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Malachi 2:17-3:5 – Where is the Justice?

Read Malachi 2:17-3:5

Summary

From time to time we can question whether justice exists. The people of Malachi’s day certainly questioned God’s judgement. They lived in a time in which the priests failed to teach God’s love, and God’s promises symbolised in the rebuilt temple. The people did not follow God’s commands, and so corruption was rife, religion was ritual, morality lax, and justice was absent.

In Malachi’s fifth message (Malachi 2:17-3:5), God answers their complaint of a lack of justice by promising the sending of the Messiah. The Messiah will bring refinement and judgement on all who reject God.

Our passage explained

v17

Firstly we see Malachi highlight the questioning of God’s justice. In verse 17 we read that the complaints of the people “wearied” God with two claims of his injustice. They claim that “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them” (that is, why do the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer). Secondly, they ask “Where is the God of justice?”. 

In their minds, God had abandoned them: he did not distinguish between good and evil deeds, and was allowing injustice to occur. In other words, God should hurry up and judge the nations, and put his people back in their rightful “top dog” place.

v1-3

To answer the complaint of injustice, we see God promise the arrival of the Messiah. In chapter 3, verse 1, God promises “I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me”, who is John the Baptist (Matthew 11:10). The messenger prepares the way for the arrival of the Messiah, the God of justice whom they sought, who “will suddenly come to his temple”.

The arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, promises to bring refinement of God’s people. The people will be severely purified, with Malachi saying in v.2, “who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?” Jesus’ refinement will be like fullers’ soap, which was a harsh soap used to cleanse stains from clothes (before janola). 

Jesus’ refinement would also be like a refiner’s fire (v.2). A refiner’s fire heats metal to a very high temperature, removing impurities from metals to purify them. In verse 3, this idea is extended to the offerings presented by the priests, where it says the Messiah “will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.” 

v4-5

The purification of those responsible for worship will ensure “the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years” (v.4). While severe, the refinement would ensure that worship was offered to God in the way it should be, and accepted by him, as the people are led properly in worship once again.

While for many the coming of the Messiah would bring refinement, for others the outcome was judgement. Popular expectation in Malachi’s day was that God’s return would bring judgement on the nations, but God turns this expectation on its head. “Then I will draw near to you for judgment” (v.5) says God; not against the nations but against the people who questioned his justice.

Not only will God draw near to judge, he will himself bear witness between the good and evil of the people (see the first complaint in 2:17). God will “witness against” (v.5) those who violate his moral law expressed in the covenant at Sinai. All those who do not fear God will feel the judgement of God upon them through the Messiah.

Our passage applied

When we are tempted to join with the people of Malachi’s day and ask “where is God? Where is justice? Does God still care when bad people profit from evil deeds?” this passage gives us an answer. God does care, and has brought justice to us through Jesus, our Messiah, who reveals it fully to us.

God does not let injustice stand, but sent Jesus to take the penalty and wrath for our own sins and injustices, that we might be his children. And as his children, he disciplines (Hebrews 12:7-11) and refines us to purify us and our worship. God’s people were called to be a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:6), and we are called and equipped for the same duty (1 Peter 2:5).

But Jesus also came to bring judgement (Matthew 10:34). Everyone who rejects Jesus’ message and instead prefers to dwell in their sins and “does not believe is condemned already” (1 John 3:18). When Jesus returns, he will bring judgement on all those who do not believe (Jude 14-15).

God does care about justice. God cares about good and evil. God showed his concern for justice by sending Jesus, and will execute final judgement when Jesus returns. We can be thankful that God cares about justice, and instead of giving us the justice we deserve, gives us mercy through Jesus, so we can offer him pleasing worship.

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Wedding

Malachi 2:10-16 – Faithless husbands, faithful God

Read Malachi 2:10-16

Summary

It should not surprise us that the poor teaching of the priests led to a lax morality amongst the people. The priests had turned religion to ritual, and the people’s lack of belief in God’s love had led to cold hearts and empty worship. The priests failed to teach God’s love, and God’s promises symbolised in the rebuilt temple. The people did not follow God’s commands, and so corruption was rife, and justice was absent.

One place justice was absent was in the marriages of Israel. In his fourth message, Malachi takes aim at the men of Israel (chapter 2:10-16). The men of Israel were unfaithful in two ways: by marrying foreign women, and by divorcing their wives.

Oue passage explained

v10-12

The first complaint against the men of Israel was that they were unfaithful to God by marrying foreign wives. If God was their Father (their covenant king) and their creator, why Malachi asks “are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers?” (v.10) God’s people had offended against the covenant by marrying foreign wives – “the daughter of a foreign god” (v.11).

