true worship and prayers leads you on the right path. Do not fall into selfishness and sin. Marrying a false woman and not thinking of the Lord is not a good lesson.
Walker Larson:
ReplyDeleteRead all of Malachi. What is the condition of the Jewish people as he writes? What are the particular problems he addresses? How is the situation different from that addressed by earlier prophets, e.g., Isaiah and Jeremiah? What keys to Jewish survival do you see here?
After returning to Jerusalem, the Jewish people have become exactly like what they despised in the past. They mock God in their worship, in their marriages, and in the way they practice their business. The message in Malachi is similar and yet different than something like Isaiah and Jeremiah. Unlike in those books, God doesn't give a specific group of people that is going to wipe the unrighteous away, he just gives a general statement saying, "For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble." But what's also different is the tone of the message, instead of being a gloomy message, it's framed as something to look forward to instead of dreading. "But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall." This book gives something for the Jews to look forward too, something to be excited about rather than dread. It gives the Jews hope for the future, which persists until this day.