The Lord is Coming [The Book of Malachi]

This morning, I was blessed by the Lord to read the words of His servant Malachi. The Lord gave Malachi words to prepare His people for His coming.

“I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and My Name is to be feared among the nations. And now, O priests, this commandment is for you. If you will not hear, and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory to My Name, says the Lord of hosts, I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have cursed them already because you do not take it to heart.” [1]

The Lord called His messengers to revere Him. To give God the glory! If they failed to do so, He promised to curse their ministries.

“My covenant was with him [Levi, their forefather], one of life and peace, and I gave them to him that he might fear Me; so he feared Me and was reverent before My Name. The law of truth was in his mouth, and injustice was not found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and equity and turned many away from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and people should seek the Law from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.” [2]

The Lord was pleased with His minister who revered His Name. He instructed His listeners with truth. He was fair. He turned His people away from iniquity, that is, unequal ways. The Law or Torah, which refers to God’s instruction, was in his mouth. He spoke as the Lord instructed him to speak.

“But you have departed from the way… therefore I also have made you contemptible and base before all the people, because you have not kept My ways but have shown partiality in the Law.” [3]

The preachers actually loss respect because they did not instruct people as the Lord told them to do.

“He [the Lord] does not regard the offering anymore, nor receive it with goodwill from your hands. Yet you say, “For what reason?” because the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, with whom you have dealt treacherously; yet she is your companion and your wife by covenant. But did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit and let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.” [4]

Another issue that the Lord had with His spiritual leaders was with how they mistreated their wives and children. The family came before the Church. Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel were a group before there was a church group. God wants godly offspring. So, a pastor’s first congregation is his own wife and children, and then, his ministry spreads out to his congregation from there.

“Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple…” [5]

The one prepares people for the coming of the Lord speaks of His righteousness…

“He [the Lord] is like a refiner’s fire and like launderers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness.” [6]

The Lord purifies and cleanses His messengers.

He urges His people to bring their tithes and offerings into His house. Support the work of training people in God’s ways. Support the work of spreading the Gospel.

“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field, says the Lord of hosts; and all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land, says the Lord of hosts.” [7]

Don’t believe or profess what the devil says… “ You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God; what profit is it that we have kept His ordinance.” [8]

The Lord says of those who fear the Him and meditate on His Name: “They shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, on the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.” [9]

It will not be well for those who disregard the Lord’s warning… “behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, that will leave them neither root nor branch.” [10]

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet [John the Baptist] before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” [11]

One key reform that the preparer of the Lord’s way will perform is to turn fathers to their children and their children to them. “Dear Heavenly Father, please help us who lead others to live in accordance with Your Word. For Your glory! For the sake of those who follow us.”

[1] Malachi 1:14-2:2
[2] Malachi 2:5-7
[3] Malachi 2:8-9
[4] Malachi 2:13-15
[5] Malachi 3:1
[6] Malachi 3:2-3
[7] Malachi 3:8-12
[8] Malachi 3:14
[9] Malachi 3:17-18
[10] Malachi 4:4
[11] Malachi 4:5-6