Why do this? God’s people were lacking in influence and wealth. The men were marrying into the families of foreigners who had the ear of the authorities or wealth to make their problems go away. They were forsaking God to solve their problems themselves, and opening themselves to being led astray to follow foreign gods, as their ancestors (like Solomon, see 1 Kings 11:4) did. Years earlier, many of the returned exiles were rebuked by Nehemiah for their foreign wives (Nehemiah 13:23-29).

God’s people, whom he loves (1:1-5), had not shown love and faithfulness to God by marrying each other, but had ritually defiled themselves by marrying foreign women, who were not part of the covenant but worship other gods. Malachi prays that God would bring judgment on all who profane the covenant in this way (v.12).

v13-16

Not only have the men been unfaithful to God, they have also been unfaithful to their wives. The people act out tears in front of God’s temple (more a ritual than actual repentance) because of lack of blessing (v.13), but God’s lack of blessing on them is because they have left the “wives of their youth” – their God-given companion – to marry foreign wives (v.14). Marriage is more than a contract to dissolve when convenient, but described here as a covenant which God is a party to (as a witness).

In verse 15, Malachi references God’s original intent for marriage (Gen 2:23-24) by describing God’s role in marriage as making the husband and wife one, “with a portion of the Spirit in their union” so it is not merely physical but also spiritual. The goal of marriage being to bring “Godly offspring”; that is children brought up in the love and fear of God, not foreign idols.

Malachi closes his rebuke of the mens’ unfaithfulness to God by telling them to guard their hearts and be faithful to their wives (vv.15, 17). If they do not do this and divorce their wife, they cover “his garment with violence” – metaphorically staining themselves so that they are not fit to come into God’s presence (v.16).

Our passage applied

We are reminded with this passage of the importance God places on marriage, and of remaining faithful in it. God is faithful to his covenant, caring for his people and showering them with his love and mercy. Marriage is also a covenant, between two humans with God as a witness, in its ideal a lifelong physical and spiritual union which makes space for the raising of covenant children. We ought to pray that those of us yet to marry may find Christian spouses, and those of us married may continue in love and faithfulness. 

This is the ideal which Christians ought to seek for their own marriages, and is spoken of in this way in the New Testament too (eg, Mark 10:1-12, 1 Corinthians 7). As any parent or child of a “mixed” marriage can attest, it is certainly easier when both parties are rowing in the same direction! So we should also pray for those where only one party trusts in Christ, that God will soften hearts and fulfil his covenant promises, by the witness of the believing spouse (1 Cor. 7:14).

But we must also recognise that we live in a sinful, messy world. Sometimes, divorces happen. Some of us know the pain personally, or through loved ones. When divorce happens, we ought to encourage the suffering believer with the faithfulness of God. God knows what it is like to have another party break covenant, yet we can rely on God because he is always faithful.

God desires faithfulness – to each other, to our spouses, and to him. We can be thankful that even as we are not faithful to our loved ones and to God as we ought to, God is faithful, merciful, and forgiving to us. A true faithful loving husband to his bride, the Church.

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Candles

Malachi 2:1-9 – Troublesome priests

Read Malachi 2:1-9

Summary

God’s people were afflicted by troublesome priests. They were supposed to lead God’s people in pure worship, but had turned religion to ritual, and the people’s lack of belief in God’s love had led to cold hearts and empty worship. The priests failed to teach God’s love, and God’s promises symbolised in the rebuilt temple. The people did not follow God’s commands, and so corruption was rife, and justice was absent.

In the third message of God to his people through Malachi, the corrupt practices of the priests are brought into focus. In verses 1 to 9 of chapter 2, God announces a curse on the prophets, because they had not lived up to their calling, and instead had corrupted their practices and worship.

Our passage explained

v1-7

In verses 1 to 3 of chapter 2, God announces a curse on the priests. “If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honour to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings” (v.2). The priests offered impure, unacceptable sacrifices to God, and announced God’s blessing despite this, so God promised that if they continued in these practices they and their blessings would be cursed.

The curse would extend to a rebuke on their offspring (who would be future priests). The priests themselves would be treated as unclean and banished from the temple (v.3). The priests, who were supposed to be holy, would be treated like the offal and dung of their sacrifices and removed from God’s presence.

The reason for the curse is that the priests had failed in their calling (vv.4-7). God called Levi’s tribe to serve as his priests and servants in the midst of Israel, which Malachi calls “my covenant with Levi” (v.4). Their duties were to teach and rebuke, bringing life and peace with God to those who listened (v.5), and awe-filled worship of God (v.6).

