The Old Testament 'minor prophet' book of Malachi....'minor' as in length only....was written approximately 400 years before the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ......a nice round number.
Many of the people had returned to Judah and Jerusalem. It was the period of the Second Temple....the walls were rebuilt.....but the people had promptly forgotten all of the miracles and blessings they had seen and been given since Abraham and Moses. Their worship was lackluster and contrived....their feelings possibly neither hot nor cold....their small society collapsing in unfaithfulness and distrust.
Seven times in the four short chapters of fifty-five verses God takes issue with things that the priests of Israel were doing.....and seven times they seem surprised by God's accusations....."How have you loved us?"...."How have we despised your name?"....."How have we polluted you?"...."Why does he not....accept our offerings with favor?"....."How have we wearied him?"....."How shall we return?".....and....."How have we spoken against you?"
I'll use Billy Graham as an example but there have been many others including R. C. Sproul who has gone on to be with his Lord and Savior. Billy Graham had warned America.....over many decades....seven decades as a matter of fact.....and increasingly in intensity.....that it had taken God lightly....that more than mere church attendance was required....that God's judgment was nigh and already at work in America.....and that it was time to return to Him.....and it is as if each time America responded to one of God's messengers....."If his love is so great, why do we still have problems?"...."We say 'God bless America', how have we despised his name?"...."What's wrong with our worship services?"...."What's wrong with our prayers?"...."How has our interpretations of his Word wearied him?"...."What do you mean....we have to return?".....and....."How have we been arrogant...and what have we said against God?"
Folks, we are as these Israelites.....we can't fathom that God could be so angry with us! God's response to us through His many messengers was in reminding us of His faithfulness to America from its beginnings.....and how we long since placed worship far below our own more pressing personal desires.....and that we either construct our faith for material gain or merely play church for appearances....and that we have treated American Christianity from its Puritan beginnings with disdain in fashioning a new and 'exciting' method of worship along with a more equitable body of doctrine....that we now only give Him a small portion of our life.....and that we now actually call what is good bad...(and this in the church itself!)....and what is bad good.....and that have honored and institutionalized the criticism of the Bible from both the modernists and the postmodernists....for we obviously have no trust in the historical Christian faith anymore.
Many of the people had returned to Judah and Jerusalem. It was the period of the Second Temple....the walls were rebuilt.....but the people had promptly forgotten all of the miracles and blessings they had seen and been given since Abraham and Moses. Their worship was lackluster and contrived....their feelings possibly neither hot nor cold....their small society collapsing in unfaithfulness and distrust.
Seven times in the four short chapters of fifty-five verses God takes issue with things that the priests of Israel were doing.....and seven times they seem surprised by God's accusations....."How have you loved us?"...."How have we despised your name?"....."How have we polluted you?"...."Why does he not....accept our offerings with favor?"....."How have we wearied him?"....."How shall we return?".....and....."How have we spoken against you?"
I'll use Billy Graham as an example but there have been many others including R. C. Sproul who has gone on to be with his Lord and Savior. Billy Graham had warned America.....over many decades....seven decades as a matter of fact.....and increasingly in intensity.....that it had taken God lightly....that more than mere church attendance was required....that God's judgment was nigh and already at work in America.....and that it was time to return to Him.....and it is as if each time America responded to one of God's messengers....."If his love is so great, why do we still have problems?"...."We say 'God bless America', how have we despised his name?"...."What's wrong with our worship services?"...."What's wrong with our prayers?"...."How has our interpretations of his Word wearied him?"...."What do you mean....we have to return?".....and....."How have we been arrogant...and what have we said against God?"
Folks, we are as these Israelites.....we can't fathom that God could be so angry with us! God's response to us through His many messengers was in reminding us of His faithfulness to America from its beginnings.....and how we long since placed worship far below our own more pressing personal desires.....and that we either construct our faith for material gain or merely play church for appearances....and that we have treated American Christianity from its Puritan beginnings with disdain in fashioning a new and 'exciting' method of worship along with a more equitable body of doctrine....that we now only give Him a small portion of our life.....and that we now actually call what is good bad...(and this in the church itself!)....and what is bad good.....and that have honored and institutionalized the criticism of the Bible from both the modernists and the postmodernists....for we obviously have no trust in the historical Christian faith anymore.
It's almost as if there is a silence in the church today....a silence amidst the din and cacophony of our worship extravaganzas and bellowing false teachers broadcasting to millions. Malachi concludes by giving the Israelites....and us....God's direct warning and hope in...."For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all the evil doers will be stubble.....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."
