Greetings to you all greatly beloved of God in Christ Jesus. Welcome to another wonderful day. We are thankful to God for preserving our lives each new day and for blessing us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.
In our today’s episode 632, we shall be examining the remaining part of book of Malachi Chapter 1 titled:
I Have Always Loved You; Why Do I Have To Prove It?
Before we move to chapter 2, I feel like dealing exhaustively with Malachi’s message in chapter 1 about the Love of God and why the Israelites were asking for proofs. They had the effrontery to ask God: “In what way have you loved us…?”
Did you know that many people nowadays are asking the same questions? Some people may not say it with their mouth, but right there within their hearts, they have so many queries for God blaming Him for their predicaments.
If God truly loves me, why am I facing challenges or why did He allow so and so thing to happen? These and many more are the new versions of Israelites questions nowadays.
It is so serious to the point that many have turned atheist claiming that God does not exist.
Let me quickly clarify this before we continue: that you are a Christian or a believer does not mean you will not face challenges on earth. As a matter of fact, every single day has its own challenges but then, the Bible has already assured us of the strength to overcome every challenge. Some challenges come to prepare us for a higher level. Some challenges come because of some wrong choices we make in life and God has a way of turning unpleasant situation in our lives to good and for His glory.
Be encouraged with this:
Romans 8:28-29 (The Passion Translation)
28 So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose. 29 For he knew all about us before we were born and he destined us from the beginning to share the likeness of his Son. This means the Son is the oldest among a vast family of brothers and sisters who will become just like him.
Now, back to Malachi. To the people of Israel who queried God, they got their answer immediately, which has been explained in our previous post, where God told them if He did not love them, he would not have chosen their forefather (Jacob) for His Salvation plan for the entire human race.
And we have also discovered that the hatred He had for Esau does not mean an emotional hatred that is very common among human beings. He was simply saying I have decided not to use Esau for my divine assignment. I chose Jacob instead.
Again, this decision was made not because of what either of them did, but because of God’s discretion in election. God made the call Himself and He did this even before both were born. Please read Genesis 25:22-23. God can use anybody for His assignment.
Remember Cyrus too? God chose to use Cyrus for the full emancipation of the Israelites from captivity even before Cyrus was born. So, God can use anybody and anything.
That God did not choose Esau does not mean Esau did not make it in life. He too was successful. He was so blessed that even when Jacob wanted to give him some material possessions, he told him, he did not need them, not because he was still harbouring old bitterness, but because he was already blessed. He said it Himself in Gen 33:9.
The entire Genesis Chapter 36 also gives us clear information about how Esau was blessed from one generation to another to the point that even before the land of Israel knew the meaning of monarchical government, the land of Edom had already had several kings ruling them.
So, God’s choice of Jacob was to give the entire human race spiritual blessing which can only be found in Christ. For God to make this happen, He had to come in human flesh and so He chose the lineage of Israel (formerly Jacob).
If we are to answer the question the Israelites asked God through Prophet Malachi in verse 2, saying: “how have you shown us your Love?”
The Bible has a very clear answer to that in Paul’s epistle to the Romans 5:8-9
But Christ proved God’s passionate love for us by dying in our place while we were still lost and ungodly!
And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in my sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God. The Passion Translation.
The remaining part of chapter 1 is about the reprimand given to the Priests.
What was their offence?
There is carelessness and corruption in the way they lived and in their manner of worship. Priests and people were cheating God by not giving Him the right offerings that He deserved, and they refused to follow God’s instructions in His Word as presented by God’s prophets.
They refused to honour God or respect Him.
They despised all that He told them through His prophets.
They offered worthless offerings (blind, sick, lame, and stolen animals) on the altar.
Very funny enough, they kept on asking unnecessary questions. Each time Prophet Malachi relayed a message, he would get a query from the people. Below are some of the questions/queries they put forward:
How have you shown your love for us? Verse 2
How have we despised you? Verse 6
How have we failed to respect you? Verse 7
They refused to acknowledge their mistake. They did not even know they had already crossed the line. Hence, the various questions. As a result, the prophet pronounced judgement on them. Verse 14.
Nowadays, some people have departed from the faith without even knowing. They no longer pray, study the Word, preach the Word, serve God in any capacity etc. Yet, they will be asking: what have we done wrong?
Many pulpits have been filled with super stories, jokes and banters without any trace of the rightly divided Word of God. Yet, God is saying I still love you. This should put in our hearts a sober reflection which should lead to a genuine repentance.
Let me close this message with Revelation 2:5
Think about how far you have fallen! Repent and do the works of love you did at first. I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place of influence if you do not repent.
To be continued… stay blessed.
Let’s pray:
I declare, receive insight into the revealed truth of God’s rightly divided Word, in Jesus name.
Every attempt of the devil to rob you of your blessings in this new year, is hereby foiled, in Jesus name.
The grace to persevere in serving God and not giving up, receive it, in Jesus name.
Bible Readings For Today: Book of Genesis Chapters 47-50; Mark 1, 2&3 with Psalm 16&17
I call you blessed now and always.
Tuesday January 19, 2021 (DDMI)