The priests were the teachers of God’s people. They were responsible for teaching God’s law. In verse 6, this is described idealistically as “true instruction was in [Levi’s] mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips.” The priests walked with God, and led others to turn away from their sins. This was the ideal which they were called to: as God’s messenger, “the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth” (v.7).

v8-9

Sadly the priests had not lived up to the ideal, but instead were known for their corruption (8-9). They had “turned aside from the way… caused many to stumble by [their] instruction” and “corrupted the covenant of Levi” (v.8). Instead of teaching the righteous law of God and his gracious mercy to his people, they taught “dead orthodoxy” or led the people astray like false teachers. 

Moreover, they showed partiality in their teaching (v.9), giving special treatment to the rich and powerful over the poor and powerless, a particularly disgusting thing in God’s eyes. For this, God would make them “despised and abased before all the people”, so they would get the opposite of what their special treatment was designed to get: power for themselves.

Our passage applied

For God’s Teachers

The curse handed down on these God’s troublesome priests is a reminder that God pays particular attention to the teaching of his people. The book of James tells us that not many should want to become teachers, because God will judge them more strictly (James 3:1). Teachers play a particularly important role as undershepherds, helping guide “the flock” in the way and how to honour and serve God. 

Teachers of God’s people must remember to instruct all of God’s word, as he has announced it. They should try not to sugar-coat it or deliver messages which please the wealthy and powerful, and leave the poor and oppressed weary and suffering in their sins. The preacher is God’s messenger, instructing and guiding God’s people in holiness.

For God’s People

As God’s people, we must listen to God’s messenger, and encourage him to preach and teach without fear of man or the favour of any people. As the preacher explains to us God’s words, he helps us to: walk in God’s ways, be thankful and worshipful for God’s saving acts, and helps us to turn from our sins. He helps us, as priests of the New Covenant, to go and teach others to serve and worship God.

But we can also be thankful that even though the best undershepherds God gives us are sinners and fall short of their calling; we have a true and faithful priest and teacher in Jesus. Jesus did not care if his listeners were rich or poor; he faithfully taught anyone of any position, and intercedes for all who believed. 

Jesus is God’s messenger to the highest extent, who fulfilled the priestly calling in all its duties and roles. He bore the curse meant for us, so that we may be blessed by God. As we follow Jesus and listen to his instruction, we will have life and peace with God.

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Icicles

Malachi 1:1-6 – Cold Hearts, Empty Worship

Read Malachi 1:6-14

Summary

God’s people did not believe God loved them, and it affected the way they worshipped. They had listened to God’s command to rebuilt his temple, but they could not see the covenant blessings they expected in response. Religion turned to ritual, corruption was rife, justice was absent, God’s people were still ruled by outsiders.

God sent the prophet Malachi to encourage God’s people to renewed trust, repentance of their sins, and promising the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah. After reminding of God’s unchanging covenant love for all of his chosen people, God turns his attention to the cold hearts and empty worship of his people. In verses 6 to 14 of chapter 1, God rebukes the empty worship coming from a cold heart, promises future pure worship, and announces a curse on empty worship.

Our passage explained

v1-10

Malachi’s second message to God’s people begins with a rebuke of empty worship. God’s people had questioned God’s covenant love (v.2), and this questioning had brought cold hearts. As a result, while servants may honour their masters and sons their fathers, the priests showed no respect for God by offering polluted animals as sacrifices (vv.6-7) when he is deserving of far greater honour.

Offering animals which were ceremonially unclean and unacceptable, such as “blind animals in sacrifice” or “those that are lame or sick” (v.8) was a direct violation of God’s Ceremonial Laws, and reflected unbelief in what the various sacrifices pointed forward to: Jesus’ perfect unblemished sacrifice. So like a ruler rejecting the second-best offerings of his subjects, God rejected their sacrifices and showed no favour to those who did not trust him (vv.8-9).

The polluted, heartless offerings were so offensive to God that he stunningly cries out “oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain!” (v.10). It would be better if the temple was closed, the altar fires extinguished, and sacrifices ceased. The wrong sacrifices offered by those with cold hearts, even if offered in the right place, are not acceptable to God.

v11-14

In direct contrast to the cold hearts and empty worship of Malachi’s day, God promises a future pure worship pleasing to him. In verse 11 he states “from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations”; a phrase which refers to a future time of judgment and restoration of true order under God’s holy reign (eg, Psalm 50:1, Isaiah 59:19). 

In this future time of God’s victory and triumph over his enemies, “in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering” (v.11). The gentile nations who then pursued idols would turn to God and worship him in an acceptable way. This will happen because God’s “name will be great among the nations” (v.11).

