Today we finish our study from the book of Malachi. Chapter four was a final warning through Malachi to the people of Israel. The Lord told them the day is coming when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be set on fire. The Lord said they would have nothing left to them. Those that revere the name of the Lord will trample on the wicked on that day. Verse four was a call to remember all the decrees and the laws that Moses was given for Israel. The Lord told them that Elijah would come before the great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will cause the hearts of parents and children to turn to each other or else the Lord will “strike the land with total destruction.” After the Lord finished his message through Malachi, he did not speak to the children of Israel for hundreds of years until the days leading up to Jesus being born. How do you remain humble day after day and keep from becoming arrogant? The Lord wanted the children of Israel to remember the decrees and laws he gave Moses. How do you remember the commandments Jesus gave the disciples? How healthy is your heart today? Does your heart lead you to love others?
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Today we continue our study from the book of Malachi. The Lord gives the children of Israel a warning to start chapter three. The Lord will return like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will purify the Levites so that the men who bring offerings and their offerings will be acceptable. The Lord will also testify against sorcerers, adulterers, perjurers, people that defraud laborers their wages, people that oppress widows and orphans, people that deprive justice to foreigners and do not fear him. The covenant that the children of Israel have with the Lord requires them to not do those things or they will face punishment from the Lord. Even though they were back in their homeland from exile, they were doing things that would cause them to be judged in the future. The Lord does not change, nor does his word. He told them he kept his side of their covenant but they repeatedly went back on keeping their side of the covenant. The Lord told the children of Israel their whole nation was under a curse because they were not tithing and giving acceptable offerings. The Lord challenged them to bring him their whole tithe and he would bless them more than they could store. There were arrogant people that said it was futile to follow the Lord. They thought the arrogant were blessed because they put God to the test and got away with it. The Lord warned them again that there will be a day when he acts and those that feared him will be spared. There is going to be a clear distinction between those that serve God and those that do not. How often do you give a tithe or acceptable offering to the Lord? How often do you hear about the return of Jesus and what has to happen before he returns? Do you believe people test God today and get away with it? How would you explain verses seventeen through eighteen to someone? Please read the following for next week: Malachi 4 Today we continue our study from the book of Malachi. In the first nine verses, God deals with the priests and gives them a warning. Just like the other Israelites, they were not honoring God. God detailed the covenant he made with Levi and explained that their teaching had caused many to stumble. Malachi called the men out for marrying women that worshipped a foreign god. Malachi said that by marrying women that worship a foreign god, the men had desecrated the sanctuary the Lord loves. Malachi answered a question the men had about why the Lord didn’t look with favor on their offerings. Malachi told them because the Lord was the witness between them and the wife of their youth. The Lord saw that they were unfaithful to the wife of their youth. The Lord said in verse sixteen that he hates divorce, “because the man who divorces his wife covers his garment with violence.” God wanted and still wants men to protect their wives, not hurt them by divorcing them. God wanted Godly offspring, so Malachi warned the men to be on guard and stay faithful to the wife of their youth. Malachi also told the Israelites they had wearied the Lord by saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them” and “Where is the God of justice?” How do we honor God for his faithfulness to our ancestors? How well do we keep our commitments? How faithful are we to people that we give our word to? How do we talk about God to each other and to people that don’t attend services with us? Is what we say about God true? Please read the following for next week: Malachi 3 Today we start a new study from the book of Malachi. It is the last book in the Old Testament. Malachi spoke to the children of Israel that had returned from exile and rebuilt the temple. The Lord told them he loved them, but they questioned his love for them. Through Malachi, the Lord reminded them he chose them instead of the children of Esau which was the Edomites. The Lord stated that the Edomites will always be under his wrath. The Lord addressed the Israelites lack of honor towards him. They did not present offerings to him according to the Law. They offered sacrifices that were blemished. The Lord said he is a great king and his name is to be feared among all the nations. Have you ever questioned God’s love for you and what caused you to question his love? How has God showed his love for you? How can you show God the love and honor he deserves? Please read the following for next week: Malachi 2 |
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