Since in the future time of God’s victory and triumph pure worship will come from all the nations, God announces a curse on their empty worship. God returns to his complaint at the unacceptable offerings made by God’s people, and points out that the people make matters worse by claiming “‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it” (v.13). Worshipping God? How inconvenient. Why would God answer people who approach him like that?

To those who worship with empty hearts, who promise God their best if he comes to their aid but offer up something lesser, God says “Cursed be the cheat” (v.14). God will not accept those who try and deceive him, because he is “a great King… and my name will be feared among the nations.”

Our passage applied

This passage is an important reminder to check our motives and our attitudes in coming to worship God. If we are acting out of tradition but with cold hearts – singing the lyrics with our mouths but not our hearts, and scrolling through Facebook during the sermon – we cannot expect God to hear our prayers. God wants us to worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:21-24) as our true Father and master, not out of routine.

It also reminds us to think about where we place our giving to God in service, time, devotion, and money. Is it done from a cheerful heart (2 Cor 9:7) or with a sense of reluctance? on the scale of “what a pain” to “what a delight” where do we place these opportunities? In truth, for all of us, we ought to pray that God helps us to see greater delight and opportunities to spend time with him in prayer, and in devotion of “our best” for his glory.

But as we acknowledge our failure we can also rejoice in the promise central to this passage, in verse 11. Right now God is gathering us, a kingdom of priests, to offer pure sacrifices to him. The weaknesses of “our best” are purified by the righteousness of Christ swapped to us for our sin. And the Holy Spirit has given us warm hearts to offer worship in spirit and truth, which God desires.

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Fields

Malachi 1:1-5 – The Covenant Love of God

Read Malachi 1:1-5

Summary

The people of God listened to God’s prophets Haggai and Zechariah; they rebuilt God’s temple. But it still seemed like God was not with them. Religion turned to ritual, corruption was rife, justice was absent, God’s people were still ruled by outsiders, and the promised blessings did not seem to eventuate.

God sent a prophet, Malachi (whose name means “My Messenger”) to encourage God’s people to renewed trust, repentance of their sins, and promising the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah. God’s first message through Malachi was a reminder of the love of God for his covenant people, his grace in electing his people, and contrasts this with the fate of those outside the covenant.

Our passage explained

v1-2

Firstly, God reminds his people of his covenant love. God sends an oracle to Israel by the prophet Malachi (v.1). He begins this oracle with the message “‘I have loved you,’ says the LORD” (v.2). The God who declares his love is Yahweh (“the LORD”), the same God who spoke to Moses and the people’s ancestors (Exodus 3 & Devotional).

The reminder of God’s love brings to mind similar statements God has made. For instance, God told his people “it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 7:8). 

Likewise God said “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you” (Jeremiah 31:3). God’s love expressed is his love for those he has a covenant relationship with, where he promises to save, bless, and deliver.

Secondly, we see in this passage a reminder of God’s grace in electing his people. The people question how God has loved them, in spite of their situation (v.2). God responds with an example of how he has chosen them, saying “‘Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?’ declares the LORD. ‘Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated’” (vv.2-3). 

God chose Jacob over Esau, the older brother, to show his blessings and bring forth a people from whom the Messiah would come. This was not based on anything special about Jacob or his deeds, but an act of God’s mercy based in his sovereign choice (see Romans 9). The same applied to those of his covenant people who responded to Malachi’s message in faith, and also us.

v3-5

Having reminded of his love and his grace, God contrasts this with the fate of those who are not part of his covenant community. In verses 3 through 5, God contrasts Israel (Gen 32:28) with Edom, Esau’s descendants. Where God has brought his people back from exile and enabled them to rebuild his temple, “I have laid waste his [Edom’s] hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert” (v.3). 

The Edomites “may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country’” (v.4). The Edomites do not know God’s covenant love, but only his righteous judgment and anger, as “the people with whom the LORD is angry forever” (v.4) because of their sins.

God promises they will see God’s contrasting anger with those outside his covenant, represented by Edom. “Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, ‘Great is the LORD beyond the border of Israel!’” (v.5). As they see Edom’s destruction unfold, they will see God is sovereign over all things and all people, and brings both judgment (on Edom) and mercy (on his people).

Our passage applied

We also can wonder if God truly loves us when we go through trials and troubles in life. We are too easily sold on the lie that if you become a Christian, everything will be fine. But the Bible does not teach that. Even though we have not yet arrived at that blessed day when God will finally banish sin from this world, God still is faithful to his promise to bless, save, and deliver us because of his goodness and covenant love.

We are also reminded that God’s love is not because of us, but because of God’s mercy and choice. Once we were far off, aliens to the covenant of promise, destined for destruction like the Edomites. “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13). We no longer fear God’s final judgment because we have been freed from the guilt and power of sin by Jesus Christ.

These words are an encouragement to us to persevere in trusting God, even through the hard times. God’s love for us, his covenant people, is unchanging. He will save and deliver us, those whom he has chosen, and we will see with our very eyes the final defeat of all those who oppose God and remain aliens to his covenant.

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See also



water droplets

Haggai 2:10-19 – Cleansed and blessed

Read Haggai 2:10-19

Summary

After many years of exile in Babylon, God brought a remnant home to Jerusalem to rebuild God’s temple, the dwelling-place of God (at that point in history) with his people. But opposition brought that rebuilding to a halt, and years passed. God sent Haggai to call God’s people to resume building his temple, reflecting their devotion to him. He promised them future blessing and glory despite their current situation.

While God’s people laboured again in the land, their labours went unblessed. The reason was their sinfulness, which had resulted in the exile and continued in agricultural curse; a type of the judgment in which their rejection of God would ultimately result. In Haggai 2:10-19, we see God address the sinfulness of his people. He reminds them of their sinfulness through an analogy, applies that analogy with an assessment of their status, and promises their faith will result in blessing.

Our passage explained

v10-13

Haggai’s third message to God’s people begins with an analogy (vv.10-13). About two months after his previous message from God, Haggai is instructed to ask the priests to provide an interpretation of the Law (vv.10-11). As many people could not read, the priests played an important role in teaching God’s Law and the Scriptures to the people.

Firstly, he asks the priests whether sacrificial food could spread its ritual holiness to normal, unconsecrated food. The holy meat was probably from a freewill offering, which was considered ritually holy (only holy things may be sacrificed) but had to be eaten within two days (see Leviticus 7:16-18). The answer to this is, no (v.12).

Secondly, he asks the priests what would happen if someone considered ritually unclean due to touching a dead body (because death is the result of sin) touched the same normal, unconsecrated food? In this case, the priests answered, the food becomes unclean (v.13, see Leviticus 22:1-9).

v14-19

The reason for the analogy given by asking about the ritual status of food was to make an assessment of God’s people (vv.14-17). “So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, declares the LORD, and so with every work of their hands. And what they offer there is unclean” (v.14). 

Like the unclean person, the sinfulness of God’s people made them unclean, and so unfit for God’s presence and blessing. It also spoiled their deeds, which God cannot accept because they are unclean.

The sinfulness of God’s people was then the cause of their continuing struggle. “Before stone was placed upon stone in the temple of the LORD, how did you fare?” (vv.15-16). Rather poorly: due to blight and hail sent by God, their agricultural crops yielded far less than they would expect to have occurred, a half of the normal yield of grain, and forty percent of a normal yield of wine (vv.16-17). Despite these punishments and warnings, “you did not turn to me, declares the LORD” (v.17).

Yet despite this assessment of sinfulness, God still offers hope of blessing (vv.18-19). The people responded in faith to God’s command to rebuild his temple, and were told to “Consider from this day onward…since the day that the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid” (v.18). They have sown their seeds and planted their vines, and in the past their yield was poor. Yet God promises “from this day on I will bless you” (v.19).

Our passage applied

The punishments of exile and agricultural blight were physical demonstrations of God’s anger at his people’s sin, pointing to the greater eternal punishment which awaits those who reject God. So too renewed agricultural blessing pointed to a restored relationship with God, as he blessed them not only physically but with the spiritual blessings of life and a cleansed conscience. Why? Because they trusted in God and responded positively to his command to rebuild the temple.

Bare ritual was not enough to earn God’s favour in that day. Rather, God sought lives which expressed trust and dependence on God. The people could not clean themselves, only God could take away sin. The same is true today. Bare attendance at a church service or Bible study does not earn God’s favour. God desires hearts and lives (and church attendance) motivated by faith in God and his promises.

God has shown us favour through Jesus Christ our Lord, saving us from our sins, and showering us with every blessing in the heavenly places. He removes the uncleanness from us which stops us from being able to fellowship with him, and announces us as holy. While we do not experience in the same way as the Jews of Haggai’s day the material blessings of the covenant relationship, we still experience the blessing of fellowship with God and the promise of eternal life.

God has dealt decisively with our sin through Jesus, and blesses us through him too. As we respond in faith to God’s call in our lives, we too can know “from this day on I will bless you” as we look forward to experiencing God’s blessings in their fullness.

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Winter trees at dawn

Haggai 2:1-9 – The Promise of Better Things

Read Haggai 2:1-9

Summary

After many years of exile in Babylon, God brought a remnant home to Jerusalem to rebuild God’s temple, the dwelling-place of God (at that point in history) with his people. But opposition brought that rebuilding to a halt, and years passed. God sent Haggai to call God’s people to reshape their priorities and resume building his temple, reflecting their devotion to him.

Looking at progress, the temple rebuild appeared slow and the end-result destined to look inferior to the first temple. Like slogging through a thick bog, the lack of progress could be discouraging. So again God spoke to his people through Haggai (2:1-9), encouraging them to remain devoted to their God. God acknowledges their present situation, announces his presence with them, and promises future glory.

Our passage explained

v1-5

Approximately one month after God’s people begin rebuilding the temple, God once again speaks to the people through Haggai (vv.1-2). God acknowledges their present situation, saying “‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes?” (v.3). God acknowledges that some of his people remember seeing Solomon’s temple, the house in its former glory. They are upset when they see the new temple, because it cannot possibly match the former (cf. Ezra 3:12-13).

Not only did the new temple seem inferior in looks, it seemed inferior in presence. God came and dwelt with his people in the tabernacle at Sinai when he covenanted with them (Exodus 40:34-35), and the Glory Cloud moved to Solomon’s temple when it replaced the tabernacle (1 Kings 8:10). Yet the glory of God departed the temple due to the people’s rejection of God (Ezekiel 10). Would not the new temple also be inferior, because God’s glory was no longer present there?

If this was the thinking of a great many of God’s people, then Haggai’s words offered encouragement. God announces that he will be present with them. Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the people are all in turn encouraged to “be strong” and continue to “work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts, according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt” (vv.4-5).

While God’s people had departed from God’s covenant, God’s faithfulness endured. And God was still working through his people to bring about his salvation plan. The outward inferiority was only outward, because “my Spirit remains in your midst”: God still dwelt with his people. Therefore, they should “fear not” (v.5).

v6-9

God’s salvation plan was still in effect, and the future glory will exceed that of the past! God promises that “In a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land” (v.6), bringing judgment and destruction on everything wicked (see Hebrews 12:25-29). In this judgment, all the ill-gotten riches of the nations would come to God’s presence, to glorify him, since they truly belong to God (vv.7-8).

Though the temple may appear inferior, and God’s people a small and insignificant part of a foreign empire, God would still achieve his salvation aims. “The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts” (v.9). 

Our passage applied

The temple they built would be more glorified than Solomon’s temple, because it was that temple which Jesus, the true dwelling-place of God with man (John 1:14, 2:13-22), came to in the latter days, bringing peace (Luke 2:32). The true peace of God’s covenant blessing would be found in Jesus, and will be fully experienced when he returns to earth to shake the heavens and earth in judgment once more.

As we struggle with our sins, or perhaps look at the church and wonder where progress is, this passage reminds us better things are coming. It seems like we do not grow in personal holiness, or the church does not advance. We can get discouraged, and weep like those older Jews at the sight of the temple.

But in the midst of discouragement, God is still present with us, our God who is faithful to his promises. He encourages us to persevere in putting sin to death, to keep sowing the seeds of his kingdom even though we are weeping (Psalm 127).

Not only is God present, but through Jesus we have true peace with God (Ephesians 2:11-16). And one day, when God shakes the heavens once more, we will be found with him and receive the riches of the earth as an inheritance.

This passage reminds us that God is not done yet. In the midst of discouragement, we can still be strong and carry on, knowing God is with us and will bring peace with the glory of his presence displayed for all the world to see.

Resources

Questions? Please contact us. Inspired? Come and worship with us on Sundays.



Hammer and nails

Haggai 1 – Reshaping our Priorities

Read Haggai 1

Summary

After many years of exile in Babylon, God brought a remnant home to Jerusalem to rebuild God’s temple, the dwelling-place of God (at that point in history) with his people. But opposition brought that rebuilding to a halt, and years passed. Homes were rebuilt, while a shell sat on the Temple Mount. God’s people focused on their own desires, not on serving God.

Into this scene, God sent two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, to encourage his people to trust him and focus on him. The book of Haggai opens with a call to God’s people to reshape their priorities. They should reflect on their present barrenness, return their devotion to God, and resume building his temple.

Our passage exlpained

v1-6

In verses 1 to 6 of chapter 1, God tells his people to reflect on their present barrenness. Haggai speaks to the people through Zerubabbel the governor and the High Priest Joshua, representing the civil and spiritual leadership of God’s people (v.1). He points out that the ‘conventional wisdom’ of the time was not to rebuild the temple, because of the opposition and hardship felt by the people (v.2).

Responding to this, God asks “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your panelled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” (v.4). In other words, while God’s temple remains unfinished, the people as a whole have rebuilt their homes and even lavishly decorated them with wood panels. 

Instead, they should “consider their ways” (v.5) and reflect on their overall situation. “You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes” (v.6). What they have is not enough, and what they earn does not go far enough. It is as if their wallet has a hole in it, and the coins keep falling out. They are barren in their wealth, even as they live in nice houses.

v7-11

Having reflected on their present barrenness, Haggai instructs them to return their devotion to God (vv.7-11). For many years they sought after their own material worth. Instead, God tells them to “consider their ways” and go to the hills to bring wood down: not for their own walls, but for God’s temple (vv.7-8). They should do this so “I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified” (v.8).

Looking after themselves and not focusing on God had brought them nothing (v.9). God himself had withheld his covenantal blessings on their labours, refusing them the blessings of fruitful crops (vv.10-11). They did not trust in God to protect them from their enemies, and continue building the house where he dwelt with them. They needed to return their devotion to God.

v12-15

Convicted by God’s condemnation of their living, the people heard God’s call to resume building the temple. The people heard the message, and “feared the LORD” (v.12). God declared in response “I am with you” (v.13) promising his covenantal help. Reflecting the message of God delivered through Haggai, they resumed building the temple within a month (vv.14-15).

Our passage applied

This passage looks like a free hit for a moralistic message about giving more in the expectation of blessing, but that is not the issue here. Instead, this passage is a reminder that our hearts and lives should be devoted first of all towards God, not ourselves.

God’s people abandoned the place half-built that in that age was meant to represent the glory and dwelling-place of God, and focused on their own material gain. Like them, we can get hooked on our own material gain: be that possessions, careers, the kids. We put God on the back-burner, skipping prayer, and missing church services where we are fed from his word and the sacraments.

Like God’s people in Haggai’s day, we need to reshape our priorities. God calls us to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matt. 6:33). Our hearts and lives should seek to worship God and bring Him glory, despite the opposition we may face in our own day, or the sacrifice of time and resources for our own advancement.

Because we are sinners, we must admit we cannot do this with our whole hearts. But just as God’s people repented and heard God’s promise that “I am with you” as they turned their lives back to God, so too God is with us. Jesus’ zeal for God’s house was perfect and complete (John 2:12-17), and it is Jesus’ righteousness exchanged for our sin on the Cross (2 Cor. 5:21).

This passage exhorts us to reshape our priorities to focus our hearts and our lives on serving and glorifying God. As we look to honour and worship God by seeking his kingdom, we can be sure that God is with us, blessing us with the riches of his love and mercy, and the promise of eternal life.

Resources

Questions? Please contact us. Inspired? Come and worship with us on Sundays.




Hebrews 13:22-25 – Blessings and Greetings

For thirteen chapters, the author of Hebrews has encouraged, warned, and exhorted us to persevere in the Christian faith. Jesus fulfils all God’s promises to save us from our sin, and is the substance of the ordinances and administrations of the Old Testament. We should willingly bear the same rejection and reproach of the world which Jesus bore, because it is in Jesus that we find peace with God.

As the author of Hebrews concludes his letter, he pronounces a blessing and offers greetings to his readers and hearers. In these last words in Hebrews 13:20-25, he prays that God would equip us, work in us, and shower his grace upon us.

Verses 20 to 22 are described as a benediction, which means “good word”. The words found here are a blessing and encouragement, often found at the end of New Testament letters and often pronounced at the end of a church service.

Firstly, the author prays that God would equip us. He prays “now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good” (vv.20-21). He describes God as the God of peace, the God who by his own will and act has brought peace between us and him (Romans 5:6-8), and grants us peace even in the midst of troubles and trials in the world.

The God of peace is the one who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead. This is the only time that the author speaks explicitly of the resurrection (he has referred elsewhere to Jesus’ ascension). But he makes clear that the peace we have with God comes through Jesus, who is not dead but alive and ascended on high. Therefore he is an active great shepherd of the sheep, the one who watches over his people.
Jesus the great shepherd is the one who blesses and equips us by the blood of the eternal covenant. As the author has explained over the course of his letter, that is Jesus’ own blood shed as part of the eternal covenant of grace. Through Jesus, our great high priest, the great shepherd, whose own blood saves us and brings us peace with God, we are equipped with everything good.

Secondly, the author prays God would work in us. God equips us with every good thing through Jesus Christ so “that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” (vv.21-22). God equips us through Jesus to work in us to sanctify us and help us to live the lives of thankful obedience and perseverance which we have been encouraged and exhorted to live over the previous chapters.

He prays that God would work in us so that Jesus, God in flesh, may be glorified. He asks God to equip us through Christ that we may do good deeds through Christ so that we may bring glory to Christ.

Thirdly, he wishes us to be showered in grace. After offering greetings from himself and from others with him (vv.23-24), he ends his letter with a blessing: “grace be with all of you” (v.25). The author has written because he wants his readers and hearers to live in God’s grace, to receive God’s grace, and to persevere in God’s grace. This grace is not just for a select few, but for everyone.

As we read these words, we should be reminded that it is God who has sought to bless us and greet us back into his loving presence, through Jesus Christ. God is a God of peace, who provides us with stability in the turbulence of life in a sinful world and the struggles of faith.

It is God who demonstrates his power to give eternal life because he has raised Jesus from the dead, and raised Jesus to his side. It is through Jesus’ blood that the promises of God in the covenant of grace are ratified and our sins set aside. It is through Jesus, our great shepherd, that we are watched over, kept and preserved, from the lures and snares of this world.

All this is done so that we may be equipped through the Holy Spirit to do God’s will and offer sacrifices of praise which please God, to the praise and glory of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ forever.

So, “may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Ash

Come worship with us this Sunday at 10:30am. We worship together at Kelburn Normal School hall, 16 Kowhai Rd, Kelburn. We hope to see you there!



Hebrews 13:15-19 – Sacrificing the Fruit of our Lips

Last week we read of how the author of Hebrews encouraged us to bear Christ’s reproach and go to him “outside the camp,” focusing on Jesus’ unchanging person and unchanging teaching. This is part of a series of applications of the teaching of the previous chapters, encouraging us to persevere in Christ, because he has fulfilled all the types and shadows present in the figures and sacrifices of the Old Testament.

As we join Jesus outside the camp of worldly acceptance and living, seeking the city to come, how ought we to live? According to verses 15 to 19 of Hebrews 13, we should offer praise to God, share our lives and possessions with each other, and obey the leaders God has given us.

Firstly, we are encouraged to offer up praise to God. In verse 15, we are encouraged to “through him … continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.” Instead of offering up rams as sacrifices to God, we are instead to offer up a sacrifice of praise. This sacrifice is offered up through Jesus, empowered by him and not by our own strength. Our lifestyle ought to be one of praise continually offered up to God, in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).

The sacrifice of praise to God is described as “the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name”. The author has in mind Hosea 14:2 which encourages Israel to return to God, asking him to forgive their iniquity and they will then “pay with bulls the vows of our lips”. The Greek translation of Hosea 14:2 says “pay the fruits of our lips”. The idea here is that what we speak and say ought to offer up praise to God, both in what we say and how we say it. Our words should be like bulls cast upon the altar of our lips, sacrificed to God.

Secondly, we are encouraged to share our lives and possessions with each other. “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God” (v.16). Rather than viewing our time and possessions as existing solely for our benefit, we should view them as possessions which we can use to help each other and do good deeds.

Instead of offering animals as sacrifices to please God, we offer up good deeds and our possessions to help each other out, seeing these as sacrifices offered up to God. In place of putting the ram on the altar, we might put the ram on a spit roast for us all to enjoy as a meal, so to speak. Serving one another with what we have, and doing good is a sacrifice which is pleasing to God, and acceptable to him.

Thirdly, we are called to obey our leaders. Verse 17 says “obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” This sounds hard and scary in our day of caution about authority, especially when it has been abused. But God places the eldership over us to care for us, guarding over our souls as under-shepherds. When we submit to them, we make the job easier, which helps them do so with joy instead of groaning!

Since they are called to watch over our souls, prayer is an important way we can obey and submit to our leaders. The author himself, as a leader, asks them to “pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things” (v.18). This is even more important as he is currently away from them (v.19) and hopes to return soon.
All of these encouragements are outward focused. They focus us upward to God, and outward to each other. They encourage us to think of everything which we do, and everything which we say, as sacrifices offered up to God. How would it change the way we speak, the way we act, and what we do with our time and our possessions if we thought about them as thank offerings to God for saving us?

We also have a timely reminder to keep the leadership of the church in prayer. We should pray that we might be faithfully taught and led in the green pastures of God’s word, and encouraged to live our lives as sacrifices pleasing to God. The leadership of the church desires our prayers for them, that they may grow in grace and godliness, and in turn help us to do the same. Pray for your pastor! Pray for the elders and deacons, of this and every faithful congregation.

As we go outside the camp, we can devote our lives to God and each other as a thank offering. Best of all, we can be sure that God will find our feeblest offerings pleasing and acceptable, because Jesus’ sacrifice has brought us peace with God.

Ash

Come worship with us this Sunday at 10:30am. We worship together at Kelburn Normal School hall, 16 Kowhai Rd, Kelburn. We hope to see you there!